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We are finite beings with limits to our understanding, and because of that it is impossible for us to comprehend the intricacies of an infinite God. Thankfully within the pages of inspired scripture God has seen fit to reveal important truths about who He is and how He operates. Some of these truths are difficult for our human minds to grasp however, and the Trinity is a good example.

The Bible was providentially written, compiled, and preserved, providing everything that is necessary in this life to know about God and our relationship to Him. We can be certain that whatever God's word contains is essential for our spiritual knowledge and development, and that includes what it reveals about the very composition of the divine being: that God is one essence existing in three persons. Because we find this concept in scripture we can be assured that God intends for us to know it, though we may struggle to understand it.

Since scripture itself attests to the existence of the Trinity, it cannot be dismissed as merely a construct of theologians or church councils; it must instead be received as a biblical doctrine necessary to our proper understanding of God. While the specific term “Trinity” does not actually appear in the Bible text, a number of passages in the Old and New Testament describe God’s triune nature. The word came into use many centuries ago simply to give a name to what these constituent references have to say about the divine makeup.

Orthodox Christianity’s traditional understanding of the Trinity is presented in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan and Athanasian creeds. To quickly summarize, the one spiritual essence, or being, of God is comprised of three distinct, divine persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—each of whom are wholly and fully God, yet retain distinct personal characteristics.

God the Father
Often generalized simply as “God”, the Father foreknows, or acts as the first cause of everything. Scripture shows that all three Persons of the Trinity are divine, co-eternal and co-equal, yet the Father is understood to occupy a role of preeminence, as the Son is eternally begotten of the Father and the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from both the Father and the Son. This does not disrupt the reality of joint supremacy within the godhead; as the Puritan writer Thomas Watson observed, the Father is first in priority, but not in superiority. It is the Father who leads the economic order of the Trinity, and it is His will that acts as the universal catalyst. The distinction of “Father” speaks to God’s function as the definitive first cause and the paternal nature of His relationship to the entire created order, as He provides for humanity’s very existence and everything that is necessary to sustain it.

God the Son
The second person of the Trinity occupies a position of sonship in relation to God the Father, by whom He is eternally “begotten.” The generation of God the Son is itself a mystery within the mystery of the Trinity and certainly the subject of great speculation since the early days of the church. One of the more coherent ideas put forth by theologians over time is that the Son exists as the Father’s perfect idea or awareness of Himself—un-created, yet eternally and necessarily begotten of the Father’s nature.* The idea aligns with scripture’s description of the Son as the perfect image and exact representation of God. In power, glory, and being, the Son is indistinguishable from the Father, emanating the same divine essence. Augustine described the generation of the Son as “light flowing from light”, as His radiance is equal to that of the Father. Scripture reveals that the Son is also perfectly obedient to the Father and that all things have been created through Him and for Him. As the Christ, the Son is the focal point regarding God’s actions in the redemption of humanity, having been specifically sent by the Father to do the Father’s will.

God the Holy Spirit
The Spirit is the third of the three distinct persons who comprise the one divine essence. Associated often with the will of God, God the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, was directly involved in the original act of creation and is engaged in the work of preserving that creation. The Spirit is essential in God’s work of redemption, regenerating believers to endow them with the new life that makes faith possible. He is understood to be the primary agent of sanctification, indwelling true believers in order to sustain and increase their faith, and progressively perfecting them over time toward a state of holiness. In our natural state, our human hearts and minds are closed to spiritual truth, and it is through the work of the Spirit alone that people are able to receive and understand the truth about God. Described by Christ as a “Helper,” the Spirit is an active presence, literally abiding in every believer to guide their conscience, illuminate the gospel in their hearts, bring them into communion with the full body of Christian believers, and reinforce their saving faith. Some theologians have speculated** that the Spirit, understood to proceed from both the Father and the Son, necessarily exists as the divine embodiment of their perfect love for one another.

Attempts to accurately portray the Trinity with a simple illustration or metaphor often fall short. The idea of multiple subsistences comprising a singular essence goes beyond anything we can naturally relate to, so popular analogies such as a three-leaf clover, an egg, the states of water and others do not correctly impart the reality of God’s unique being and instead promote tritheism, partialism, modalism or other ancient heresies. The most effective visual illustration of the Trinity is perhaps one of the oldest: the Shield of the Trinity, or Shield of Faith. Shown at right, this simple diagram believed to date back to the 12th or 13th century helps us to visualize what is known for certain according to scripture concerning the composition of the divine being.

