The orthodox Christian belief is that there is one God consisting of three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost). These three persons are co-eternal and of the same essence. The Father has the specific role of generation, which necessarily results in the Son. That the Son is the only begotten Son of the Father is referred to as filiation. The Father and the Son have the specific role of spiration, resulting in the Holy Spirit, referred to as procession. All three persons of the Trinity have existed as the one God for all eternally, with generation and spiration being logical relationships and not temporal. This description of the being of God is called the ontological Trinity (and less commonly the immanent Trinity). A graphical representation is shown in the figure below, known as the Shield of the Trinity.
There were numerous debates related to the ontological Trinity in the early church. This led to the development of many heretical beliefs such as Gnosticism/Docetism (denies the humanity of Christ), Adoptionism (Christ is not eternally divine), Monarchism/Modalism/Patripassionism/ Sabellianism (denies that God consists of three persons), Arianism (God the Father created Christ), Apollinarianism (denies that Christ was fully human), Monophysitism/Eutychianism (Christ did not have a human nature, and Nestorianism (Christ incarnate existed as two separate persons). Largely as a result of these heresy debates, the orthodox relationship of the three Persons of the Trinity was incorporated into many creeds such as the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and the Apostles’ Creed (see p. 401).
There are many approaches to show that Scripture points to the ontological Trinity described above, but only one will be addressed here. This is based on Jn 1:1-18, which is referred to as the Prologue of John. The Prologue begins as follows, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (Jn 1:1-2) Here it is clear that the Word (Greek Logos) refers to Jesus Christ, that Jesus is God (there is only one God), and that Jesus was with God (God consists of multiple persons). The Prologue later states, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God” (Jn 1:1-2). Later, John explains this concept in more detail. “Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’” (Jn 3:5-7). The Prologue specifically identifies the Father as God and the Son as God. It also refers to the process of spiritual rebirth through God, which is later clarified to be the specific action of the Spirit, who is therefore also God. The Prologue is clear that there is one triune God consisting of three Persons.
Scripture is clear about the One God consisting of three Persons. We know this through special revelation and not through logical deduction. However, since God is Love and is also immutable, God must have an independent ability for personal love that is inherent in His nature. This can only be possible if God consists of at least a plurality of persons.
The three Persons of the Trinity always work together in perfect harmony, but certain aspects of the divine economy are particularly attributed to each: creation with the Father, salvation with the Son, and sanctification with the Holy Spirit. More generally, all things are out of the Father, through the Son, and completed through the Holy Spirit. This relates to what God does rather than what God is and is referred to as the economic Trinity. In this context, economic corresponds to the Greek work oikonomia (οἰκονομία), which means to manage a household. Just as individuals within a household have specific duties, the Persons of the economic Trinity are ascribed to specific duties. This is most clear when examining the economy of salvation. The Father sent the Son. The Son atoned for our sins. The Holy Spirit completes our salvation by indwelling within us.
The Father is the first Person of the Godhead and has the unique properties of (1) not being begotten or unbegotten, (2) being responsible for the generation of the second Person of the Godhead; and (3) being responsible for the spiration of the third person of the Godhead (along with the second Person). The name Father relates to both His relation to the Son and to His relation to His spiritually adopted children. With respect to the second Person of the Godhead, the relationship of Father indicates (1) an intimate personal relationship akin to a loving Father and Son relationship; and (2) the divine mechanism of the conception of Christ Incarnate. With respect to believers, the Father has adopted them into His spiritual family. “[Y]ou have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom 5:15-17).
The Son is the second Person of the Godhead and has the unique properties of (1) being generated by the Father; and (2) spiration of the third Person of the Godhead (along with the first Person). The eternal aspect of the Son is also known as the Logos (Λόγος), which literally means spoken word. Figuratively, the Father can be understood as the written Word of God and the Son can be understood as the spoken word of God. “[N]o one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son determines to reveal Him” (Mt 11:27). The Incarnate Son is also the fulfillment of the OT prophesy of the Messiah (Messiah=Christ=Anointed One), who came to earth to save mankind from sin and usher in the Kingdom of Heaven. Isaiah prophesizes, “For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Is 1:6). Jesus Christ’s birth fulfilled this prophesy. “[F]or today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:11). Last, Christ is the mediator between mankind and the Father. “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5). Sin has separated us from the Father, but the full humanity and full divinity of the Son allows this separation to be bridged. This is sometimes referred to as mediation of the New Covenant, where trust in Christ replaces the Old Covenant requirement of strict adherence to the Law.
The Holy Spirit (also called the Holy Ghost) is the third Person of the Godhead and has the unique property of eternally existing from the spiration of the Father and the Son. When thinking of the Holy Spirit theologically, it is critical to understand Him both at a person and as co-equal with the Father and the Son. The Westminster Catechism states this as follows, “[T]here are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.”
Much of the characterization of the Holy Spirit in Scripture is that of a supernatural divine force. For example, the descension of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is described as follows: “And tongues that looked like fire appeared to them, distributing themselves, and a tongue rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:3-4). As such, some have questioned whether the Holy Spirit is indeed a distinct person rather than just the power or force of God at work in the world. However, that the Holy Spirit is a person is clear through verses related to triune relationships, titles, and divine activities.
There are many NT verses that mention all three persons of the triune God in a perfectly coordinate way. Consider the great commission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19). This verse implies that each Person of the Trinity shares the same nature. Similar verses include 1 Cor 12:4-6, 2 Cor 13:1-4, and Eph 4:4-6.
Perhaps the clearest Scriptural indication of the personhood of the Holy Spirit is when He is called Paraklētos (Παράκλητος), a rare word in Greek literature that refers to someone’s advocate in a legal proceeding. Usage of this title clearly indicates that the Holy Spirit is a Person. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Paraklētos), so that He may be with you forever” (Jn 14:16; see also Jn 14:26; 15:26; 16:7). Other translations of Paraklētos such as Counselor, Comforter, and Advocate equally indicate that the Holy Spirit is a person. Personal functions of the Paraklētos include teaching (Jn 14:26), bearing witness (Jn 15:26; Rm 8:16), interceding on behalf of others (Rm 8:26-27), and speaking. “Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and join this chariot’” (Acts 8:29). The Holy Spirit also has specific roles in personal regeneration and in the Church. These functions are discussed in the chapters on salvation and the church, respectively.
In summary, there is one God that consists of three Persons. All three persons always act together in perfect harmony, but certain functions are particularly ascribed to each. Furthermore, personal relationships are possible with God Himself and also with each of the three Persons of God separately. You can properly pray to the triune God, to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
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