Holy God: Three in One

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (Jn. 1:1-3)

Question 6: How many persons are there in the Godhead?[i]
Answer: There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory.
 
This biblical truth is one of the great mysteries of God. The idea that there is one eternal triune God who exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that these three persons are of one substance, power, and eternity, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being. This biblical truth is known by theologians as the Trinity (tri + unity). This foundational truth has had to be defended by the Church over the last two millennia against those who have accused the Church of worshiping three gods. But not so. The Bible makes clear there is one God who exists in three persons. We see this in various passages such as John 1:1-3, 14; 10:30-33, and 2 Cor 3:16. However, the importance of this doctrine is that it helps us understand the unity-in-diversity which we experience in everyday life. God created humans as male and female, yet in marriage they become one flesh. Husband and wife, distinct persons, bound together in holy matrimony. The Church is comprised of Jews and Gentiles, males and females, people of every tongue and tribe, and yet there is only one body. Furthermore, the doctrine of the Trinity helps us understand the importance of roles. God the Father and God the Son are coequal, yet the Son willingly submits himself to the Father’s will. All believers are equal before God, yet wives are to graciously submit to their husbands, and children are to submit to their parents. Unity-in-diversity can be seen in creation itself, precisely because all creation reflects the very character of God and testifies to his existence.                  

[i] “A Catechism with Proofs” by Charles Haddon Spurgeon