2. 3:1417). But a common question arises: How do the members of the Trinity differ from one another?. Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. 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. For instance, the Father is the first person of the Trinity. His function is superior to that of the Son and the Holy Spirit. While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. We need you. Trinity | Definition, Theology, & History | Britannica The Holy Trinity is depicted in the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar, Ethiopia. 15:19), God is called Father (John 17:1; John 3; 20:17; 1 Cor. And during his earthly ministry, Christ subjected himself to the Fathers will. Be cool with leaving the gathering with more questions than answers. 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). Explore resources to help you live out your life and relationships in a way that honors God. understand the doctrine of the Trinity. But it is not. 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. This is just an egg, or an apple, or H2O. To start, let me define what I mean when I say persons. Personhood is having intellect, emotions, and a will. 1:2;). During this period, it was attempted solely by using algorithmswhich are basically rules or sets of rules you tell a computer to follow. 4. I wont go into all of the verses here (simply type bible verses about the Trinity into Google and youll find plenty). In Hinduism, the trinity (Trimrti, or The Three Forms) is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Understanding the Trinity - Busy Blessed Women Therefore, it is often difficult to have a concrete definition of Person as we use it in regards to the Trinity. As youll see explained more deeply in one of the videos below, you can think of it this way: I am a human being. Admittedly, the idea of three distinct persons/expressions that are each fully God is part of the mystery. To confess that the Father, Son, and Spirit are equal in power of course means that one does not rule over the other in any way. How To Explain The Trinity To A Child Or Teenager - Mama Manages 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. 55:8-9). How To Explain the Trinity to Muslims - crossexamined.org Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? Ignore the urge to tie everything up with a nice little bow. But what does it mean that God is gracious? The Trinity confuses many people. Our fellowship with God should be enhanced by consciously knowing that we are relating to a tri-personal God! A Simple Way to Explain the Trinity - Keith Ferrin 1:18; Luke 1:2635). Conclusion: Scripture teaches the Trinity. Another serious error people have made is to think that the Father became the Son, who then became the Holy Spirit. 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. The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. To be even more precise, essence is what you are. 4:47), In Hebrews (Heb. This triune God (or Trinity) began to allude to this aspect of His nature right in Genesis 1:26-27. The Trinity Explained in 8 Steps - Binmin Theologian R.C. Need help teaching your kids about communion, either at Sunday School or home? Jesus (the Son) is God. If you go to YouTube and search on explain the Trinity youll findlotsof videos. We hate SPAM. Just as ONE egg has THREE different parts - the shell, the white, the yoke - ONE God has THREE different . 8:6), Jesus is called God (John 1:1-5; John 20:28; Rom. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. The doctrine of the Trinity is considered to be one of the central Christian affirmations about God. These are all qualities of personhood. Each person of the Trinity is equally and fully God, distinct from the others, and yet they remain just one God. How is God one? 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. However, let me highlight some of the most significant passages that confirm monotheism: Are you interested in learning more about the Godhead? The Holy Spirit is God. Hes the one who walked the Earth blamelessly, performing miracles, and extending mercy and love. 1. Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. 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. Instead, they are all identical in attributes. The Trinity is more than just a vital doctrine. 13: Trinity | Putting the Fun In, Faith and Finances: 5 Steps to Get Started. 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. How do we come to terms with these different ideas of God? While no church is perfect, the Trinity is still the model for the churchs unity (John 1:2123). Understanding the Trinity: How Can God Be Three Persons in One? - Cru.org Trinity may be a new term for you and can be confusing even for Christians to explain to others. The Trinity is Christianity's most unique, defining, incomprehensible, and awesome mystery. This should make it clear why it is so important to understand that all three Persons are the same essence. What is Gods essence? If it were the other way around and we understood God completely, how would he be the sovereign God? 55 years on I've yet to hear or read an explanation of the Trinity that makes sense. Christs resurrection is variously attributed to: Multiple verses distinguish each member of the Trinity. "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. 2:6), The image of God (John 12:45; 2 Cor. Omnipotence (Jer. However,barais the singular conjugation of the verb. But I hope you have learned that the Trinity is not contradictory. What is a functional order or subordination? It means that a Trinity member submits himself to one or both of the other members. 1. Find resources for personal or group Bible study. That leaves us with the modern definition of the word mystery. He wrote, What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.. They are three real persons, not three roles God plays. Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. PDF UNDERSTANDING THE TRINITY - Andrew M. Bailey The Trinity. While it is good for us to seek understanding of the Trinity, we cannot fully comprehend God. Does Matthew 28:19 Prove the Trinity? - Life, Hope & Truth Reaching students and faculty in middle and high school. The relationship between essence and Person, then, is as follows. 2:8-9), we can become Gods children. 1:2), Jesus as God (Titus 2:13), and the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5:3-4). Internship opportunities with Cru's ministries. 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. How do I explain to a non-believer that belief in the Trinity is Before anything was created he begat his Logos as a person distinct from himself. EXPLAIN THE TRINITY - How To Explain The Holy Trinity Simply God is like the skin because He protects us. PDF UNDERSTANDING THE TRINITY - Silica Bible Chapel But Jesus did not become less than the Father during his incarnation. 3:6. The Trinity is like an egg or apple. Kids understand the three different forms clearly, as separate objects. The Hebrew word for God isElohim. More posts you may like r/TrueChristian There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. Just hang on a little longer. He is one in essence. