FAQ in dawah: Christianity - Trinity and Son of God

Last updated: 26 July 2025 From the section FAQ in dawah

3 gods (Trinity) vs 1 god (Unity)

What is 1 god + 1 god + 1 god?
Are they co-equal?
1 God but 3 essence? Can you have 3 uncreated essences rather than 1 singular essence?
1 God (the Father) along with 2 distinct divine person (Son and Holy Spirit)? That's polytheism (i.e. worship of many gods)
There's a hierarchy in Trinity as Father is superior to Son and Holy Ghost. How is that possible if they're one?
Father knew things which Jesus didn't (e.g. the Hour in Mark 13:32). But god knows everything. So Jesus can't be god and co-equal as one knows (i.e. Father) and one doesn't (i.e. Jesus)
Where in the Bible does Jesus say he's god?
Did Jesus worship himself any time (i.e. the man version worshipping the god version)?
Jesus lower than angels for a little while (Hebrews 2:9). How can Jesus be God if he's lower than angels?
Jesus was hungry (Matthew 4:2), thirsty (John 4:7), and got tired (John 4:6). These are hallmark of Jesus' humanity. An All-Sufficient, All-Powerful God does not need this
If you believe Jesus is part of god, then why can't you just say god and not 'in the name of Jesus'?
What makes Christianity different to Hindu religion since the Hindus also believe god came in human form?
Logical Problem of the Trinity (LPT). The proposition that Jesus is limited and unlimited at the same time is a contradiction. It's an affront (offence) to logic. It will cause cognitive dissonance (inconsistent thought to behaviour and attitude change, i.e. erratic)

Biblical verses Christians (mis)use to claim triune god

John 1:14 (In the beginning...word became flesh). These are John's words, not God's. Greek word for 'word' is 'logos' which is used throughout Bible to mean the message of God. In Luke, in John, logos means the commandments of God. This verse means 'in the beginning the command was with God, then when he ordered he made flesh without a father (i.e. Jesus born after God commanded)'. So when God commanded (or logos) the words to be spread amongst the people, it doesn't mean God was spread but His commands were. Also Hellenistic Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria, Egypt, frequently used the concept of Logos as an intermediary between God and creation before John did. Philo's concept influenced the opening verses of Gospel of John
John 10:30 (I and my Father are one). One in purpose, not identity. Verses 22 - 38 has the full context. In Jerusalem, Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch, the Jews surrounded him accusing him of blasphemy as he claimed to be a god and wanted to stone him. So Jesus reminded them that in Torah the Jews themselves are called 'gods'. So when he calls himself 'Son of God' it's because he's a prophet and in the Jewish language many prophets are called son or god. And his followers, or 'sheeps', remain in faith - he as a teacher sees to that as well as God Almighty sees to that. As he and Father are one in purpose
John 14:6 (I am the way...No one comes to the Father except through me). By definition, Jesus isn't God as he says he's only a way that leads people to God (i.e. he's a messenger and people). In verses 1-5 Jesus says "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places" and he'll take the believers to one of these place, and if they don't know the way, then follow him
1 John 5:7-8 (All testifying in Heaven as these three are one and are in agreement in earth). This was originally a footnote that got added only around 15th century and remained so for nearly 400 years. Most Bibles have taken this verse out today as they realised it was not included in the earliest manuscript. But KJV still has it in. KJV says 3 will bear record in Heaven: the Father, the Word, and Holy Ghost and 'these three are one'. But in NIV, ESV, and NRSV, there's no mention of Father, Word, and Holy Ghost and it merely says 'three that testify'
Matthew 28:19 (...baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit). This verse is not mentioned in other 3 gospels (Mark, Luke, and John) when they narrate the story of Christ entering Jerusalem riding on a donkey. This formula for baptism was never uttered by Jesus or his apostles, and some scholars consider this verse a fabrication. Baptism in the early years of Christianity was given 'in the name of Jesus Christ' (Acts 2:38; 10:48) or 'in the name of the Lord Jesus' (Acts 8:16; 19:5). Baptism in the name of trinity was a latter addition. Even in the recently discovered Hebrew manuscript of the Gospel of Matthew - which was originally written in Hebrew - this text is not present

Jesus rejects Trinity and polytheism

Jesus explicitly mentioned in Bible he's a prophet and he's only a mediator between God and men (John 17:3, 1 Timothy 2:5)
Jesus taught everyone there's one true god (Mark 12:29)
Followers of Jesus call him a prophet (John 6:14)
Jesus said 'Father is greater than I' (John 14:28) and he cannot do nothing and only seeks to do the will 'of him who sent me' (John 5:30)
Jesus claims to make a pillar in the temple of 'My God'. So Jesus can't call himself god (Revelation 3:12)
Jesus says he's coming from 'the only God' - not 1 of the 3, me and Him, etc. (John 5:43-44)
The idea of god being three divine persons or essence is alien to the teachings of Jesus and all the prophets
In Old Testament, the Lord told Moses 'a prophet like you' will come (i.e. Jesus). He didn't say a god incarnate, fully god fully man, or trinity (Deuteronomy 18:18)

Islam rejects Trinity and polytheism

Allah commands Christians to stop saying Trinity as there's only One God, and Jesus is only a prophet, not god incarnate (An-Nisa 4:171)
Qur'an rejects multiple gods theory (Al-Mu'minun 23:91)
Jesus will deny claiming divinity on Judgement Day (Al-Ma'idah 5:116)
If Allah had begotten son, Muhammad would've worshipped that boy (Az-Zukhruf 43:81)
Our natural disposition or 'fitra' (Ar-Rum 30:30) is to believe in one Creator and have basic moral values
Associating divinity to other than God is the greatest sin in Islam. It's unforgivable. And you're condemned to Hell forever

Son of God

Multiple sons of God in Bible e.g. Adam (Luke 3:38), Jacob (Exodus 4:22), Ephraim (Jeremiah 31:9), Solomon (2 Samuel 7:13-14)
Even common people referred to as 'sons' or 'children' of God e.g. Deuteronomy 14:1, Romans 8:14, John 1:12, 1 John 3:1-2, Job 38:7, Job 1:6, Genesis 6:4, Genesis 6:2, etc.
If Jesus is 'begotten son' of God and the holy spirit 'proceeds from' God, what's the difference between the two?
'Begotten' also means created, i.e. there was a time when Jesus didn't exist. There's a causal relation - Father caused Jesus to be created. God cannot be caused so the Son is not God
'Son' not biological but a term of endearment just like a 'father' is in a church
If Jesus's birth is miraculous, Adam is even more as he had no mother and father

'The Messiah'

Means anointed or chosen one
The title does not make him 'superior to other prophets' as Christian claims. Abraham was known as Friend of Allah. Moses spoke directly with Allah. Muhammad is known as 'The Incessantly Praised One'. So we don't attach significance to a title
Each prophet had different role and different attributes so we don't use the titles to compare or grade them. Qur'an tells us not to compare them (Al-Baqarah 2:285). Their titles, miracles, birth (e.g. virgin birth), etc., does not make them divine
Jews were expecting a 'messiah' to come so Jesus was given that title as he was specifically sent to bring the Jews back to worshipping the One God (As-Saf 61:6). Matthew 15:24 also confirms this
Others were also called 'Messiah' e.g. King David, Cyrus (a Persian non-Jew) (Isaiah 45:1). So it's not exclusive to Jesus
Muslims ask Jews to accept Jesus and for the Christians to stop worshipping Jesus