According to Trinitarianism, is Jesus God Almighty?

Question

First of all I want a Trinitarian answer.

Is it proper to say that Jesus is God Almighty? The Scriptures are very clear but they (and the church fathers) are very clear that the Father is God Almighty and they never call Jesus "Almighty". I struggle to understand the doctrine of the Trinity...I know that the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Spirit is God and they are distinct persons, but I struggle to understand how they can be "one being".

I see that the scriptures teach an economic trinity, that the Son comes from the Father, eternally being born of the Father and he shares his substance of being God. But the Son is not as Almighty as the Father since his will is fully dependent on the will of the Father, and his existence comes from the Father eternally. And the Holy Spirit comes from the Father and the Son eternally. Is this an orthodox understanding of the trinity? And yet the problem is...how can the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be one God since they all come from the Almighty God, the Father?

Please don't call me a heretic...I am just trying to understand the truth. If someone can prove any other way of understanding the Trinity, in harmony with the Scriptures, I am open to change my understanding. God bless!

EDIT : Tertullian :

We, however, as we indeed always have done and more especially since we have been better instructed by the Paraclete, who leads men indeed into all truth, believe that there is one only God, but under the following dispensation [economy], as it is called, that this one only God has also a Son, His Word, who proceeded from Himself, by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made. Him we believe to have been sent by the Father into the Virgin, and to have been born of her – being both Man and God, the Son of Man and the Son of God, and to have been called by the name of Jesus Christ; we believe Him to have suffered, died, and been buried, according to the Scriptures, and, after He had been raised again by the Father and taken back to heaven, to be sitting at the right hand of the Father, and that He will come to judge the quick and the dead; who sent also from heaven from the Father, according to His own promise, the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, the sanctifier of the faith of those who believe in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy Ghost. That this rule of faith has come down to us from the beginning of the gospel.”

From this I understand that the Father is the One True God (THE BEING of God) and he shares the same being to the Son and the Holy Spirit

Answer 1

Yes. Within the text of the “Athanasian Creed” is the following statement:

Similarly, the Father is Almighty (omnipotent); the Son is Almighty (omnipotent); [and] the Holy Spirit is Almighty (omnipotent). And yet, there are not three Almighties (omnipotents), but one Almighty (omnipotent).

Similiter omnipotens Pater, omnipotens Filius, omnipotens [et] Spiritus Sanctus. Et tamen non tres omnipotentes, sed unus omnipotens.

Answer 2

Is it appropriate to ascribe the title "Almighty" to Jesus Christ? Most certainly. Christ Himself declares

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8, NKJV).

The author continues :

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," (Revelation 1:10-11a, NKJV).

And

Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. (Revelation 1:12-13, NKJV).

The author identifies the Son of Man, a title Christ claimed for Himself, as the one who declared "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last"

Later, the Son of Man declares

I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. (Revelation 1:17b-18, NKJV).

Near end of the book, Christ again declares

"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." (Revelation 22:12-13, NKJV)

Christ clearly identifies Himself as Alpha and Omega, First and Last. And the Almighty. That He also claims to be "who is and who was and who is to come", a phrase that the Father uses elsewhere, is commonly cited as a claim of divinity by Christ.

Answer 3

Some notes I pulled up

Clement of Rome (~70A.D.)

"... For, as God lives, and as the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost live.."

Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna (Direct disciple of St. John the Apostle) (~70-155A.D.)

"O Lord God almighty ... I bless you and glorify you through the eternal and heavenly high priest Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom be glory to you, with Him and the Holy Spirit, both now and forever"

Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop of Antioch (Direct disciple of St. John the Apostle) (died ~98/117A.D.)

"In Christ Jesus our Lord, by whom and with whom be glory and power to the Father with the Holy Spirit for ever"

...

