To understand the Trinity, we must explore how the three persons can be one God. However, if we try to define it in terms of a specific form or method of union, we risk misunderstanding. The Trinity is about the relationship between the three persons, not their form. So, what kind of relationship do they have? Let’s explain this based on the Bible.
4. The three persons are one God, but each has their own perspective.
“Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:17, WEB)
“While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.’” (Matthew 17:5, WEB)
“He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.’” (Matthew 26:39, WEB)
“Again, he went away, and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if this cup can’t pass away from me unless I drink it, your desire be done.’” (Matthew 26:42, WEB)
“A voice came out of the sky, ‘You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” (Mark 1:11, WEB)
“A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.’” (Mark 9:7, WEB)
“He said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire.’” (Mark 14:36, WEB)
“and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying ‘You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.’” (Luke 3:22, WEB)
“A voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!’” (Luke 9:35, WEB)
“He said, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.’” (Luke 22:42, WEB)
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Romans 8:16, WEB)
“In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.” (Romans 8:26, WEB)
“Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34, WEB)
As seen in these passages, the three persons are one God, but each has their own perspective. Jesus demonstrated this in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, showing His own perspective before God the Father. Thus, the Trinity does not mean that the three persons have only one thought or opinion; each originates from their own perspective.
5. The first core understanding of the Trinity is that they fully know each other.
“All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.” (Matthew 11:27, WEB)
“For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel.” (John 5:20, WEB)
“He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.” (Romans 8:27, WEB)
“But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10, WEB)
As mentioned earlier, each of the three persons can have thoughts originating from themselves. However, because they fully know each other's thoughts, the concept of the Trinity gains substance. The passages show that the Father reveals all His actions to the Son, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son reveals Him. Additionally, God knows the mind of the Spirit, who intercedes according to God's will. The Spirit searches all things, including the deep things of God. There is no part that explicitly states that the Holy Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit know each other, but since the Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit know everything of God, and if God fully knows the two of them, then it follows that Jesus and the Holy Spirit also fully know each other.
The fact that they fully know each other is the very first core of understanding the Trinity. To illustrate, imagine two people, each with their own physical bodies, able to work separately in different places. But suppose that person A completely knows in real time everything that person B is thinking, and vice versa. Even if these two are in different places doing different things, can we definitively say that they are ‘different people’? Wouldn’t their actions also include the opinions of the other?
Of course, even if they fully know each other's thoughts, they could still have differing standards and conflict. If that were the case, they could not be considered one, even if they fully understand each other. Therefore, the next point becomes the second core understanding of the Trinity.
6. The opinions of the Trinity may differ, but their will is unified.
6-1. Jesus does not act on His own but follows the will of God the Father.
“Therefore Jesus answered them, ‘Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise. For the Father has affection for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel.’” (John 5:19-20, WEB)
“I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.” (John 5:30, WEB)
“I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I say these things.” (John 8:28, WEB)
“For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak.” (John 12:49-50, WEB)
“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works.” (John 14:10, WEB)
“But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded me, even so I do.” (John 14:31, WEB)
“I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do.” (John 17:4, WEB)
6-2. The Holy Spirit also does not speak on His own but only what He hears.
“However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.” (John 16:13, WEB)
6-3. What the Holy Spirit reveals is also based on what He receives from Jesus.
“He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine and will declare it to you. All things that the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine and will declare it to you.” (John 16:14-15, WEB)
At first glance, it seems that Jesus and the Holy Spirit act according to God the Father's will, and the Holy Spirit also aligns with Jesus' will. However, this is not the whole picture.
6-4. God the Father has entrusted everything to Jesus.
“The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.” (John 3:35, WEB)
“For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son.” (John 5:22, WEB)
6-5. What God the Father gives is ultimately fulfilled by Jesus.
“Whatever you will ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14, WEB)
“You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16, WEB)
“In that day you will ask me no questions. Most certainly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” (John 16:23, WEB)
6-6. God hears the prayers of the Holy Spirit.
