The Doctrine of the Trinity

June 28, 2022

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” – Genesis 1:1-3

The idea of God in three persons, the doctrine of the Trinity, is in many ways inexplicable to our finite minds.

However, it is central to understanding the fullness, greatness, and uniqueness of the One, true God. In fact, God makes His plurality known in the very beginning pages of Scripture. 

In Genesis 1, the Hebrew word used for God is “Elohim.” This is important because “El’ means God, and “ohim” at the end makes the word plural. So, Elohim is the plural word for God. In Genesis 1:26 God says, “Let Us make man in Our image…” One God in plurality. 

In Genesis 1:2, we read that the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters. The Hebrew word for spirit can be translated as wind. This comes up again in the New Testament when Jesus encountered Nicodemus. He explained in John 3:8, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” At the beginning of Acts, the Holy Spirit filled the Apostles at Pentecost. The sound was described as “the blowing of a violent wind” (Acts 2:2). 

In Genesis 1:3, God speaks. The Word of God. In John 1:1, we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Wait, the Word was God? John explained further in verse 14, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The Word of God is Jesus. 

Father, Son, and Spirit are introduced to us in the very first three verses of Scripture. The idea of the Trinity can be a lot to take in, but it magnifies the greatness of our God. Think about it!

Paul says it best in Romans 11:33, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!”

Written by Bryant Wright, Founder, RFTH