Scriptural Evidence for Three Separate and Distinct Individuals in the Godhead

Things agreed upon:

  1. There is only one God Deut.6:4, James 2:19
  2. God is beyond our finite understanding and we cannot always explain every thing about God.
  3. Scriptures are our final authority and we need to study them carefully. Even though point 2 is valid, we cannot reject any thing that is clearly taught in the scriptures.
  4. Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ is fully God and so He is immutable and is the same yesterday, today and forever.

1. Plural Pronouns Used for God at Creation – Genesis 1:26; (3:22)

God said let Us make man in Our image after Our likeness. Man was created in God’s image, not the image of angels or animals (Gen1: 27 “in the image of God created he him”). Yet God is referred to as Us and Our – terms implying plural individuals. (Similar instances exist in Gen. 3:22; 11:6,7; Isa. 6:8). In fact the most common Hebrew word for God (ELOHIM) is plural in form.

Other verses show that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were all three present at creation.

The Father was present (Heb. 1:2; John 1:1-3; 17:5,24)

The Son was present (Heb. 1:2; John 1:1-3; 17:5,24; Col. 1:16,17)

The Holy Spirit was present (Gen. 1:2; Job 33:4)

2. Son was sent by the father:

Isa 48:16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me

John 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.    

Mat 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

3. Son and Father are not the same:

Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

4. Son and Holy Spirit are not the same:

Luke 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.

5. Jesus said “I AM NOT ALONE”:

John 8:15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

John 5:32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. 33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

John 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

6. Jesus used the words WE and OUR indicating more than one:

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

7. Jesus Christ returned TO the Father, but He did not BECOME the Father:

John 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; (John 16:8-11; 16:28; 20:17)

Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Mat 10:32-33)

8. Jesus is sitting on the right hand of God

Psalm 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

9. Jesus takes the scroll from Him that sat on the throne

Rev 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

10. Father AND (καί : kai) Son

1 Cor 1:3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

11. Holy Spirit is ANOTHER Comforter

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me