Trinity is 3 Gods?

Muslims say that Christians worship 3 gods.

Let’s find out if this is true.

First of all, the Bible clearly says many times that God is One. (e.g. Deuteronomy 6:4)

So what is the trinity all about? Isn’t this a clear proof that Christians have 3 gods?

Here is the truth. I’m going to explain using an illustration to help clarify the truth. (This illustration is not perfect. After all, we cannot
completely understand the fullness of God’s greatness with our human minds?)

You are free to question or comment but please, first read this whole post carefully from start to end…

First of all, do you know that you and I, as human beings, are tri-partite beings? This means we are made up of 3 distinct and unique substances. You are a spirit, you have a soul and you have a body.

If you have a spirit and no body, you are an angel or jinn. If you have a body and no spirit, you are an animal. Only when you have all 3, you are a real human being.

So if you have 1 spirit + 1 soul + 1 body, are you 3 human beings? Muslims always accuse Christians of worshipping 1+1+1=3 gods. Your spirit, your soul and your body are 3, yet you are one!

Your spirit, soul and body are different, yet they exist as one in unity to make you a human being. The 3 are unique and they function differently but work perfectly as one. You exist as spirit, soul and body but still you are one human being not 3 separate beings.

God exists as The Father, the Word of God (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit in perfect unity as one God, yet 3 distinct persons. This is what triune or tri-unity or trinity means. It is not 3 separate beings.

Some people ask if Jesus is 33% God. This is a silly question. Is your body only 33% you? Is your spirit and soul 66% you? Of course your body is 100% you! Your soul is 100% you. Your spirit is 100% you. In the same way, the Bible says that the Father is God, The Word of God (Jesus) is God, The Holy Spirit is God.

This is why Jesus could say, “I and my Father are One.” You could say about yourself too – my body and my spirit and my soul are one. You are not 3 separate beings, are you?

But why did Jesus say, “The Father is greater than I.” Let me ask you, do you know your spirit is eternal? Your body is not; it will grow old and die. Would I be right if I said, my spirit is greater than my body! Of course.

The Word of God, which existed before creation, stepped into His own creation, as a human being on earth. As a human, He was submitted to the Father. But as God, Jesus is equal with the Father. Even though your spirit is greater than your body, isn’t your body and your spirit still you???  Another example: you can say that your boss is greater than you (in rank/position) but both of you are equal – as human beings!

All these verses and many others have clear explanations. But Muslims have claimed that they contradict one another because they do not understand the nature of God.

Then why did Jesus pray to the Father when He was on earth? Yes. As a man, Jesus was dependent on the Father. Does it mean God is speaking to God? There is always perfect communication between the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Let’s try and use our illustration again to picture this. Sometimes, when you are too lazy to get out of bed, have you had your spirit within you prompt you that it is time to get up and pray? Your body may be tired or sleepy and say no but deep inside your spirit is telling your body to act. Isn’t this also communication within you? Are you speaking to you?

When Jesus died on the cross, did God die and cease to exist? Let me ask you. When you die, what really dies? Your spirit, your soul or your body? Or all 3? Actually, it is only your body that dies. Your spirit lives forever, either in heaven or hell. When Jesus died on the cross, the Father didn’t die, the Holy Spirit didn’t die. Only Jesus died, that is, He died as a human being; but as God, He rose again to life. No mere human being or prophet or messenger can do this.

In John 20:28, when the disciple, Thomas saw Jesus after His resurrection, Thomas says to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” In fact throughout His life on earth, Jesus received worship from many people. Not once did he stop them or rebuke them saying it was wrong. (See Matthew 1:2, Matthew 2:11, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 15:25, Matthew 28:17, John 9:38, Luke 24:52, etc). Would a mere man, prophet or messenger dare to receive worship that is reserved for God alone?

Are there any reference in the Bible where we can see the trinity? There are several. Here’s one example. In Mark 1:10-11, when Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and a voice from Heaven (the Father) says to Jesus, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Here we can clearly see that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each distinctly acting in different roles at the same time.

If you turn to the very first page of the Bible in Genesis 1, you will see the evidence of the trinity, “In the beginning God (Father) created the heavens and the earth…..And the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said (The Word of God), ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”

Many of you are unaware of another incredible passage in the Bible where the Father speaks to Jesus and addresses Him as God! See Hebrews 1:8-12
“But to the Son (Jesus), He (God the Father) says, “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice. You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else. He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands….you remain forever…you are always the same; you will live forever.”

In fact even the entire universe that God created reflects His nature. The universe (uni means ONE but) consists of 3 aspects – space, time, and matter and nothing else. If you take away any of these three, there can be no universe.

 

Further Reading: An Explanation of The Trinity For Muslims

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