Source: Leren Geloven (De Vuurbaak), 1986. 4 pages. Translated by Wim Kanis. Edited by Jeff Dykstra.

Belgic Confession Article 9 - Scripture Proof of the Doctrine of the Trinity

All this we know both from the testimonies of Holy Scripture and from the respective works of the three persons, and especially those we perceive in ourselves. The testimonies of Scripture which lead us to believe this Holy Trinity are written in many places of the Old Testament. It is not necessary to mention them all; it is sufficient to select some with discretion. In the book of Genesis God says: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… So God created man in his own image…; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:26-27). Also: "The man has become like one of us" (Genesis 3:22). From God’s saying, Let us make man in our image, it appears that there are more divine persons than one; and when he says, God created, he indicates that there is one God. It is true, he does not say how many persons there are, but what seems to be somewhat obscure in the Old Testament is very plain in the New Testament. For when our Lord was baptized in the river Jordan, the voice of the Father was heard, who said, "This is my beloved Son" (Matthew 3:17); the Son was seen in the water, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form as a dove. For the baptism of all believers Christ commanded: "Baptize all nations into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). In the gospel according to Luke the angel Gabriel thus addressed Mary, the mother of our Lord: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). Likewise: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14). In all these places we are fully taught that there are three persons in one only divine essence. Although this doctrine far surpasses all human understanding, nevertheless in this life we believe it on the ground of the Word of God, and we expect to enjoy its perfect knowledge and fruit hereafter in heaven. Moreover, we must observe the distinct offices and works of these three persons towards us. The Father is called our Creator by his power; the Son is our Saviour and Redeemer by his blood; the Holy Spirit is our Sanctifier by his dwelling in our hearts. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity has always been maintained and preserved in the true church since the time of the apostles to this very day, over against Jews and Muslims, and against false Christians and heretics such as Marcion, Mani, Praxeas, Sabellius, Paul of Samosata, Arius, and such like, who have been justly condemned by the orthodox fathers. In this doctrine, therefore, we willingly receive the three creeds, of the Apostles, of Nicea, and of Athanasius; likewise that which in accordance with them is agreed upon by the early fathers.
Article 9

I. What is being confessed in this article?

What was confessed about the Trinity in the previous article is known to us from Scripture and, moreover, we perceive in ourselves how the three Persons are dealing with us.
As far as Scripture is concerned, we already find so much about it in the Old Testament that it is enough to make a careful choice of a few texts. Genesis 1:26 and 3:22 already make it clear that there is more than one Person in God. After all, mention is made of "us." It is also evident from Genesis 1 that there is one God, because it says, "God created" (Genesis 1:27).
Moreover, in the New Testament it becomes clearer, especially in the following passages, that there are three Persons:

the account of Jesus’ baptism, Matthew 3:17
the formula for baptism, Matthew 28:19
Gabriel’s message to Mary, Luke 1:35
the benediction, 2 Corinthians 13:14

This teaching is beyond our understanding. We only believe all of this because the Bible says so. But we do expect that after this life we will understand it much better.3

3. Furthermore, we ourselves also experience how the three Persons each perform their own work in us. For the Father made us by his power; the Son has redeemed us by his blood; and the Holy Spirit sanctifies us by dwelling in us
4. We are not bringing a new teaching. We accept what the church has maintained and preserved from the time of the apostles. Together with our fathers we condemn the same heretics. That is why we willingly receive the three so-called ecumenical (in other words, generally accepted) creeds, and what has been established over time in accordance with them.

II. The Bible and this doctrine

The texts from Genesis 1 and 3 speak for themselves. One might think that the word "us" used there may be a pluralis majestatis — as our former queen could say, “We, Beatrix...” But the Hebrew does not have this figure of speech.
The texts mentioned from the New Testament also speak for themselves. It is important that the church points to the ongoing revelation.An earlier reference in Article 9 to 1 John 5:7b was removed; this text was not found in ancient manuscripts.
No attempt is made to make this teaching understandable. It is frankly acknowledged that this doctrine far surpasses all human understanding.
Also, the expectation is expressed that “we expect to enjoy its perfect knowledge and fruit hereafter in heaven.” So it is really not about dull and theoretical knowledge. For there is talk of the "fruit" of this teaching, which we will "enjoy" – namely, by getting to know God even better.

III. Our experience and this doctrine

We also know the doctrine of the Trinity “from the respective workings of the three Persons, and especially those we perceive in ourselves.” So this teaching is by no means a matter of theory only. We are always dealing with the living God, who is triune. This is how he makes himself known to us. That is how he presents himself to us. That is how he is at work in us. And that is how we experience him in the practice of our lives. When we think of God who made us, our thoughts go especially to the Father. When we speak about our redemption, we are speaking about the Son. When we experience how God is at work in us, then that is the Spirit. We know and feel ourselves to be children of the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sanctified by the Spirit; see section I, point 3, above. Our prayer and praise life is also governed by this teaching:
Praise God the Father, great in majesty;
praise God the Son, who came to save his own;
praise God the Spirit, sent from heaven’s throne,
that he our guide and comforter might be.
Praise Father, Son, and Spirit, Three in One.

IV. The Roman Catholic church and this doctrine

In the final paragraph the church of the Reformation emphatically joins the old Catholic Church. In doing so, it refutes any notion as if it wanted to proclaim a new teaching. This was claimed by the Roman Catholics. And it could have this appearance, because many groups of people had abandoned the doctrine of the Trinity. But the church of the Reformation has wholeheartedly joined the early church, “from the time of the apostles to this very day.” It remained catholic and ecumenical. For that reason the church accepted the earlier ecumenical (that is, generally accepted) creeds, namely the Apostolic Creed and those of Nicaea and of Athanasius.

After what has been discussed in the previous article, we do not need to deal with the list of heretics one by one. They always belong to one of the two groups as identified in the chapter Article 8, section III, point 2.

Points to discuss

It is claimed that in Genesis 1:26 God says to the angels, "Let us make man." Therefore he would speak of "us." But why is this impossible?
The Athanasian Creed begins and ends with the assertion that our salvation is at stake in believing or rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity. Why is this not an overstatement?