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Many critics of Christianity point to what they believe to be a fundamental flaw – the belief that God is three persons, yet one God (i.e., the doctrine of the Trinity). To the Jews and Muslims, this Christian doctrine appears to be a contradiction and a blasphemy against the one, true God. Christians have even been accused of believing in polytheism or three separate gods!<\/p>\n
If the doctrine of the Trinity is true, then we could expect to find this teaching in the Scriptures. If the doctrine of the Trinity is false, then the Scriptures would only speak of God in such a way as to indicate that God is only one person. What do we find when we examine the Scriptures?<\/p>\n
There are nine different Hebrew words in the Scriptures that can be translated as \u201cone\u201d (See the Englishman\u2019s Concordance). Sometimes words such as man or woman are translated \u201cone,\u201d but such words are never applied to God in the Bible. This is understandable since God is not a man or a woman (Numbers 23:19).<\/p>\n
Now if God is only one person, as Jews and Muslims claim, which word for oneness could they apply to God? Only one of the nine Hebrews words that can be translated as \u201cone\u201d can refer to \u201ccomplete solitary\u201d or being absolutely alone. That word is\u00a0yachiyd<\/em> (e.g., Psalms 68:6; Genesis 22:2; Judges 11:34). If this word was applied to God anywhere in the Scriptures, it would be devastating to the doctrine of the Trinity. However, nowhere in Scripture can this word be found ever applying to God! That is because God is not absolutely alone as only one person.<\/p>\n We learn much about God by studying the Hebrew word\u00a0echad<\/em>. Sometimes the word is used with reference to the number one or quantity of one (e.g., Genesis 2:21), but when it does it is never in reference to God. Frequently, the word\u00a0echad<\/em>\u00a0is translated \u201cone\u201d to denote a unified or compound oneness: \u201cTherefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh<\/em>\u201d (Genesis 2:24). Many other examples could be given (e.g., Genesis 3:22; 11:6; 34:16; II Chronicles 30:12; Ezra 2:64; Jeremiah 32:39). Jews and Muslims would not want to find this Hebrew word applying to God, lest they lose their argument that God is only one person.<\/p>\n The word\u00a0echad<\/em>\u00a0does in fact apply to God! \u201cHear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one<\/em>\u00a0[echad<\/em>]\u00a0LORD<\/em>\u201d (Deuteronomy 6:4; Compare to Mark 12:29). God is \u201cone\u201d in the sense of a unified or compound oneness. All three persons united — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, constitute or comprise the one true God.<\/p>\n Those who deny the doctrine of the Trinity will never refer to God in the plural or quote God speaking in the plural (e.g., \u201cThey,\u201d \u201cThem,\u201d \u201cTheirs,\u201d \u201cWe,\u201d \u201cUs,\u201d \u201cOurs\u201d), but only in the singular (e.g., \u201cI,\u201d \u201cMyself,\u201d \u201cMe,\u201d \u201cMy,\u201d He,\u201d \u201cHim,\u201d \u201cHis\u201d). We may use singular nouns and verbs to refer to God because God is described in this way in Scripture. This is often done to emphasize that the Lord is the one and only God (e.g. Deuteronomy 32:39).<\/p>\n However, we may also use plural nouns and verbs to refer to God because God is also described in this way in Scripture! The Bible commonly uses plural words for God, the most common one being the Hebrew word\u00a0elohiym<\/em>\u00a0(i.e., a plural form of deity or god): \u201cIn the beginning God<\/em>\u00a0[elohiym<\/em>]\u00a0created the Heaven and the earth<\/em>\u201d (Gen. 1:1). It may surprise some to know that\u00a0elohiym<\/em>\u00a0is translated more than 400 times in the Bible as \u201cgods\u201d \u2013 plural! For example, \u201cAnd the people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods<\/em>” (Joshua 24:16, NASB; See also Genesis 31:30; Exodus 12:12). God spoke in the first person plural when creating us! \u201cAnd God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness\u2026<\/em>\u201d (Genesis 1:26a). Some have suggested that the \u201cus\u201d or \u201cour\u201d in this verse refers to angels, yet man was not created in both the image of God and the angels! Other examples of plural pronouns for God can be found in Scripture (e.g., Genesis 3:22; 11:7-8; Isaiah 6:8). Further evidence that God comprises of more than one person can be seen in the Scriptures where two divine persons are both called God in the very same passage (e.g. Psalms 45:6-7; Hebrews 1:8-9; Isaiah 48:12-17; Hosea 1:6-7; Genesis 19:24).<\/p>\n God is One, yet composed of three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All three persons are referred to as God in the Scriptures because each one is God by nature or the divine essence (John 6:27; Colossians 2:8-9; Acts 5:3-4). God would not be God to exclude any one of the three persons that make up the divine nature. For example, Jesus, even while on earth, was God in the flesh or the \u201cI AM\u201d (John 8:24, 58). Yet, Jesus always was accompanied by both the Father and the Holy Spirit (e.g., John 10:37-38; Luke 4:1).<\/p>\n Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit are just as much God as the Father is! \u201cI and my Father are one<\/em>\u201d (John 10:30). Jesus \u201cthought it not robbery to be equal with God<\/em>\u201d (Philippians 2:6). The equality of the Father and Son is seen in the salutations of most New Testament epistles (e.g., Romans 1:7; Galatians 1:3; II John 3). Each person of the triune God is emphasized equally in prayer in II Corinthians 13:14.<\/p>\n Jesus submitted to the Father\u2019s will and obeyed His commands (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38; 8:29; 14:31). How then could they be equal? Both are equally God, yet according to the divine order, each has a different rank or position in the hierarchy of God (See I Corinthians 11:3). Just as man and woman are equal (Galatians 3:28), so are the Father and the Son (John 10:30). The different rank a woman has does not make her any less of a Christian (or human for that matter). Neither does the different rank of Christ make Him any less Deity. The different rank that each person holds simply means that there are different roles and responsibilities that each one fulfills (e.g., Ephesians 5:22-33; Philippians 2:8). All three persons (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) represent Deity, though each person of the Godhead is distinguishable from the other. Each person of God is distinct in the sense that each one has a different role that each one fulfills (e.g., Hebrews 12:9; Ephesians 5:23; John 16:13).