WHAT IS THE TRINITY?

The Trinity refers to the fact that God is revealed in three persons, and yet He is one God. Each person (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is wholly God—not just a part of God. And together, they are God in oneness. Matthew 28:19 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
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Each Person of the Trinity has individual characteristics, responsibilities and operation. Yet none ever acts independently or in opposition to the others. There is always total unity and harmony. “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (the Son), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7).

Interestingly enough, the word Trinity itself is not found in the Bible. But the concept of the Trinity can be found from the beginning in the book of Genesis. In the account of Creation, God said, “Let us make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness...” (Genesis 1:26).

Another characteristic of the Trinity is order. It is not an order of importance, but an order of operation. All plans come from the Father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit. The Father initiates, the Son proclaims (He is the Word in John 1), and the Holy Spirit executes. Each activity is vital but incomplete without the others.

An example of the Trinity working together in harmony is found in Matthew 3:16-17: “After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.'”