Explanation of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity

The Trinity is one of the most controversial teachings in Christianity. There are many views that are incorrect and the analogies Christians come up with are not even close to accurate. While many believe the trinity cannot be explained, this article is dedicated to explaining the trinity in the most simple terms possible.

Incorrect views of the trinity and their so called “analogies” range from “Modalism,” “Tritheism,” and “Arianism.” While many Christians tell everyone there is no explanation of the trinity that will work, this is in fact not true. The early church fathers like Tertullian and Augustine explained the doctrine of the trinity excellently. The trinity is derived from the Bible using basic mathematics, deductive reasoning, and the understanding of the Mind, Word, and Spirit of God. The trinity is not a teaching that can only be understood by some supernatural psionic powers; but, it is reasonable and apprehensive.

Incorrect explanations of the trinity

There are outright non-Christian views of the trinity and poorly articulated versions of the doctrine of the trinity.

Non-Christian explanations of the trinity

There are three major deviant view from Christianity: Modalism, Arianism, and Tritheism.

Modalism

This view teaches that there is one God but changes personality. At one time He is the Father, another the Son, and another the Holy Spirit. This is taught by United Pentecostal Church International called The Oneness of God.

Tritheism

This view teaches that there are 3 gods: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is similar to Mormons teaching of the Godhead.

Arianism

This view teaches that there is One person of God the Father. Christ and the Holy Spirit are not God. This is similar to Jehovah Witness teaching on Christ.

Christianity never taught these views and the religions that teach these views are not accepted in Christendom. Along with these non-Christian views of God are erroneous explanations of the trinity.

Poorly explained versions of the trinity

Below are common examples of explanations of the trinity that are actually Modalism or Tritheistic in nature.

• 1x1x1 = 1
• Egg parts shell, white, and yolk
• Water as ice, steam, and liquid
• Worker, husband, and father
• Body, soul, and spirit
• Three leaf clover

All of these explanations are not even in the ball park to the teaching of the trinity.

Is there no explanation of the trinity?

Some people say we cannot reason or explain the trinity. R. Scott Clark at heidelblog.net says,

All illustrations of the Trinity end up in heresy (usually modalism)…There’s a simple reason they don’t work: The Trinity, as such, isn’t like anything in creation. True, we humans are image bearers but nothing in creation serves as an analogy for the Trinity because the Trinity is a doctrine of special (biblical) revelation not nature or reason. That’s not to say that it’s not reasonable to believe the Trinity (it isn’t! See the article linked above) but only that it’s not revealed in nature per se, i.e., the doctrine of the Trinity cannot be deduced from nature. All analogies from nature are necessarily natural, ergo they’re invalid.

I hate to burst his bubble; but, there is nothing we can know outside of a natural or reasonable interpretation. So I guess, according to him, God has to give “special revelation” beyond our nature or reason. So we understand it through what then? Through Psionic powers or what? That makes no sense. He then turns around and says the Bible says we can know about God from nature.

Scripture teaches us what we can know about God from nature…

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Rom 1:19-20 ESV).

Paul affirms what can be known about God from nature: his existence and some of his attributes, “namely his eternal power and divine nature” can be perceived from nature.
HeidelBlog.net – Why Analogies And Illustrations Of The Trinity Fail

He disproves his own statement with Romans 1:19-20. This is fuel for Christian haters around the world. Atheists and anti-Christians use this kind of reasoning to mock Christianity as illogical. He also says,

To confess these truths is to commit oneself to a great and glorious mystery-that is, something which is necessarily true but which transcends our ability to explain fully.
The Splendor of the Three-in-One God: The Necessity and Mystery of the Trinity

R. Scott Clark has made the doctrine of the trinity unintelligible nonsense. Einstein said it best.

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.
Albert Einstein

I just wish that, if a Christian cannot explain something, they please do not go on the internet and try to explain things. If you can’t explain it, don’t talk about it. With that said, R. Scott Clark is flat out wrong. The trinity is a reasonable, logical, teaching that can be explained. Granted, some thought is required by the listener to understand any concept. The person cannot simply turn their brain off and expect to understand anything. Also, it helps to have a grasp on basic math and reasoning.

Basic understanding of the Trinity

We can get the basic understanding of the Trinity from the Bible, Tertullian, and Augustine. The Bible Clearly teaches that God is, Mind, Word, and Spirit. These are not “Parts” of God nor are they “Elements” or “faculties” as I will show later.

