THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY TRINITY

The Trinity is the Christian doctrine according to which there is only one God in three persons equal in nature and substance, but distinguished by their relationships of origin. Jesus revealed that God is Father and Son (Logos) and Holy Spirit, and the Church over the centuries has formulated this doctrine above all through the Councils, resorting to the use of notions of philosophical origin such as “hypostasis” or “person” to indicate the Father and the Son and the Spirit in their mutual distinction, and “substance” to indicate the unity of God. Below we will see some scriptures that prove the truthfulness of the Trinitarian doctrine:

GOD IS ONE

Deuteronomy 32:39
See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Romans 3:30
Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

James 2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

GOD IS THE FATHER

John 1:18
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath revealed him.

John 5:18
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

Romans 15:6
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

GOD IS THE SON

Luke 8:37-39
Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

John 16:15
All things that the Father hath are mine.

John 20:28
Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”

Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Romans 9:5
Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Colossians 2:9
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.

Titus 2:13
Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:1
Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

GOD IS THE HOLY SPIRIT

Acts 5:3-4
But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart TO LIE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? YOU HAVE NOT LIED TO MEN BUT TO GOD.”

1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

THE SON IS ONE GOD WITH THE FATHER

John 10:30
I and the Father are one.

John 14:9-11
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

THE SON OF GOD HAS HYPOSTATICALLY UNITED HIMSELF HUMAN NATURE

The Son – when the fullness of time has come – became incarnate (John 1:14; Galatians 4:4), therefore he has two natures, divine and human, integral, indivisible, not confused. According to human nature – and only in reference to this – Jesus is subjected to God (John 14:28; Acts 3:13; 1 Corinthians 11:3). Thus in him the human will to his divine and almighty one (Hebrews 10:7.9; Luke 22:42; John 14:31).

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS, AT ONE TIME, THE SPIRIT OF THE FATHER AND THE SPIRIT OF THE SON

Matthew 10:20
For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A DIVINE PERSON

The Holy Spirit desireth: Romans 8:27
He who searches the hearts knoweth what the Spirit desireth, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit creates: Job 33:4
The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

The Holy Spirit loves: Romans 15:30
Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me.

The Holy Spirit comforts: John 14:6
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.

The Holy Spirit is saddened: Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Isaiah 63:10
But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, And He fought against them.

The Holy Spirit reveals: Luke 2:26
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

The Holy Spirit forbids: Acts 16:6
Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.

The Holy Spirit teaches the truth: John 14:17
The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

The Holy Spirit knows all things: 1 Corinthians 2:9-11
But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

The Holy Spirit intercedes for the Church: Romans 8:26-27
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knoweth what the Spirit desireth, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit testifies to Christ: John 15:26
But when the Comforter comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

The Holy Spirit can be tempted: Acts 5:9
Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

The Holy Spirit can be lied to: Acts 5:3
But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?

The Holy Spirit can be blasphemed: Matthew 12:31-32
Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

The Holy Spirit is a Paràkletos (John 14:16) like Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1).

THE SON IS NOT THE FATHER

John 17:18
As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

2 Corinthians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT THE FATHER NOR THE SON

Psalm 104:30
You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.

John 14:16-17
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever. The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Therefore the doctrine of the Trinity is not an invention of the fourth century, but finds its foundation in the Bible. In 325 and 381 the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople were necessary above all against the error of the Arians and against that of the Macedonians (also called pneumatomachi), who denied the divinity of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Church through the Councils defined the divinity of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit. Instead, the term Trinity was coined in the second century by Tertullian (De pudicitia XXI, 16) with which it expresses, at the same time, the unity of God and the distinction between the three divine persons (Adversus Praxean II, 4; VIII, 6- 7; IX, 1; XII, 7; XXV, 1). Having become part of theological language, the term Trinity has effectively become the name of the fundamental doctrine of the Christian Church.