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Understanding the Oneness of God and Function of the Trinity

Understanding the Oneness of God and Function of the Trinity

Last updated on: October 28, 2026 at 9:36 am by Benjamin Raven Pressley

Understanding the Oneness of God and Function of the Trinity 2026-10-28T09:36:28-04:00 Benjamin Raven Pressley

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Understanding the Oneness of God, the Trinity, and Importance of Spiritual Discernment

The Bible makes it very clear that there is only one God. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, Scripture consistently declares His absolute uniqueness and unity:

Old Testament Declarations

Deuteronomy 6:4 (The Shema):

“Hear, O Israel: The our God, the is one.”

Deuteronomy 4:35:

“You were shown these things so that you might know that the is God; besides him there is no other.”

Isaiah 45:5:

“I am the , and there is no other; besides me there is no God.”

Isaiah 44:6:

“This is what the says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.”

2 Samuel 7:22:

“How great you are, Sovereign ! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”

New Testament Declarations

1 Corinthians 8:6:

“…yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”

1 Timothy 2:5:

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 4:6:

“…one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Listen to this article:

https://wp-media.patheos.com/blogs/sites/2216/2026/10/Trinity.mp3

When Jesus was baptized in water by John the Baptist the Father spoke, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove confirming Father, Son and Holy Spirit were one.

Is God One, or Three Separate Beings?

Yet, the Scriptures also uniquely describe God as a Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A classic example is found at Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:16–17:

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove[Holy Spirit] and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven [Father] said, ‘This is my Son [Jesus], whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'”

In this passage, we see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit present simultaneously in distinct ways. So, is God three separate beings, or is He one?

People have come up with some pretty bizarre ways of explaining the Trinity like: The Trinity is like an egg; the yolk, white and shell are separate, but still one egg -or- water can be liquid, solid or a gas. When it comes to understanding scriptural teachings like the Trinity, it isn’t an “either/or”—it’s a “both/and.” God’s ways are high above our ways (Isaiah 55:8–9). The longer you walk with God and allow Him to teach you, the more you realize that certain spiritual realities can only be understood on a spiritual level, beyond the limits of human vocabulary. Have no doubt: God is one, but He can express Himself however He wishes.

As Isaiah 40:13–14 (ESV) asks:

“Who has measured the Spirit of the , or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?”

And Hebrews 6:13 (NIV) notes:

“When God made his promise to Abraham, he swore an oath by himself, since there was no one greater to swear by…”

God established a divine council within Himself—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—to accomplish His eternal purposes. He is eternal and timeless, as Psalm 90:2 reminds us: “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

The Distinct Roles of the Trinity in Prayer

Theologians broadly agree that while all three Persons of the Trinity are fully God, the New Testament outlines a distinct pattern for how we approach God in prayer:

To the Father: Jesus taught His followers to pray directly to God the Father (e.g., “Our Father in heaven…” in Matthew 6:9). The Father is the ultimate recipient and transcendent architect of our prayers.
Through the Son (Jesus): Jesus is our Mediator and High Priest, providing our access to the Father (John 14:6, Ephesians 2:18, Hebrews 4:14–16). This is why Christian prayers traditionally end in Jesus’ name.
In/By the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit indwells believers, prompting, guiding, and empowering our prayers when we do not know what to say (Romans 8:26–27).

Spiritual Perception and the Image of God

I hope this doesn’t sound like double talk. But as I mentioned, some things are spiritually discerned. Human beings are composed of spirit, soul, and body, and it is in our spirits where God’s own Spirit dwells.

1 Corinthians 2:11–14 (NIV) explains this deeply:

“For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God… The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”

Tabernale in wilderness

Jewish tabernacle in the wilderness Rawpixl

We are created in the image of God. Just as God is a Trinity, we too are a trinitarian reflection (body, soul, and spirit), and even the ancient Jewish temple reflected this pattern (Outer Court, Inner Court, Holy of Holies).

Alternatively, we can view the Trinity through the lens of unique roles or “offices” held to accomplish His eternal purposes:

God the Father: The creator, planner, source, and architect of life and history.
God the Son (Jesus Christ): The Redeemer and Savior who took on human flesh, lived a sinless life, and died to atone for our sins.

God, The Holy Spirit: The Helper, Comforter, and active indwelling presence who regenerates hearts, guides us into truth, and empowers our walk. He divides gifts severally as he will (1 Corinthians 12:11). He leads us into all truth (John 16:13).

The Danger of Deception and the Need for Discernment

Beware of deception. In their own way they are like the snake oil salesmen of old. Original photo

It is vital to remember that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one. God will never contradict Himself, and He will never contradict His written Word (Numbers 23:19).

