More on the Trinity

As I wrote in a previous post, there is no biblical verse that clearly says about the Trinity. So, it is necessary to use more than one verse in order to prove this teaching biblically. However, there are two verses that are sometimes used for biblical foundation of the Trinity:

For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. (1 John 5:7, New King James Version)

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 problem with the first verse is that it can be found only in a limited number of manuscripts of 14th century and is absent in all the early manuscripts. So, Christian theologians believe that it was not in the original text. This verse is not included into the most modern translations of the New Testament.

The second verse is used because of the singular number "name", not "names". Since there is one name for the three - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, it indicates that they are one.

The main points regarding the Trinity are:
1. There are three Persons in the Trinity - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, there is only one God.
2. These Persons are distinct, but not separated.
3. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God.
4. Each Person is not one third of God, but the whole God.
5. The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, and the Holy Spirit is eternal. The Father did not become the Son, and the Son did not become the Holy Spirit.
6. None of the Persons is greater or less than the other. They all are equal to one another.

There are also three points that indicate the difference between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit:
1. The Father is not begotten nor proceeding.
2. The Son is eternally begotten of the Father.
3. The Holy Spirit is eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. (Oriental Orthodox churches teach that the Holy Spirit is proceeding only from the Father.)

These points are called "opera ad intra" (the inward works of the Trinity). Each of the Persons of the Trinity has different and separated inward works.

The biblical foundation for the Son's eternal begetting is Psalm 2:7:

I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.'

In this verse, "today" is the day of the eternal decree, or the eternal purpose:

According to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ephesians 3:11)

The biblical foundation for the Holy Spirit's eternal proceeding is John 15:26:

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

It is important to notice that the Son's eternal begetting is different from the human birth. It is eternal process without beginning and end. The Father is the Originator of the Son. The Holy Spirit's proceeding is also eternal, without beginning and end. The Son's eternal begetting is different from the Holy Spirit's eternal proceeding.

There is also difference between the Persons of the Trinity in the outward works of the Trinity (opera ad extra):
1. The Father chooses (1 Peter 1:2).
2. The Son redeems (1 Peter 1:18).
3. The Holy Spirit regenerates (Titus 3:5) and sanctifies (1 Peter 1:2).

However, in opera ad extra, all the Persons work together. Also, there is no subordination of the Persons of the Trinity in their essence, however, there is subordination in their outward works.