"We have also as a Physician the Lord our God Jesus the Christ the only-begotten Son and Word, before time began, but who afterwards became also man, of Mary the virgin. For ‘the Word was made flesh.' Being incorporeal, He was in the body; being impassible, He was in a passable body; being immortal, He was in a mortal body; being life, He became subject to corruption, that He might free our souls from death and corruption, and heal them, and might restore them to health, when they were diseased with ungodliness and wicked lusts."

Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians (177A.D.)

"For, as we acknowledge a God, and a Son His Logos, and a Holy Spirit, united in essence,—the Father, the Son, the Spirit because the Son is intelligence, reason, wisdom of the Father, and the Spirit an effluence, as light from fire; so also do we apprehend the existence of other powers, which exercise dominion about matter, and by means of it."

Irenaeus, Against Heresies I (also disciple of St. John) (~189A.D.)

"The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith: . . . one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets the dispensations of God, and the advents, and the birth from a virgin, and the passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the ascension into heaven in the flesh of the beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord, and His manifestation from heaven in the glory of the Father ‘to gather all things in one,' and to raise up anew all flesh of the whole human race, in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Savior, and King, according to the will of *the invisible Father, ‘every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess; to him, and that He should execute just judgment towards all..."

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata A.D. 202)

"And the address in the Timœus calls the Creator, Father, speaking thus: ‘Ye gods of gods, of whom I am Father; and the Creator of your works.’ So that when he says, ‘Around the king of all, all things are, and because of Him are all things; and he [or that] is the cause of all good things; and around the second are the things second in order; and around the third, the third,’ I understand nothing else than the Holy Trinity to be meant; for the third is the Holy Spirit, and the Son is the second, by whom all things were made according to the will of the Father."

Hippolytus, Against the Heresy of One Noetus (200-210A.D.)

"A man, therefore, even though he will it not, is compelled to acknowledge God the Father Almighty, and Christ Jesus the Son of God, who, being God, became man, to whom also the Father made all things subject, Himself excepted, and the Holy Spirit; and that these, therefore, are three. But if he desires to learn how it is shown still that there is one God, let him know that His power is one. As far as regards the power, therefore, God is one. But as far as regards the economy there is a threefold manifestation, as shall be proved afterwards when we give account of the true doctrine."

Tertullian (160-215A.D)

"...All are of One, by unity (that is) of substance; while the mystery of the dispensation is still guarded, which distributes the Unity into a Trinity, placing in their order the three Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: three, however, not in condition, but in degree; not in substance, but in form; not in power, but in aspect; yet of one substance, and of one condition, and of one power, inasmuch as He is one God, from whom these degrees and forms and aspects are reckoned, under the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

Cyprian of Carthage, Letters (253A.D.)

"If Christ Jesus, our Lord and God, is himself the high priest of God the Father; and if he offered himself as a sacrifice to the Father; and if he commanded that this be done in commemoration of himself, then certainly the priest, who imitates that which Christ did, truly functions in place of Christ"

Origen (158-254A.D.)

"For if the Holy Spirit were not eternally as He is, and had received knowledge at some time and then became the Holy Spirit, if this were the case, the Holy Spirit would never be reckoned in the unity of the Trinity, i.e., along with the unchangeable Father and His Son, unless He had always been the Holy Spirit."

"...the divine benefits [are] bestowed upon us by Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which Trinity is the fountain of all holiness..."

"And under this rule must be brought also the understanding of the sacred Scripture, in order that its statements may be judged not according to the worthlessness of the letter, but according to the divinity of the Holy Spirit, by whose inspiration they were caused to be written."

"Now this expression which we employ – ‘that there never was a time when He did not exist’ -- is to be understood with an allowance. For these very words ‘when’ or ‘never’ have a meaning that relates to time, whereas the statements made regarding Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are to be understood as transcending all time, all ages, and all eternity. For it is the Trinity alone which exceeds the comprehension not only of temporal but even of eternal intelligence; while other things which are not included in it are to be measured by times and ages"

Gregory Thaumaturgus, Declaration of Faith (250A.D.)

