The Trinity is not a man-made concept but a revealed reality within the pages of Scripture. Many today are being taught that God is a single person who merely appears in three different roles or manifestations—Father, Son, and Spirit—at different times. However, this teaching (often called modalism) contradicts both the biblical text and the original Hebrew and Greek language used by the Holy Spirit. This study will walk us through the biblical, theological, and linguistic foundation that reveals one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Hebrew Word for One: Echad #

Deuteronomy 6:4 – “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one (Hebrew: echad).”

• The Hebrew word echad (אֶחָד) means a composite unity, not a mathematical singularity. It is the same word used in Genesis 2:24: “the two shall become one (echad) flesh.”
• Another example: in Genesis 1:5, “And the evening and the morning were the first day” – this “first” is echad, a union of two parts.
• Thus, echad allows for diversity within unity.

Greek Word for One: Heis / Hen #

• Greek for “one” is heis (masc.) or hen (neut.).
• In John 10:30, Jesus said, “I and the Father are one (hen).” – Here hen (ἕν) is neuter, meaning one in essence or nature, not one person (heis).
• This supports that the Father and the Son are united in being, but not the same person.

Jesus Is Not the Holy Spirit #

Many today argue that the one who died, rose, and ascended—Christ—returned as the Holy Spirit. But Scripture consistently shows that the Holy Spirit is not Christ in another form, but the third person of the Trinity.

Galatians 4:6 – The Spirit of His Son

“Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!'”

The Holy Spirit is referred to as “the Spirit of His Son” (Galatians 4:6, Romans 8:9-11), revealing a profound truth about His unique role in God’s redemptive work. The Spirit is not an abstract force, nor merely a mode of God’s presence, but a distinct Person who works in perfect unity with the Father and the Son. His primary role is to reveal Christ to us and apply the life of the Son to our hearts.

Let us explore this with clarity, drawing from key Scriptures and the rich language of Greek and Hebrew to enhance our understanding.

The Holy Spirit Reveals the Life of the Son

The Holy Spirit’s role is to glorify Christ and make His life real to us. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, spoke of the Spirit’s mission in John 16:13-14:

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.” (NASB)

In this passage, the phrase “He will take of Mine” reflects the Greek lambanō (λαμβάνω), which means “to receive, take, or grasp.” The Spirit does not speak independently but reveals the very essence of Christ, taking from what belongs to Jesus—His life, His truth—and imparting it to us.

The Spirit does not simply convey information; He enables us to experience the life of Christ. The Spirit’s work is not merely intellectual but relational, as He draws us into the fellowship of the Son.

The Father Sends the Spirit, Not the Son

In Galatians 4:6, Paul writes:
“Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (AMP)

Here, we see that it is God the Father who sends the Spirit. This is important for distinguishing the roles within the Trinity. The Father, as the source, sends both the Son for our salvation and the Spirit to apply that salvation. The Greek word for “send” here is apostellō (ἀποστέλλω), which means “to send forth” or “to dispatch.” It denotes the purposeful sending of someone on a mission.

In contrast, we see in John 14:16 that Jesus speaks of asking the Father to send the Holy Spirit:

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.” (NASB)

Though Jesus requests the Father to send the Spirit, the sending itself is an act of the Father. This establishes a clear order within the Godhead: the Father is the sender, and the Son is the one who mediates that request. The Son does not send Himself, nor does the Spirit send Himself; both are sent by the Father. This preserves the distinction of roles within the Trinity.

The Holy Spirit Transmits the Life of Christ

The Holy Spirit is called the “Spirit of Christ” because He is the one who brings Christ’s life into us. In Romans 8:9-11, Paul writes:

“However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (NASB)

The Greek word for “dwell” here is oikeō (οἰκέω), meaning “to make one’s home, to reside.” This implies not a temporary visit but a permanent residence—Christ and the Spirit make their home in the believer. The Spirit is the means through which Christ’s resurrection life is imparted to us. This is not just a future hope but a present reality. The Spirit gives us the power to live in union with Christ, who is Himself the life of the believer.

The Distinct Roles of the Triune Deity

To sum up, the Holy Spirit is called the “Spirit of His Son” because He is the one who reveals Christ’s life to us and makes it effective in our lives. The Father, in His sovereign plan, sends the Spirit, and the Spirit, in turn, applies the life of Christ to us. The work of the Holy Spirit is always Christ-centred—He glorifies Christ by revealing His truth and empowering us to live according to that truth.

The roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct but complementary. The Father sends the Son for salvation, and then the Father sends the Spirit to make that salvation real to us. In the person of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s life is made available to us. We are united with Christ through the Spirit, and this union is what enables us to live as children of God.

This is the beauty of the Gospel: the Father sends the Son, the Son accomplishes the work, and the Spirit applies it to our hearts. Through the Spirit, we experience the life of Christ, and through this life, we are transformed into His image.

We will unpack the details in the upcoming parts.

In Christ,

Shaliach.