For example: The Nicene Creed is recited during every service of Holy Communion . Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. OrThe person were explaining it to will think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). The Holy Trinity - Explained. You can describe the Trinity in different ways: The wordspersonsandessencerefer to entirely different features relating to God. Thats the one we think of as the Father. 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. 20:3; cf. Yet he also proclaimed, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live (1 Cor. For instance, each Person: Scripture often names all three members of the Trinity together. The Holy Spirit was moving or hovering over the face of the waters (Gen. 1:2). 4:47), In Hebrews (Heb. John 1 tells us that the Word is Yeshua - that he was with God and was God from the get go, right there at creation. For example the: Finite humankind cannot wholly comprehend these mysteries. The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. All three members of the Trinity have these characteristics. 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. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. We just covered Gods one divine essence. In fact, it is precisely the continuing dialogue between the Father and the Son (Matthew 3:17; 17:5; John 5:19; 11:41-42; 17:1ff ) which furnishes the best evidence that they are distinct Persons with distinct centers of consciousness. Trying to fully understand God is like a 2-year-old trying to fully understand the complexities of relationships, marriage, and parenting! If we can understand more precisely what is meant by essence and person, how these two terms differ, and how they relate, we will then have a more complete understanding of the Trinity. Further, we clearly should not think of God as consisting of anything other than divinity. Why do so many people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity? God addressed in the second person singular (you): 2 Sam. As long as a shape has those three angles that add up to 180 degrees, it doesnt matter what the angles degrees are. Baker Books, 1995, pp. Confusing them leads to misunderstanding. For instance he: Jesus has all the features that ensure he, too, is a person. Geisler, N. L., and R. E MacKenzie, R. E. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences. While we cannot fully understand everything about the Trinity (or anything else), it is possible to answer questions like these and come to a solid grasp of what it means for God to be three in one. Did your kids give each form of God different personality traits? At Jesus baptism, when Christ came up out of the water, the Spirit descended in the appearance of a dove. The Trinity is a mystery beyond our comprehension (Isa. 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. Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage. Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. Its a mystery the Bible teaches. 12:28; Rom. And we can delight in praying to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit (John 14:1314; Eph. Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide. Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. Looking for a great childrens Bible? Christs resurrection is variously attributed to: Multiple verses distinguish each member of the Trinity. It's so simple, it fits on one page. 4. All will play a role in the events mentioned in Revelation. You can cut into an apple in front of your group. No, the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible. As youll see explained more deeply in one of the videos below, you can think of it this way: I am a human being. As Christians, we derive our concept of person from the relations in the Trinity. A triangle must have three sides three corners (angles), and the sum of the three angles must be 180 degrees. It included Jesus miraculous conception in the virgin Mary (John 3:16)an act that we call the incarnation.. Yet Jesus would not have referenced the Trinity unless it was important. This doctrine is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity. Tertullian coined the term Trinity during the second century. Jesus dying on the Cross is one of the most important parts of His story. For example, it says of Christ that "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). They had to wait another 50 year for the 381 update. Three parts in one, yet all very much an egg. Assign each group with one of the Godheads: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), or the Holy Spirit. However, these illustrations arent perfect, and really mature kids or teenagers (or adult new believers) could handle digging a bit deeper! God the Holy Spirit is the warmth you feel from the sun. The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. I recently had some of my kids friends ask meWhat is the Trinity? Sometimes the Spirit is treated more like a force than a Person. Everything in Christian theology and in the believer's life finally comes back to who God is: the divine nature, the persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 2:1011; Heb. 12:711), The Father is not the Son (Matt. Jesus is the one whose life we try to copy. It's a great reminder of the three parts of the Holy Trinity! Binmin Podcast 8: God & Origins | What Questions Should I Ask About My Faith, Binmin Podcast Ep. Use Objects As Visual Aids. Its okay to admit you dont know everything. This is just an egg, or an apple, or H2O. And in John 16:13-15 we see that although there is a close unity between them all, the Holy Spirit is also distinct from the Father and the Son. 13:14), the term Trinity does not appear. Unfortunately, there are many illustrations which are not simply imperfect, but in error. 