“In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.” (Romans 8:26-27, WEB)
This relationship might seem complex, but if we break it down, it means that Jesus and the Holy Spirit act according to God the Father's will, which inherently includes Jesus' and the Holy Spirit's opinions. There is no priority of one opinion over another; their judgment criteria are the same. They think and judge based on God's standard, so their opinions do not conflict. Even if different opinions arise, their judgment criteria are unified, leading to a single will and action.
“You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.” (John 8:15-16, WEB)
“He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.” (Romans 8:27, WEB)
Let’s return to the earlier analogy. Suppose there are three people, and these three people completely know each other’s thoughts. If one of them thinks or feels something, the other two instantly know those thoughts and feelings. The others will form their own opinions, and the first person immediately knows these as well. If their values were different, conflicts could arise, but since these three have always lived this way, their values are identical. Because they judge and act according to one shared value system, they cannot fight. Ultimately, the one actually experiencing the situation will make the decision and act, but that decision and action also include the thoughts and judgments of the other two. They do not act ignoring the opinions of the others; rather, under the same standard, the three opinions become one, and according to that opinion, one action results. If this is the case, even if these three people are in different places doing different things, can we say that they are three different people? Since their opinions and actions are united as one, although they are three people, could it not also be said that they are one at the same time?
This is the limit of what I can explain about the Trinity. I wanted to explain it without using analogies as much as possible, but that seems beyond my ability. In any case, my point is that even without thinking of a specific form of union, it is possible to understand the Trinity.
“The Trinity is a story about relationships, and the three persons fully know each other; the three persons may each have different opinions, but since the standard of judgment is ultimately the same, it is expressed as one opinion and one action.”
I have tried to explain the term perichoresis (mutual indwelling, mutual penetration, mutual complement) in this way. Of course, as always, you do not have to accept this explanation as it is. I would be more than satisfied if it just makes you think, “If I think about it this way, maybe I can understand it a little bit.”
However, if you think this way, one problem arises: the issue of the timing of Jesus’ second coming.
6-7. Do They Know Everything, Yet Not Know Some Things?
“But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36, WEB)
“But of that day or that hour no one knows—not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32, WEB)
In these passages, Jesus says that no one knows the day or the hour when the Son of Man will come—only the Father knows. When you read this, you might think that everything I have explained so far is completely wrong. That is a reasonable reaction. However, even here, there is a way to understand this. The key is to consider that the day of the second coming may not be absolutely fixed.
You might wonder, “What does that mean?” I understand. But I hope you will hear me out a little longer. If you view the world deterministically, you might believe that everything—including the day of the second coming—has already been predetermined. Even if you reject determinism, you might still think that since God is all-knowing and all-powerful, He must already know the exact day, so it must be fixed. I am not saying this view is entirely wrong. However, I believe what matters most to God is not His attributes, power, or plans, but His will. In other words, the real question is: What does God prioritize most?
This realization came to me through Jesus’ words:
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it is obligated.’ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? He who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it. He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who has been living in it. He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it.” (Matthew 23:16-22, WEB)
I have attended church since I was born, but as I grew older, I often encountered parts of the Bible I could not understand, which led to many doubts. I tried to resolve these doubts by reading various theological books and doctrinal explanations, but the doubts did not easily disappear. When I was struggling, I came across this passage again, and a new perspective began to open up. I realized that I had been questioning God by insisting that God must be a certain way.
God is naturally omniscient and omnipotent, exists above time, and is able to do all things. This is certainly true. However, even if God possesses these attributes, He is not bound by them. God has the freedom to temporarily lay aside omnipotence and come to earth in the limited form of a human being. God exists above time, but He also has the freedom to enter into time. He is able to do all things, but He also has the freedom not to do everything. God knows all things, but He also has the freedom to deliberately not know certain things. For example, when the woman with the issue of blood touched His garment, Jesus asked, “Who touched my clothes?” This is an example of God’s freedom—the freedom not to be limited by any attribute. This is God’s will. This is who God is.
Are we not, then, imposing our own standards by saying, “God must be like this,” or “This is right,” or “That is right”? If we recall Jesus’ words about what is more important—the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift—perhaps it is more correct to confess that God’s will, which accomplishes His plan, is more important than the plan itself.
