The Equality of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Scripture consistently affirms that God is one while also revealing that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit share fully in that one divine nature. Any discussion of authority within the Godhead must begin with the clear teaching of Jesus Himself. In John 5:21–23, Jesus declares that the Son has authority to give life and to execute judgment, works that belong exclusively to God. The Father’s will is that “all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father.” Equal honor requires equal authority, for God does not share His glory or divine prerogatives with a lesser being. This same truth is affirmed after the resurrection when Jesus declares that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18), leaving no authority uniquely reserved to the Father alone.

The unity between the Father and the Son is further demonstrated by their shared will and shared works. Jesus states, “Whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner” (John 5:19). This is not a limitation placed upon the Son, but a declaration of perfect equality and unity. The Son does not act independently because He does not possess a separate or competing will, not because He lacks authority. Likewise, Jesus affirms His authority over His own life and death, stating that He has authority to lay down His life and to take it up again (John 10:18). Such authority is divine by nature and exercised in perfect harmony with the Father.

Passages that describe Jesus praying, obeying, or submitting to the Father must be understood within the context of the incarnation. When the Son took on flesh, He willingly humbled Himself and assumed the role of a servant in order to accomplish redemption (Philippians 2:6–8). This submission was voluntary and temporary, tied to His earthly mission, not a reflection of inferior authority or essence. Even while in this humbled state, Jesus speaks of the glory He shared with the Father before the world existed (John 17:5), affirming His eternal equality. After completing His redemptive work, the Son is portrayed as reigning fully and eternally, sustaining all things and seated at the right hand of God (Hebrews 1:3; Revelation 5:12–13).

When the whole of Scripture is considered, there is no division of authority within the Godhead. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit possess one divine authority, exercised in perfect unity. Distinctions in role during redemption do not imply inequality of power, glory, or nature. The biblical witness is clear and consistent: God is one, and within that one divine essence, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are fully and eternally equal in authority, glory, and being.

The equality within the Godhead is also demonstrated by the way Scripture applies divine names and attributes to each person. The Father is plainly called God, yet the Son is likewise identified as God without qualification. Thomas confesses Jesus as “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28), and the Father Himself addresses the Son as God, declaring His throne eternal and unchanging (Hebrews 1:8–12). These affirmations are not honorary titles or poetic expressions but direct acknowledgments of deity. The Holy Spirit is likewise identified as God when lying to Him is equated with lying to God (Acts 5:3–4), and when divine attributes such as omniscience and eternality are ascribed to Him (1 Corinthians 2:10–11; Hebrews 9:14). Scripture does not present varying degrees of deity but full participation in the divine nature.

The shared works of God further confirm this equality. Creation is attributed to the Father (1 Corinthians 8:6), the Son (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16), and the Spirit (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30). Salvation likewise reflects unified divine action. The Father plans redemption, the Son accomplishes it through His sacrifice, and the Spirit applies it through revelation (Ephesians 1:3–14). These are not isolated or subordinate roles but coordinated works flowing from one divine will. Scripture never suggests that one person of the Godhead merely assists another; rather, each acts fully as God while remaining distinct in person.

Much confusion arises when passages affirming monotheism are mistakenly treated as excluding the Son or the Spirit from full deity. When Jesus speaks of the Father as “the only true God” (John 17:3), He is affirming the oneness of God, not denying His own divine identity. The same Gospel that records this statement begins by declaring that the Word was God and was with God (John 1:1). Eternal life, according to Jesus, is found in knowing both the Father and the Son, not one apart from the other. Paul likewise affirms one God while placing Christ within that divine identity, identifying Him as the Lord through whom all things exist (1 Corinthians 8:6). Monotheism in Scripture is never compromised by the full deity of Christ; rather, it is explained through the unity of the Godhead.

Headship language, therefore, must be handled with care. When Scripture speaks of the Father as the head of Christ or Christ as submitting to the Father, it is describing relational order within the redemptive mission, not superiority of authority or essence. To argue otherwise would undermine the very comparisons Scripture uses, such as the relationship between man and woman, which affirms order without denying equal humanity (1 Corinthians 11:3, 11–12). The Son’s submission during the incarnation reflects His willing obedience, not a limitation of divine authority. After His work is complete, Scripture consistently portrays Him as reigning with full authority and receiving worship alongside the Father (Revelation 5:13).

In the final analysis, the Bible presents a coherent and unified picture of God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct in person, united in will, equal in authority, and identical in divine essence. Any interpretation that elevates one person as possessing greater authority or deity than another goes beyond what Scripture teaches and creates divisions the Bible itself does not make. The consistent testimony of Scripture is not a hierarchy within God, but perfect unity, shared authority, and eternal equality within the Godhead, to the glory of the one true God. And I keep learning and become amazed the more I learn about this!

(A brief clarification is helpful here. When Scripture speaks of the Son being “subjected” to the Father in passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:28, it is addressing order and function, not inferiority in deity or authority. The Son willingly carries out the Father’s will in the work of redemption, and that ordered relationship is part of the divine plan. Scripture does not require us to conclude that this functional submission ceases or changes after the consummation, only that it is never a statement about lesser nature, diminished deity, or unequal authority. Rather, it reflects the perfect unity and harmony of purpose within the Godhead.)

To add--I do not claim nor pretend to know everything and all the ins and outs regarding the Godhead. This is from deep studies I have done on the subject and we know that we may never fully understand how the Trinity works in every way other than what we can understand from Scripture. We are finite beings trying to understand an infinite God and that’s a challenge. But it is indeed amazing isn’t it?!