This is hard to explain.

Scholars use the term “Trinity” to help us understand what the Bible says about God. The Bible makes no attempt to explain the Trinity. It simply reports the actions and describes the character of God. (see what is God like?) But why should anyone be surprised that the essential nature of the One who created and sustains the universe would be difficult to comprehend?

The Bible clearly teaches that God is One. When asked for the greatest commandment, Jesus quotes a famous part of the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 6:4-5: “Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” (Mark 12:29-30) The Bible strongly opposes belief in more than one God. For example, It records these words of God: “For there is no other God but me, a righteous God and Savior. There is none but me.” (Isaiah 45:21) See also 1 Corinthian 8:4.

However, the Bible also presents God’s Oneness as complex. This is true from the first chapter of the first book, Genesis. The Hebrew word for God throughout is “Elohim,” which has the plural ending “im”. Indeed, verse 26 starts, “Then Elohim said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image….’” But the rest of the chapter treats “Elohim” as singular, such as the next verse, “So Elohim created human beings in his own image.”

The Bible presents the one true God as three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is God. (Matthew 11:25; John 6:27; 8:54; Ephesians 4:6) He is the Father of Israel. (Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 31:9) Jesus teaches His disciples to address their prayers to “Our Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9)

Jesus the Son is God. (Luke 5:17-26; John 1:1; 20:28-29) He is not God’s Son by male and female sexual union but by special relationship with the Father, that is, by a uniquely close identity and equality. (John 6:46; 14:9; Philippians 2:5-7) This is why, when He took on the additional nature of a human, Jesus had to be born of a human mother (Mary) who was a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:14) Jesus was sent by the Father to be the Messiah or Christ. (John 6:35-40)

The Holy Spirit is God. (Acts 5:3-4; 2 Co 3:17-18) He inspired the writers of the Bible and lives in true followers of Jesus to make them more like Christ. The Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son. (John 14:16: 15:26)

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share characteristics unique to deity. All three Persons existed before time and acted in creating the universe. (Genesis 1:1-2; Psalm 146:5-6; John 1:1-3; 17:5; Colossians 1:15-17) Likewise, all are present everywhere. (Jeremiah 23:24; Matthew 18:20; 28:20; Acts 17:24-25; Psalm 139:7-8) Yet the Bible does not speak of three gods but One: Jesus commands His followers to baptize (immerse or sprinkle new believers with water) “in the name [not names] of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)