Of course, this does not mean we should fear that God’s plan to save us could change. The unchanging will of God is certainly leading us on the path of salvation. Just as it is written, “Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” (John 13:1, WEB), God loves us with a will that is above all things. So what is there to fear?
Returning to the subject of the second coming and the end times, whether you view it from a deterministic perspective—that God has already set a plan in advance—or from the perspective of omniscience—that God did not predetermine it but already knows the day—God has the freedom to set and change that time according to His own will. This is because He is God, who is free in all things.
From this perspective, Jesus’ statement that not even the Son knows the day or hour of His return does not conflict with the doctrine of the Trinity. The Father has the freedom to set the day, so even if it is predetermined, the Son cannot be certain. If it is not predetermined but known through foresight, God still has the freedom to execute it before the day arrives, so the Son can both know and not know.
You might ask, “Does this mean God could bring about the end before someone He has predestined for salvation is born?” My response is that this possibility exists. Some might argue that this would mean God’s plan is not perfectly fulfilled, questioning how this aligns with God’s omniscience and omnipotence. However, my perspective is different. Even if God has predestined someone for salvation, that person does not yet exist. God may know them in advance, but they are not present in the world.
Let’s use an analogy. Suppose you work for a company and you know what your salary will be a few months from now. It is true that you can expect that money and that you will actually receive it later. However, would you refrain from taking actions you should take now simply because of that money, which does not yet exist? More importantly, would it not be right to give up that money if it means doing something more important? This is because that money does not yet exist in your life.
As Jesus said, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field and like a pearl of great value. The person who finds it sells everything they have to buy it. This is exactly what Jesus, or rather God, said. If there is something more important, it means being willing to give up everything one previously had to possess it. Can we blame God for not saving something that does not yet exist? On what basis?
“Looking at them, Jesus said, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matthew 19:26, WEB)
Let’s remember this and avoid judging God by our standards.
“But of that day or that hour no one knows—not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Watch, keep alert, and pray; for you don’t know when the time is. It is like a man, traveling away from home, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch. Watch therefore—for you don’t know when the lord of the house is coming, whether at evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he might find you sleeping. What I tell you, I tell all: Watch.” (Mark 13:32-37, WEB)
Don’t be deceived by those who claim to know the date of the end times; stay awake and wait. This is what Jesus taught us. Finally, let’s examine some relevant Bible passages from this perspective.
7. The Trinity Living Within Us
“In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” (John 14:20, WEB)
“Jesus answered him, ‘If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’” (John 14:23, WEB)
“For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26, WEB)
“You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22, WEB)
“Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father.” (1 John 2:24, WEB)
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:15, WEB)
The one Jesus promised to send us is the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. But Jesus also said that the Father and the Son would come to that person and live with them. How does this happen? The Holy Spirit, who is one with the Triune God, comes into us, and because the Father and the Son are together within the Holy Spirit, it is as if God and Jesus live within us. For this reason, we can become children of God in Christ Jesus, and the words in Ephesians about becoming the temple of God through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us are fulfilled. After all, the place where God dwells is the temple.
With this understanding, Jesus’ next statement becomes clear:
“Jesus answered them, ‘Isn’t it written in your law, “I said, you are gods”? If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture can’t be broken)...’” (John 10:34-35, WEB)
We won’t become actual gods, but since the one true God lives within us, we can be called “gods” in the sense that we are in God and God is in us. Of course, this applies when we have shed our flesh and are fully reborn as new creations.
“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20, WEB)
I believe that to live within the Triune God ultimately means to have our desires crucified with Christ and to live the life that Jesus taught—a life of faith in the Son of God. It is okay if we are not perfectly obedient. Remember Adam and Eve, who fell while seeking perfection; even if we are lacking, we can still cling to our own cross of life, and won’t God look at us and say, “Behold, it was very good”? This is because, as imperfect lives, we are moving toward perfection by being with God.
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32, WEB)
Even if we see the unchanging evil within us and live with guilt every day, God will never give up on us.
“The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:15, WEB)
Like Paul’s confession, we acknowledge that we are among the worst of sinners. Let us pray that we may fight the good fight for the glory of Christ within us, growing in faith and a good conscience day by day.
