Are God and Jesus the Same? An In-Depth Look

Download Article

Answers to all of your questions about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

Co-authored by Liz Cooledge Jenkins and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: November 30, 2024 Fact Checked

Download Article

Overview

|

All About the Trinity

|

Parts of the Trinity

|

Key Takeaways

|

Video

|

Expert Interview

If reading about God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit makes your head spin, you’re definitely not alone. Agnostics and lifelong Christians alike have a tough time understanding the true nature of who God really is (and how Jesus fits in the mix). We’re here to break it all down for you, so you can better understand the foundations of Christianity (and what they mean for you and your faith).

Things You Should Know

God the Father and Jesus Christ are both God, but they exist as separate Persons through the Trinity.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Liz Cooledge Jenkins
Christian Theology Expert

Expert Interview}
The Trinity revolves around the idea that there is one God, but that God exists in multiple forms.^{[2]
X
Expert Source

Liz Cooledge Jenkins
Christian Theology Expert

Expert Interview}
God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the three different aspects of the Holy Trinity.

Section 1 of 4:

Are Jesus and God the same?

Download Article

Yes and no—Jesus is God, but He and God the Father are separate Persons. Christianity revolves around the belief that Jesus is the divine Son of God who died on the cross for all of humanity’s sins.^{[3]
X
Research source} In a literal sense, Jesus is God—but through the Trinity, he exists separately from God the Father, the Creator of the universe who is present throughout the Old Testament of the Bible.
- Jesus was born from Mary, a virgin, through the power of God. Because of this, Jesus is considered completely human as well as completely divine.^{[4]
  X
  Research source}

Section 2 of 4:

What is the Trinity?

Download Article

1
The Trinity is the concept that God lives as 3 Holy forms.^{[5]
X
Expert Source

Liz Cooledge Jenkins
Christian Theology Expert

Expert Interview} Christianity centers around the principle that there’s only one sovereign God—the Trinity is just the idea that this one God exists as three Persons: God the Father (the Creator and God from the Old Testament), God the Son (Jesus, who died on the cross), and God the Holy Spirit (the form of God who lives within practicing Christians).^{[6]
X
Research source}
- When you break it down, Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are all God. However, Jesus is different from the Father, the Father is different from the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is different from Jesus.^{[7]
  X
  Research source}
- It may help to think of the Trinity as ice, liquid water, and steam. Ice, liquid water, and steam are all H2O; however, ice is not liquid water, liquid water is not steam, and steam is not ice.
A common misconception is that God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are 3 different gods that rule together. Instead, it’s better to view the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three Persons of God—each distinct, but ultimately the same.^{[8]
X
Research source}
3
The Trinity does not represent an evolution or transformation of God. Some people incorrectly believe that God the Father transformed into Jesus, who eventually transformed into the Holy Spirit. This belief is false—according to the Bible, God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit have all existed at the same time:^{[9]
X
Research source}
- “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.” - John 1:1-3
  - In these verses “The Word” is another name for Jesus.
- “Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be as united as we are.” - John 17:11
- “After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” - Matthew 3:16-17

Section 3 of 4:

Parts of the Trinity

Download Article

1
God the FatherGod the Father is the sovereign God first introduced in the Old Testament of the Bible, where He also comes to be known as the God of Israel. As the creator of the entire universe, he’s called “Father” due to His relationship with His followers (also known as God’s “children”). Here’s how the Bible describes God the Father:
- “And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father.” - Matthew 23:9
- “And yet, O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are the potter. We are all formed by Your hand.” - Isaiah 64:8
- “Are we all not children of the same Father? Are we not all created by the same God? Then why do we betray each other, violating the covenant of our ancestors?” - Malachi 2:10
2
Jesus the SonJesus Christ sits at the cornerstone of Christianity—as God in human form, the Bible tells how Jesus was killed for the sake of humanity’s sins, and how He rose from the dead 3 days later.^{[10]
X
Expert Source

Olivia Woodford
Holy Bible Expert

Expert Interview} According to the Bible, believing in Jesus and accepting Him as one’s Lord and Savior is the only way to attain salvation and have eternal life in Heaven.^{[11]
X
Research source} Here’s a closer look at how Jesus is described in the Bible:
- “Then He asked them, ‘But who do you say I am?’ Peter replied, ‘You are the Messiah sent from God!’” - Luke 9:20
- “Jesus came and told His disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.’” - Matthew 28:18
- “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6
3
The Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit lives in every single person who accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior. Like Jesus and God the Father, the Holy Spirit is a distinct Person with Its own will and purpose in a practicing Christian’s life.^{[12]
X
Expert Source

Olivia Woodford
Holy Bible Expert

Expert Interview} As a believer grows in faith, the Holy Spirit assists them in becoming more like God.^{[13]
X
Research source} Take a look at how the Bible describes the Holy Spirit:
- “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” - Genesis 1:1-2
- “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” - John 14:26
- “We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.” - Acts 5:32

Section 4 of 4:

Key Takeaways

Download Article

1
Christian beliefs center around the Trinity and Jesus’s gift of salvation. Jesus Christ and God the Father are both considered God because of the Trinity, but they exist in distinct forms from one another.^{[14]
X
Expert Source

Olivia Woodford
Holy Bible Expert

Expert Interview} Similarly, the Holy Spirit is also a form of God that exists separately from Jesus and the Father.^{[15]
X
Research source}
- Remember—the Trinity is not a single person who juggles 3 different roles.^{[16]
  X
  Research source}
2
Christians can pray to both God the Father and Jesus the Son. According to the Bible, it’s perfectly fine to direct your prayers to Jesus or to God the Father. At the end of the day, your prayers are reaching the same place!^{[17]
X
Research source} Here’s a little advice that the Bible gives about prayer:
- “Jesus said, ‘This is how you should pray: Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.’” - Luke 11:2
- “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.” - John 14:13