WHY CATHOLICS BELIEVE IN THE HOLY TRINITY?

Stella Marie Lacson

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One of the most misunderstood doctrine of the Catholic Church is the Triune God or Holy Trinity (i.e. 3 persons in 1 God). Several Non-Trinitarian sects were even accusing catholics for having 3 Gods. Is the concept of Trinity not found in the Bible?

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It is not an absolute truth, that since there is no word “Trinity” in the Bible, then we will not believe on it. Because the Bible is not a dictionary or an encyclopedia that listed all the words we have. In fact, there is no word “Bible” from Genesis to Revelation, yet we believe that there is a Bible. We cannot find the word “Rapture”, “Sinner’s Prayer, ” Faith Alone”, “Bible Alone”, etc., yet many protestants had believed on them.

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Plurality of Divine Persons in Old Testament

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The very first book in the Bible – the Genesis, the plurality of God is very evident. During the creation, the Creator (God) Himself was referred to by a plural pronoun “Us” and possesive pronoun “Our”. In Gen. 1:26 it says: 🔻

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🚩“Let Us make mankind in Our image…” (Gen.1:26)

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🚩In Gen.3:22 the Lord God said “Look! The man has become like one of Us…”

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🚩In Gen.11:7 God said “Come! Let Us go down there and confuse their language…”

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🚩In Gen.1:2 it said “The Spirit of God is hovering over the surface of water”

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Some non-trinitarian sects argued that the word “Us” in Genesis refers to God the Father together with “the Angels”. However, the Bible proved them wrong that it is not true, since “Angels are not Creators”. Angels are also created being, made just little higher than man (Heb.2:7). Thus, when God said “Let Us make mankind in Our Image”, the word “Us” here refers to another person (a co-Creator), and not just a created being.

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This another person referred to word “Us” in Genesis is being revealed by the Gospel of John 1:1,14 as it says: ⏬

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🚩“In the beggining was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

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The “Word” mentioned here by John is no other than the person of Christ – the second person of the Trinity. This is further manifested during the Baptism of Jesus at the Jordan River. In Mat.3:16-17 it says: 🔻

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🚩“…The Holy Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him (Christ). Then the voice from heaven said ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’.”

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In the above event, there were 3 persons mentioned: the Son of God (Christ), the Holy Spirit (in form of a dove), and the Father (in a voice from heaven).

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John the Evangelist further revealed the meaning of Trinity in 1John 5:7 as it says: 🔻

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🚩“For there are Three that bear witness in Heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. And these Three are one.”

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When Christ commissioned His disciples to all nations, he said in Mat.28:19, 🔻

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🚩“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

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Please take note that the above verse use the singular word “name”, while it mentioned 3 persons (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit). If these 3 persons are 3 different Gods, then it must use the plural “names”. Thus, this 3 persons is only one God.

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Jesus claimed it when he said in John 10:30 “I and the Father are One”. St. Paul also knew the concept of Trinity when he made his final blessings in 2Cor.13:14 as it says: 🔻

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🚩“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God (Father), and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.”

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Eventhough the details of the Trinity is something that humans cannot fathom with. We can just make some physical anologies (though imperfect) that could help us understand the concept of this mysterious Triune God. One example is a Triangle – it has 3 angles (corners) in 1 shape. Another example is a 3-in-1 coffee that has 3 ingredients (i.e., coffee, creamer, & sugar), but when poured with hot water it blended into one homogeneous liquid.

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