1 John 4:1 (ESV) warns us:

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Bible teacher Jessie Penn-Lewis offered a sobering warning in War on the Saints regarding unchecked spiritual surrender lest we mistakenly be led by evil spirits:

“The will is surrendered to carry out the Will of God at all costs, and the whole being is made subject to the powers of the unseen world; the believer, of course, purposing that it shall only be to the power of God, not taking into account that there are other powers in the spiritual realm, and that all that is ‘supernatural’ is not all of God; and not realizing that this absolute surrender of the whole being to invisible forces, without knowing how to discern between the contrary powers of God and Satan, must be of the gravest risk to the inexperienced believer. The question whether this surrender to ‘obey the Spirit’ is one that is in accord with Scripture should be examined in view of the way in which so many wholehearted believers have been misled, for it is strange that an attitude which is Scriptural should be so grievously the cause of danger, and often complete wreckage, to many devoted children of God.”

Jesse Penn-Lewis further notes regarding Acts 5:29:

“We must obey God… Does the Apostle mean ‘obey the Spirit,’ or ‘obey God,’ according to the first words of the passage? The distinction is important, and the setting of the words can only be rightly understood by the teaching of other parts of Scripture, that the Triune God in Heaven is to be obeyed, through the power of the indwelling Spirit of God. For to place the Holy Ghost as the object of obedience, rather than God the Father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit, creates the danger of leading the believer to rely upon, or obey, a ‘spirit’ in, or around him, rather than God on the throne in heaven…”

Guarding Against Manipulation

I have personally seen this principle abused. I knew a manipulative camp leader who intimidated and pressured people under him to do tasks, mostly tasks he didn’t want to do anyway, using phrases like “The Holy Spirit told me…” to bend people to his own will. Cult leaders are famous for manipulating people by using God in some form, because who wants to make God mad? They bend people to their own will.

To combat this, Jesus instructed us to look at the fruit (Matthew 7:15–20), and Scripture equips us with tools for protection:

1 Corinthians 12:10: Lists “discerning of spirits” as a supernatural gift.
1 Corinthians 14:32: Notes that genuine spiritual manifestations remain orderly and controllable.
Hebrews 5:14: Explains that mature believers exercise their senses through growth in God’s Word.

As Jesus taught His disciples about the Holy Spirit:

“‘He shall not speak from Himself’ (John 16:13)… He should act as Teacher (John 14:26), but teaching the words of Another, not His own; He should bear witness to Another, not to Himself (John 15:26); He should glorify Another, not Himself (John 16:14); He should only speak what was given Him to speak by Another…”

Do you see a pattern here? Jesus didn’t want his followers, including us, to be misled by someone claiming to hear from the Holy Spirit or some demonic spirit masquerading as the Holy Spirit to steer us wrongly. Jesus warned his disciples that many would come masquerading as him (Matthew 24:5) and gave us and them characteristics to watch for so we would not be deceived.

The point here that Jesus and Jesse Penn Lewis are trying to make is that there is no division in God’s kingdom. As we draw close to Him, let us always pray with wisdom, anchored in His Word, ever mindful not to be led astray, resting safely in the unified love of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit will lead you and speak to you, but he will never contradict the Father or the Son or the written Word of God. Personally, I pray to the Father or God in general but there are times I need someone to understand what I am going through and I pray to Jesus for he was in a human form and has gone through everything we humans have gone through in some form or another (Hebrews 4:15). When I am seeking understanding of a spiritual concept or scripture I am reading I pray to the Holy Spirit for understanding for Jesus said it was the Holy Spirit who would lead us into all truth (John 16:13) and when I just can’t put something into words I allow the Holy Spirit to speak through me and make intercession when all I can do is cry and groan before the Lord (Romans 8:26). Jesus even said the Holy Spirit would give us the words to say to others when we were accused (Matthew 8:13).

Don’t get me wrong. The true Holy Spirit will always lead you into truth and expose error. I’m just saying beware of false, lying spirits masquerading as the Holy Spirit. God doesn’t mind your questioning. James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” He would rather you question and be sure than just blindly follow every voice that claims to be the mouthpiece of God. If you are following a leader who tells you not to question them, get away from that person, for that is a sure sign of a cult.

Ultimately, understanding the Trinity isn’t about solving an intellectual puzzle, but entering into a relationship with the one true God who reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Because the Godhead functions in absolute unity, the Holy Spirit will never point to Himself, contradict Scripture, or lead us into spiritual confusion. By keeping our prayers grounded in the Father, our faith rooted in the Son, and our discernment guided by the Spirit, we are guarded against the subtle deceptions of the world. As we grow in maturity, we can rest confidently in the truth that God’s Word is our ultimate anchor, and the unified God of heaven will always lead us into truth, safety, and peace.

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About Benjamin Raven Pressley

Benjamin Raven Pressley is an author, teacher and spiritual guide. He is of Cherokee heritage. He has been a follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles since 1975. His independent studies include the Holy Bible as well as other holy books of other religions. He is ordained by the Universal Life Church. He is a self-taught naturalist and his love and respect for nature is evident in many of the things he writes. He has authored several books on spirituality as well as a fantasy series and books on survival skills. He does not consider himself to be a religious person but believes true spirituality is an all-encompassing view of life and invites open discussion on matters of spirituality. You can read more about the author here.

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