Matthew 3:16-17 When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.”
Mark 1:9-11 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 As soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.”
Luke 3:21-22 When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As he was praying, heaven opened, 22 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; with you I am well-pleased.”
Matt 28:19 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
* Modalism (sabellianism, noetianism, or patripassianism) says Father, Son and Spirit are just three different “modes” or expressions of the same entity. The truth is, all three are eternally coexistent.
* Adoptionism says Jesus was not always God, but he was adopted to be God’s son. The truth is, Jesus always was and will be eternally God.
* Arianism says Jesus is substantively lesser than the Father and is a created being. The truth is, Jesus was not created and He is eternal God.
* Tritheism says that Father, Son, and Spirit are three separate gods. The truth is, They are One God, distinct but not separate.
– There is one God (Deut 6:4; 1Cor 8:4; Gal 3:20; 1Tim 2:5).
– God consists of three Persons (Gen 1:1, 26; 3:22; 11:7; Isa 6:8, 48:16, 61:1; Matt 3:16-17, 28:19; 2Cor 13:14).
– The Hebrew noun “Elohim” is used in Genesis 1 and is plural (I think this is a hint at the Trinity).
– Gen 1:26, 3:22, 11:7 and Isa 6:8 all use the plural pronoun “us” for God. These words refer to “more than two.”
– Isa 48:16 and 61:1 show the Son speaking and making reference to the Father and Spirit (Compare Isa 61:1 to Luke 4:14-19).
– Matt 3:16-17 describes Jesus’ baptism and all three are present, Father, Son, and Spirit.
– Matt 28:19 and 2Cor 13:14 show three Persons within the Trinity.
– The LORD has a Son (Psa 2:7, 12; Prov 30:2-4).
– The Spirit is different from the “LORD” (Num 27:18).
– God the Son is not the same as God the Father (Psa 45:6-7; Heb 1:8-9).
– The Father is God (John 6:27; Rom 1:7; 1Pet 1:2).
– The Son is God (John 1:1, 14; Rom 9:5; Col 2:9; Heb 1:8; 1John 5:20).
– The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4; 1Cor 3:16).
– The members of the Trinity have different roles.
– The Father is the ultimate source or cause of the universe (1Cor 8:6; Rev 4:11); divine revelation (Rev 1:1); salvation (John 3:16-17); and Jesus’ human works (John 5:17; 14:10).
– The Son is the agent through whom the Father created and maintains the universe (1Cor 8:6; John 1:3; Col 1:16-17); Jesus is the agent of divine revelation (John 1:1, 16:12-15; Matt 11:27; Rev 1:1); and of salvation (2Cor 5:19; Matt 1:21; John 4:42). The Father does all these things through the Son.
– The Holy Spirit is also the means by whom the Father created and maintains the universe (Gen 1:2; Job 26:13; Psa 104:30); He is also the agent of divine revelation (John 16:12-15; Eph 3:5; 2Pet 1:21); as well as salvation (John 3:6; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2); and Jesus’ works (Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38).
– There are no adequate analogies or illustrations for God.
– The egg/apple analogy with the shell, the white, and the yolk are parts of the egg, but they are not each the egg itself. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not parts of God; each of them is God.
– The water illustration fairs no better, ice, liquid, and steam are all modes of water, but not distinct.
– A man who is a son, a husband, and a father is also modalism
– not a good picture of the trinity. None of them work because God is different.
– The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God—but there is only one God.
– That is what the Bible says, that is the doctrine of the Trinity.
– One “what” – GOD; and 3 “who’s” Father, Son, Holy Spirit; God in 3-Persons, blessed trinity.
And here’s the always classic “St. patrick’s Bad Analogies” from LutheranSatire
