We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation. 55 years on I've yet to hear or read an explanation of the Trinity that makes sense. 13: Trinity | Putting the Fun In, Faith and Finances: 5 Steps to Get Started. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. The answer is they are gray and hard. Further, we should allow the fact that God is triune to deepen our worship. Looking for a great childrens Bible? Learn about Cru's global leadership team. Orthodox Christian theology has always affirmed that the one true God is triune in nature. 3:1617). 6:11; Gal. There we read that " God said, 'Let us make man in our image' . Essence means the same thing as being. Thus, since God is only one essence, He is only one being, not three. That may sound intimidating but dont worry Ill unpack that definition below. The Holy Spirit is God. Binmin Podcast 8: God & Origins | What Questions Should I Ask About My Faith, Binmin Podcast Ep. This doctrine is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity. But I hope you have learned that the Trinity is not contradictory. At Jesus baptism, when Christ came up out of the water, the Spirit descended in the appearance of a dove. Many of us say it every single Sunday morning. Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. 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. This is a limitation on God that doesnt acknowledge that God isalwaysthe Father,alwaysthe Son, andalwaysthe Holy Spirit. Learn why He did it and what it means for you. Find freedom from your sins today. LESSON 1: THE TRINITY AIM: To teach the children in simple terms the truth of the Godhead. In brief, how we view God will profoundly impact our everyday lives. Before anything was created he begat his Logos as a person distinct from himself. 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. 2:11), speaks (Mark 13:11), testifies (Acts 20:23), reveals (1 Cor. I might end with sharing a few analogies from nature. 31:3; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8), Righteous (Ps. Go ahead and start with one of the object lessons above. 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." 23:2324). Of course, anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about (p. 145). In other words, there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons. 5:21), making it possible for us to have a relationship with God. The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. . The Trinity Matters because the Gospel Matters. Trinity may be a new term for you and can be confusing even for Christians to explain to others. Surely not. Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. 13:14), the term Trinity does not appear. Use the links below to jump to a specific section: The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is God. 4:30), and a will (1 Cor. . This explains how God can be both one and three. The problem with this is that it reflects a heresy called modalism. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. 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. There was never a time when one of the Persons of the Godhead did not exist. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son. We can discern and apprehend what it is. Lets do a quick review of the topics we have covered. 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). 1:17; Dan. Weve made a comparison between this object and the Trinity. If you're looking for the best Christian jobs and careers, check out Cru's ministry job openings for full- and part-time missionaries and professionals. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. Show them that there are three parts: seeds, flesh, and skin. Most Christians are puzzled by the Trinity, and therefore, cant explain it very well. The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. They have eternally (John 17:5, 24) sought to glorify each other (Phil. 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. This is something far removed from our human experience, where every different human "person" is a different being as well. He differs from the Father, but was and . *catholic, meaning universal here, and not a reference to the big C Catholic. In fact, would Jesus have us baptize in the name of a mere creature? Well, we can know because God has given us his special revelation: the Bible. In all transparency, I feel like I did a pretty mediocre job of explaining the Trinity to them in a way they could grasp. If someone already has an understanding based on the definition and explanation above, then these analogiesmighthelp them grasp aspects of the Trinity. However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the . While this is in my mind the simplest, clearest explanation, I understand that even this breaks down when we go further and say I am a human and I am Keith Ferrin. While not a typical conversation starter, this question is one of the most important we can ask in life. So, the Trinity is incomprehensible. These three persons make up the one true God. A simpler way to talk about the Trinity is through "God grammar.". 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 . More simply stated, the essence of any entity is what it is. 89:14; John 17:25; Rom. 1:7; 2 Tim. Begin and end with your object lesson, and be comfortable with the imperfect teaching. Tertullian coined the term Trinity during the second century. Hes the one who walked the Earth blamelessly, performing miracles, and extending mercy and love. This post is full of Bible facts for kids that will spark the imagination, encourage lots of good questions, and even inspire some Bible reading. For instance, the Father is the first person of the Trinity. His function is superior to that of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. 4:47), In Hebrews (Heb. A rumor is started, and it spreads like wildfire. But they are eternally subordinate in their roles to him (1 Cor. God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt. A mystery that should cause us to marvel, and wonder, and worship! . 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. The fact that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons means, in other words, that the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father. Deity of Jesus: 10 Essentials You Need to Know! 2:8-9), we can become Gods children. Internship opportunities with Cru's ministries. Is the Trinity a contradiction? The trouble with this one is that its a bit less visual. The Bible teaches the Trinity beginning with the days of creation. How to Explain the Trinity to an Unbeliever The Village Church - Flower Mound 118K subscribers 36K views 5 years ago The Trinity is confusing even to most Christians, so we want to pull the. Allegedly, Saint Patrick used a shamrock as a metaphor to explain the Trinity: three leaves, one shamrock. They include: Now you have a basic understanding of the Trinity. The answer is simple. A triangle must have three different corners in order to be one triangle. Since our personal relationship is with Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit lies within us, what role does God play as Father? The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. The concept of the Trinity. Each corner is distinct (i.e., different) from the others. 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. Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. That's the one we think of as the Father. Now, as Fred Sanders once quipped, this doesn't mean you should begin every witnessing encounter, "God loves you . 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. So God is one what but three whos.. Below are several of the most popular ones. While theconceptof the Trinity is evident in the New Testament (Matt. God is not one person who plays three different roles, as this illustration suggests. And this teaching gives us a glimpse into the incomprehensible greatness of God. God is the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. After all, so much happens in the week leading up to the resurrection of Christ. If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is one-third of God? 15:28). Satan. All three members of the Trinity have these characteristics. Carrying this concept over to the Trinity, it is not a contradiction for God to be both three and one because He is not three and one in the same way. 2. ETS members all confess the Father, the Son, and the Spirit to be "one in essence, equal in power and glory.". This verse accurately states the doctrine of the Trinity that God is One God in three Persons. These personal distinctions are modes of existence within the divine being, but are not divisions of the divine being. 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. Thats what faith is being content with our own confusion while still knowing that God is bigger than we can comprehend. Its okay for them to have a very limited understanding of God. But dont get confused. The early church absolutely believed and taught the belief in a God who was three-in-one. He is one in essence. If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? You may be wondering how to wrap your mind around all this brand-new information! There would only be a contradiction if we said that God is three in the same way that He is one. Matt Perman is the director of career navigation at The Kings College NYC, a blogger, and an author. He is three in a different way than He is one. We Reflect God's Personhood and Relations. This is absolutely true. Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. The Trinity. But Christianitys God is unique. Must you become a better person so that God will accept you? After all, if the trinitarian nature of God is not in the Bible, why bother talking about it at all? Its a mystery the Bible teaches. For example the: Finite humankind cannot wholly comprehend these mysteries. The three most common go-to analogies for explaining the Trinity are water, an egg, and the sun. Firstly, we agree that finite humankind is limited. 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. 3:1417). 10:2831), In Johns writings (1 John 4:1314; Rev. Theologian R.C. 5:7). ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. Other statements may at first seem contradictory but are really not. 4 Visual Ways To Explain The Trinity To A Child. Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. And that knowledge can feel liberating. Find resources for personal or group Bible study. How can God be both one and three? Monotheism is foundational to Christianity. But is there any easy way to apprehend these exciting discoveries? That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. Perfect for the Bible newbie or the long-time Bible reader. 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. It starts with a whisper. What is the Trinity? The Fathers plan for our redemption shows his great love for humankind. 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). God the Son is the rays of sunshine. Another serious error people have made is to think that the Father became the Son, who then became the Holy Spirit. They only describe what makes up Gods singular essence. Essenceis the objective set of attributes necessary to the thing being described. God created man in His image. Each member of the Trinity is . 8:6), Jesus is called God (John 1:1-5; John 20:28; Rom. Because humankind is limited, God will always exceed our knowledge and understanding (Isa. Monotheism. Youngblood, R. F., et al. But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. Simply put: without three angles, theres no triangle! The three members of the unholy trinity are Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. We should not think of God as like a pie cut into three pieces, each piece representing a Person. Answer. After all, theyre good questions. The doctrine of the Trinity is considered to be one of the central Christian affirmations about God. Use Objects As Visual Aids. When you cut an apple in half, you can see that each of these three parts are different (at this point, you can cut the apple open for your kids! 119; Prov. If you are a Christian, why not memorize some of this blogs verses? 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 OrThe person were explaining it to will think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). How to EXPLAIN The Trinity to a New Believer - Introduction to the Godhead In this video I will introduce the godhead or the trinity in one of the easiest te. Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring. It is very simple: All three Persons are one God because, as we saw above, they are all the same essence. Yoto has lots of great stuff for, Read More 27 of the Best Yoto Cards for Kids (sorted by age group)Continue, If youre a Sunday School teacher or a mom hoping to instill a love of Bible learning in your children, Ive got some goodies for you! We also see this evidenced in how the Son and Father sent the Spirit into the world (John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7). 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). He exists as a Trinity. He said, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29). He is the only God that exists. It is one of the two ordinances of the Christian Church. Conclusion: Scripture teaches the Trinity. After all, children deal best with concrete ideas. 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. This is one possibility of explaining it. Each Person of the Trinity is distinct, 8. God is infinite. Christ through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God.. Egg A single egg is made up of the yolk, the whites, and the shell. However, the biblical doctrine of the Trinity does not rest on one verse of Scripture, but is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. Here we will summarize some of the fruits of their labor. Thus, they relate to each other personally the Father regards Himself as I, while He regards the Son and Holy Spirit as You. Likewise the Son regards Himself as I, but the Father and the Holy Spirit as You.. It's so simple, it fits on one page. The substance of God is God, not a bunch of ingredients that taken together yield deity. 28:18-20; 2 Cor. Get the answers to frequently asked questions on Christian beliefs and practices. Further, we clearly should not think of God as consisting of anything other than divinity. And yet, we run into the same problem again, because God isnt made up of parts. That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. 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. . " Here God is a plural noun, said is in the .

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