Many Christians believe just that, but it was not always so. In fact, the doctrine of the trinity, which says that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all God, only became “official” doctrine at the Council of Nicea in AD 325, nearly 300 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Up until that time, different views were taught, but the council expelled those who would not accept the trinitarian view.

So how did this view prevail?

The words, “trinity”, “three in one” or “God the Son” do not appear in the Bible and it is unlikely that anyone with no preconceptions would read the Bible and come to the conclusion that the doctrine of the trinity was correct. However “triads” of gods do exist in other belief systems, such as the Babylonian and early believers may have brought these beliefs with them and look for Bible passages to support this.

Triads of gods appear very early, at a primitive level. The archaic triads in the religions of antiquity and of the East are too numerous to be mentioned here:”

https://aras.org/concordance/content/gods-grouped-triads

However, we can state such trinities existed in Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Babylonian religions.

Those looking for a trinity in the Bible may point to this reference in Isaiah 9

6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

but whereas this and one or two other isolated verses might suggest Jesus is God, they are few and far between and we have to note what Scripture says elsewhere (not forgetting the 47 times he is called the son of God).:

5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords,
6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him”

1 Corinthians 8

We could point out that just because someone is called God, it does not mean they are God – and it says mighty, not ALmighty, but I think the scriptures are more convincing. So let’s think of all the differences between Father and Son (happily acknowledging there are also many similarities!).

Some of the Differences

• Jesus is less “for the Father is greater than I” John 14:28
• Jesus had a beginning – ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten You.'(Acts 13:33). God is without beginning.
• Jesus died 1 Thessalonians 4:14 “if we believe that Jesus died and rose again”. God will not die.
• Jesus could be tempted. Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. God cannot. James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
• Luke 2:52 “And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.” How could the Father do this?
• Jesus had power given to him, which suggest it was not his originally. Acts 10:38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power
• Jesus will appear at the right Hand of God – Matthew 26:64 Jesus *said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

So there are seven clear differences between Jesus and his Father and we might be able to think of others, but let’s think of how many times the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the same breath as the Father?

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit

So that is the only verse in the entire Bible that mentions all three!

Summary

So if we look at the evidence – the overwhelming evidence – without any preconceptions, surely we can see that the Father and the Son are distinct Entities, each in their own right.