Defending Trinitarian Doctrine

The Following is a paper for a pre-seminary/vocational ministry preparation class that I just started at the church I attend. The pastor leads this clas and every week assigns a difficult real-world ministry situation to wrestle through an defend using only Scripture the actual text and any word study tools are the only resources allowed. (no commentaries, discussions, sermon quotes etc...) Each week we have to turn in this paper and it can only be one page to make us be concise when running into these issues with people. Also we are assigned several chapters of J.I. Packer's manifesto "Knowing God" to read and be ready to discuss.

The first ministry scenario is as follows:

You have been asked to explain the Trinity to a group of college students who are new believers. They are trying to figure out what it means when we say that God is a "trinity," where we find the teaching in Scripture and how the "Trinity" is different from polytheism. How will you teach these new believers about their God? What kind of illustrations will help you explain the Trinity to them? Remember these are new believers.

My response:

Ministry Scenario One: Explaining and Defending Trinitarian Doctrine

The “Trinity” is a Threefold expression of the single God of the Christian faith - Identified by the Hebrew name “Yahweh” which directly translated means “I am Who I Am” (Ex 3:14). In the English translation of the Old Testament Scriptures “Yahweh” is typically translated contextually as “God” or “LORD.”
The term “trinity” is not explicit mentioned in scripture, yet the meaning of that term is found throughout scripture as mentioned in this discussion. My definition for the Trinity is: ONE God manifesting himself in three distinct, yet equal persons, specifically God The Father, God The Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit. “One” is emphasized because Christianity is a monotheistic religion (Ex 20:3; 34:14). This on the surface may seem contradictory due to the fact that we as Christians, in accordance with the Scriptures, believe in three distinct persons that are one being. The Trinity however, is not polytheistic. Polytheistic belief systems involve “deities” that either compete with each other or have limited territories of authority, i.e. Greek Mythology’s Zeus, god of the sky and Aphrodite god of love, beauty and sex; Thor, god of thunder in Norse Paganism or more commonly the vast variety of gods in Hinduism, all of which were “gods” of certain things. The difference between the previously mentioned polytheistic beliefs and the monotheistic Christian faith is that the members of the Trinity are three distinct but interconnected persons who jointly express the complete person, character, and attributes of “Yahweh” or God (1Tim 6:13-16; Acts 4:24). Moreover, unlike many of polytheistic systems God is totally sovereign over all things and completely self-sufficient. Also, the Trinity does not compete within itself or with other “deities” such as dualism, the belief that there are essentially two equal gods in opposition with each other and we exist in the midst of their feuding.
This triune God works in orchestration with all members of the Trinity to accomplish the works and will of God such as salvation (being saved) and sanctification (the process of a believing person’s life being transformed and conformed to the teachings of the Bible). Just as one person can or may express himself in multiple ways (i.e.: a recreational hunter, who has a job as a construction worker, and serves at his church as a deacon), each member of the Trinity reveals a unique role, or a unique facet of God to man. You could think of a proverbial symphony where God the Father (seen in the Bible as Shepherd, Creator, Judge, Ps.23:1; Gen 14:19, 18:25) is the conductor, Jesus Christ (the atoning sacrifice for man’s sin, the image of the invisible God Col. 1:15; Heb 10:12) is the instruments by which the alluring music is played, and the Holy Spirit (in the Bible - Helper Jn 14:6; intercessor Rom. 8:26) being the actual music and message conveyed to the audience - us!. Yet, the Bible makes very clear that the persons of the trinity are distinct and individual not just moods or emotions or activities of God, but His very being (power, authority and purpose) manifested in three forms all equally involved the world and are not created but ever present (Gen.1:3). Each of these persons of the trinity reveals to man’s limited understanding (Is. 55:8) who God is, highlighting and conveying his attributes, character, and purpose. We can see some of the specific functions of the Trinity in Galatians 4:6 “…God (Father Grk - theos) has sent the Spirit (Grk - pneuma) of his Son (Grk - huios)…” The context here is Paul speaking to believers at Galatia about the redemptive work of Christ where he shows God The father (identified by “his”) sent a separate member of the trinity - the Spirit, which is of the son -see Jn 14:26. Here we see The Father sending the Spirit of the Son to enable believers to cry ‘Abba Father” Here the distinct but unifying functions of the trinity are expressed - we may cry out to the Father through the Spirit, because of the work of the Son.

Note:
I believe John 14:26 is the most compelling verse for the existence and function of the Trinity within the bounds of the Bible. Here You see much like the Galatians passage the Trinity being present and relating to each other as well as see the members of the Godhead accomplishing the mission of God.