11:3336). The wordTrinitymeansthree-in-one. But they are eternally subordinate in their roles to him (1 Cor. The easiest way to explain the Trinity is with an object lesson, and thats true no matter how old someone might be. What does essence mean? 18:20; Matt. 9:18; Matt. The Trinity is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. Fill this out to make sure you don't miss a thing! 1. ). Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. 3:17; 17:5; Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 10:15; 12:28; 17:1-26; 1 Tim. If each Person of the Trinity is distinct and yet fully God, then should we conclude that there is more than one God? Learn how you can know God personally. Some attributes include eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. Orthodox Christian theology has always affirmed that the one true God is triune in nature. God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being (Gen. 1:1). Question: How do you explain the Trinity? 1:7; 2 Tim. This should make it clear why it is so important to understand that all three Persons are the same essence. Find freedom from your sins today. I think it is because they lack at least two pieces of information: The main confusion is that many people dont get this distinction. The trouble with this one is that its a bit less visual. The Trinity is the perfect loving community of three Persons. Read more. This command lists all three persons of the Trinity. And God created humankind to share that love (John 17:2126; Acts 17:25). The word Trinity is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible; however, countless scriptures mention all three forms of God. We exist to worship God. He brings all light and life to the world. Because these features make up the singular essence or nature of a triangle. Why? We begin with a brief discussion of the doctrine in historical context, explaining more fully the nature of the problem it raises. And confusing ones. 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. But its not a mystery that can or should! Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! ). So even if the Bible did call the Trinity a mystery it would only be saying it was unknown to the one not illuminated, i.e. 3:25; Dan. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about the Trinity. This is girl drama, and it can be extremely harmful to girls both mentally and emotionally. This is great fun to see how teenagers draw a picture of God. This is one possibility of explaining it. Dont despair. Why? I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earthand in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spiritand born of the virgin Mary.He suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended to the dead.On the third day he rose again.He ascended into heaven,and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy catholic* Church,the communion of the saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting. Even then, he was not alone, because he had his Logos within him. And certainly not if it were a contradiction. 2:11), speaks (Mark 13:11), testifies (Acts 20:23), reveals (1 Cor. The next time you (or I) are asked to explain the Trinity, you could start with a 1-sentence definition and then unpack that definition. 8:26), guides (John 16:13), creates (Ps. The best way to teach the Trinity to ANYONE who is confused is with an object lesson. 4:30), and a will (1 Cor. Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. AboutPressCopyrightContact. 4:6; James 2:19; Jude 25. Just as ONE egg has THREE different parts - the shell, the white, the yoke - ONE God has THREE different . They have eternally (John 17:5, 24) sought to glorify each other (Phil. This is a limitation on God that doesnt acknowledge that God isalwaysthe Father,alwaysthe Son, andalwaysthe Holy Spirit. 119; Prov. But he is not inferior in Gods divine essence. What is the Trinity? But it is possible to go deeper. From our understanding of the Trinity (a social being), we recognize that a person is a relational being, not just someone with a mind, a will, and . He exists as a Trinity. But it also raises many difficult questions. And all three members of the Trinity were involved. There will always be some level of mystery to this, but when you talk about the being/nature/essence as God and the persons/expressions as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit I think we get at least a little bit closer to beginning to comprehend something we can never fully comprehend. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. God is like the skin because He protects us. But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. Weve made a comparison between this object and the Trinity. In other words, you have contradicted yourself if you affirm and deny the same statement. Is the Trinity a contradiction? That is where I go back to the starting point I mentioned above. (Heavy sigh.) While no church is perfect, the Trinity is still the model for the churchs unity (John 1:2123). We believe God is one in essence. Have a great discussion about it! God the Son. Now lets go a little deeper and consider the triangles three corners (angles). God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt. We are referring to two different features of God: (1) his singular essenceor natureand (2) three Persons. That way were providing a simple, common language and framework for everything else were going to say (or any analogies we use). 