New Page 1

The Trinity

The Trinity In The New Testament

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God . . . sanctification of the Spirit . . . and the blood of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:2)

Coming to the New Testament we find sharp distinctions made between the individual Persons of the Trinity in which the truth of the Trinity is made very definite. This has an added weight when we observe that the writers of the New Testament. were not heathen Gentiles, but mainly Jews. Dr. Luke was the only Gentile. These Jewish believers had no doubt about the Trinity, consisting of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There are several references to the three persons of the Trinity in the Old Testament:
	1)	“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon Him.” (Isa. 42:1)
	2)	“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.” (Isa. 61:1)
	3)	“The Lord God, and His Spirit, hath sent me.” (Isa. 48:16)

The writers of the New Testament had no difficulty in believing that our Lord was the “Son” and “Angel of the Lord” the Old Testament spoke about; and that the Holy Spirit was the Spirit of the LORD in the Old Testament and that the Father was the Elah, the El, Jehovah of the Old Testament.

When reading the New Testament. the three persons of the Godhead are mentioned together quite often:
	1)	“Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”." (Matt. 28:19)
	2)	“Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; the Son of God.” (Lk. 1:35)
	3)	Holy Ghost descended; Voice of the Father from Heaven; My Beloved Son. (Lk. 3:21-23)
	4)	“He (Christ) whom God hath sent; the Spirit.” (Jn. 3:34)
	5)	“The Comforter; I (Christ) will send; from the Father.” (Jn. 15:26)
	6)	“The Spirit of Truth; shall glorify Me (Christ); the Father.” (Jn. 16:13-15)
	7)	“Jesus; my Father; the Holy Ghost.” (Jn. 20:21-22)
	8)	“Full of the Holy Ghost; the Glory of God; and Jesus.” (Acts 7:55)
	9)	“God anointed Jesus; with the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 10:38)
	10)	“God sending His own Son; after the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:3-4)
	11)	“In Christ; is God; the Spirit in our hearts." (2 Cor. 1:21-22)
	12)	“Diversities, but the same Spirit; differences, but the same Lord; diversities, but the same God.” (1 Cor. 12:4-6)
	13)	“Stablisheth, in Christ; hath anointed us, is God; earnest of the Spirit." (2 Cor. 1:21-22)
	14)	“Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost.”. (2 Cor. 13:14)
	15)	“The sight of God; Christ hath redeemed us; receive the promise of the Spirit.” (Gal. 3:11-14)
	16)	“God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son." (Gal. 4:6)
	17)	“Through Him (Christ); by one Spirit unto the Father.” (Eph. 2:18)
	18)	“Jesus Christ; habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Eph. 2:20-22)
	19)	“Unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; by His Spirit.” (Eph. 3:14-17)
	20)	“One Spirit; One Lord; One God and Father.” (Eph. 4:4-6)
	21)	“Be filled with the Spirit; melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks unto God.” (Eph. 5:18-20)
	22)	“The will of God; in Christ Jesus; quench not the Spirit.” (1 Thess. 5:18-19)
	23)	“Give thanks to God; beloved of the Lord; sanctification of the Spirit.” (2 Thess. 2:13)
	24)	“The love of God; renewing of the Holy Ghost; through Jesus Christ.” (Titus 3:4-6)
	25)	“Blood of Christ; eternal Spirit; To God.” (Heb. 9:14)
	26)	“Foreknowledge of God; sanctification of the Spirit; blood of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet. 1:2)
	27)	“His (God), Son, Jesus Christ; the Spirit.” (1 Jn. 3:23-24)
	28)	“The Spirit of God; Jesus Christ; of God.” (1 Jn. 4:2)
	29)	“His Spirit; the Father; the Son.” (1 Jn. 4:13-14)
	30)	“The Father, the Word, the Holy Ghost.” (1 Jn. 5:7)
	31)	“Praying in the Holy Ghost; in the love of God; the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:20-21)
	32)	“From Him which is, and which was, and is to come; and from the seven Spirits, from Jesus Christ.” (Rev. 1:4-5)
	33)	“Seven Spirits of God; He (Christ); Him (God) that sat on the throne." (Rev. 5:6-7)

Even if there were not a word, not even a hint in the Old Testament of the Trinity; there is ample in the New Testament for believing this truth.

The Similarity and Some of The Functions of The Trinity

The following is a reference to some of the verses which show the unity of functioning and identicalness of character there is with the three Persons in the Godhead.

Characteristic	Father	Son	Spirit
Equality in Creating	Gen. 1:1	Jn. 1:2	Job 26:13
Equality in Deity	Eph. 4:6	Rom. 5:9	Acts 5:3-4
Equality in Eternality	Psa. 90:2	Mic. 5:2	Heb. 9:14
Equality in Omniscience	Jer. 17:10	Rev. 2:23	1 Cor. 2:11
Equality in Omnipotence	1 Pet. 1:5	2 Cor. 12:9	Rom. 15:13
Equality in Omnipresence	Jer. 23:24 (While it says Lord it is contextually the Father)	Matt. 18:20	Psa. 139:7
Equality in Holiness	Rev. 15:4 (While it says Lord it is contextually the Father)	Acts 3:14	Matt. 1:18
Equality in Truth	Jn. 7:28	Jn. 14:6	1 Jn. 5:7
Equality in Creation of man	Gen. 2:7	Col. 1:16	Job 33:4
Equality in Resurrecting power	Acts 2:24	Jn. 10:18	1 Pet. 3:18

There seems to be no better place than now to quote the wondrous creed of Saint Athanasius.
	1)	The Catholic (universal) faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity, and the Trinity in unity.
	2)	Neither confusing the persons, nor dividing the substance.
	3)	For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Spirit.
	4)	But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one, the glory equal, and the majesty co‑eternal.
	5)	Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such the Holy Ghost.
	6)	The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Ghost uncreated.
	7)	The Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Ghost infinite.
	8)	The Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Ghost eternal.
	9)	And yet there are not three eternals, but one eternal.
	10)	Also there are not three uncreated, nor three infinities, but one infinity, and one uncreated.
	11)	So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Ghost almighty.
	12)	And yet there are not three almighties, but one almighty.
	13)	So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Ghost is God.
	14)	And yet there are not three Gods, but one God.
	15)	So the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the Holy Ghost is Lord.
	16)	And yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord.
	17)	We are compelled by Christian verity, to confess each person by himself to be both Lord and God.
	18)	We are forbidden to speak of three Gods, or three Lords.
	19)	The Father is made of none, nor created nor begotten.
	20)	The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten.
	21)	The Spirit is of the Father and the Son, not made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.
	22)	There is therefore one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.
	23)	In this Trinity, there is no before nor after, no greater nor less.
	24)	But all three persons are co‑eternal, co‑together, and co‑equal.

Amen and Amen

May God grant us good understanding as He, by His Holy Spirit, deigns to guide us into all truth.
John 16:13