The ontological Trinity refers to the three persons of God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – as they exist in relation to one another within the Godhead. The word “ontological” means “relating to the nature or essence of something.” So the ontological Trinity describes the three persons of the Trinity in their shared divine essence and eternal relationship with one another.
The Bible teaches that there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) yet also reveals God as three distinct persons – the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Each person of the Trinity is fully God, co-equal and co-eternal with the others, yet there is only one God. This is a profound mystery that is difficult to fully comprehend.
Here are some key truths about the ontological Trinity from Scripture:
- There is only one God (Isaiah 44:6)
- The Father is fully God (John 6:27)
- Jesus Christ, the Son, is fully God (John 1:1, 14)
- The Holy Spirit is fully God (Acts 5:3-4)
- The Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct persons (Matthew 3:16-17)
- The persons of the Trinity share the same divine nature and attributes (John 10:30, Colossians 2:9)
- The persons have eternal loving relationships with each other (John 17:24)
- Each person has different roles in relating to creation (1 Corinthians 8:6, John 3:16, Romans 8:11)
The ontological Trinity distinguishes between each divine person while affirming God’s oneness. The persons are not three different gods, but three persons within the one being of God. Each person is equally and fully God, yet they relate to each other personally.
The Son submits to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:28), the Spirit glorifies the Son (John 16:14), and the Father honors the Son (John 8:54). These voluntary submission relationships reflect the order and harmony within the Trinity, not any difference in essence or deity. There is both unity of being and diversity of persons.
This ontological Trinity has existed for all eternity. The persons of the Trinity have always existed in perfect love and fellowship with each other (John 17:24). Their relationships are not the result of creation but are eternal and unchanging aspects of God’s nature and being.
The ontological Trinity is a profound mystery that finite human minds cannot fully comprehend. The doctrine of the Trinity is ultimately revealed in Scripture, not reasoned to through logic. While the word “Trinity” is not in the Bible, the concept is taught throughout the New Testament.
The fact that God eternally exists as three persons united in one divine being sets Christianity apart from all other religions. Only through special revelation in Christ do we understand that the one true God exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In summary, the ontological Trinity refers to the three persons of God – Father, Son, and Spirit – in their eternal relationships and shared essence as the one God. This is the Trinity as it exists within the being of God apart from creation or redemption. The ontological Trinity emphasizes the oneness of God’s nature and the eternal loving fellowship between the Father, Son, and Spirit.
The Eternal Relationships Between the Persons of the Trinity
The ontological Trinity emphasizes the eternal relationships that exist between the three persons of the Trinity – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Scripture reveals details about the nature of these relationships:
- The Father eternally begets the Son – The Father eternally generates or begets the person of the Son (John 1:14, 18). This reflects the order in the Trinity.
- The Son is eternally begotten of the Father – The Son owes his eternally begotten status to the Father (John 3:16).
- The Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and Son – The Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and is sent by the Son (John 14:26, 15:26).
- The persons give themselves to each other in love – The Trinity reflects complete self-giving love between the persons (John 3:35, 5:20).
- The persons glorify and honor each other – Each person seeks to bring glory and honor to the other two (John 8:50, 16:14).
These relationships reflect the order, harmony, and love that exist eternally between the Father, Son, and Spirit within the Godhead. They are unchanging aspects of who God is.
Importantly, the submission seen between the persons of the Trinity does not imply inequality. The Son’s submission to the Father and the Spirit’s submission to the Son are voluntary, not forced. All three persons are co-equal and co-eternal even while having different roles in relating to each other.
The ontological Trinity involves mutual glorification, honor, and love between the persons of the Godhead. There is both hierarchy and equality – distinction of persons but unity of being.
Shared Attributes Reflecting the Oneness of the Trinity
While the persons of the Trinity are distinct, they share the same divine nature and attributes reflecting their oneness. Scripture reveals that:
- The Father, Son, and Spirit are all eternal (Micah 5:2, Hebrews 9:14)
- They are all omnipotent (Jeremiah 32:17, Philippians 3:21, Romans 15:19)
- They are all omniscient (John 16:30, John 21:17, 1 Corinthians 2:10-11)
- They are all omnipresent (Jeremiah 23:24, Matthew 28:20, Psalm 139:7)
- Additional shared attributes like holiness, goodness, and truthfulness could also be listed.
Each person of the Trinity fully possesses the one undivided nature and being of God. The divine attributes cannot be divided up between the persons. The ontological Trinity means three persons sharing one divine essence.
This unity is seen in Jesus’ statement “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Also, the New Testament often attributes the same divine activities to both the Father, Son, and Spirit interchangeably (Romans 8:11, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, 1 Peter 1:2).
While the persons have different relationships and roles, they all share the totality of God’s being. This reflects their ontological oneness as one God.
Implications of the Ontological Trinity
Understanding the ontological Trinity – the eternal nature of God as three persons in one shared divine being – helps clarify other aspects of Christian theology. Here are some key implications:
- Monotheism – The Trinity upholds monotheism. There is only one God, not three gods. The three persons are distinct but not separate beings.
- Salvation – Salvation involves the unified work of the ontological Trinity. All three persons were involved in accomplishing redemption.
- Worship – We worship the one God in three persons. Our worship should be directed to the Father, Son, and Spirit.
- Prayer – We can pray to each member of the Trinity, not only the Father.
- Baptism – We are baptized into the shared life of the Father, Son, and Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
- Epistemology – We can only know God as He has revealed Himself as Triune. Our knowledge of God depends on His threefold self-revelation.
