Why We Believe in the Trinity by Nathan Busenitz

If the term ldquoTrinityrdquo is not found in the Bible then why do Christians believe in Godrsquos tri-

unity Here is my attempt to answer that question in 200 words or less (Note that I did not

include Scripture references in my word count)

Although the term Trinity does not occur in Scripture the concept is inherently biblical

The Trinitarian nature of God was revealed implicitly in the Old Testament and explicitly in

the New Testament

The doctrine of the Trinity is founded on two fundamental theological realities (1) There is

one true God (2) The one God has eternally existed as three distinct Persons each of whom

is equally and fully God

Reality 1 Scripture teaches that there is one true God (cf Deut 435 64 Isa

4310ndash11 455 18 21ndash22 469 Joel 227 Zech 149 Mal 210 Mark

1229 James 219 1 Tim 25 )

Reality 2 Scripture also teaches that God has eternally existed as three distinct

Persons each of whom is equally and fully God

A The Father is God (cf Matt 69 14 John 171ndash3 1 Cor 86 2 Cor 13

Php 211 Col 13 1 Pet 12 )

B The Son is God (cf Isaiah 96 Matt 123 John 11 14 18 2028 Acts

2028 Rom 95 1 Cor 124 2 Cor 44 Php 26 10ndash11 Col 115ndash16

29 Titus 213 Heb 13 8 2 Pet 11 1 John 520 )

C The Son is distinct from the Father (Matt 1127 John 11ndash2 335 434

530ndash32 37 638 1036 1249 148ndash11 1720ndash24 Gal 441 John 21

Heb 725 )

D The Holy Spirit is God (Gen 12 63 Job 334 Psalm 1397ndash8 John 33ndash

8 1423 Acts 53ndash4 1 Cor 210ndash11 616 19 2 Cor 318 Heb 914

1015ndash16 2 Thess 213 1 Pet 110ndash11 2 Pet 121 ) Moreover the Holy Spirit

is a person possessing the attributes of personhood (Mark 329 John 1426

168 Acts 829 132 166 Rom 826 1530 1 Cor 1211 Eph 430 1

Tim 41 Heb 1029 Rev 27 )

E The Spirit is distinct from the Father and the Son (Isaiah 4816 Matt 2819

Luke 321 John 1416ndash17 26 1613ndash14 Rom 827 Heb 98 )

On this basis the Bible often refers to God in ways that emphasize all three

Members of the Trinity (Matt 2819 Rom 1417ndash18 1513ndash17 1530 1 Cor

611 17ndash19 124ndash6 2 Cor 121ndash22 34ndash6 1314 Gal 221ndash32 Eph

218 21ndash22 311ndash17 44ndash6 518ndash20 Php 21 6 Col 16ndash8 1 Thess

11ndash5 42 8 518ndash19 2 Thess 213 14 35 Titus 34ndash6 Heb 914 1

John 323ndash24 Jude 20ndash21 )

Thus we embrace the truth of the Trinity because God has revealed Himself in

this way in His Word