"There is a perfect Trinity, in glory and eternity and sovereignty, neither divided nor estranged. Wherefore there is nothing either created or in servitude in the Trinity; nor anything superinduced, as if at some former period it was non-existent, and at some later period it was introduced. And thus neither was the Son ever wanting to the Father, nor the Spirit to the Son; but without variation and without change, the same Trinity abides forever."

Gregory Nazianzen, Orations [374A.D.)

"But the faithful worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, one Godhead; God the Father, God the Son and (do not be angry) God the Holy Spirit, one nature in three personalities, intellectual, perfect, self-existent, numerically separate, but not separate in godhead."

Epiphanius, Against the Heresies of the Panarians (374-377A.D.)

"[The Antiochenes] confess the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit to be consubstantial, three hypostases, one essence, one divinity. That is the true faith which has been handed down by the fathers..."

Ambrose of Milan, To Gratian, On the Christian Faith (A.D. 381)

"The substance of the Trinity is, so to say, a common Essence in that which is distinct, an incomprehensible, ineffable Substance. We hold the distinction, not the confusion of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; a distinction without separation; a distinction without plurality; and thus we believe in Father, Son and Holy Spirit as each existing from and to eternity in this divine and wonderful Mystery: not in two Fathers, nor in two Sons, nor in two Spirits."

Augustine, On the Trinity (428A.D.)

"As regards this question, then, let us believe that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one God, the Creator and Ruler of the whole creature; and that the Father is not the Son, nor the Holy Spirit either the Father or the Son, but a trinity of persons mutually interrelated, and a unity of an equal essence."

St. Paul says the Jews crucified "the Lord of Glory." Pretty unambiguous. And calls Him "our Great God and Saviour." Revelation says Jesus is "the First and the Last"—He says He is the First and the Last. The Son of God whose eyes are as blazing fire. And who judges the hearts and minds and evne strikes people dead.

Answer 4

Jesus Christ is true God. Worthy of all Honor and one with the Father. (Basic reference: The gospel of John)

Here is where sometimes we can get confused. When God the Son, came to the earth and was born as a human being (Jesus of Nazareth) He willingly lowered himself to being a human (like the King taking a job as a janitor) in Humility, he submitted himself to be a lowly human.

Phillipians 2:5-11
6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In doing this, he brought so much Glory to God, and secured a reedemed people to glorify God for all Time. Because of his obedience, he pleased God the Father, who will then in turn glorify him throughout all time, placing his name above all names and causing every knee to bow.

1 Corinthians 15:28
28 Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

Finally,

John 5:23
that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

This verse is important, we should remember that honoring Jesus, Is Honoring the Father. I think taking any view of Christ other than "Lord of Lord's", "King of King's", The Eternal Word of God, is a dangerous snare. We can not Magnify or worship Christ too much. There is no title or Honor which he doesn't deserve.

On the CONTRARY, many well meaning groups fall in heresy when they downplay the God-ness of Christ.

John 16:14 speaking about the Holy Spirit

He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

So we know that the Son is God, to Honor the Son is to honor the Father, and the Holy Spirit glorifies the Son. From this it safe for us to assume that Jesus Christ is the "Almightiest" and very true God of True God.

Answer 5

I have been studying Luke 1 and the message of God to Mary through the angel Gabriel about the son she was to bear. If the language of verse 31 did not make it clear, as Isaiah 7:14 should have been called to her mind, Gabriel went on to clarify in verses 32 and 33. (Scriptures quoted from ESV, using https://www.biblegateway.com.)

