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Why Do We Call God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit The Trinity?

Q: Over the past few episodes or so, I believe I heard that “the Trinity” is not found in the Bible.  This inspired some study, and now I’m wondering why we call God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit the Trinity at all?  It seems that, before the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, early Christians had differing ways of describing them, usually referring to them as separate, but not necessarily as a 3-in-1. 

As a child, I tried to think of the Trinity like an apple with the outer part, inner part, and the seeds being separate but one, and that being like God.  But that was still incredibly confusing.  Is that confusion necessary, if it’s not actually described that way in the Bible?  What if we went back to the early Christian way of understanding, that the relationship between them is not fully defined?  More mysterious, but maybe more precise that way?  Thanks for your thoughts!

Summary

Dr. E addresses a listener’s question regarding the Trinity. Dr. E explains that although Scripture never uses the word “Trinity,” it clearly reveals the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as one God in three persons. He explains that God exists as three united persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—without separate existence, forming one divine essence. Using passages like Matthew 3:16–17, 1 Corinthians 12:4–7, and others, Dr. Easley shows how Scripture reveals each person of the Godhead functioning distinctly yet in perfect unity.

He cautions against modalism and stresses the importance of clarity over mystery. The early church wrestled with how to define the Trinity, but Scripture drives us toward this essential doctrine for understanding salvation: the Father sends the Son, the Son accomplishes redemption, and the Spirit indwells believers. While mysterious, the Trinity is vital—foundational to Christianity and unmistakably present in the biblical narrative. In short, we don’t believe in three gods—we believe in one God, three persons, co-equal and co-eternal.

Takeaways:

• The word “Trinity” isn’t in Scripture, but the doctrine is clearly taught.
• God exists as three distinct persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in one divine essence.
• Analogies like water or apples oversimplify and often misrepresent the Trinity.
• Scripture presents the Father sending the Son, the Son sending the Spirit, and the Spirit indwelling believers.
• The Trinity is essential for understanding salvation and God’s relational nature.
• We worship one God in three persons—not three gods, and not one God acting in different modes.

Links Mentioned:

The Moody Handbook of Theology by Paul Enns

Find more episodes of Ask Dr. E here.

If you’ve got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at question@michaelincontext.com.