The Holy Trinity is 'the Center of Everything.'. 139:711; Jer. 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. Does the Trinity mean that God is divided into three parts? Thus, as Wayne Grudem writes, When we speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together we are not speaking of any greater being than when we speak of the Father alone, the Son alone, or the Holy Spirit alone.[2]. 4 Visual Ways To Explain The Trinity To A Child. This formulation can show us why there are not three Gods, and why the Trinity is not a contradiction. Leading from values so others will walk passionately with God to grow and bear fruit. The Trinity. But I hope you have learned that the Trinity is not contradictory. "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. Each Person of the Trinity is distinct, 8. Neither should we think of the Persons as being defined by attributes added on to the being of God. Grace is the promise that you stand forgiven before God if you know Jesus. While not a typical conversation starter, this question is one of the most important we can ask in life. Christ took Gods punishment, and wrath meant for us because of our sins (Heb. The Father is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of God. Here is an object with three parts: a hard shell, the egg white, and the yolk. Before anything was created he begat his Logos as a person distinct from himself. Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine, and Jerome mention it. For example, it says of Christ that in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9). AboutPressCopyrightContact. We just covered Gods one divine essence. Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth by his word. But it also raises many difficult questions. It has been said, Try to explain the trinity and lose your mind, try to explain away the trinity and lose your soul. 5:2), Miracles (Ex. 8:2327), Resuscitates the dead (Matt. One of the reasons Jonathan Edwards's vision of God has proved so helpful in my worship and ministry is that he does, and he doesn't, "explain" the Trinity. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. 3:1617). 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. The Trinity expresses the belief that God is one being made up of three distinct persons who exist in co-equal essence and co-eternal communion as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit . 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. Whether an object is a rock or a triangle, we can classify it based on its objective characteristics. How is God three? So God is one what but three whos.. Find freedom from your sins today. The Trinity confuses many people. 23:2324). The three members of the Trinity are Persons. And this teaching gives us a glimpse into the incomprehensible greatness of God. I wont go into all of the verses here (simply type bible verses about the Trinity into Google and youll find plenty). What is the essence of a triangle? 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. 1. (eds. Then share them with another Christian or genuine seeker. Within a week,, Read More Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? But continue seeking to understand why the Trinitarian nature of God matters. 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. He sent Jesus to save us and then completed our salvation through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Eph. But that doesn't mean the concept isn't clearly taught. More posts you may like r/TrueChristian Are you still not a Christian? 8:1417). If someone already has an understanding based on the definition and explanation above, then these analogiesmighthelp them grasp aspects of the Trinity. Assign each group with one of the Godheads: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), or the Holy Spirit. The Son is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. 11:3336). Actually, March 17 commemorates St. Patrick's death, actually. The wordtrinitymeans tri-unity or three-in-oneness.. Essenceis the objective set of attributes necessary to the thing being described. Trying to fully understand God is like a 2-year-old trying to fully understand the complexities of relationships, marriage, and parenting! It's so simple, it fits on one page. If we were to translate it . 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. 9:14; Heb. 28:18-20; 2 Cor. Its probably the most classic Trinity object lesson, but its not my favorite. God the Father spoke from heaven and spoke of His Son, Jesus. Well, we can know because God has given us his special revelation: the Bible. For instance, each Person: Scripture often names all three members of the Trinity together. It is crucial for properly understanding what God is like, how He relates to us, and how we should relate to Him. That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. How can three and one refer to the same God? Because of Gods nature, several mysteries exist within our faith. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. After all, each of these illustrate the idea that God is made up of parts, and thats not really true. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. Because ethnicity is part of the good of creation, we seek to honor and celebrate the ethnic identity of those with whom we serve as well as those we seek to reach. The answer hinges on the differences in their unique roles. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. But the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a He (see John 14:26; 16:7-15; Acts 8:16). In the baptism of Jesus, we see the Father speaking from heaven and the Spirit descending from heaven in the form of a dove as Jesus comes out of the water (Mark 1:10-11). And yet, we run into the same problem again, because God isnt made up of parts. The doctrine of the Trinity is the belief that there is one God who has revealed Himself in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was moving or hovering over the face of the waters (Gen. 1:2). Learn how you can know God personally. . The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. One helpful Scripture explicitly refers to the essence and personhood of the Trinity. Baker Books, 1995, pp. 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 Definition Of The Trinity. May 23, 2012 by: Justin Buzzard. Why, if they are ALL God? 4:30), and a will (1 Cor. 42. The general pattern of prayer in the Bible is to pray to the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18). Engage Children in learning The Holy Trinity through Reading, Writing, Playing, Creating, Singing!Included in this resource:Bible Lesson Book-Teacher Edition: Read Aloud!Full sized, colorful large print . In explaining the Trinity to your friend, begin, perhaps, with the work of salvation. And likewise with the Holy Spirit. Rather, everything that one Person is involved in, the other two are also involved in, one way or another. 9:18; Matt. The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible . 