top of page

Is the Triune nature of the Christian God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) a logical contradiction?

Summary Point

Subpoints

The Trinity is not a logical contradiction as God is one essence in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is consistent with the Bible.

Moreover, the Trinity makes the most sense for an all-loving God, since love expressed toward another person is superior to self-love.

  1. According to the Bible, there is one God who is Spirit.

    • This is what the Lord, the King of Israel and its Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, says: I am the first and I am the last. There is no God but Me. (Isaiah 44:6 CSB emphasis added)

    • one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:6 CSB emphasis added)

    • For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, a man, Christ Jesus,  (1 Timothy 2:5 emphasis added)

    • You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe-and they shudder. (James 2:19 CSB emphasis added)

    • God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24 CSB emphasis added)

  2. According to the Bible, the Father is God.

    • Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ; (Ephesians 1:30 emphasis added)

  3. According to the Bible, the Son is God.

    • According to the Bible, Jesus claimed to be God - see evidence.

  4. According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit is God.

    • According to the verse below, the Holy Spirit can greive which indicates the Holy Spirit is personal, not an impersonal force.

      • Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  (Ephesians 4:30 NASB emphasis added)

  5. According to the Bible, all three are distinct and exist at the same time.

    • The Trinity is present at Jesus’ baptism. Obviously Jesus is there, but also the Father is heard and the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus in the form of a dove.

      • When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As He was praying, heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are My beloved Son. I take delight in You! (Luke 3:21-22 CSB)

    • Jesus tells His disciples to evangelize the world and baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, indicating three distinct persons (NOT one God that appears in three modes).

      • Then Jesus came near and said to them, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:18-19 CSB)

  6. Since a core characteristic of God is love, the Trinity makes sense of how God was in a loving relationship prior to the creation of mankind.1 This quality is unique and superior to the gods of other religions.

    • Below is a verse from the Bible that clearly says that God is love, a characteristic that existed prior to mankind.

      • Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8 CSB emphasis added)

Love

Links to external resources on this topic:

Anchor 1

Context:

  • What is the Trinity? The following is a good summary:

    • “The Doctrine of the Trinity is based on three propositional truths of Scripture. First, there is only one God. Second, there are three persons called God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Third, each of these three persons is distinct from the other two (meaning the Father is not the same person as the Son nor the Holy Spirit).”2

  • Why it the Trinity important? It is foundational to Christianity, since it is consistent with descriptions in the Bible and it is necessary for Jesus to be God. Those who reject the Trinity typically are rejecting Jesus as God, instead choosing to believe He is a prophet or created being. This is problematic, since it is only God Himself who can save mankind, not a substitute human.

Anchor 2

Sources (complete reference information provided on SOURCE PAGE):

  1. Stand to Reason ministry provides an in-depth discussion on this point: 

  2. Hindson & Caner (General Editors), The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics, “Trinity” by Tim Martin, pp.473-474.

bottom of page