Understanding the Trinity

"This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
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.
For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand," Acts 2:32-34

In this passage we see references to the three Persons of the Godhead-the Trinity. The word Trinity is derived from 'tri,' meaning three, and the word unity, meaning united as one. This is sometimes hard for new believers (or mature believers) to completely understand. The Trinity is made up of three Persons - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All three make up the Godhead. Three Persons - One God! Each Person of the Godhead has a different role within the Godhead. In simple terms, God the Father directs all things. Jesus Christ, God the Son, sits at the right hand of God the Father, ever working on our behalf. He rules over His Body, The Church. Through His sacrifice, men who repent and call on His Name will be saved. God the Holy Spirit dwells within the hearts of believers, giving us guidance and comfort - helping us to understand God and His perfect Will. We receive the Holy Spirit when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. Each of the three Persons of the Godhead are equally important. Each has always existed. In Genesis 1:2 we see evidence of the Holy Spirit right off the bat, "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. " Also in Genesis Chapter 1, we see additional reference to the Trinity,

"And 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. " Genesis 1:26

Notice God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Who is the 'us' and the 'our' God is referring to? The three Persons of the Trinity. There were no other beings equal to God the Father who could be included in the 'us' other than God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. John 1:1-4 says,

" 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.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men. "

Who is the WORD? Jesus Christ!

A simple example to help understand the Trinity is water. Water has three forms - solid (ice), liquid, and gas (steam). All three are water, just different forms with different roles. Ice, solid water, could represent God the Father, his omniscent and omnipotence directing events throughout time. Then there is liquid water. It could represent Jesus Christ, God the Son, who poured out His Life to pay for our sins and save those who accept Him as Savior. Then there is steam, evaporated water. Steam could represent the Holy Spirit who resides in the hearts of believers. Three forms, but still water. Three Persons, but still God! How awesome!

In His Love, Cathy