Though we have limited insight to the ontological aspect of the Trinity, as Augustine observed the distinctions of the three divine persons can be understood through the revealed nature of their relationship to one another. What we can observe about the intra-Trinitarian relationship through our study of scripture is that it reflects an economic hierarchy or order through which the divine actions are prearranged and carried out.

The Bible provides only a few details with regard to the specific roles of the persons of the Trinity in creation and providence, though it documents that each is active and integral in those areas. Concerning salvation and judgment more is revealed however. Several passages in the Bible reference the intra-Trinitarian agreement regarding the redemption of man. This arrangement determined within God’s eternal counsel has been expressed as the covenant of grace or the covenant of redemption. While the work of redemption is typically, primarily associated with the Son, all three persons are involved. Ephesians 1 offers a glimpse of how the Father, Son, and Spirit uniquely contribute to salvation, and provides valuable insight to the economic relationship within the Trinity:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. - Ephesians 1:3-14

In verses 3-6 we are told that it is God the Father who has extended His unmerited favor, or grace, to humanity. He does this out of love, and even before the world was established He chose those who He will adopt as His own through Christ. In verses 7-13 the atoning work and authority of God the Son is described; that God’s elect are redeemed of sin by way of Christ’s sacrifice and will share in His inheritance, that He is the revelation of God’s will regarding salvation, and that all things are for and in Him. Verses 13-14 describe the indwelling power of God the Holy Spirit to enable faith, provide the assurance of adoption, and seal and sanctify believers as God’s own. Repeated throughout the passage is the reminder that God is glorified in all of these actions.

Other passages in scripture echo what Ephesians 1 conveys about the distinct roles of the members of the Trinity in salvation. When considered together, three key points relating to the covenant of redemption come into focus:

The Father has determined man’s redemption. The Bible shows us that even at the very beginning of human history, the necessity of salvation from sin and a plan for carrying it out existed. A purpose of God, redemption originates with the Father, and it is He who appoints the Son to the atoning work. The Father rewards the Son for His obedience in part by: endowing Him with the fullness of the Holy Spirit to perform His ministry; raising Him from death; giving Him a church of believers; and exalting Him to His right hand.

The Son has accomplished redemption. In obedience to the Father’s will, the Son freely condescended to set aside heavenly privilege, enter history and take on human form to become the perfect offering to satisfy God’s perfect justice. This was the Christ and Messiah—Jesus of Nazareth—chosen of God, possessing both divine and human natures and serving as the ultimate revelation of God to humanity.Through His predestined physical death Jesus Christ completed His redemptive mission, providing the means of substitutionary atonement for the sin separating man from God. Through His subsequent resurrection He
demonstrated the sufficiency of that atonement; this confirmed that God’s justice had been satisfied and redemption and eternal life had been secured for the elect of God, whom the Father has given Him and who are bound forever to Him through faith. Retaining a glorified human form, Jesus ascended to heaven and is currently at the right hand of the Father interceding on behalf of believers. He will return to the earth at a divinely appointed future time to judge the world and reign eternally as the rightful Sovereign of God’s kingdom.

The Spirit applies redemption. As Watson said, “Though Christ makes the purchase, it is the Holy Ghost that makes the assurance, and seals us to the day of redemption.” It is through the Spirit that Christ has carried out the atoning work and man is able to receive Him in faith. Without the work of the Spirit, no person could be saved. He regenerates believers and imparts to them the eternal life of God. He is the conduit of true faith, the unbreakable cord through which God’s elect are bound to the body of Christ. It is through the Spirit that Christ is present with believers, constantly providing assurance and increasing faith by communicating, teaching and reinforcing the saving knowledge of the gospel, and progressively shaping them throughout the remainder of their lives to resemble their Savior.

As in all things, the sovereignty of God is reflected in the redemptive work. In every step of the process, it is God who is working to effect salvation. Man supplies only the moral and spiritual deficiency that puts him in need of rescue. This understanding of the reality that a divine Savior is required for atone for human sin, that man himself is wholly unable to compensate by his own efforts, is a pillar of the Christian faith and is why it stands apart from all other world religions.