Luke 1:31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

The very name "Jesus" is the Greek equivalent of Joshua or Yeshua, names that are associated with a word group in Hebrew that pertains to salvation and deliverance. It can be rendered 'He will save.' The Hebrew understanding of deliverance required the belief that all deliverance comes from God Himself, whether a human agent is used or not. (learned at http://blueletterbible.com using Strong's (H3442, root H3091); http://abarim-publications.com regarding the word group, which quotes HAW Theological Workbook of the Old Testament regarding "savior" and deliverance. Also read the article, The Rabbi, the Note and the Messiah in the May 30, 2013 issue at http://israeltoday.co.il)

This man, this descendant who would one day occupy David's throne and "uphold it with justice and righteousness" (Isaiah 9:7) was also to be known as Immanuel 'God with us' (Isaiah 7:14). It is not simply an indication that God is on the side of Israel, but rather present with them. God's desire was always to dwell with His people, but sin was the barrier.

In Isaiah 9:6, we see that He is not only designated Son of the Most High, but also, this child born unto them, the son given unto them would be "called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." I see both Almighty and the trinity in these titles.

Wonderful Counselor is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Christ and the Holy Spirit are One in the same Spirit.

Mighty God is certainly the Almighty. He is King of the Universe.

Everlasting Father is self-evident, but I see this as both an indication of His role as Creator and also of His position as Head of the household of God, full of love for His people. ("In the beginning was the Word...and the Word was God" John 1:1) and Colossians 1:15

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by[f] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.")

Finally, Prince of Peace indicates the One who brings peace as a son who reconciles his brothers and sisters--both Israel and all believing humanity--to the Father (As in 2 Corinthians 5:19).

Jesus needed to ascend for His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, another Counselor, to come indwell His followers.

John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

Other translations use "Counselor" where the ESV has "Helper." This is clearly the Spirit, and one with the Father and with Jesus, as indicated in the verses that follow in John 16:

12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

John the Baptist, like prophets of old, was filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke 1 said he would be filled from birth.

Luke 1:15 "for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Notice in the verses above that John would "make ready for the Lord a people prepared." John was preparing the people for the visitation of the Lord Himself. The act of God by His Holy Spirit that conceived the baby in Mary's womb was also by the Holy Spirit.

He, the Spirit, is not confined, but while Jesus was walking the earth, fulfilling His ministry, the role of the Holy Spirit among people was being fulfilled through Him. Jesus, Son of David, was conceived in Mary's womb as an act of God, implanting HIMSELF as the human agent of salvation to enter the world.

Jesus has fulfilled the role of Prince of Peace.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

He who said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30) has become our Wonderful Counselor. It is His Spirit in us that brings God's Word to life and shines it in our hearts and lives.

John 14:16 "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,[f] to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be[g] in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you."

To those who trust Him, He is Mighty God--He is the King of our hearts, ruling and reigning over our sinful desires, because we know He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

Jesus gives us access to the heavenly throne room by His work of reconciliation, that we may experience God as our loving Everlasting Father, rather than as our Judge and executioner. One day He will rule and reign over every human being on the face of the earth.

Philippians 2:10 "so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,"

God Himself, Who was rejected as king by the house of Jacob ( and 1 Samuel 8:7) will be restored to the throne in Israel (Luke 1:33) --also for 'not Israel' the Gentiles, but that is another discussion. Not that God ever abdicated His heavenly throne, but practically speaking, He will be recognized as King by all, having humbled Himself in the form of a servant, yet without relinquishing His deity, as discussed by others in this post.

Isaiah 9:10 states, "In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples--of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious."

Jesse was the father of David. To be the root of Jesse, Jesus has to precede him. Yet, Jesus is born later. This is the great mystery. This is what makes Jesus so special and different from any human being born before or since. "Before Abraham was, I am" was His claim:

John 8:56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”[d] 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

The Jewish religious leaders clearly understood Jesus' claim to be Almighty--otherwise, they would have had no cause or thought to stone him for what they saw as blasphemy.

He had argued against their accusations of blasphemy for claiming to be Son of God. No Jew went around calling God "Father," but this was much deeper than how Jesus chose to address the Almighty in His prayers. It had more to do with what He thought of Himself, what identity He portrayed with His words:

John 10:33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

This was right after Jesus stated that He is the good shepherd, who lays down His life for the sheep, who grants eternal life to those who hear His voice, and that He and the Father are one.

