We worship one God in the Trinity, or "Tri-unity", of his sacred Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and adore each of the Divine Persons as the God of all grace by whom we are saved. What is the basis of our doctrine in this regard? Can we prove the doctrine of the Trinity upon logical, scientific grounds?
I frankly confess my inability to produce a single argument drawn from nature or logic to prove the doctrine of the Trinity. It is a mystery filled with such grandeur that it defies comprehension by every finite mind. But our faith does not stand upon nature and logic. It stands upon the Word of God alone! I believe this doctrine because it is revealed in the Scriptures; and I see the beauty of it because I believe it.
The Apostle John states the doctrine of the Trinity plainly. "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one" (I John 5:7). In addition to this definitive statement there are numerous examples in which the Trinity is set before us.
1. The Baptism of Christ (Matt. 3:16-17).
2. The Baptismal Formula (Matt. 28:18).
3. The Apostolic Benediction (II Cor. 13:14).
4. The Promise of the Son to Pray to the Father for the Gift of the Spirit (John 14:16).
The New Testament declares that God the Father is God (Rom. 1:7), God the Son is God (Heb. 1:8), and God the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4). Yet, these three Divine Persons are one God (Deut. 6:4). Someone has accurately stated it this way: "The Father is all the fullness of the Godhead invisible (John 1:18); the Son is all the fullness of the Godhead manifested (John 1:14-18); the Spirit is all the fullness of the Godhead acting immediately upon the creature (I Cor. 2:9-10)."
See that you grasp this doctrine firmly. We worship one God in three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in essence, being, power, and glory, yet, distinct in personality and performance. This doctrine is altogether a matter of faith, simply believing what God has written. There is nothing even remotely similar to the Trinity in creation by which it can even be illustrated. By Pastor Donald Fortner
