The Mystery That Sets Christianity Apart From Other Religions

The Trinity is a teaching that is too mysterious for my finite mind.  That is why I must look to the Scriptures to understand who God is.

Scripture shows that in the one Godhead, there are three Persons.

• In the very beginning of the Old Testament I read that God refers to Himself in the plural: 
• “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness (Genesis 1:26). 
• Furthermore, I read in Genesis 1:2 that the Spirit of God moved over the face of the waters at the time of creation. 

In Isaiah, 63:8‑10, I read, 

• For He said, “Surely they are My people, children who will not lie” so He became their Savior. 
• In all their affliction, He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. 
• In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them all the days of old. 
• But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; 
• so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and he fought against them.” 

This is one place in the Old Testament where the Trinity is referred to, though not in the specific terms as I am familiar with today. 

• He refers to God the Father, who has adopted the Israelites as His sons and daughters. 
• I also read about the Angel of His Presence, which is normally understood as a reference to the pre-incarnate Christ. 
• Lastly, it speaks about the Holy Spirit.

The doctrine of the Trinity is more clearly revealed in the New Testament. 

• That is understandable. 
• Before the Son became incarnate, 
• and before the Holy Spirit was poured out upon all flesh, 
• there was little need to speak about these distinct Persons in the Trinity. 

Yet since the Son took upon Himself my human nature, 

• and since the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon me, 
• the Scripture speaks about these three Persons of the Godhead.

I see the Trinity at work at the baptism of Christ. 

• I see Christ in the water; 
• I hear God the Father speaking from heaven; 
• and I see the Holy Spirit descending upon Christ in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:18). 

At the end of Christ’s ministry on earth, 

• prior to His ascension, He said to the disciples, 
• “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” (Matthew 28:19). 

The apostle Paul closes his letter to the Corinthians with this triune benediction: 

• The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
• and the love of God, 
• and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 
• Amen” (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Adapted Excerpt From Van Delden's Only By True Faith