Not Something Man Has Dreamed Up

What does Trinity mean? When referring to God, to what does it refer?

I am very limited in understanding, especially when I speak about God.

When I speak about the Trinity,

I speak about the three Persons who make up the one God.
There is one God, not three.
Yet this one God is comprised of three divine Persons; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Is the word “Trinity” found in the Bible? If not, why do I use it?

On what do I base such a doctrine?

First of all, I should realize that I do not find the word “Trinity” in the Bible.
Neither do I find in Scripture such an elaboration on the Trinity as I might like.
There is no place where this doctrine is set forth in specific words.

Nevertheless, I am not left without a basis for this doctrine.

The truth of this doctrine is found in the Bible.
It is not something which man has dreamed up.
The very fact that this doctrine transcends the comprehension of man would argue that it does not arise out of man’s mind.
For the things that arise out of man’s mind can be understood by the mind of man.

Yet the Trinity is not really understandable.

What does it mean that God is one?

There are texts in Scripture, both in the Old and New Testaments, which speak about God being One.

Deuteronomy 6:4

1 Corinthians 8:4‑6

...we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.
For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords),
yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him...

There is but one God, not three.

The Father, Son and Spirit are equal in power, glory and majesty.
None of them are created, but all three of them are eternal, without beginning and without end.
Whatever the Father is, that is the Son and Spirit also.
Thus there is but one God.

Adapted Excerpt From Van Delden's Only By True Faith

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