Trinity in Unity

"For 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)

The scriptures teach the doctrine of the oneness of God.

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD." (Deuteronomy 6: 4)

They also teach, however, a plurality within God, for this one God, our Creator, said in the beginning, "let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Genesis 1: 26), and his name of Elohim is a Hebrew plural noun.

Some do not accept the idea that God can be both plural and one. Certainly it is true that God is not one in the same sense in which he is more than one, nor is he plural in the same sense in which he is one. The above scripture, from the Apostle John, teaches what has been called - "the trinity of the unity," and, conversely, the "unity of the trinity."

"These three are one." But, if these "three are one," then also the "one is three." Some might think this cannot be correct since, humanly speaking, one plus one plus one equals three, not one. But, does not one times one times one equal one?

When a man and a woman marry, it is said "they twain shall become one flesh" (Matthew 19: 5,6). But, they do not cease to be twain, and are not one in the same sense in which they are two, nor are they two in the sense in which they are one.

"I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." (John 10: 30-33)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1: 1, 14)

Some will argue that I John 5: 7 ought not even to be included in John's epistle, being absent in many ancient manuscripts of I John. But, this is no argument at all against the veracity of the verse, for it is present in some early copies of the New Testament and is alluded to by some of the church fathers. Several large sections of I John are also absent in many ancient manuscripts, but those sections have not been discarded en masse. There is much weighty evidence to support the inspiration and inclusion of this verse, I John 5: 7, for it to remain in the bible. It is a sad thing to see it removed in many modern translations of the scriptures.

But, I John 5: 7 does not contradict the other verses cited above, but perfectly agree with them. The Son of God is one with his Eternal Father. As long as Father has been Father, so long has Son been Son. Some think that a son can never be as old as his father, and indeed this is true among men, but it is not true as respects the eternal relation of the Father, the first person in the glorious Trinity, and the Son, the second person. If the bible says that the Father has always been Father, then the Son has always been Son. If we have no authority for thinking that Father was, at some point, no Father, then we have no authority for thinking that Son was, at some point, no Son.

Notice these verses that declare the eternal relationship of Father and Son (Word):

"Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones." (Zechariah 13: 7)

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2: 5-11 NIV)

The deity of the Son of God takes nothing away from the deity of the Father or Spirit. The Son of God is "fellow" and "equal" with his eternal Father. They are one respecting their nature and attributes, their thoughts and purposes.

Jesus Christ is declared to be "the brightness of his (Father's) glory, and the express image of his (Father's) person, and upholding all things by the word of his power..." (Hebrews 1: 3) No wonder he could say - "He who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14: 9)

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." (II Corinthians 13: 14)

"And one (seraphim) cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory." (Isaiah 6: 3)

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost..." (Matthew 28: 18, 19)

The above three verses are trinitarian statements. Every Christian who is baptized, is baptized in the name of the Triune God. We say holy, holy, holy; holy to the Father, and holy to the Son, and holy to the Spirit.

Friend, if you are ever saved, it will take the work of the Almighty Trinity. The Father has sent Christ into the world to save sinners and Christ has sent the Holy Spirit to apply the benefits of his work of redemption to the hearts of sinners. The Holy Spirit will bring these things to light in your mind if you submit to his teaching, and not refuse him.