- Human relationality – The Trinity is the model for human relationships, community, and family.
Understanding the eternal relationships in the ontological Trinity provides a framework for much of Christian theology. The doctrine of the Trinity influences many aspects of the Christian faith.
Historical Development of the Doctrine of the Trinity
The doctrine of the Trinity took several centuries to fully develop within the church. Here is a summary of key events:
- New Testament – The three persons are mentioned, but no formal Trinity doctrine (Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2).
- 2nd Century – Early church fathers mention the Trinity, but subordinationism appears.
- 4th Century – Controversies over Arius and adoptionism lead to deeper study. The shared essence of the persons is affirmed.
- 381 – Council of Constantinople – The Trinity is formalized: one God in three co-equal, co-eternal persons.
- 5th Century – Augustine defends the doctrine of the Trinity from Scripture.
While the word “Trinity” was a later development, early church fathers consistently affirmed God’s tri-personality based on Scripture. Controversies in the 4th century led to clarifying language that upheld the unity of the divine essence along with the distinction of persons.
Biblical Evidence for the Trinity
Here are some of the key biblical passages that reveal God’s tri-personality:
- Matthew 28:19 – Jesus commands baptism into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- John 14:15-17 – Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit who is distinct from Himself and the Father.
- Romans 8:9-11 – The Spirit, Christ, and Father are equally considered Lord and God.
- 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 – The Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct persons yet united in granting gifts.
- 2 Corinthians 13:14 – Paul prays for the grace of Christ, love of God, and communion of the Spirit.
- Ephesians 2:18 – We have access to the Father through the Spirit because of Christ’s work.
- Titus 3:4-6 – We are saved by each person: the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Spirit.
- 1 Peter 1:2 – We are chosen and sanctified by all three divine persons working in unity.
These and other New Testament passages provide strong evidence that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct yet united in the one being of God. This triune nature was introduced by Jesus and established more fully through the apostles’ teaching in the early church.
Objections to the Doctrine of the Trinity
Here are responses to some common objections made against the doctrine of the Trinity:
- It’s absurd/illogical – The Trinity is above human reason but is not illogical. We should accept it based on revelation in Scripture.
- It’s not in the Bible – While the word isn’t used, the three persons and one God formula appears throughout the New Testament.
- It’s polytheistic – The Trinity is monotheistic – three persons, one God.
- Father/Son implies sexual procreation – Divine Fatherhood/Sonship are metaphors indicating different eternal relationships, not physical procreation.
- Hierarchy means inequality – The voluntary submission between the persons does not imply inequality of essence.
While the Trinity raises questions, alleged contradictions dissolve upon closer examination in light of Scripture. We should humbly accept this doctrine that is taught implicitly throughout the Bible.
Analogies for the Trinity
Various analogies have been used to try to illustrate the Trinity. These include:
- The sun – It exists as one light source, but also as the orb in the sky, rays, and heat.
- Water – It can exist in three forms: liquid, solid (ice), and gas (vapor).
- The shamrock – This three-leaf clover was used by St. Patrick to illustrate the Trinity.
- Humanity – One essence of humanity shared by many distinct persons.
- The family – One shared family identity with different roles like father, mother, child.
However, all analogies fall short of fully capturing the doctrine of the Trinity. The Triune nature of God, with one undivided divine essence and three distinct persons, is unique. Created things cannot replicate it, only reflect aspects of it.
These analogies may help point people toward the idea of threeness-in-unity. But the inner workings of the Trinity remain a mystery that we accept on the authority of God’s word.
The Distinction Between the Ontological and Economic Trinity
In addition to the ontological Trinity, which describes God’s eternal nature within Himself, theologians also speak of the “economic Trinity.” This refers to how the triune God relates to the world, especially in regard to redemption.
The main differences between the ontological Trinity and economic Trinity are:
- The ontological Trinity describes the unchanging relationships between the Father, Son, and Spirit within the divine essence.
- The economic Trinity describes how the three persons relate to creation, especially their roles in redeeming and restoring the world in salvation history.
The ontological Trinity focuses on who God is, while the economic Trinity focuses on what God does. We must avoid the error of thinking there is any gap between God’s nature and actions. Yet recognizing this distinction can help us understand Scriptural revelation about the Trinity.
Application: How Should We Respond to the Trinity?
How should Christians respond on a practical level to the doctrine of the Trinity? Here are some key application points:
- Worship and pray to each person of the Trinity, not just the Father.
- Express thanks that each member of the Trinity worked to accomplish your redemption.
- Reflect the self-giving love between the persons in your relationships.
- Meditate on the glory, majesty, and shared divine attributes of the Triune God.
- Defend this essential doctrine when challenged.
- Humbly admit you cannot fully comprehend the mystery of the Trinity.
- Let the doctrine shape your understanding of salvation, ethics, society, and more.
- Use Trinitarian language in worship services, prayers, and art/music.
The doctrine of the Trinity is not just an abstract idea – it should influence how we think, speak, pray, love, and live as followers of Jesus who have experienced the saving work of the Triune God.
Conclusion
The ontological Trinity describes the three eternal persons of God – Father, Son, and Spirit – as they relate to each other within the divine essence. This mysterious doctrine is revealed implicitly throughout Scripture. The persons are distinct yet completely united as one God. The ontological Trinity explains how God can be three persons and yet one eternal divine being. While impossible to fully comprehend, grasping this doctrine helps us better understand God’s self-revelation in Scripture and shapes many aspects of Christian theology.