What does the Bible teach about the nature of God? What does it say about the Trinity?

The nature of God is one of the most debated and challenging subjects in the history of the Christian religion. Over the centuries concepts like the Trinity evolved. But what does the Bible say?

God is the Sovereign of the universe, existing supremely above all else. God is spirit (John 4:24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
See All...), existing in a different realm from that of humans, who are flesh. Our understanding and perception of God, therefore, are based on God's revelation to us through His written Word, the Bible.

The Father and the Son

The Bible reveals God as the "Father" and Jesus Christ as His "Son." The distinction between the two is implicit from the very beginning of God's revelation (Genesis 1:1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
See All...), where the Hebrew word Elohim is used (Elohim is the plural form of the Hebrew word for God, Eloah). There has been communication between these two from the beginning, as seen in the example of Genesis 1:26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
See All..., where the pronouns Us and Our refer to Elohim.

The Old Testament focuses on the God of Israel, who identifies Himself as "I AM" and "the Lord God . . . of Abraham, . . . of Isaac, and . . . of Jacob" (Exodus 3:14-15 [14] 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.
[15] 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.

See All..., the word Lord being derived from the Hebrew YHWH). In John 8:58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
See All..., Christ refers to Himself as "I am." This is the same God who delivered the Israelites out of Egypt and accompanied them in the wilderness and who was later known in the New Testament as Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
See All...). Both the Old Testament and New Testament contain references to more than one personage in the Godhead (Psalm 110:1(A Psalm of David.) The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
See All..., for example, which is quoted in Acts 2:29-36 [29] Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
[30] Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
[31] He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
[32] This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
[33] Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
[34] For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
[35] Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
[36] Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both LORD and Christ.

See All...). The New Testament identifies Them as God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son (1 Corinthians 8:6But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
See All...). The Son is also called God (Hebrews 1:8-9 [8] But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
[9] Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

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Jesus Christ is called the "Word," who "was with God" in the beginning and is also identified as "God" (John 1:1-2 [1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[2] The same was in the beginning with God.

See All...). He created all things (verses 3, 10), and later became flesh and dwelled with humans (John 1:14And 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.
See All...). He is also called "the firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
See All...). Humans have the wonderful potential and opportunity to enter the family of God (Romans 8:14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
See All..., 19; John 1:12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
See All...; 1 John 3:1-2 [1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

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The relationship between the Word and the Father is more clearly defined in the New Testament, when "the Word was made flesh" (John 1:14And 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.
See All..., King James Version; Philippians 2:5-11), revealed the Father to His disciples (Matthew 11:25-27 [25] At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
[26] Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
[27] All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

See All...), was sacrificed for the forgiveness of our sins and has now once again been exalted by the Father (John 17:5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
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The New Testament emphasizes the unity between the Father and Son, yet makes the distinction between the two clear in numerous scriptures (e.g., John 20:17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
See All...; Romans 15:6That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
See All...). We read in Ephesians that God "created all things through Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 3:9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
See All...; Hebrews 1:1-3 [1] God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
[2] Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
[3] Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

See All...). The relationship between the Father and the Son demonstrates God's perfect and eternal way of life. The Father has always loved the Son, and the Son has always loved the Father (John 17:4I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
See All..., 20-26). The harmony between the Father and the Son is a singleness of mind and purpose, which Jesus Christ asked the Father to bring about among His disciples, Himself, and the Father (verses 20-23).

"God," as used in the Bible, can be a reference to either the Father (Acts 13:33God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
See All...; Galatians 4:6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
See All...), Jesus Christ the Son (Isaiah 9:6For 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.
See All...; John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
See All..., 14) or both (Romans 8:9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
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The Holy Spirit

The power and mind that proceed from God are called the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
See All...; Luke 1:35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
See All...; Acts 1:8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
See All...; 10:38; 2 Corinthians 1:22Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
See All...; 2 Timothy 1:7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
See All...). The Holy Spirit of God is not identified as a third person in a trinity, but is consistently described as the power of God. The Holy Spirit is given to mankind upon repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
See All...) to serve as a guarantee or down payment on eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
See All...; Ephesians 1:14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
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How is it possible that so many have embraced an inaccurate idea about the nature of the Holy Spirit? The idea of three persons in the Godhead evolved over the first few centuries of Christianity, somewhat in reaction to popular ideas perceived as threats to the truth. Well-meaning attempts to "protect the truth" actually contradicted the Scriptures. The doctrine of the Trinity is not, as our literature explains, a teaching of the Bible.