Embracing the Mystery: Understanding the Trinity

By on Apr 22, 2025

The word “Trinity” doesn’t appear in the Bible, and yet it is central to Christian faith. It expresses a profound truth: that God is one in essence and three in person—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For many, this doctrine can seem confusing or even contradictory. How can God be both one and three? And what does this mean for our lives as followers of Christ?

Let’s explore the biblical roots of the Trinity and reflect on why this doctrine is more than just theological jargon—it is the heartbeat of Christian worship and relationship with God.

1. One God in Three Persons
The foundation of the Trinity is that God is one. This truth is firmly rooted in the Old Testament:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” - Deuteronomy 6:4 (ESV)

Yet as we read through Scripture, especially the New Testament, we find that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet they are not each other. The mystery is not in contradiction, but in the nature of God’s being.

2. The Father: God Over All
The Father is recognized as God throughout Scripture, the source and sustainer of all things.
“Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist.” - 1 Corinthians 8:6a (ESV)
God the Father sends the Son into the world and is the one to whom the Son prays. There is distinction without division.

3. The Son: God With Us
Jesus is not just a great teacher or prophet—He is fully God, fully man. John's Gospel opens with a stunning declaration of the Son's divinity:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” - John 1:1 (ESV)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” - John 1:14 (ESV)

Jesus forgives sins, accepts worship, and declares, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). These are not the claims of a mere man.

4. The Holy Spirit: God In Us
The Spirit is not a force, but a person. The Spirit teaches, leads, and intercedes for believers. He is sent by the Father and the Son and is fully divine.
“But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit… You have not lied to man but to God.’” - Acts 5:3-4 (ESV)
The Spirit is the presence of God dwelling within us, sealing us for the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14).

5. Trinitarian Moments in Scripture
There are key moments where all three Persons of the Trinity are revealed together:

At Jesus’ baptism:
“And when Jesus was baptized… the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove… and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son.’” - Matthew 3:16-17 (ESV)

In the Great Commission:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” - Matthew 28:19 (ESV)
Notice that “name” is singular—one name, three persons.

6. Why the Trinity Matters
The doctrine of the Trinity isn't just something to be understood—it’s something to be lived. Christianity is, at its core, relational. The Trinity reveals that God is love (1 John 4:8) because God exists eternally in loving relationship. We are invited into that love.

Knowing God as Trinity means:
We can pray to the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Spirit.
We see salvation as the work of the Triune God: planned by the Father, accomplished by the Son, and applied by the Spirit.
We are called into fellowship with all three (2 Corinthians 13:14).

7. Embrace the Mystery
The Trinity can’t be fully grasped by the human mind—and that’s okay. If God were small enough to be fully understood, He wouldn’t be big enough to be worshiped. The Trinity isn’t a puzzle to solve but a mystery to adore.

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” - Romans 11:33 (ESV)

Final Thoughts
To believe in the Trinity is to believe in a God who is beyond us and yet draws near to us. A God who sends His Son, fills us with His Spirit, and calls us His children. Let us worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—one God, now and forever.