Mind, Thoughts, Reason, Knowledge

God has a Mind. He thinks and stores knowledge.

For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ (1Co 2:16 NAS)
“But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, And they do not understand His purpose; For He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor. (Mic 4:12 NAS)
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? (Gal 4:9 NAS)

In human terms,

Mind – The element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness and thought:
Oxford Dictionary – Mind

So God has a Mind with conscious thought. The difference is that God’s Mind is infinite where the human mind is not.

Word, Truth, Wisdom

Not only does God have a Mind, He also speaks or communicates His Word.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1,14  NAS)
He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. (Joh 14:24 NAS)
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth. (Joh 17:16-17 NAS)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. (Joh 14:6 NAS)
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, (1Co 1:30 NAS)

In human terms,

Word – A single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing, used with others (or sometimes alone) to form a sentence and typically shown with a space on either side when written or printed.
Oxford Dictionary – Word

So then God thinks, then He speaks His Word. God’s Word is also infinite, whereas mans words are finite.

Spirit, Will, emotion or power

The will, power and emotions of God is His Spirit.

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. (1Co 2:10-11 NAS)
“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me, (Joh 15:26 NAS)
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Eph 4:30 NAS)
in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. (Rom 15:19 NAS)
“Keep watching and praying, that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:38 NAS)

In human terms,

Spirit – the nonphysical part of a person that is the seat of emotions and character; the soul.
Oxford Dictionary – Spirit

In comparison to a human, the spirit or emotions of a person affects the Mind or thoughts of the person which produces words or communication. The difference between the spirit of man and the Spirit of God is infinity.

How is the Trinity three persons?

There was never a time when God did not have a Spirit or will to think, nor was there ever a time when God did not speak. Yet there is an order of operations. God wills to think and then He speaks. His Mind and Thought is eternal, His Word is eternal, and His Spirit and will is eternal. His Will speaks to His Mind, His Mind to His Word, His Word to His Spirit, and His Word to His Mind. Since His Word comes from His Mind, His Mind and Word are One. Since His Spirit willed to think His Word, His Mind, Word, and Spirit are one.

Similarly, in finite terms, Man thinks in his head and reasons with himself in his mind his own words. Humans talk with themselves and have emotional conflict and resolution within their mind, yet are one being. With God, He is infinite in complexity with His Mind, Word, and Spirit.

The claim that the Mind, Word, and Spirit of God are mere faculties and not persons

Some object to the trinitarian teaching described above. The trinitarian teaching so far presented can be found in the Bible and the writings of Tertullian and Augustine. Augustine teaches this.

And so there is a kind of image of the Trinity in the mind itself, and the knowledge of it, which is its offspring and its word concerning itself, and love as a third, and these three are one, and one substance.
On the Trinity Book IX. Chapter 12.18

R. Scott Clark on heidelblog.net in response to Augustines trinitarian teaching says,

“God is not three faculties of one soul, but three persons”
Why Analogies And Illustrations Of The Trinity Fail

With this statement, R. Scott Clark is showing that he believes God has 3 souls. God does not have 3 souls in trinitarian theology. Augustine is not teaching an incorrect view of the trinity at all. The Early church Fathers used the same reason and logic to clearly articulate the doctrine of the trinity. All the church fathers taught that Jesus Christ is the Word of God. Is God’s Mind, Word, and Spirit a mere “faculty” of God? Or is God’s Mind, Word, and Spirit His persons? What makes a person a person?

• Can a person have no thoughts or reasoning? No that would be a rock or inanimate object.
• Can a person have thoughts but not be able speak words (or communicate words within their own mind)? No that would be an animal.
• Can a person have thoughts and speak words, but have no emotions or will? No that’s called a computer.

So then my mind, words, and spirit are the same as my person. The difference between a human and God is that God’s Mind, Word, and Spirit are infinite and a humans is not. God’s Mind has His Word and Spirit united with no limit.

So it begs the question, Is R. Scott Clark saying,

God’s Word is a mere faculty and not a person?
or
That the trinity is 3 separate persons independent of each other that have separate wills, knowledge, and words?
or
The Father has a mind, word, and spirit, The Son has a mind, word, and spirit, and the Spirit has a mind, word, and spirit? Thus making 3 minds, 3 words, and 3 spirits for a total of 9.

Jesus said nothing came from Himself but from the Father.

