The Holy Trinity
When we read the Bible, God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit are obviously the main characters. They are also known as the Holy Trinity. An essential part of the Christian faith is belief in the Holy Trinity. That is; each one is fully God, yet there is only One God, three in one.
There is so much depth and beauty when it comes to the Trinity you could study it your whole life and still have more to learn. While it is difficult to fully understand, there certain basic elements to give you a foundation.
Who is in the Holy Trinity?
It's important to know that although you won't find the term "Trinity" or "Holy Trinity" in the bible, the case for God being three persons in one is very strong from the beginning to the end. The time we see all three members represented and referenced in the same place and time is in Matthew 3:13-17. Here we have all three persons of the Trinity present, Jesus the son of God as man being baptized in the Jordan, the Holy Spirit descends on him with the appearance of a dove, and the Father speaks from heaven.
God the Father
God the Son
God the Holy Spirit
God the Father
First, let's quickly look at God the Father. He is the one who is seated on the throne in heaven. The Creator, King and Ruler over all the cosmos. We know from the bible that he is a person, he has consciousness, self-will, emotions, he communicates, he makes promises and blesses. He has the fullness of God's characteristics or attributes as we call them.
God the Son
Jesus is the Son within the Trinity and arguably the most famous human in history. He is called the Son of God and fully man and fully God. Although Jesus took on a physical body and is human in every way, he is unique, and always will be. Because although he is man, and walked this earth, like any other human being, he is also fully and perfectly God. We call this incarnation, literally meaning God in the flesh. He came to show the world who God is and also to save us from our sins.
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the person in the Trinity we are told is called the "helper" and "comforter". In Genesis we read, the Spirit of God was there at the very dawn of creation. The Spirit was and is, always at work in the world, demonstrating God's power and accomplishing his purposes. It is important to know that he is not merely spirit, but identified as a unique person, different from God the Father and God the Son, yet one with them.
More about the Trinity
When we read in the Bible about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we see that these names are used interchangeably and always in relation to the only God. In Isaiah 44:6 it says the following; “This is what the LORD says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.” There is only one God. Yet we also read in the Bible that the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ are called God as well. Both the Holy Spirit and Jesus are attributed all the qualities that only God can have. Both the Holy Spirit and Jesus do things that only God can do.
Perfect Unity
God the Father, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit are often mentioned in the same breath in a way that cannot apply to any human being or created thing. This fact shows their unity. The Holy Spirit is called both the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of God. So only one conclusion is possible, there is only one God, but that God shows himself in three Persons. They are all inseparable and live in complete unity.
Attributes
It is also note-worthy that as mentioned previously, all the attributes given to God the Father are shared in fullness by the whole Trinity. For example, God is eternal, all members of the Trinity are eternal. God is Holy as are the Son and Spirit. Every single one for God the Father's unique attributes (which make him different from us!) are shared equally and completely by each person in the Trinity.
Equality and Submission
Although we know that because they are all one God and therefore perfectly equal in every way, in scripture we are told that there is submission within the Trinity! Over and over we see Jesus, submitting to God the Father's will. The Holy Spirit submits to the will of the Son and the Father. Showing us that when it comes to perfect love and a perfect God, submission is a good thing, not something to be resisted. Some scholars refer to this as a dance where each person moves in sync throughout eternity. Always giving and receiving glory to each other, it is really quite beautiful if you take time to imagine it!
Glory!
Another beautiful picture we see in scripture is that each member wants to bring glory to the other! There is no insecurity in the Trinity, only perfect love. So each person desires to glorify the others. The Son lives to bring glory to the Father, the Father elevates the Son in glory. The Holy Spirits whole work is to bring glory to the Father and the Son, in this He is also glorified!
A Metaphor
Here is a metaphor people sometimes use to explain the Trinity. H2O is the chemical name for water. Water comes in different forms, liquid, vapor and ice. Different expressions but the same chemical name. Ice, water, and vapor are all three different and yet the same in one thing; all three are H2O. H2O stands for God, everything begins and ends with God, the Holy Trinity. It's important to note that this is attempting to use a physical and finite concept to explain an infinite God. The reality is, it's completely inadequate and breaks down quickly if you look too closely. But that being said, sometimes it is helpful to have these types of metaphors to give us a glimpse into the great mystery that is the Trinity.
Another Metaphor
As The Father He is the one from whom all things flow, as to speak. The image of a fountain might be helpful (from Michael Reeves 'Delighting in the Trinity’). Where the Father is the source that puts it all in motion. The Son is the water that cleanses and nurtures. And the Spirit is the overflowing abundance and power of the flowing water.
