The doctrine of the Trinity states that there is one God who eternally exists as 3 equal and distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Many Christians find this difficult to explain, but here are some Scriptures that will help you explain it to people where they can understand it.
The Whole Godhead is physically manifested to people in one Passage of Scripture
Matthew 3:16-17 “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Jesus (God the Son) is standing in the water
God the Holy Spirit physically appears as a dove
God the Father Speaks from heaven
This is the best Scripture to show that God eternally exists in 3 distinct persons.
Best Scripture to show that God is one.
1 John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
This verse is taken out of many other Bible versions except the KJV including the NIV. Therefore, these other versions weaken the doctrine of the Trinity. This is a serious error because a person cannot be saved without believing that Jesus is God.
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
1 John 4:2-3 “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”
2 John 1:7 “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”
Jesus is the Word. John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” And John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
We all know about Thomas not believing the other disciples when they told him that Jesus had risen.
John 20:24-25 “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Thomas had deeper understanding of the redemptive work of the Messiah, than many Christians do today.
Many Christians today think that Jesus has scars.
However, Thomas understood that if Jesus was God then He would not have scars. That is why he said he would have to thrust his hand into Jesus’ side and put his finger into the print of the nails.
Thomas understood that if Jesus was God and had just died to save us then He would have eternal wounds like the Bible says in Revelation 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…”
Jesus would not have any blood in His body to produce scars, because He would have put his blood on the Mercy Seat in heaven to atone for our sins. Like the Bible says in
Hebrews 9:11-12 “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”
Thomas understood these deep doctrines of redemption before they were ever written down for us. That is why Thomas had the reaction of “My Lord and my God” when he finally did see Jesus.
John 20:26-29 “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
If you have never made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, please read my page “How To Get To Heaven.”
Some people, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, will tell you that Jesus never claimed to be God.
However, there are many verses in the Bible which show that Jesus did claim to be God. Today we are going to study some of these verses.
Jesus Claimed to be God, when He applied God’s Personal Name to Himself.
John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
Exodus 3:13-15 “And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.”
Jesus claimed to be God, when He said that He and God were one. The Jews even tried to stone Him for saying He was God.
John 10:30-33 “I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”
It was prophesied in the Old Testament that Jesus would be God in the flesh, the Son of God, and that He and the Father are one.
Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (also see Luke 1:35 and John 5:17-18 KJV)
Jesus claimed to be God, when He forgave sins.
Mark 2:5-12 “When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies?who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.”
The man being healed proved that Jesus was God and could forgive sins.
Jesus proved His claim to be God, when He raised Himself from the dead.
John 2:19-22 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.”
John 10:17-18 “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
Jesus claimed to be God, when He appeared to John in Revelation.
Revelation1:13 “And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. “
Revelation 1:17-18 “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
Jesus claimed to be God by allowing people to worship Him and call Him God.
John 20:26-29 “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
Jesus commended Thomas for finally believing that He was God. If Jesus was not God, He would have corrected Thomas on that point.
Many times the Bible shows that Jesus both claimed and proved that He is God.
Therefore, when you witness to someone who does not believe that Jesus claimed to be God, then you can show them these verses and help them get saved.
A person cannot be saved without believing that Jesus is God.
2 John 1:7 “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”
1 John 4:2-3 “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” (see also John 1:1-3 and John 1:14 KJV)
A person who is saved, has the Spirit of God and will say that Jesus is God.
If you had not believed that Jesus was God until now, then you are not saved.