<\/p>\n All three persons of God are one also in the sense of functioning together as a team to accomplish the work of God. The work of Creation: \u201c[God]\u00a0in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world<\/em>\u201d (Hebrews 1:2; cf. Genesis 1:2, 26-27). “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life<\/em>\u201d (Job 33:4). The work of salvation: \u201c\u2019Come near to Me<\/em>\u00a0[Christ], listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, from the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit.\u2019 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; \u2018I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go\u2019<\/em>\u201d (Isaiah 48:16-17; cf. Ephesians 1:2-14).<\/p>\n Fellowship with God is achieved through the Trinity (Ephesians 2:17-19). Salvation has been made possible by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. To become a child of God and receive the spiritual and eternal blessings that the Trinity provides, each person must be baptized in the name (i.e., authority) of the Triune God (Matthew 28:18-20; cf. Acts 2:38; I Peter 3:21). Once we are baptized in Their name, we must continue to abide in God\u2019s word for the Triune God to continue to abide in us (I John 4:12-16; II John 9; Galatians 3:2; Romans 10:17; Galatians 5:16).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Mark E. Larson Many critics of Christianity point to what they believe to be a fundamental flaw – the belief that God is three persons, yet one God (i.e., the doctrine of the Trinity). To the Jews and Muslims, this Christian doctrine appears to be a contradiction and a blasphemy against the one, true…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[90,87],"class_list":["post-17387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-god","tag-trinity"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":40267,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-use-the-word-trinity-to-describe-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":17387,"position":0},"title":"Is it wrong to use the word “trinity” to describe God?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 2, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I tried to reason with a Muslim concerning the fact that Christ is God and indeed the Son of God. In my discussion, I used the word 'trinity' (which I just know little about) to denote God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. However, I came to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1512,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/subtle-references-to-the-trinity-of-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":17387,"position":1},"title":"Subtle References to the Trinity of God","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 1, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Isaiah 48:12-16 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Often I find people making statements, such \u201cthe Holy Spirit is never said to be Deity, Divine in any way.\u201d Or, statements that Jesus is the first of creation and thus is not fully God (or divine). \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The problem is that proof or denial often requires\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36558,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-do-you-use-the-non-inspired-nkjv\/","url_meta":{"origin":17387,"position":2},"title":"Why do you use the non-inspired NKJV?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 19, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Love your site! But why do you use the\u00a0non-inspired version that has changed scriptures and missing words? I also notice that some of the NKJV have a 666 crest that looks like a trinity circle on them. Very deceptive -- just like the fish sign for Dagod! Thanks for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/NKJVicon.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":57273,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-there-is-only-one-in-the-godhead\/","url_meta":{"origin":17387,"position":3},"title":"If There is Only One in the Godhead","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 23, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"by Johnie Edwards via Back To Basics, Vol. 3, No. 2, February 2005. There are consequences of the doctrine that there is only one person in the Godhead. \u00a0We take a look at some of these: Why the Word \"Both?\" The word \"both\" means more than one. \u00a0John wrote, \"Whosoever\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7646,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-you-respond-to-someone-claiming-jesus-was-not-divine\/","url_meta":{"origin":17387,"position":4},"title":"How do you respond to someone claiming Jesus was not divine?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 26, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello again.\u00a0 I've been researching the Bible, especially the New Testament quite extensively since I last talked to you, and I came across a Jewish web site claiming that Jesus was not divine.\u00a0 Here's what it says: Question: Is it true that there are New Testament passages that refute\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25263,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-jesus-god-or-someone-god-sent-to-earth\/","url_meta":{"origin":17387,"position":5},"title":"Is Jesus God or someone God sent to earth?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 15, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: So who exactly is Jesus Christ? Is he the God, or someone whom God had sent down to this earth? Answer: According to the Bible, the answer is both, which confuses a lot of people. Speaking of Jesus as \"the Word\" John said: \"In the beginning was the Word,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17387"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17387\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}God Has a Unified Oneness About Him<\/h3>\n
God Is Referred to in the Singular As Well As in the Plural<\/h3>\n
God in Three Persons<\/h2>\n
God Being Three Persons, Yet One God Is Due to His Unified Nature<\/h3>\n
Equality Among All Three Persons<\/h3>\n
Equal, Yet of Different Rank by the Divine Order<\/h3>\n
The Unified Work of the Trinity<\/h3>\n
The Trinity Provides Our Salvation<\/h3>\n