In Defense of the Trinity
One of the biggest attacks on Christianity is not only questioning the divinity of Jesus Christ but also of the biblical truth about the Trinity. A critic against the doctrine of the Trinity can point out the following arguments. Here's some that I heard:
- The Trinity would mean that if God exists in three Persons then that's Tri-theism. The same person could point out that pagans do have a Trinity. Some of these pagan trinities exist are as follows:
- Greek/Roman mythology has Zeus/Jupiter, Hades/Pluto and Poseidon/Neptune.
- Hinduism has Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu working as the Hindu trinity.
- Taoism has the existent of the Three Pure Ones called the Lord of the Primordial Beginning, Lord of Virtue and Honored Lord of Virtue as the trinity of Chinese mythology.
- Since there is only one God then there is only God the Father. Jesus Christ is the Son of God but He is not God the Son.
I can say such arguments are rooted upon the following fallacies:
- Guilt by association is often used to attack the Trinity. They don't realize that paganism itself doesn't only copy from each other but also from the Bible. Here are a few examples of where paganism also copies from the Bible:
- Many virgin born pagan messiahs are copied from Genesis 3:15's promise of a virgin born Messiah. Some of these examples include any children Zeus has with mortal women born out of his lust.
- Later versions of Hercules copied the amazing feats of strength Samson did. Hercules was said to have slain a lion with his bare hands. Samson also slew a lion with his bare hands.
- The use of the mitre was used old Testament priests. Later pagan priests would also have their own version of the mitre.
- The sun god is a counterfeit of the Sun of Righteousness.
- They are ignoring many verses where Jesus affirms His deity and that the Holy Spirit is a Person. They ignore that the Old Testament already makes references to the Trinity.
Warning: Most modern versions of the Bible have viciously attacked 1 John 5:7. Other cults even dare to say it was an "error" to add it there. It makes me want to ask them did they even get a vision from God or from Satan to have that verse removed? That's why I still recommend sticking to the Authorized Versions of 1611. Other versions just let me down.
I. God the Father wasn't talking to angels in the Creation account
Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
The anti-Trinitarians whether they be the modalists or those who deny the Deity of Christ say that God the Father was talking to angels. I guess this was also the excuse of Arius in denying the Deity of Christ. This is called Arianism. Let's take a look at the faulty argument behind why God the Father couldn't be talking to angels in the Creation account.
Genesis 1:2
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
If you noticed, the Spirit of God already moved across the waters. Also, God was clearly speaking to the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. The New Testament confirms that Jesus indeed was involved in the Creation account:
John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
It's clear as day that Jesus was involved in the Creation account. The Word became flesh. That's Jesus. The Word dwelt among humanity. That's Jesus. If the Son was just created by the Father and if the Father just talked to angels then John 1:1-3 would be a lie. The Holy Spirit was there during the Creation. The Son was there during the Creation. Angels can't create humanity. We are not talking about pagan mythologies here but Biblical truth. So why are anti-Trinitarians still insisting that God the Father was talking to angels?
Also, when God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden, we can see the link of the Trinity yet again. In Genesis 3:5, Satan lies to Eve saying that they will be as gods. We also read this in the same chapter:
Genesis 3:22
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
In Genesis 11, I wouldn't even say that God was speaking to angels. Who authored languages but God? In the New Testament it was the Holy Spirit that gave instant understanding of other languages without having to learn them.
Acts 2:3-4
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
II. The Son of God already appeared in the Old Testament prior to His incarnation
Did you know that the Son of God already appeared and existed before the New Testament came? He also made a pre-incarnate appearance. That alone already puts Jesus above His earthly mother Mary because He came first. If Mary ever got born sinless (which she isn't) then only God's grace could have prevented her from getting tainted with sin. If Jesus was ever born without sin in a sinner's womb that's still the wonderful power of God working.
Here's the attributes of the Angel of the LORD that confirms His divinity:
- In Genesis 16 we notice these attributes of the special Angel:
- This Angel promised to also bless Ishmael's seed.
- Hagar confirmed that the Angel is actually God.
- In Genesis 22, we see that the Angel of the LORD in verses 12-18 where the same Angel speaks on the authority of God the Father:
- The Angel says that Abraham did not withhold Isaac from Him. The statement, "Thy son, thy only son from me." confirms He is one with the Father.
- In Genesis 31, Jacob faced with this Angel who affirms His divinity calling Himself the God of Bethel. In Genesis 32, Jacob further confirms Christ's divinity by calling this Man as God. Who else is God becoming man but the Lord Jesus Christ?
