As a teacher of the Word, one of the questions I receive quite frequently is to explain the Holy Trinity and how it is possible for God The Father, God The Son and God The Holy Spirit to all be One. That is difficult when trying to explain it within human reasoning. For years the way it was explained to me was there is no explanation and it's just one of those things that you have to take by faith because God said it. Yes, that works, but here is something that may make it a little easier to comprehend.
The Bible says that we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), and we know that He is Three Beings in One (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Well, we are three in one on a lesser level as well. We have a spirit, a soul (our mind/emotions/intellect) and a body.
1 Thessalonians 5:23, "23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (NIV)
Hebrews 4:12, "12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (NIV)
Our spirits get reborn or recreated (saved) when we receive Christ as our Lord and Savior, but our minds or souls must be renewed by the Word of God because we still think and have the same habits we had before we got saved. We must learn the will of God through the Word of God.
So we are made three in one just as God is Three in One. All are separate, but all are one and in need of each other. Think of it along these lines. The unity of spirit, soul and body is needed. One does not exist without the other. For example, without a spirit, there is no life. Without a soul or mind, or medically speaking, when their is no brain activity, we are clinically dead. Without a body, there is no life. (I praise God that when we shed these mortal bodies, He has promised us new ones. There is a reason for that. Why not just be a spirit in Heaven? God wants us to have a body to complete His image.) All are separate, but all are one and needed to live.
Each Being in God's Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is separate and They all Live, but They are also One as our spirit, soul and bodies are one. Now God The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are always in unity with each other, but because we are human, we are not always in unity within the members of our own body (make-up). Sometimes our flesh screams for earthly desires that our spirits and minds know are not good for us (Romans 7:14-25). The Apostle Paul said he put his body under subjection to his spirit man (1 Corinthians 9:27). And sometimes our emotions want to rule our bodies and our spirits. We act out because of scars and traumas within. Those who are not born-again have what is called a dead spirit (Colossians 2:13). They are dead in their sins even though their souls and bodies live. (Jesus did not come to make bad people good, but to make dead people live!) However, a born-again spirit is alive in Christ and always wants to do what is right (Romans 8:5-12).
We are created in God's image more than only a mere photo likeness. We are three in one as is His Holy Trinity.
Hope this explanation helps a little bit in regards to the question of how can the Holy Trinity be separate and One all at the same time.
Blessings!
Pastor Sandra
Lifting Up Jesus Church
