The Trinity is unique to Christianity.
It is the belief that there is only one God, yet he exists in three 'persons'.
These 'persons' are
God the Father
God the Son
God the Holy Spirit
Each of these three persons is fully God, but they are not three Gods - they are one God.
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The Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is a statement of belief that many Christians recite in Church.
It says of the Trinity:
'We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth [...] We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father [...] We believe in the Holy Spirit, the giver of life, who proceeds from the FAther and the Son'
The Nicene Creed reveals the following about the nature of the Trinity:
God the Father:
The creator of the universe and is almighty (having complete power)
God the Son
Jesus Christ is the 'Lord' and the Son of the Father
God the Holy Spirit
Comes from the Father and the Son. Christians believe the Holy Spirit is the 'giver of life', meaning he is spiritually active in the world, he helps them to know God and worship him, and he equips and empowers believers.
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The Persons Of The Trinity
The word 'Trinity' does not appear in the Bible.
However, in one event the three persons of the Trinity appear together:
"As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my son, whom i love; with him I am well pleased' " (Matthew 3:16-17)
This is important as it shows the Trinity working together as one - Jesus is baptised to begin his ministry, the Father speaks his approval, and the Holy Spirit, with the power of the Father, enables Jesus to begin his work.
The Bible highlights the importance of each person of the Trinity and how they can be understood and worshipped by Christians today.
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How The Trinity Is Reflected in Worship
Christians use the Trinity as the guide for worship and belief. Christians believe that the Trinity displays God's loving nature, which impacts on their worship.
God the Father is the creator, cares for all that he has made. They pray to the Father in the knowledge that he cares about them and is powerful, like Jesus did in the Lord's prayer: 'Our father who art in heaven, hallowed thee by name...'
God the Son became a human being and was given the name of Jesus Christ around 5 BCE. Christians believe Jesus is their saviour, friend and role-model. They follow the example set by him to teach people how to live lives of goodness, love and faith. A core belief about Jesus is that he died to save humanities sins. Worship therefore is often joyful as Christians express their thanks to Jesus to the sacrifices he made
God the Holy Spirit is the comforter and guide. Christians believe that the Holy spirit lives in their hearts and enables them to live good lives, make moral choices and helps them to praise and worship God. Charismatic churches, such as the Pentecostal Church and an increasing number of Anglican churches will ask the Holy Spirit to enable them to worship using spiritual gifts. These church services are often less formal and involve dancing and creative expression.
Christians believe that the Trinity is a model of mutual love and perfect unity. It helps Christians to understand more about relationships because the Trinity is very similar to the way the live. They are not alone, they have families and friends they can hang out with and love. Christians believe the Trinity is a loving relationship, with each 3 people relating to the other 2 - like a family.