28:18-20; 2 Cor. Faith is recognizing that we dont have all the answers and deciding that its okay to keep believing and growing. The first commandment says, You shall have no other gods before me (Ex. . 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). Sigh. 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. Most people, including many Christians, struggle trying to apprehend the Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. 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]. John says in the first verse of the book: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God.". He sanctifies us (1 Pet. 2:34; Heb. You cant find an earthly match for this concept. Essence and personhood are NOT the same thing. And the voice of the Father declared, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased (Matt. Well, we can know because God has given us his special revelation: the Bible. Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? The Father sent Jesus into the world (John 3:16; Gal. It is understandable that our finite minds cannot grasp an infinite God. Our kids are currently 2, 4, and 7, and its equally loved by all of them, so the Yoto age range is really wide! But how can finite humans know anything about Gods infinite essence? Or stated simply, the triangles what-ness.. When Jesus answered the question, What is the greatest commandment? he prefaced the answer by quoting the. Therefore, we must always endeavor to deepen our worship of God in truth as well as in our hearts. Whats a Mama to say when the questions start flowing? That's the one we think of as the Father. More simply stated, the essence of any entity is what it is. Lets do a quick review of the topics we have covered. A rumor is started, and it spreads like wildfire. 40:18; Rom. God the Son is the rays of sunshine. Unfortunately, it is also a doctrine that is surrounded by disagreement and controversy among believers. Lets move on to Scriptural evidence for the Trinity. 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. 10:57), The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian. So, rather than starting there, heres where were headed: To think we will everfullyunderstand the Trinity is to make the mistake of thinking God is fully understandable. He differs from the Father, but was and . I work hard to produce evidence-based information about school for both teachers and parents, and to produce and share resources that can help at home and in the classroom. We need you. 1:2;). But Christianitys God is unique. This explains how God can be both one and three. The problem with this is that it reflects a heresy called modalism. Think about it: Finite Christians serve an eternal and infinite God. Get the answers to frequently asked questions on Christian beliefs and practices. In this blog post, we are going to discuss the Holy Trinity in simple terms. While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. But it is not. It may seem like a daunting question at first, but when we think about it the truth of God's triune nature is meant to be a joy, a comfort, and a wonder to us! Be cool with leaving the gathering with more questions than answers. He regenerates us with new spiritual life (John 3:58). Since God is one in a different way than He is three, the Trinity is not a contradiction. Principle #3: Order. But that doesnt mean the concept isnt clearly taught. Why is the Trinity important to Christianity? 9:5; Col. 2:9), The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:34; 2 Cor. The answer is simple. But each member had a different function. The Son and Holy Spirit are equal in deity to the Father. Explore resources to help you live out your life and relationships in a way that honors God. 1. Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. 19:714; Ps. 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. 1:2), and empowers us for service (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. How we seek to journey together with everyone towards a relationship with Jesus. Read Books About The Trinity. Or what are the objective characteristics that all triangles share? God created man in His image. To help us do that, here are two reasons why the Trinity matters. 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. Unsubscribe at any time. They are different Persons, not three different ways of looking at God. 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. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. And that he is manifest as three Persons.. 5:10), Requested prayer in his name (John 14:1314) and to be honored as God (John 5:23), Begetting the human nature of Christ at the incarnation (Luke 1:35), Inspiring Scripture (2 Tim. This is absolutely true. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. Is referred to in the second person (you; Ps. Ignore the urge to tie everything up with a nice little bow. 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. 