In conclusion, look at this perspective from Peter on the Old Testament prophets in regard to the Holy Spirit:

1 Peter 1:10 "Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time[a] the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look."

I hope this helps magnify Jesus in your eyes and pray it makes clear the connections in the Scriptures that support the trinitarian view that Jesus is the Almighty.

Answer 6

I think it depends on how you define the word almighty.
It sounds to me that you define almighty as having "complete power and authority over all." In the Scriptures, Paul says that Christ is "supreme" over all things except God the Father. In that sense, Jesus Christ is Almighty, with the one and only exception that Jesus is not "supreme" nor almighty over God the Father.

Answer 7

Where your confusion seems to lie is in Person. God is not three differing persons. God is three distinct Spirits in one.

John 4:23 and 24 KJV  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

These words spoken by Jesus tells us that there is no part of God that is in any way material.

John 14:10 and 11 KJV  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

Although Jesus was a man; here he acknowledges that his works (miracles and such) are the works of the Spirit God. In more common terms Jesus is saying that all of his divinity is in the Spiritual Realm, and not of the man Jesus. In the following verses Jesus tells us that the Spirit can be divided and even be a part of humans.

John 3:5 through 3:8 KJV  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

In the Old Testament God is seen as one individual Spirit.

 Genesis 9:17 KJV  And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

 Genesis 32:30 KJV  And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

In the New Testament we find God is divided into the father and the son. This is more understandable if we consider an Apple pie. If we take one slice of the pie we have still one Apple pie, but now we can take a part of that apple pie away from the main part of the pie, but it does not become an Apple pie; and instead remains a part of that one Apple pie; except that now the Apple pie is now divided.

Jesus also told us that when he went away he would send a comforter.

John 14:16 KJV  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

He said that, that comforter is the Holy Ghost (holy Spirit).

John 14:26 KJV  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Just as the Apple pie can be cut into more than one piece, God the Spirit can be divided into more than one.

One more thing we need understand is that since God has no beginning and no end; likewise those divisions of the original Spirit also have no beginning and no end.

Although it is true that all three were there at the beginning, it appears that God was not divided then.

Genesis 1:2 KJV  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Hope this helps. 

Answer 8

I am not a Trinitarian myself, but I would like to offer some suggestions in dealing with this problem. This doctrine is paradoxical, which means that it appears to be a contradiction, but the claim is made that it reflects a reality beyond our comprehension. In the development of the doctrine, I do not believe there was an intention to create a paradox. It had its own inherent logic.

The process begins with the Father who, self-evidently, is God. But this Father begets a Son. Now this begetting is thought as a generation, not in crude terms but, say, a source of energy generating its output. An old patristic expression is that the Son is "light from light." The Spirit, on the other hand, was thought of as being like the breath of God. It (or "He" in Western Christianity) was also the product of the Father, but in a different way.

At some point, the Father was no longer considered to be God alone. The other Two were also "God" because of the inter-connectedness and inter-relatedness.

Now, if this paradigm had been maintained, it would have been a form of subordinationism - that is, the other Two persons would have been subordinate to the Father. But this was found unsatisfactory, and hence the paradox began.

Take the generation (or begetting) of the Son. Something which is begotten has a beginning. But, eternity being one of the attributes of God, the Son must be eternal to be fully God. So it was claimed that the begetting of the Son takes place in eternity, not time. Similarly, the Holy Spirit was said to be eternally proceeding from the Father (and the Son, in the Western Church).

So now each of the Persons could be regarded as fully "God." All three are "God," and each one is "God." So I think if you will look upon the belief in the Trinity as a doctrine which evolved over time, and at an earlier point had its own inherent logic but then become totally paradoxical, you will be able to digest it better. But to understand something (as best as possible) does not mean to accept it.