By examining the interactions of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit within the context of God’s redemptive work we can come to understand something about their relationship and the triunity of God. It is a relationship that provides an ideal model for all relationships, as it demonstrates perfect love, trust, faithfulness, obedience, sacrifice, gratitude, order, harmony and consensus of will and purpose.

The doctrine of the Trinity is a divine blessing intended for our instruction and knowledge of God. It is a difficult concept, exceeding our human capacity for a full and clear comprehension of its mystery. As with other doctrines of God, we must rely on scripture as the sole authoritative source of truth and guidance while exercising caution in our own interpretations and speculations. We must remember that it is through the word of God alone that the Trinity has been revealed. It is a truth which would never have come to light through man’s limited observations, experience and reasoning. And because of that, as Watson concludes, it must ultimately be accepted as an object of faith:

There are some truths in religion that may be demonstrated by reason; as that there is a God: but the Trinity of persons in the Unity of essence is wholly supernatural, and must be believed by faith. This sacred doctrine is not against reason, but above it. Those illuminated philosophers, that could find out the causes of things, and discourse of the magnitude and influence of the stars, the nature of minerals, could never, by their deepest search, find out the mystery of the Trinity. This is of divine revelation, and must be adored with humble believing. †

It is hoped that this introduction to the doctrine of the Trinity is found to be helpful and in alignment with biblical truth, as a sincere effort has been made to make it so. Certainly it only scratches the surface of what scripture reveals about this divine mystery, but is offered in hopes of inspiring additional thought and study.

 

Trinity described in scripture
One essence: Deut 6:4; Is 45:5-7; Mk 12:29; Jn 10:29-30, 14:9-10; 1 Cor 8:4; Eph 4:4-6; Jam 2:19. Multiple persons: Gen 1:26, 3:22, 11:7; Ps 45:6-7, 110:1; Is 6:8. Three persons: Is 48:12-16, 63:7-14; Mt 3:16-17, 4:1, 28:19; Mk 1:10-11; Lk 3:21-22; Jn 1:18, 3:16, 5:20-22, 14:26, 15:26, 16:13-15; 2 Cor 13:14; Eph 2:18; 1 Jn 4:13-14; 1 Pet 1:2; Rev 1:4-5.

Work in creation and providence
Father: 1 Pet 4:19. Son: Jn 1:3, 1:10; 1 Cor 8:6; Col 1:16-17; Heb 1:2-3, 1:10. Holy Spirit: Gen 1:2; Job 26:13, 32:8, 33:4, 34:14-15; Ps 33:6, 104:30.

Work in redemption
Father: 1 Chr 17:21; Is 63:16; Jn 3:16, 6:37-40, 17:17; Gal 4:4-5; Eph 1:3-6; 1 Thes 5:23. Son: Rom 3:24; 1 Cor 1:30; Eph 1:7-12, 5:25-27; 1 Tim 2:5. Holy Spirit: Rom 8:11; Eph 1:13-14; 2 Thes 2:13; Heb 9:14; 1 Pet 1:2

Eternal counsel/covenant of redemption
Ps 2:7-9, 89:26-28; Is 42:1-9, 53:10-12; Zec 6:12-13; Lk 22:22, 22:28-30; Jn 5:30, 5:36, 6:37-40, 10:17-18; 17; Acts 2:23; Eph 1:4-14, 3:11; Phil 2:5-11; Heb 5:5, 10:5-7.

Reference, bibliography, suggested reading:
* Sproul, R.C.; "The Holy Spirit" (Lecture 1: The Breath of Life)
** Piper, John; "The Place of the Holy Spirit in the Trinity"; 1987 (desiringgod.org)
† Watson, Thomas, c. 1620-1686; A Body of Divinity
Athanasian Creed; c. 500
Augustine; De trinitate (On the Trinity); c. 400
Berkhof, Louis; Systematic Theology, "The Holy Trinity"; 1938
Hodge, Charles; Systematic Theology; 1872-73
MacArthur, John/Mayhue, Richard; Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth; 2017
Murray, John; Redemption Accomplished and Applied; 1955
Nicene Creed; c. 325

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Most scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB)

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