How Can God Be One and Three at the Same Time?
“Christians say God is ‘three in one’ — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But how does that make sense? Isn’t that just a contradiction?”
“Isn’t Christianity basically saying 1 + 1 + 1 = 1? How can God be one being but also three persons? Does this mean Christians actually believe in three gods? Or is it just some confusing idea that people made up because they couldn’t explain God?”
The Trinity isn’t a contradiction — God is one in essence and three in person. Not three gods, but one God revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Trinity is one of the most difficult — yet most essential — teachings of Christianity. The Bible consistently shows that God is one, but also reveals Him in three distinct Persons:
Biblical Foundation: Scripture is clear: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Yet the New Testament shows Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each fully God (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Three Distinct Persons: The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. Each Person has unique attributes but is fully and equally God (John 1:1,14; John 10:30).
Unity in Essence: They are not three separate gods, but one God. They share the same divine nature, attributes, and will (John 17:21). The Trinity means one what (essence) and three who’s (persons).
Logical Coherence: The Trinity does not claim God is one and three in the same way — that would be a contradiction. Instead, God is one in essence (what He is) and three in person (who He is). These are different categories, so there is no logical conflict.
Analogies and Limitations: People try to use examples like water (liquid, ice, steam), but these always fall short. The Trinity is unique and unlike anything else in creation.
Theological Significance:
Love and Relationship: God has always existed as a relationship of love between Father, Son, and Spirit (1 John 4:8). This means love is at the core of who God is.
Salvation: The Father sent the Son to accomplish redemption, and the Spirit applies Christ’s work to believers (Ephesians 1:3–14).
Worship and Prayer: Christians pray to the Father, through the Son, in the power of the Spirit (Romans 8:26–27).
Conclusion: The Trinity isn’t an invention but a reality revealed in Scripture. It shows us that God is far greater than human categories. He is one God in three Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — united in perfect love and purpose.
The REAL Question
The Trinity isn’t a puzzle to solve — it’s a God to encounter. If you wait until you can fully diagram Him, you’ll never bow to Him. The mystery of Father, Son, and Spirit is not meant to confuse you but to invite you in: a God who is love in His very being, not just in His actions.
So the real question isn’t “Can I make sense of three-in-one?” — it’s “Will I worship a God big enough to be beyond me, or shrink Him down until He looks like me?”