Go ahead and start with one of the object lessons above. Wayne Grudem explains: But if each person is fully God and has all of Gods being, then we also should not think that the personal distinctions are any kind of additional attributes added on to the being of God . 5:2122; John 13:34), End-time judgment (Matt. While it is good for us to seek understanding of the Trinity, we cannot fully comprehend God. Many non-Christians and new Christians often struggle with the idea of the Holy Trinity, where we break up God into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In regards to the Trinity, we use the term Person differently than we generally use it in everyday life. That is ok when it comes to rocks and triangles. I recently had some of my kids friends ask meWhat is the Trinity? Principle #3: Order. Think about it: Finite Christians serve an eternal and infinite God. (eds. Its okay to admit you dont know everything. The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith. The Trinity is important to Christians because it reminds us that God is all-powerful, walked this Earth as a perfect human who can relate to our pain, and also lives on today in our hearts. The Hebrew word for God isElohim. A mystery that should cause us to marvel, and wonder, and worship! Satan. But analogies cannot entirely explain the mystery of God. But dont get confused. So God is one what but three whos.. To this day, this scripture inspires the language we use to baptize people across Christian denominations. God the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. What is the Trinity? 8:2327), Resuscitates the dead (Matt. Heres the problem (and why we shouldntstartwith these analogies):If these analogies are the only way someone thinks of the Trinity, it will lead to one of two errors. The first commandment says, You shall have no other gods before me (Ex. For instance he: Jesus has all the features that ensure he, too, is a person. This formulation can show us why there are not three Gods, and why the Trinity is not a contradiction. However, the Bible teaches us enough about these mysteries that we can apprehend them. It is very simple: All three Persons are one God because, as we saw above, they are all the same essence. Since God is one in a different way than He is three, the Trinity is not a contradiction. Essence and person are not the same thing. The Holy Spirit is God. The personhood of each member of the Trinity means that each Person has a distinct center of consciousness. Each person of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) really IS God. 2:5), The Father is not the Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26), The Son is not the Spirit (Matt. Then share them with another Christian or genuine seeker. While I believe that this is a helpful definition, it should be recognized that Grudem himself is offering this as more of an explanation than definition of Person. Satan existed with the angels at the beginning of creation as one of the cherubim. This leads us to investigate more closely a very helpful definition of the Trinity which I mentioned earlier: God is one in essence, but three in Person. Yet he also proclaimed, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live (1 Cor. Anytime you see a geometric figure with these features, it is a triangle. 2:10), convinces (John 6:44), teaches (Luke 12:12), convicts (John 16:18), commands (Acts 1:2), moves (John 11:33), helps (Rom. The Apostle Paul also affirms the doctrine of the Trinity. Use Objects As Visual Aids. ). With input from her father, fart followed within a day or two, and I was horrified, but also excited that she mysteriously managed an r-controlled vowel without any explicit instruction. In other words, what are the objective attributes or properties that make up all rocks? Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage. Other statements may at first seem contradictory but are really not. This is something far removed from our human experience, where every different human "person" is a different being as well. How to Support Gifted Readers, 27 of the Best Yoto Cards for Kids (sorted by age group), 40 Surprising and Fun Bible Facts for Kids (with a FREE true/false printable game), Holy Week for Kids: How to Teach Beyond Easter Sunday, 15 Powerful Self Esteem Activities for Kids to Do at Home and in School. OrThe person were explaining it to will think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). If belief in the Trinity is so essential to Christianity, it would have been explicitly stated in the Bible and wouldn't have taken over 300 years to officially define it. Learn how you can know God personally. After all, each of these illustrate the idea that God is made up of parts, and thats not really true. Leading from values so others will walk passionately with God to grow and bear fruit. How do we receive His grace? Perfect for the Bible newbie or the long-time Bible reader. In other words, there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons. He was sustaining and manifesting Gods immediate presence in his creation. So, the Trinity is incomprehensible. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. 6:45; 32:39; 1 Kings 8:60; 2 Kings 5:15; Isa. Dont despair. And the voice of the Father declared, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased (Matt. Sun The sun is a physical object, but also gives off light and heat. . John introduces us to the Trinity in John 1:1- "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God.". 8:1417). For instance, the Father is the first person of the Trinity. His function is superior to that of the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is the Matthew 28:19 baptismal formula: Jesus said, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in thenameof the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (emphasis mine). 2:18). Here are three I found to be really helpful. The Father is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of God. In Hinduism, the trinity (Trimrti, or The Three Forms) is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. 2) It makes no sense 3) The doctrine is rooted in ancient pagan Babylon 4) Jesus himself said he is God's SON; not God himself as the Trinity teaches Modern theologians have created a distinction between the "economic Trinity" and the "immanent Trinity.". Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. What's the Origin and History of the Trinity in the Church? For I am God, and there is no other (Isaiah 45:21-22; see also 44:6-8; Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 4:35; 6:4-5; 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:2; 1 Kings 8:60). At this stage, your head may be swimming with all this new information about God! He said, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29). After all, plenty of, Read More 40 Surprising and Fun Bible Facts for Kids (with a FREE true/false printable game)Continue, Whereas most of us are pretty comfortable with our family traditions for celebrating Easter, Holy Week for kids is WAY more intimidating. Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. Because humankind is limited, God will always exceed our knowledge and understanding (Isa. But Jesus did not become less than the Father during his incarnation. And interesting they are listed under a single name. This refers to Gods single essence. Be cool with leaving the gathering with more questions than answers. 2:11), emotions (Eph. Is God the same as Jesus? The Fathers plan for our redemption shows his great love for humankind. 5:2), Miracles (Ex. God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being (Gen. 1:1). Unfortunately, there are many illustrations which are not simply imperfect, but in error. To understand more fully what God is like is a way of honoring God. It is the revelation of who our Almighty Creator actually isnot just a god, but an infinite Being existing in eternity as three co-equal, infinite Persons, consubstantial yet distinct. Its a clear and concise explanation that works great for kids. . That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. December 19, 2018. 3:6. You can describe the Trinity in different ways: The wordspersonsandessencerefer to entirely different features relating to God. It was God who took the initiative to save humankind. Simply stated, God is one in essence and three in person. 32:39), Has personal traits, such as the ability to communicate (John 14:31), He has intellect (John 2:25), emotions (John 11:35), and a will (John 6:38), Has intellect (John 14:26; 1 Cor. The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. According to the American Heritage Dictionary the word However, Matthew 28:19 is frequently used in attempts to prove that the Trinity is a biblical teaching. Whats a Mama to say when the questions start flowing? Matthew 3:16. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about the Trinity. Its obvious that the Trinity is important to Christianity because its the framework for one of our oldest texts that crosses multiple denominations: the Apostles Creed, written in the 5th century. That leaves us with the modern definition of the word mystery. ), "If God was small enough for my brain to fully understand, He wouldnt be big enough to save me!, The authors of the Bible understood this. As Benjamin Needler preached: This doctrine should establish us in the truth of the gospel For my part, I would not worship that God that I could comprehend Bless God for the clear discovery of this truth under the gospel! "But if I [Jesus] cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.". From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. 42. Rather, the being of each Person is equal to the whole being of God.[1] The divine essence is not something that is divided between the three persons, but is fully in all three persons without being divided into parts., Thus, the Son is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of God. The doctrine of the Trinity, simply stated, is as follows: The Bible teaches that there is one eternal God who is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. For example, it says of Christ that in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9). Baker Books, 1995, pp. But each member had a different function. Within a week,, Read More Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? Explaining the Holy Trinity of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit will be needed at some point when presenting the God of the Bible to children, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons and other non-Christians. 10:57), The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian. Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. What we do mean by Person is something that regards himself as I and others as You. So the Father, for example, is a different Person from the Son because He regards the Son as a You, even though He regards Himself as I. Thus, in regards to the Trinity, we can say that Person means a distinct subject which regards Himself as an I and the other two as a You. These distinct subjects are not a division within the being of God, but a form of personal existence other than a difference in being.[3]. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide. How do we come to terms with these different ideas of God? Jesus is the one whose life we try to copy. The three members of the Trinity are Persons. If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? Thats where the confusion comes from. Lets move on to Scriptural evidence for the Trinity. He is the only God that exists. In explaining the Trinity to your friend, begin, perhaps, with the work of salvation. Gods attributes are not parts of his singular divine essence. Tertullian coined the term Trinity during the second century. 12:28; Rom. The Trinity isn't some complicated distraction from the simple gospelit's actually part of the gospel. We exist to worship God. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. 4. In the early 2000s, people began using a new approach called "deep . It is fundamental to our worldview. Genesis 1:1 reads: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." If we look more closely at the word we translate "God," Elohim, we see it is plural. Rather, each person of the Trinity has all of the attributes of God, and no one Person has any attributes that are not possessed by the others. Jesus carried out these creative decrees (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). The Trinity is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. More posts you may like r/TrueChristian And this teaching gives us a glimpse into the incomprehensible greatness of God. And that he is manifest as three Persons.. It is the same thing in three different forms. So, in this article, we will look at where the term originated. They are three real persons, not three roles God plays. More simply stated, the essence of any entity is what it is. Specifically, distinguishing between Gods one essence and his three Persons. Look at what the Bible clearly shows: that there is one God ( Deuteronomy 6:4) that the Father is called God ( Ephesians 4:6 ), that Jesus (the Son) is called God ( Titus 2:13) and existed with God before creation ( John 1:1; 17:4) and the Holy Spirit is attributed . However, these illustrations arent perfect, and really mature kids or teenagers (or adult new believers) could handle digging a bit deeper! Hmmm. Deity of Jesus: 10 Essentials You Need to Know! They have eternally (John 17:5, 24) sought to glorify each other (Phil. 8:26), guides (John 16:13), creates (Ps. Begin and end with your object lesson, and be comfortable with the imperfect teaching. It is the unity of the Father, Son, and Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. Christianity is a monotheistic religion. We just covered Gods one divine essence. I hate getting spam. He is beyond us. What a challenge! The word Trinity does not appear even once in the Bible. When the global church comes together then powerful things can happen. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son. *catholic, meaning universal here, and not a reference to the big C Catholic. But it also raises many difficult questions. The Trinity is like an egg or apple. Hes the one who walked the Earth blamelessly, performing miracles, and extending mercy and love. 4 Visual Ways To Explain The Trinity To A Child. However, let me highlight some of the most significant passages that confirm monotheism: Are you interested in learning more about the Godhead? Are you still not a Christian? God told Moses in the Torah to tell God's people these words: M. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." ( Deuteronomy 6:4) C. Yes, that's right. Essence means the same thing as being. Thus, since God is only one essence, He is only one being, not three. God is the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. Divide your group into three teams and give each group a sheet of butcher paper or poster. My Starting Point for Trying to Explain the Trinity, The Simplest but Still Clear Explanation for the Trinity, The 3 Most Common Trinity Analogies (and their limitations). Why? The doctrine of the Trinity states that God exists as one God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Yet most Christians have difficulty explaining the Trinity clearly and Biblically. To help us do that, here are two reasons why the Trinity matters. The Holy Trinity - Explained. So a closer look at the fact that God is one in essence but three in person has helped to show why the Trinity is not a contradiction. Even then, he was not alone, because he had his Logos within him. The Son is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. The triangle illustration is easy to understand, but an imperfect analogy because: Nonetheless, a triangle illustrates how there can be a three-ness and one-ness same time. But its not a mystery that can or should! To start, let me define what I mean when I say persons. Personhood is having intellect, emotions, and a will. Jesus dying on the Cross is one of the most important parts of His story. First, we have God. But how does it show us why there is only one God instead of three? also 1:18). Just hang on a little longer. The divine essence is thus not something that exists above or separate from the three Persons, but the divine essence is the being of the three Persons. "The Trinity is the foundational Christian belief that God is one Being who exists in three Persons." Unpacking the Definition The word Trinity means three-in-one. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. How is God three? The Trinity was present in the atonement at the cross. One God? . If each Person of the Trinity is distinct and yet fully God, then should we conclude that there is more than one God? While theconceptof the Trinity is evident in the New Testament (Matt. In addition to these texts, the others we mentioned above make clear that the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Personhood of the Son and the Father. The Father sent Jesus into the world (John 3:16; Gal. And he should be referred to by personal pronouns and never as it. The Holy Spirits is a person because he: Scripture also proves that the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are God. Jesus (the Son) is God. Understanding who the Holy Spirit is, the place He holds within the Holy Trinity and the role He plays in individual lives is vital to anyone exploring what it means to become a Christian and anyone trying to follow Jesus. The early church absolutely believed and taught the belief in a God who was three-in-one. (So I won't send you any.) ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. God is like the skin because He protects us. In John 1:1 it is affirmed that Jesus is God and, at the same time, that He was with God- thereby indicating that Jesus is a distinct Person from God the Father (cf. He differs from the Father, but was and . But a common question arises: How do the members of the Trinity differ from one another?. There would only be a contradiction if we said that God is three in the same way that He is one. Firstly, because finite humans cant comprehend an infinite God completely, Secondly, because many people confuse Gods one, Three distinct persons are God: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Firstly, unfamiliarity between essence or nature and personhood, Secondly, practical analogies that help conceptualize the Trinity, On the one hand, there is Gods singular nature, essence, or substance, And on the other, there is Gods three Persons (Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit), The sum of the three angles must be 180 degrees, The three-ness refers to the three Persons: Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, The one-ness applies to Gods unity or his single divine essence, The Trinity is a plurality of Persons and a unity of essence, God is three whos (Persons) and one what (divine essence), The triangle corresponds to Gods essence, The three corners of the triangle correspond to the three Persons of the Trinity, A triangle is finite, and God is infinite, The corners of a triangle are not persons, Understanding of the difference between Gods one divine essence and three Persons, Old Testament: Ex. Trinity not mentioned in the Bible anywhere! Obviously we cannot, for Scripture is clear that there is only one God: There is no other God besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. The word "scripture " graphe 12:32; 28:19; Luke 3:22), There is one God and three Gods (a contradiction), God is one person and three persons (a contradiction), God has one nature and three natures (a contradiction), There is a functional order within the Trinity, Bowman, R Jr. The Biblical Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity. Blue Letter Bible, https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/bowman_robert/trinity/trinity.cfm#trin_1 Accessed: 1/20/2022. But what does it mean that God is gracious? 