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not unite people by neglecting t Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. The word Trinity is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible; however, countless scriptures mention all three forms of God. So all three members of the Trinity have unique personhood. The only way humans can know about these mysteries is because the Bible teaches them. 3:16; 2 Pet. 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. That definition is a mouthful. Is God the same as 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. What Is the Unholy Trinity in the Bible? - Christianity.com Most people, including many Christians, struggle trying to apprehend the Trinity. See, each member participated in the creation, the incarnation, and redemption. You may feel like you are drinking from a fire hydrant. 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 Holy Trinity - Explained. Third, we have the Holy Spirit, which is also God, living in our hearts and guiding us through life. Some attributes include eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. Your Identity in Christ: How God Sees You. 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). To further our understanding of the distinction of persons within the one God it is best to move on to the next trinitarian principle. 8:6a). A subreddit for the encouragement and discussion of the Biblical Unitarian position which holds The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible . The answer hinges on the differences in their unique roles. We should not think of God as like a pie cut into three pieces, each piece representing a Person. 31:3; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8), Righteous (Ps. While not a typical conversation starter, this question is one of the most important we can ask in life. Among the worlds religions, the Christian faith is unique. Only older children will grasp the in one concept of H20. From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. Now lets go a little deeper and consider the triangles three corners (angles). God the Holy Spirit. 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. Third, Christians believe that the entire New Testament is inspired. But how can finite humans know anything about Gods infinite essence? 1:8). The The truth is always new, fresh, and exciting to the believer in Christ. Discipleship involves a lot, but one of the most important things you can do with a new believer is read the Bible with them-teaching them how to read, understand, respond to, and apply God's Word. Its a devotional book. This verse accurately states the doctrine of the Trinity that God is One God in three Persons. 89:14; John 17:25; Rom. And likewise with the Holy Spirit. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? That is where I go back to the starting point I mentioned above. Looking for a great childrens Bible? 11:3336). There are many illustrations which have been offered to help us understand the Trinity. And interesting they are listed under a single name. This refers to Gods single essence. But its not a mystery that can or should! You can't explain the Trinity to anyone who reasons because: 1) The Bible does not support it. I am also Keith Ferrin. C.S. Lewis and Mere Christianity: The Trinity (The Three-Personal God Question & Answer: The Orthodox Presbyterian Church Believe it or not, the fact that God is too immense for our finite minds should be comforting, not discouraging! . A rumor is started, and it spreads like wildfire. Of course, anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about (p. 145). Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage. 3:17; 17:5; Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 10:15; 12:28; 17:1-26; 1 Tim. Therefore each of the Persons into whose name we are to be baptized must be deity. It included Jesus miraculous conception in the virgin Mary (John 3:16)an act that we call the incarnation.. Let's explore each of these members. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. Ive been thinking about it a lot, doing some research to see how people smarter than I have explained the Trinity, and come to a better understanding of the Trinity andhow to explain the Trinity in simpler terms. The Trinity consists of one being revealed in three distinct persons. According to the American Heritage Dictionary the word Tertullian coined the term Trinity during the second century. But analogies cannot entirely explain the mystery of God. The Trinity and Christian Unity - Ligonier Ministries 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. 12:28; Rom. Famous pastor and authorA.W. 40:18; Rom. One God? These three persons make up the one true God. be explained away. God Is Triune | Answers in Genesis Did your kids give each form of God different personality traits? Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. Or stated simply, the triangles what-ness.. How would you explain the Trinity? - The Gathering Community Church Mumbai 317 subscribers in the BiblicalUnitarian community. For instance, each Person: Scripture often names all three members of the Trinity together. Finally I would end with Deuteronomy 29:29 which helps us to realize that we cannot fully comprehend God. Why? 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. You can cut into an apple in front of your group. Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine, and Jerome mention it. 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. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. Lets go back to the Trinity triangle graphic, and you will see: By now you understand that the three Persons of the Trinity equally share Gods essence. How to explain the Trinity to a non-Christian - Quora While theconceptof the Trinity is evident in the New Testament (Matt. Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. In other words, you have contradicted yourself if you affirm and deny the same statement. In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. 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. 104:30), sanctifies (Rom. Ask the teenager this question: Where does this fall short? They had to wait another 50 year for the 381 update. The Trinity is the perfect loving community of three Persons. As a result, Jesus death covered or atoned for our sins (2 Cor. Now lets dig into these imperfect yet better than nothing representations of the Trinity for kids. What Is the Trinity? (Free Downloads) - Ligonier.org It's a great reminder of the three parts of the Holy Trinity! Have some fun taking various quizzes and assessments to learn about yourself and others. Gods One-ness is his One divine essence, 3. 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. They are all eternal. John says in the first verse of the book: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God.". Here is an object with three parts: a hard shell, the egg white, and the yolk. View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages. This command lists all three persons of the Trinity. 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. 