8. Where did the doctrine of the Trinity originate?
Although the word Trinity is not found in the Bible, the concept that God is one essence and nature in three persons is a mystery woven throughout Scripture.JTL8 4.9
Early Christians identified the Son as Creator (John 1:1-3) as well as YHWH or the “I AM” of the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14; John 8:58). They accepted Jesus as equal to the Father and Judge of all the earth, who should be worshipped as God. These early Christians also knew the Holy Spirit was a separate Person who could be grieved or blasphemed (Matthew 12:32).JTL8 5.1
The New Testament writers showed their acceptance of the one God in three persons concept, mentioning the members of the Godhead together several times (See Bible Discovery verses for Question 1 above.)JTL8 5.2
In the 4th century, Arius, an Alexandrian priest, taught that God created Jesus as His literal son who was not equal with the Father, a being neither fully human nor fully divine. This teaching, called Arianism, is not in harmony with the teachings of the Scripture in which Jesus is revealed as the Eternal Creator. Other heresies regarding the nature of the Godhead have surfaced through the centuries, but the Bible alone speaks unchanging truth regarding the equality of the triune God, who have existed harmoniously from eternity.JTL8 5.3