4. But how can finite humans know anything about Gods infinite essence? And these three Persons are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The trouble with this one is that its a bit less visual. While no church is perfect, the Trinity is still the model for the churchs unity (John 1:2123). Answer. 89:14; John 17:25; Rom. But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. 3. 3. Another serious error people have made is to think that the Father became the Son, who then became the Holy Spirit. We will never sell your information, for any reason. After understanding the difference between essence and personhood, most objections evaporate! In other words, Christianity is unique among all other worldviews. Learn to develop your skills, desire and ability to join others on their spiritual journeys and take them closer to Jesus. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. Perhaps for the first time, you have read that the Trinity is a mystery and not acontradiction. This should make it clear why it is so important to understand that all three Persons are the same essence. Must you become a better person so that God will accept you? For example: God the Father is a person. Among the worlds religions, the Christian faith is unique. Thus, Jesus prayed to God the Father without praying to Himself. But he avoids contradiction with this statement because he means that in one sense it was the best of times, but in another sense it was the worst of times. Answer: Jesus came to lead us into relationship with the Father and that required the sacrifice of his own life because of our rebellion. These three persons make up the one true God. Matthew 12:28. The three members of the unholy trinity are Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. 2:17). "It has been said that there have been four centuries when the church's understanding of the person of Christ has been most under attack. Lets start with the geometric figure of the triangle itself. And confusing ones. Ignore the urge to tie everything up with a nice little bow. Third, we have the Holy Spirit, which is also God, living in our hearts and guiding us through life. After all, so much happens in the week leading up to the resurrection of Christ. 20:23; Deut. To further our understanding of the distinction of persons within the one God it is best to move on to the next trinitarian principle. 45:5-6, New Testament: Mark 12:29; John 5:44; Eph. In sum, the essence or nature of anything is what it is. Third, Christians believe that the entire New Testament is inspired. But I hope you have learned that the Trinity is not contradictory. For example, it says of Christ that "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). Volunteer abroad this year on a short term global missions trip offered by one of the best, most-reliable Christian missions organizations in the world. God the Father, Jesus His Son, with the Holy Spirit, they are three in one! Therefore each of the Persons into whose name we are to be baptized must be deity. God is infinite. Question: How do you explain the Trinity? We need you. Example 1: What is the nature or essence of a rock? Errr, not quite. The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible . How can God be both one and three? The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. It starts with a whisper. View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages. And certainly not if it were a contradiction. . In this blog post, we will discuss how schools and parents can help girls to, Read More Navigating Girl Drama: 20 Ways Schools and Parents Can Help Calm the StormContinue, Ill never forget the moment I watched in amazement as my newly-turned 4 year old sounded out her first few CVC words. Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Why do so many people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity? Every time the wordElohim(plural) is used throughout the Old Testament referring to the one, true God, it is used with a singular conjugation of the verb. . God the Son. The Bible is full of Scripture speaking of there being only one God (seeDeuteronomy 6:4for starters), as well as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all being God. 8:6), Jesus is called God (John 1:1-5; John 20:28; Rom. Instead, they are all identical in attributes. If there is one passage which most clearly brings all of this together, it is Matthew 28:19: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. First, notice that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinguished as distinct Persons. That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. God created man in His image. While there are some illustrations which are helpful, we should recognize that no illustration is perfect. But Christianitys God is unique. The Trinity confuses even adults, so when youre tasked (or inspired) to teach the Trinity to a child, teenager, or new believer, it can be overwhelming. When Jesus answered the question, What is the greatest commandment? he prefaced the answer by quoting the. How to Teach Kids the Trinity with an Apple Object Lesson Grab an apple and share these five truths with your kids: An apple has three parts: the seeds, the flesh, and the skin. be explained away. And this illustration helps us understand the Trinity: This illustration shows how the doctrine of the Trinity does not divide God into three parts. Instead, it reveals that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit possess the same divine essence. Christ through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God.. Not the answer an enquiring young mind was looking for. This explains how God can be both one and three. The problem with this is that it reflects a heresy called modalism. Theologians have pointed out that if it were not true, the Bible would be unreliable, Christ would not be divine, and His death on the cross would not atone for our sins, being merely the death of a martyr. All three Persons of the Trinity are God. Believe it or not, the fact that God is too immense for our finite minds should be comforting, not discouraging! To contemplate the Trinity is to lift up your heart and to "set your mind on the things above" (Col. 3:2). Unsubscribe at any time. And during his earthly ministry, Christ subjected himself to the Fathers will.
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how to explain the trinity to a new believer