Jesus therefore answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. (Joh 5:19 NAS)
“For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment, what to say, and what to speak. “And I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.” (Joh 12:49-50 NAS)

The Son or Word of God does nothing but what the Father does. He has the exact same will, knowledge, and words that the Father has. Likewise, the Spirit goes where the Father and Son send Him.

When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me, (Joh 15:26 NAS)

The Apostle Paul himself compares the thoughts of God and His Spirit with the thoughts of man and his spirit.

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. (1Co 2:10-11 NAS)

Clearly the thoughts of God are God and not a mere “faculty.” Tertullian also teaches the same trinitarian concept as Augustine.

Whatever you think, there is a word; whatever you conceive, there is reason. You must needs speak it in your mind; and while you are speaking, you admit speech as an interlocutor with you, involved in which there is this very reason, whereby, while in thought you are holding converse with your word, you are (by reciprocal action) producing thought by means of that converse with your word. Thus, in a certain sense, the word is a second person within you, through which in thinking you utter speech, and through which also, (by reciprocity of process,) in uttering speech you generate thought. The word is itself a different thing from yourself. Now how much more fully is all this transacted in God, whose image and likeness even you are regarded as being, inasmuch as He has reason within Himself even while He is silent, and involved in that Reason His Word!
Against Praxeas Chapter V

The fact is that R. Scott Clark confounds the simple teaching and washes back and forth with unintelligible statements like,

the Trinity is a doctrine of special (biblical) revelation not nature or reason.

and immediately turns around and says,

Scripture teaches us what we can know about God from nature

Unfortunately, R. SCOTT CLARK clearly does not understand the trinity. The trinity is the person of the Father, the eternal mind of God, who begets the person of His Son, the eternal Word of God, by the person of His eternal Spirit, His will and power. The Father, Son and Spirit equally infinite, equally one God, and equally distinct from each other.

The Mind, Word, and Spirit speak to each other and are in relationship to each other in a specific order. The Mind of the Father generates His word or begets His Son by the Power of His Spirit who proceeds or comes from the Father and the Son, in that order, in an infinite loop. Yet the Mind, Word, and Spirit of God have the exact same knowledge, power, reasoning and word in and of themselves as well.

The Father, Son and Spirit are not 3 individual separate entities that have different wills, knowledge, and words which can war against each other. The church Fathers taught that The Mind, Word, and Spirit or Father, Son, Holy Spirit, are one God in unity. This is the trinity the church Fathers clearly taught.

Mathematical Explanation of the Trinity

While it is true we cannot adequately visually represent in a graphic something that is infinite, we can represent infinity in the ∞ symbol. There is a mathematical explanation that can adequately explain the Trinity.
Infinity ∞ is not a number. It is something without any limit; therefore, ∞ cannot be added, subtracted, multiplied, divided, or exponentiated. See Wikipedia – Infinity The proof goes something like this.

It is mathematically and logically impossible to have ∞ + ∞ + ∞ = 3∞ nor does ∞/3 = three parts of ∞ which is 3 gods. This is why Christians believe there is only one true God, because, there is only one possible ∞. Yet, we believe the the Father, Son, and Spirit are ∞ and distinct persons and equally ∞.

Conclusion to the doctrine of the Trinity

The doctrine of the trinity is derived from the Bible using logical, mathematical, and deductive reasoning. There is no reason to obfuscate the doctrine of the trinity because it has been explained clearly by the church fathers and many many Christians for many many years. The erroneous teachings of Tritheism, Modalism, and Arianism can be attributed to the illogical reasoning of the person and not the doctrine of the trinity itself. Even though there are many erroneous teachings on the trinity, the trinity can be explained using reason and the Bible.

The basic understanding of the trinity is that God is Mind, Word, and Spirit. The Mind of the father is the same mind of the Son and the Spirit, The Word of the Son is the same Word of the Father and the Spirit, and the Spirit is the same Spirit of Father and the Son. Yet, at the same time, The Father speaks to the Son, the Son speaks to the Father, and the Spirit likewise. The Trinity does not teach that there are 3 gods. We can understand the doctrine of the trinity by understanding how God created man in His image.

The trinity can be explained using basic proofs found in elementary school mathematics. Because God is infinite, God’s Mind, Word, and Spirit are infinite as well. Infinity is not a number and cannot be added, subtracted, multiplied, divided, or exponentiated. Therefore, there is only one infinite God. This is proof enough to show that the doctrine of the trinity is logical and mathematically true.