154. What Is the Trinity? Explaining Father, Son & Holy Spirit

Have you ever tried explaining the Trinity to someone and found yourself stumbling over words? You're not alone. The concept of God existing as one being in three persons stands as Christianity's most profound and beautiful mystery.

Drawing from Scripture's rich testimony, we explore how the Bible reveals God as both one and three—a truth woven throughout both testaments. From Deuteronomy's declaration that "the Lord is one" to Jesus' baptism where all three persons appear simultaneously, the biblical foundation is unmistakable. We trace how early Christians like Tertullian gave us the term "Trinity" (from Latin "Trinitas") not to invent new doctrine, but to articulate what Scripture had already revealed about God's nature.

What makes the Trinity so remarkable is precisely what makes it challenging—it transcends our finite understanding. Every analogy falls short, whether comparing it to water's three states or the sun's different aspects. This humbling reality reminds us that God's nature surpasses our comprehension, yet still invites our worship and relationship. The Trinity isn't merely academic theology—it's the very framework through which we experience God's love: the Father chooses us, the Son redeems us, and the Spirit indwells and guides us daily.

Many cults explicitly reject the Trinity, but without it, Christianity itself collapses. If Jesus isn't fully God, His sacrifice couldn't save us. If the Spirit isn't divine, He couldn't transform us. Understanding the Trinity protects us from dangerous theological distortions while deepening our worship. As you reflect on this profound truth, consider how it might transform your prayers, your understanding of salvation, and your daily walk with God. How might seeing God as eternally relational within Himself change how you approach relationship with Him and others?

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to the Trinity
• 1:43 Biblical Foundation for the Trinity
• 2:46 Origin of the Word "Trinity"
• 4:14 The Mystery and Uniqueness
• 5:03 Common Questions Answered
• 6:16 Why the Trinity Matters
• 7:27 Closing Thoughts and Contact Information

Transcript

Rebecca Twomey: 0:07

The Hello and welcome back to Coffee Talk on the Radiant Mission Podcast. My name is Rebecca Twomey and today we are going to be diving in to one of the most important and mysterious truths of the Christian faith the Trinity. Now, if you have ever tried to explain the Trinity to someone, you know it's not easy. How can God be one, yet also three? And if the word Trinity doesn't even appear in the Bible, why do we believe it? We're going to explore all of this in today's episode, so let's go ahead and get started. Of course, we are discussing this from a biblical foundation.

Rebecca Twomey: 1:19

God is one. Deuteronomy 6, verse 4. Hear o israel the lord. God the lord is one, yet also three persons. In matthew 28, 19, jesus commands his disciples to baptize in the name of the father and of the son Spirit. Notice one name, three persons, the baptism of Jesus. Matthew 3, 16-17, shows the Father speaking from heaven, the Spirit descending like a dove and the Son being baptized, all present together. Jesus is God.

Rebecca Twomey: 2:03

In John 1.1,. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. Colossians 2.9, for in Christ, all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form, form and the spirit as god. In acts 5, 3 through 4 it equates lying to the holy spirit as if lying to god. Scripture paints the picture god is one being, but exists eternally as three persons Father, son and Holy Spirit. You might then be wondering where did the word Trinity come from? If the Bible doesn't use the word Trinity, why do we? The word actually comes from the Latin Trinitas. I don't know why I'm pronouncing it like that Trinitas meaning threefold or three in one.

Rebecca Twomey: 3:11

Tertullian, who was a Christian writer around 200 AD, first used it to describe what scripture already revealed. As heresies arose, claiming Jesus wasn't fully God or that the scripture wasn't divine, the church needed clear language to defend the truth. The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and the Council of Constantinople, 381 AD affirmed the doctrine one God and three persons. 180 affirmed the doctrine one God and three persons, co-equal and co-eternal. So while the word Trinity is not in scripture, the truth it represents is everywhere in scripture. The early church didn't invent it. They simply gave a name to what God had already shown. So this is just a way to explain God in three persons by referring to it as the Trinity.

Rebecca Twomey: 4:08

Let's dive a little bit into the mystery of the Trinity, something that's important. We really cannot fully comprehend the Trinity, and that's okay. God is infinite and our human minds are finite. If we could completely explain him, he wouldn't be God. Throughout history, people have tried analogies water as ice, liquid and steam, or the sun as star light and heat but every analogy falls short and risks heresy. The truth is, the Trinity is unique to Christianity. No other religion reveals God like this.

Rebecca Twomey: 4:58

There are actually a lot of common questions, so let's tackle a few of them. Isn't this polytheism, then? Well, no, christians don't believe in three gods. We believe in one God who exists in three persons. Another question that I have heard a lot is is Jesus lesser than the Father? And the answer is no. John 10, 30, jesus says I and the Father are one, so they are equal in essence but distinct in role. Can we lose the Spirit? We are told no. In Ephesians 1, 13-14, it says and a question that you might be asking as you're listening believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. And a question that you might be asking as you're listening why does this matter for me personally?

Rebecca Twomey: 5:53

And I would argue because the Trinity isn't just a doctrine. It's how we experience God. The Father chooses and loves us, the Son saves us through His death and resurrection, and the Spirit indwells with us and guides and empowers us daily. So the Trinity is really at the heart of the gospel. If you misunderstand who God is, you can easily fall into false teaching. Many cults and false religions deny the Trinity, like Jehovah's Witnesses, mormons, islam and others. But Christianity is clear. Without the Trinity, the gospel falls apart. If Jesus is not fully God, he couldn't save us, and if the Spirit is not God, he couldn't indwell with us. And if the Father is not God, he couldn't indwell with us. And if the Father is not God, he couldn't receive us as His children. So the Trinity matters because it's who God is.

Rebecca Twomey: 6:56

As we wrap up today, I have a few reflection questions. First, how does knowing God as Father First, how does knowing God as Father, son and Spirit deepen your relationship with Him? Are there areas where you've struggled to trust one person of the Trinity more than others? And how can the truth of the Trinity shape the way you worship, pray and live this week? Thank you, as always, for tuning in and for listening and for being on this journey. If you would like to join outside the podcast. You can join me on Instagram at the Radiant Mission, on Facebook at the Radiant Mission Podcast, and you can find all of the podcast episodes on YouTube by searching for my name, rebecca Toomey Today. I'm going to close with 1 Timothy, 1.17. Now to the King Eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Wishing you a radiant week and I'll see you next time. Bye.