The Trinity

Up until now I've always had a problem with the concept of the trinity. I am still not sure that I fully comprehend it.My personal perspective on the trinity is that there are three persons equal in authority and power made of the same substance and forming one God head: The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit.My questions are this:1) Does each of these three persons have a seperate free will and consciousness? Do they each have a seperate soul?2) If the three each have a seperate consciosness, then is there a fourth wich is the collective consciosuness of the three? Is there a collective person that is the three persons combined?3) Does God exist in the trinity simply because that is the way it is or did God chose to be a trinity?4) Was God always a trinity or did God become a Trinity at one point?I assume that if 3 is choice and 4 is became that means God could make decisions across time.5) Does each member of the trinity have a specific purpose that was there since eternity past?
Such as
1. The Father creates.
2. The Son redeems.
3. The holy spirit sanctifies.I would really like an answer to my questions, ones that are based on scripture.This should probably go in Bible Study.

Thread copied to the The Trinity thread in the Bible Study forum, this copy of the thread has been closed.