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Brush Up On Your Theology; 8. Trinitarianism

by Dr. Henderson Ward  
11/15/2015 / Bible Studies

This concept has to do with the doctrine of the Trinity; three persons, co-eternal, separate and equal forming the Godhead; consisting of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

The word "Trinity" is not mentioned in the Bible. We believe it was created sometime around 180 AD by Theophilus of Antioch, and for this reason it is not accepted by many.

However the word "Trinity" is just a word trying to explain a Biblical concept which many find hard to grasp. The Trinity was accepted by the early church and affirmed in the final form of the Nicene Creed following the Council of Constantinople in AD 381.

To understand the concept we must look at the use of the word "God" in the Bible; for the word "God" is used in the plural as well as the singular sense. The Hebrew word for God, Elohim, used here, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:26) is plural, and is used many times throughout the Bible indicating the concept of plurality of persons.

The Bible states clearly this plurality of persons, for example, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord" (Deuteronomy 6:4), which, when given the Hebrew reads like this, "Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our Elohim is one Jehovah" making it clear that Jehovah and Elohim refer to the same person, and is usually translated in English as LORD God.

The number of persons in the Godhead is expressly stated in the New Testament, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." (1 John 5:7). We believe that the Father generates, the Son who is the Word executes, and the Holy Spirit brings about the perfecting of the works of God. Some people describe this as from the Father, through the Son and in the Holy Spirit.

Some other references to the Trinity are as follows:

"Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me." (Isaiah 48:16)

"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17)

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever." (John 14:16)

In acknowledgement of the reality of the Trinity, the apostles (and all believers henceforth), were commissioned to teach, preach and make disciples of all nations and to baptise them in the name of the Trinity, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 28:19)

The Apostle Paul, the foremost intellectual among the apostles, confirmed and accepted the notion of the Trinity by his clear pronouncements, such as here, "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." (Ephesians 2:18). Here Paul is saying that all believers, whether Jews or Gentiles are presented to God the Father, by God the Son because they possess God the Spirit.

The concept of the Trinity, three components united as one, seems to be a concept ingrained in nature, and can be observed all around us, as long as we are fully perceptive.

Let us take a few examples:

Example 1. Scientists tell us that all nature has three major states of matter, i.e., solids, liquids and gases, although theoretically there are some others.

Example 2. Humans have three distinct parts to their nature; body, soul and spirit, i.e., body (flesh, bones,etc.), and a mystical combination of soul and spirit relating to heart, conscience, and mind.

Example 3. Humans are regarded universally as tall, short or medium; even when there is no agreement on the particular height for each category.

Example 4. Water is considered hot, cold or warm, and a person is considered good-looking, ugly or in-between; although these are very subjective.

Example 5. In philosophy there are just three parts to an argument. And because a sermon is a structured argument (homiletically speaking), presenting Biblical truths, then a sermon usually consists of three parts, i.e. introduction, body and conclusion.

Because the word "Trinity" is not found in the Bible, many people have sought to explain it so that the average person can better understand God. This has led to some prominent theologians been expelled from the church in early Christianity, and the branding of many as heretics.

Some of the heretical explanations for the Trinity are as follows:

Sabellianism: Sabellius (a third century priest) taught that God was single and indivisible, rather than three persons, with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being three modes or manifestations of one divine Person. This is like a man being a father, a son and a husband, but just the same person.

Arianism: Arius (AD 250336) was a Christian ascetic priest who taught that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, created by God the Father, but distinct from the Father and therefore subordinate to the Father. This is in essence monarchianism.

Binitarianism is the doctrine of two persons, or two aspects in one God and that the Holy Spirit is not a separate individual. The Spirit is seen as going out from God the creator, and is the creator, a person of God's being, which also lived in Jesus Christ.

Unitarianism is the teaching that God is one entity, one deity in one person, in contrast to the Trinity. Unitarians believe that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is in some sense the son of God, but that he is not the one God himself, and that Jesus Christ was human and not divine.

Dynamic monarchianism holds that God is one being, above all else, wholly indivisible, and of one nature. Different variations of Dynamism hold that Jesus was adopted at the time of his baptism or later at his ascension.

Modalists (Modalism) teach a doctrine similar to monarchianism in that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are three different modes or aspects of one monadic God.

However, mainstream believers are not to be taken in by some people's interpretation of what the Bible says, but rather to hold to that which seems clear, i.e., God is a Trinity, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." (1 John 5:7). Perhaps in eternity everything will become crystal clear.

Enough said.

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Dr. Henderson Ward received his Doctor of Divinity in theology, with distinction, from Masters International School of Divinity, USA, where he is currently a post-doctoral fellow. Dr. Ward's career involved pastoring, evangelism, and teaching. Copyright 2017

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