- In Exodus 3:2 we have that this Angel appeared as the flame of the bush that wasn't consumed. The following verses show God spoke. This shows the uniqueness that this Angel is not a created angel.
- In Numbers 22, this Angel spoke in full authority declaring Balaam's way as a perversion before Him.
- In Judges 6, the Angel accepted the offering of Gideon. You don't build altars to regular angels or even worship them. Any angel of God would have rejected any worship.
- In Judges 13, the Angel appeared to Manoah and his wife. Manoah even exclaimed that they will die because they have seen God. His wife told him that if the LORD were pleased to kill them then He would not accept this offering.
We can also see the following pre-incarnate appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament:
- Genesis 18:1-4 has God appear to Abraham and Mamre as a man. Remember nobody has seen God the Father and lived. This would be the Son of God appearing as a man before Abraham. John 8:58 has it that Jesus declared that He was before Abraham. I guess He was affirming that He appeared to Abraham even before His incarnation.
- Joshua 5:14 has a Man with a sword. He is called the Captain of the LORD's host. The fact it's spelled with all capital letters refers to Yahweh or Jehovah in Hebrew. The name alone should not be taken lightly because it's the sacred name of God. The same Captain accepted worship because He is the eternal Son of God.
Also, another character comes into the Bible. Some people believe that Melchisedec is a type of Christ. Others believe that Melchisedec is the Lord Jesus Christ. Not all theologians believe that saying that Hebrews 7:1-3 doesn't mean the Melchisedec was literally without parents but it was just that his genealogy wasn't revealed at all. Where I don't agree with other Reformed or not brothers and sisters in Christ is that some of them believe Melchisedec was just a typology. I for one want to believe that Melchisedec was actually a pre-incarnate Christ to further defend my stand of the Trinity.
Also, Jesus affirmed His divinity and oneness with the Father:
John 5:17-30
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth: and He will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent Him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of Mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and My judgment is just; because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me.
John 10:30
I and My Father are one.
We also have it where doubting Thomas was allowed to worship God. If it were just an expression then think again.
John 20:28-29
And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
If Jesus were not God, He would have rebuked Thomas.
III. Lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God
Do you remember the account when Ananias and Sapphira both lied to Peter about the transaction. that incident alone verifies the divinity of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament:
Acts 5:3-4
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
So if the Holy Spirit were not a Person, if He were just a force as anti-Trinitarians claim they how can you lie to a force or how can you lie directly to God if the Holy Spirit isn't God? Peter already affirmed that lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God. In short, the Holy Spirit is the third Person in the Trinity.
IV. The Trinity follows the law of non-contradiction and is different from the pagan trinities
As I was reading R.C. Sproul Sr.'s book "Defending the Faith", I would like to quote from Chapter Five of his book:
The historic doctrine of the Trinity asserts that God is one in essence or substance, and three in Person. If we write this in logical terms it would look like the following: God is one in A (essence) and three in B (person). According to this principle, we see that the Trinity does not violate logic. Orthodoxy asserts that God with respect to one thing, is unified, but with respect to another He has diversity or plurality. God is three in one thing and one in another thing. This is no contradiction. A contradiction would occur if we said that God was one in essence (A) and three in essence (non-A) or three in person (B) and one in person (non-B) in the same sense at the same time. (pp. 41-42)
Here's a clear view of the Trinity from "Worship: the Ultimate Priority" by John F. MacArthur:
How can we reconcile the fact that Scriptures teaches us that the Father is God, Jesus is God and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there is but one God? All these truths are clearly taught in Scripture repeatedly.
The answer, of course, is the doctrine of the Trinity. God is three distinct persons in one indivisible substance. In the words of the Athanasian creed, "the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God. And yet they are not three Gods but one God." And in this Trinity none is before or after another; none is greater or less than another but the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal. So that in all things the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshiped." (p. 76)
God is one essence as the Almighty God while he exists as three Persons sharing in One essence. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are three in Persons but one in essence. This is not like the pagan trinities. I could relate to a few examples to how tritheism in pagan mythology doesn't match the Trinity of the Bible. They are not the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Rather, it's a trio of three gods working administratively to rule the Universe. These gods aren't even immortal but are even given birthdays and have been born from other gods and goddesses. They are not self-existing unlike the God of the Bible. In short, it's also it's utter blasphemy to compare any pagan god to God the Father or any members of the Trinity.