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. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! 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. Simply stated, God is one in essence and three in person. Faith is recognizing that we dont have all the answers and deciding that its okay to keep believing and growing. In this case, "immanent" means "the action remaining within an agent.". The Bible reveals that God isone, in essence, eternally revealed inthree Persons. 1:7; 2 Tim. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about the Trinity. But is there any easy way to apprehend these exciting discoveries? The Father and the Son are God almighty, omnipotent God. These verses make it impossible to deny their individuality and deity. What is the origin of the doctrine of the Trinity? A simpler way to talk about the Trinity is through "God grammar.". Learn why He did it and what it means for you. 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! 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. He was "begotten, not made," and he was of the same substance or essence ( homoousios) as the Father. Fill this out to make sure you don't miss a thing! Firstly, we agree that finite humankind is limited. Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. 3. The most popular is probably the one found in the Great Commission: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit . The answer is they are gray and hard. 2:34; Heb. Christ took Gods punishment, and wrath meant for us because of our sins (Heb. It is very simple: All three Persons are one God because, as we saw above, they are all the same essence. And the triangle can help us distinguish one essence from the three Persons. We are dealing with fact. My passion is helping you not just read and study the Bible, but truly enjoy it! In fact, kids who have been in church for many years will probably have already heard one of these illustrations. 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). I hate getting spam. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. Essenceis the objective set of attributes necessary to the thing being described. And then you will read eight critical truths about the nature of the Trinity. What is the Trinity? - Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry Monotheism is foundational to Christianity. 3:19; Eph. Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. Dont despair. Because of Gods nature, several mysteries exist within our faith. Tozerputs it well in The Knowledge of the Holy. Christianity is a monotheistic religion. This explains how God can be both one and three. The problem with this is that it reflects a heresy called modalism. However, the Bible teaches us enough about these mysteries that we can apprehend them. God is the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. God is truth, so the unity that He is effecting between believers is a unity grounded in truth. PDF A Brief Explanation of the Trinity - TheologicalStudies.org.uk 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. What does it take to begin a relationship with God? However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the . For instance, the Trinity does not mean that: Instead, we need to clearly distinguish two categories (Persons and essence). He sanctifies us (1 Pet. Of course, if the triangle illustration were perfect, we would be able to comprehend God fully, but we cant. ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. Lets start with the geometric figure of the triangle itself. Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring. Is the Trinity a contradiction? The Fathers plan for our redemption shows his great love for humankind. Show them that there are three parts: seeds, flesh, and skin. The Definition Of The Trinity. 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. As long as a shape has those three angles that add up to 180 degrees, it doesnt matter what the angles degrees are. 5:2), Miracles (Ex. Disclaimer: I believe Trinity. However, these illustrations arent perfect, and really mature kids or teenagers (or adult new believers) could handle digging a bit deeper! What does essence mean? The word Trinity does not appear even once in the Bible. How can one explain the Trinity simply to a new believer? 1:17; Dan. Can We Explain the Trinity? | Desiring God 5:510; 1 Cor. Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. The three-ness and one-ness are two different features. In describing the Trinity, the New Testament clearly distinguishes three Persons who are all simultaneously active. When Jesus answered the question, What is the greatest commandment? he prefaced the answer by quoting the. 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]. Since God is one in a different way than He is three, the Trinity is not a contradiction. There was never a time when one of the Persons of the Godhead did not exist. Can You Explain the Trinity to Me? - Billy Graham Evangelistic Association What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. 20 Bible verses that mention all Trinity members - OverviewBible Read Books About The Trinity. Jesus carried out these creative decrees (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). Answer: Jesus came to lead us into relationship with the Father and that required the sacrifice of his own life because of our rebellion. May 23, 2012 by: Justin Buzzard. God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt. God created man in His image. While some say . What Is the Economic and Immanent Trinity? - Zondervan Academic Yet he also proclaimed, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live (1 Cor. Learn how you can know God personally. Our Triune God - Grace To You 8:26), guides (John 16:13), creates (Ps. As a former youth minister and childrens minister, Ive already done your research! 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. We cannot entirelycomprehendan infinite God and these mysteries (Rom. And yet, we run into the same problem again, because God isnt made up of parts. Three separate beings, all rolled into one entity. He is also referred to in third-person singular pronouns (John 14:26), He engages in actions only a person can do: He searches (1 Cor. That isGod is three Persons in onethe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. "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. This is one possibility of explaining it. The late theologian Herman Bavinck has stated something very helpful at this point: The persons are modes of existence within the being; accordingly, the Persons differ among themselves as the one mode of existence differs from the other, and using a common illustration as the open palm differs from a closed fist.[4], Because each of these forms of existence are relational (and thus are Persons), they are each a distinct center of consciousness, with each center of consciousness regarding Himself as I and the others as You. Nonetheless, these three Persons all consist of the same stuff (that is, the same what, or essence).
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