13:14; 1 Pet.1:2), In the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1025), When Jesus promises the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 1:48), Peters sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:33; Acts 3839), Peter and apostles answer the high priest (Acts 5:3032), During Stephens heavenly vision at his stoning (Acts 7:5556), In Peters sermon to the gentiles in Caesarea (Acts 10:3638; Acts 4448), When Peter reports to the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:1518), When Peter speaks at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:811), During Pauls interaction with Jewish leaders in Rome (Acts 28:2531), Pauls epistles (Rom. If we were to translate it . He realized Scripture alone is the only way we know about the Trinity (1 Cor. See, each member participated in the creation, the incarnation, and redemption. 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). The concept of the Trinity. Only older children will grasp the in one concept of H20. At this stage, your head may be swimming with all this new information about God! That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. Among the three persons of the Trinity, there is a proper order: The Father is the First Person of the Most Holy Trinity. Its okay for them to have a very limited understanding of God. The word "scripture " graphe It's easy to turn doctrinal discussions into strictly intellectual affairs, but as Dr. Fred Sanders teaches in The Triune God course, we need to do so "in a way that enlists the reader's strict and holy attention for what is essentially a spiritual exercise." 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). Check out my tips for teaching your kids about bedtime prayer. 42. After all, children deal best with concrete ideas. know that I recognise only one God. That isGod is three Persons in onethe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Crus annual report and more. God the Father. Other references to the Trinity in the New Testament include Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 12:4-5, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2, and more. How to Support Gifted ReadersContinue, OurYotoplayer,Yoto Mini, and set of Yoto cards is the number one favorite toy in our household, and it has been for two years now. 8:3539; Eph. EitherThe person were explaining it to will think that God simply changes from one to the other at different times and under different circumstances (water). Now we will turn our attention to showing the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are persons.. The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. Ask the teenager this question: Where does this fall short? 2:10), knows (1 Cor. In other words, what are the objective attributes or properties that make up all rocks? These questions arealwaysasked by someone who is exploring faith in Jesus. What is a functional order or subordination? It means that a Trinity member submits himself to one or both of the other members. Many of us say it every single Sunday morning. The fact that the Holy Spirit is a Person, not an impersonal force (like gravity), is also shown by the fact that He speaks (Hebrews 3:7), reasons (Acts 15:28), thinks and understands (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), wills (1 Corinthians 12:11), feels (Ephesians 4:30), and gives personal fellowship (2 Corinthians 13:14). 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. Read about individuals who have been transformed by faith. 8:6a). 55:8-9). Christianity is a monotheistic religion. Yet most Christians have difficulty explaining the Trinity clearly and Biblically. More posts you may like r/TrueChristian Egg A single egg is made up of the yolk, the whites, and the shell. 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? Disclaimer: I believe Trinity. Simply stated, God is one in essence and three in person. 4:4; Col. 1:15), Eternal (John 1:1-3; 17:5; Col. 1:16-17; Jude 25), Omnipresent (Matt. 32:17, 27; Matt. While Jesus and the Father are both God, they are different Persons. As you might expect, some people consider these mysteries as contradictions. But in response we can point out both agreement and clarification. He is three in a different way than He is one. Not the answer an enquiring young mind was looking for. Amongst other books, I have read 'The Forgotten Trinity" by James White, but remain unconvinced that acceptance of or belief in the confusing doctrine of the trinity is essential for Salvation. In the early 2000s, people began using a new approach called "deep . 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 . 1:20-21), In salutations and benedictions (2 Cor. "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. Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. Awareness of the distinct role that each Person of the Trinity has in our salvation can especially serve to give us greater comfort and appreciation for God in our prayers, as well as helping us to be specific in directing our prayers. We should not think of God as like a pie cut into three pieces, each piece representing a Person. 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. OksoWhat about this idea of one being who exists in three persons?. 45:5-6, New Testament: Mark 12:29; John 5:44; Eph. After Christ rose from the grave, he appeared to the disciples and gave them a job to do: preach the Word to everyone. Jesus (the Son) is God. A triangle must have three different corners in order to be one triangle. The word "trinity" is a term used to denote the Christian doctrine that God exists as a unity of three distinct, simultaneous persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In fact, would Jesus have us baptize in the name of a mere creature? The Son is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. 5:7). 4. Within a week,, Read More Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction.