How Can God Consist of Three gods?
I’ve received a number of great questions from a Muslim reader who seems genuinely interested in finding out more about Christianity. I’m humbled to be asked these questions and I’ve taken my time to answer them the best I can. Here is the first one.
Question:
I don’t understand how God can consist of three gods.
Answer:
I understand this is a very difficult concept to understand and as a Muslim it’s even more difficult. The Quran says:
Sura 5:72-73, 5:75 “They do blaspheme who say: “God is Christ the son of Mary.” They do blaspheme who say: God is one of three in a trinity: for there is no God except one God Allah. If they do not desist from their word of blasphemy, verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them. Christ the son of Mary was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him.”
Sura 4:169 “Believe in God and his apostles and say not three..”
Qur’an Sura 4:171: “O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His apostles. Say not “Trinity” :desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah. Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.”
There is no real easy way to explain the Trinity except to say it’s how God described Himself in the New Testament.
1. God the Father
This is the commonest name for God in the New Testament – the Father – although it is rarely found as a description for God in any other religion — including Hebrew Scriptures– and never in Islam. Jesus always spoke of God in heaven as “my Father” (Matthew 18:11), “your Father” (Luke 12:32), “the Father” (John 14:12) and when praying simply addressed him as “Father” (John 11:41).
God is spoken of in relational terms. He is not just the sovereign ruler of the universe, he has a definite relationship within his divine being beyond his own individual personality.
2. God the Son
Jesus said: No one knows the Son but the Father and no one knows the Father but the Son (Matthew 11:27). Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent him (John 4:23). He came from the Father into the world, he was to leave it and return to the Father (John 16:28). Jesus describes himself as the Son.
3. God the Holy Spirit
Throughout the New Testament a third personality constantly appears – the Holy Spirit – and he enjoys an obviously intimate relationship with both the Father and the Son at their divine level. He would be sent by the Son from the Father, he proceeds from the Father, and he bears witness to the Son (John 15:26). The Father would send him in the Son’s name and he would bring to remembrance all that the Son had taught his disciples (John 14:26).
All these quotations are from Jesus Christ himself, the great Word of the Father who was in the beginning, was with God, and is God (John 1:1). He is called the Son of God by the Father himself who twice spoke from heaven and declared “This is my beloved Son” (Matthew 4:17, 17:5).
Biblical Trinitarian Statements
There are a number of statements in the Bible which speak of all three persons of the Trinity in one breath.
1. Matthew 28:19: The Father, Son and Holy Spirit
In this passage Jesus Christ himself commands his disciples to make further disciples throughout the world, “baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit”.
2. 2 Corinthians 13:14: The Triune blessing
Paul concludes this letter by commending the Corinthian Christians to the grace of the Son, the love of the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
3. Ephesians 2:18: Access to the Eternal Father
Paul again mentions all three persons of the Trinity together in a statement of common purpose and divine union. In Jesus Christ the Son both Jewish and Gentile believers have access through the same Holy Spirit to the Father.
The Church did not invent the Trinity or adapt its belief about God to prevailing monotheistic or polytheistic beliefs, but obtained it directly from the teaching of its original scripture, the Bible.
The coming of Jesus Christ into the world that opened up the revelation of God as a triune being. Before him the Old Testament generally spoke of God as Yahweh, the Lord God of Israel, but when Jesus began to teach he frequently spoke of God as the Father, himself as the Son and of the coming of the Holy Spirit in such terms as to leave no doubt that all three shared the realm of the divine glory, that they shared a common nature, essence and purpose, and that there was an absolute unity between them.
The New Testament, in consequence, focuses consistently on each of the three persons in the divine Trinity as the sphere in which Christian believers can come to know God (the Father), be forgiven by him (through his Son Jesus Christ) and enjoy his divine presence (in the Holy Spirit). All references to Yahweh disappear in the light of the intimate unity which all believers enjoy with God now more fully revealed in his true nature and triune personality.
I don’t know if I did this question justice. It’s difficult to have a one-way conversation on theological topics. If you want me to try to explain it more fully, please drop me a line.
More Videos, Podcasts, and Blog Posts on Jesus
Who is Jesus? – Theology
- Why did Jesus call himself the Son of man instead of the Son of God? https://revtrev.com/live-loved/why-did-jesus-call-himself-the-son-of-man-instead-of-the-son-of-god/
- How can God consist of three gods? https://revtrev.com/live-light/how-can-god-consist-of-three-gods/
- The Nicene Creed with Scripture References https://revtrev.com/living-light/the-nicene-creed-with-scripture-references/
- Why do Christians believe Jesus is God? https://revtrev.com/live-light/why-do-christians-believe-jesus-is-god/
- Did Jesus really claim to be God? https://revtrev.com/live-light/did-jesus-claim-to-be-god/
- Why does the empty tomb matter? https://revtrev.com/living-light/why-does-the-empty-tomb-matter/
- How to know and experience our Triune God today – Why the trinity is so essential https://revtrev.com/living-light/trinity-essential/
- Why Jesus not salvation is the Greatest Gift to us https://revtrev.com/live-loved/jesus-not-salvation-greatest-gift-us/
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- YIELD to Jesus as Lord https://revtrev.com/livecasts/yield-to-jesus-as-lord/
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May 10, 2012 @ 2:55 pm
Trevor,
I think you provided a great answer with the relevant references to scripture. I am a writer who is penning an article about God’s supernatural nature. That characteristic of God provides a very direct answer to the question. We humans can only think and believe for the most part based on our own experience. We are aware of our limitations. We do not understand the supernatural. I believe this explains why there are Atheists. If you are convinced that you are exceptionally intelligent and you cannot imagine a being who is infinitely more intelligent, then the only choice is to deny the existence of that being. If you cannot grasp the concept of God being omnipresent and omniscient, then you may simply choose to deny that any being can be.
This characteristic of God, His supernatural nature, also explains how He can be found in three “persons” at once. To directly answer the question is to understand the supernatural, which is not possible for a human to do. There have been humans who have witnessed the supernatural through miracles, but in the case of Thomas, we know that even those humans can have a lingering doubt. The Roman soldiers who witnessed the parting of the Red Sea still followed their commander’s orders and charge ahead recklessly, despite witnessing God’s supernatural power firsthand.
Your answer provides the evidence that we know God to exist in three forms according to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The question; “how can God exist in three different forms” is best left to the reminder that He is supernatural and we are human. If we have accepted Christ, then the day will come when we may understand much more.
To my Muslim friend who asked the question, I am reminded of what Jesus told us was the second most important commandment; ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. You are a child of God and Christians love you.
May 10, 2012 @ 3:29 pm
Thanks Richard.
Just so you know, I talk to Christians saying, “We’re made in the image of God and are triune creatures as well…body, soul and spirit”.
I don’t know how Muslims view our nature. I have a lot to learn but am willing to learn.