Q6: Are there more Gods than one?

A: There is but one only, the living and true God. Q7: How many persons are there in the Godhead? A: There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

Definition/Foundations

Summary/Scriptural Basis

History/Heresies Application

Distinctions in the Godhead

...let me ask of my reader, wherever, alike with myself, he is certain, there to go on with me; wherever, alike with myself, he hesitates, there to join with me in inquiring; wherever he recognizes himself to be in error, there to return to me; wherever he recognizes me to be so, there to call me back: so that we may enter together upon the path of charity, and advance towards Him of whom it is said, "Seek His face evermore." [Psalm 105:4] And I would make this pious and safe agreement,... [with] those which inquire into the unity of the Trinity, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; because in no other subject is error more dangerous, or inquiry more laborious, or the discovery of truth more profitable.
- Augustine of Hippo, On the Trinity, 400A.D.

Here, indeed, if anywhere in the secret mysteries of Scripture, we ought to play the philosopher soberly and with great moderation; let us use great caution that neither our thoughts nor our speech go beyond the limits to which the Word of God itself extends. For how can the human mind measure off the measureless essence of God according to its own little measure, a mind as yet unable to establish for certain the nature of the sun's body, though men's eyes daily gaze upon it? Indeed, how can the mind by its own leading come to search out God's essence when it cannot even get to its own? Let us then willingly leave to God the knowledge of himself... he is the one fit witness to himself, and is not known except through himself. But we shall be 'leaving it to him' if we conceive him to be as he reveals himself to us, without inquiring about him elsewhere than from his Word.
- John

Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1536

Col. 2:2-3 - ...[attain] to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 2 Pet. 3:18 - ...grow in the grace & knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ... Matt. 22:37 - '...LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, & WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, & WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'

John 4:23 - ...worship the Father in spirit & truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

The single greatest reason people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity is miscommunication. It is very rare that anyone actually argues or debates about the real doctrine of the Trinity. Most arguments that take place at the door, or over coffee, or at the workplace involve two or more people fighting vigorously over two or more misrepresentations of the doctrine itself. It is no wonder so many encounters create far more heat than they do light.
- James White, The Forgotten Trinity, 1998

Definition/Foundations

Language Issues
Defining

Terms Language Itself

Inadequate

Isa. 40:18 - To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him? Isa. 40:25 - 'To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?' says the Holy One.

Q6: Are there more Gods than one? A: There is but one only, the living and true God. Q7: How many persons are there in the Godhead? A: There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

Summary/Scriptural Basis

Three foundations which summarize the Biblical teaching

1. Monotheism: There is only one God

2. God is three persons

3. Each person is fully God (coequal and coeternal)

These three foundations not only provide the grounds upon which the Trinity is based, they explain to us why Christians who accept all of the Bible believe this doctrine. This is very important. Often the discussions Christians have with others about the Trinity flounder and go in circles because we do not identify these three truths as biblical teachings. When someone says, How can you claim to only believe the Bible, when you use terms like `Trinity' that don't appear in the Bible? we must be quick to point out that we are forced to do so by the teaching of the Bible itself on these three points. Every error and heresy on this doctrine will find its origin in a denial of one or more of these truths.
- James White, The Forgotten Trinity, 1998

Monotheism: There Is Only One God

Deut. 6:4 - Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! Deut. 32:39 - See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me... 2 Sam. 7:22 - For this reason You are great, O Lord GOD; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 2 Sam. 22:32 - For who is God, besides the LORD? And who is a rock, besides our God?

Isa. 43:10 - 'You are My witnesses,' declares the LORD, 'And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me.'

Isa. 44:6-8 - Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me. Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; Yes, let him recount it to Me in order, From the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming And the events that are going to take place. Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.'

John 5:44 - ...the one and only God John 17:3 - ...the only true God 1 Cor. 8:6 - ...there is but one God... Gal. 3:20 - ...God is only one. 1 Tim. 1:17 - Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

James 2:19 - You believe that God is one You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
1 Tim. 2:5 - For there is one God...