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 . This doctrine is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity. For example, if I say that the moon is made entirely of cheese but then also say that the moon is not made entirely of cheese, I have contradicted myself. That leaves us with the modern definition of the word mystery. But its not a mystery that can or should! This is one of the books of the Torah. Further, we should allow the fact that God is triune to deepen our worship. Ask teenagers hard questions about the Trinity that will make them think, and dont bother trying to come equipped with the perfect answer to everything. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. Then I'll share an activity using the Celtic Trinity Knot to explain the Trinity to children along with the love that exists between each of its Persons and us. The Apostle Paul also affirms the doctrine of the Trinity. Lets do a quick review of the topics we have covered. Trinity may be a new term for you and can be confusing even for Christians to explain to others. The Trinity is more than just a vital doctrine. Somehow Gods being is so much greater than ours that within his one undivided being there can be an unfolding into interpersonal relationships, so that there can be three distinct persons.[5]. How is God different? 3:16; 2 Pet. ETS members all confess the Father, the Son, and the Spirit to be "one in essence, equal in power and glory.". Instead, they are all identical in attributes. The word Trinity does not appear even once in the Bible. Conclusion: Scripture teaches the Trinity. 3:17), Omnipresence (Ps. That's the one we think of as the Father. 1:2;). However, the biblical doctrine of the Trinity does not rest on one verse of Scripture, but is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. It is the same thing in three different forms. 45:5-6, New Testament: Mark 12:29; John 5:44; Eph. 4; 14; Jon. 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. Essence and person are not the same thing. Even wonderful parents have kids who struggle with self esteem, despite excellent parenting and a supportive home environment. Its not unusual for teenagers to give Jesus a bunch of loving characteristics and then put words like justice and vengeance on God the Fathers poster. It starts with a whisper. " Here God is a plural noun, said is in the . Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). These definitions express three crucial truths: (1) The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, (2) each Person is fully God, (3) there is only one God. First, we have God. 4:6; James 2:19; Jude 25. Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation. How do we know whats age-appropriate for them to understand? Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not unite people by neglecting t Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. He was sustaining and manifesting Gods immediate presence in his creation. What's the Origin and History of the Trinity in the Church? They are different Persons, not three different ways of looking at God. Get the answers to frequently asked questions on Christian beliefs and practices. 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. Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide. Its a devotional book. How can God be both one and three? Another serious error people have made is to think that the Father became the Son, who then became the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. I might end with sharing a few analogies from nature. Have a great discussion about it! Before moving on tounderstandingthe idea of one Being existing in three Persons, I will point out that theBiblical idea of the Trinity goes all the way back to the first verse in the first chapter in the first book of the Bible. However, you dont want to stop there with a student who can participate in a discussion. Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. Now, as Fred Sanders once quipped, this doesn't mean you should begin every witnessing encounter, "God loves you . A subreddit for the encouragement and discussion of the Biblical Unitarian position which holds The second point of clarification has to do with personhood. the one who is not a Christian. View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages. 6:2122), Resuscitation of the dead (1 Kings 17:1724; 2 Kings 4:1837), The resurrection of Jesus (Acts 4:10; Acts 10:40), Sustains the universe (Col. 1:17; Heb. For if we deny this, we have denied Gods unity and affirmed that there is more than one being of God (i.e., that there is more than one God). He is one Being in three Persons (centers of consciousness), not merely three roles. Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. He wrote, What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.. 3. Gods One-ness is his One divine essence, 3. How could we? 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]. 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). My passion is helping you not just read and study the Bible, but truly enjoy it! The Father and the Son are God almighty, omnipotent God. Believe it or not, the fact that God is too immense for our finite minds should be comforting, not discouraging! Finally I would end with Deuteronomy 29:29 which helps us to realize that we cannot fully comprehend God. 5:7). Likewise, after the Son returned to the Father (John 16:10), the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit into the world (John 14:26; Acts 2:33). Question: How do you explain the Trinity? 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. Object Lessons on the Trinity for a Child or New Believer, The Difference Between Teaching the Trinity to a Child vs. a Teenager, Books that Explain the Trinity to a Child, Navigating Girl Drama: 20 Ways Schools and Parents Can Help Calm the Storm, Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? 92:8) and third person (he, his, him) singular pronouns (1 Kings 18:39). We Reflect God's Personhood and Relations. And confusing ones. Anytime you see a geometric figure with these features, it is a triangle. 2:18). Dont despair. It is one of the two ordinances of the Christian Church. Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Crus annual report and more. 25:3146; 2 Cor. Having seen that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, that they are each fully God, and that there is nonetheless only one God, we must conclude that all three Persons are the same God. 11:3336). He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. For example: One of the most common mistakes people make is to think of the Holy Spirit as some force ala Star Wars. But the Holy Spirit is most assuredly a person. Do Trinity Crafts/Printables. The Holy Trinity - Explained. 32:17, 27; Matt. 6:11; Gal. The wordTrinitymeansthree-in-one. 15:19), God is called Father (John 17:1; John 3; 20:17; 1 Cor. Nonetheless, while recognizing the distinct roles that each Person has, we should never think of their roles as so separate that the other Persons are not involved. The Trinity is like an egg. These three persons are of the same substance, equal in power and glory. 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 concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms - a union of three. This is something far removed from our human experience, where every different human "person" is a different being as well. 4:15), dying for our sins (1 Cor. Three separate beings, all rolled into one entity. When the global church comes together then powerful things can happen.
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