Q. Do you believe in the doctrine of the Trinity?

A. The simple answer is “yes” and I will try to explain this in a way that can be of some help, but I don’t believe anyone can adequately explain this concept. God is too big for us to figure out and there are some things we just need to accept. However, that doesn’t mean that God hasn’t revealed certain aspects about Himself in the Scriptures. In Isaiah 48.16 it says “Come near to Me, listen to this: from the first I have not spoken in secret, from the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord God (the Father) has sent Me (the Son) and His Spirit (Ruach Ha Kodesh or Holy Spirit).” I will use this verse as a basis for what I am going to say along with Rom. 8.16 with the phrase “the Spirit Himself”, Acts 5.3 “ why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit”, and 1Tim 4.1 “the Spirit explicitly says”. I don’t think anyone has a problem with the Father being God, some have a problem with Yeshua but he is equal to God and was considered so by the writers of the Gospels and epistles. So, I’ll concentrate on the Holy Spirit. The above verses clearly make the RHK (Holy Spirit) part of the Godhead, equal to the Father and the Son. He is referred to as “Himself” in Romans and can “lie to” the RHK in Acts and He “speaks” in Timothy. These terms are not used for a “force” or “wind” or inanimate substance. Many Scriptures say the same thing. I don’t profess to be an expert in all this but I will try to explain this. God is “one” and the Hebrew word used is “echad” which can mean a plural unity. The same word used for a husband and wife (2 people) being “one” (echad). So, God is one being with 3 simultaneous ways of existing called “hypostasis” or the hypostatic union. This word is better than the Latin “persona” which gives off a wrong concept. It’s like the Son and the Spirit are localized concentrations of who God is. Like starlight through a telescope (from the Greek “telos”) so we can see it. It’s the same light we see in time and space. God is spirit and personal. The concentrations or extensions are distinct, personal expressions or personalities yet are one being.