A bright teen asked me to explain the Trinity. Here's what I said. And God seeks people to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). 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. How we seek to journey together with everyone towards a relationship with Jesus. 4:30), and a will (1 Cor. 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. Baker Books, 1995, pp. For example the: Finite humankind cannot wholly comprehend these mysteries. From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. 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. 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. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about the Trinity. This is great fun to see how teenagers draw a picture of God. This is one of the books of the Torah. This one is kinda fun for older kids who understand a bit of science. 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. If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is one-third of God? The Holy Spirit is God, but He is not the Son or the Father. Perfect for the Bible newbie or the long-time Bible reader. Is the Trinity a contradiction? Their prime usefulness it to show the mystery is not contradictory. 23-26; Luke 7:11-17; Luke 11:1-45), Sends the Holy Spirit and his gifts (John 16:714), Put his words on a par with Gods (Matt. 8:6), Jesus is called God (John 1:1-5; John 20:28; Rom. We need you. 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. Check out my tips for teaching your kids about bedtime prayer. 31:3; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8), Righteous (Ps. 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. The answer is simple. Read about individuals who have been transformed by faith. Tozerputs it well in The Knowledge of the Holy. 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. Read more. Example 1: What is the nature or essence of a rock? We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. There are two men in their 20s who came to faith in Christ in recent weeks through the ministry of our church. Here we will summarize some of the fruits of their labor. You can cut into an apple in front of your group. As long as a shape has those three angles that add up to 180 degrees, it doesnt matter what the angles degrees are. They are higher than the heavenswhat can you do?, "For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.. The Trinity is a mystery beyond our comprehension (Isa. For example, it says of Christ that "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). Our kids are currently 2, 4, and 7, and its equally loved by all of them, so the Yoto age range is really wide! PDF A Brief Explanation of the Trinity - TheologicalStudies.org.uk While it is good for us to seek understanding of the Trinity, we cannot fully comprehend God. I think the major problem involves not distinguishing two different features of God. But I hope you have learned that the Trinity is not contradictory. Genesis 1:1says this: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.. The Bible is clear that all three Persons are each one hundred percent God. 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. The three most common go-to analogies for explaining the Trinity are water, an egg, and the sun. 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. He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. 3:19; Eph. He was sustaining and manifesting Gods immediate presence in his creation. That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. 15:19), God is called Father (John 17:1; John 3; 20:17; 1 Cor. The early church absolutely believed and taught the belief in a God who was three-in-one. The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. But that doesnt mean the concept isnt clearly taught. Geisler, N. L., and R. E MacKenzie, R. E. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences. As a result, Jesus death covered or atoned for our sins (2 Cor. Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. 8:2327), Resuscitates the dead (Matt. Yet most Christians have difficulty explaining the Trinity clearly and Biblically. Ive already done your research at my local library. 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 How do we come to terms with these different ideas of God? Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? The Bible is clear that all three Persons are each one hundred percent God. 20:3; cf. 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. 2:11), emotions (Eph. For instance: Additionally, all three members of the Trinity participate together in several critical events. Simply put: without three angles, theres no triangle! 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). 9:14; Heb. But the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a He (see John 14:26; 16:7-15; Acts 8:16). 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." Therefore, we must always endeavor to deepen our worship of God in truth as well as in our hearts. In his second letter to the Corinthians, he bids farewell to them: "May the grace of the Lord Jesus, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Our Triune God - Grace To You Anytime you see a geometric figure with these features, it is a triangle. 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. 6:11; Gal. Sigh. That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. How do I explain to a non-believer that belief in the Trinity is God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being (Gen. 1:1). Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. Lets start with the geometric figure of the triangle itself. know that I recognise only one God. Answer. What is the essence of a triangle? While some say . Conclusion: Scripture teaches the Trinity. Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. The concept of the Trinity is often referred to during worship, which helps Christians to understand it. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. 1. To be even more precise, essence is what you are. Ibid, p. 255. These personal distinctions are modes of existence within the divine being, but are not divisions of the divine being. 20:23; Deut. This triune God (or Trinity) began to allude to this aspect of His nature right in Genesis 1:26-27. And the voice of the Father declared, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased (Matt. What is Gods essence? 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. We Reflect God's Personhood and Relations. Or what are the objective characteristics that all triangles share? Now we will turn our attention to showing the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are persons.. 13:14), the term Trinity does not appear. Its okay for them to have a very limited understanding of God. Thats where the confusion comes from. 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. This law states that A cannot be both A (what it is) and non-A (what it is not) at the same time and in the same relationship. He realized Scripture alone is the only way we know about the Trinity (1 Cor. 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. Show them that there are three parts: seeds, flesh, and skin. Other statements may at first seem contradictory but are really not. The word "scripture " graphe And all three members of the Trinity were involved. Now, as Fred Sanders once quipped, this doesn't mean you should begin every witnessing encounter, "God loves you . Be cool with leaving the gathering with more questions than answers. This analogy ignores the personal distinctions within God and mitigates them to mere roles. Clearly, he appreciated a plurality within the Godhead. 11 Things to Know about the Doctrine of the Trinity - Zondervan Academic The relationship between essence and Person, then, is as follows. The Trinity Matters because the Gospel Matters. 10:57), The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian. It is the unity of the Father, Son, and Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. 40:18; Rom. While there are some illustrations which are helpful, we should recognize that no illustration is perfect. Find freedom from your sins today. 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). Before anything was created he begat his Logos as a person distinct from himself. After all, children deal best with concrete ideas. Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. The Trinity. A simpler way to talk about the Trinity is through "God grammar.". If we were to translate it . How do I explain to a non-believer that belief in the Trinity is But it is not. 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. We just covered Gods one divine essence. Among the three persons of the Trinity, there is a proper order: The Father is the First Person of the Most Holy Trinity. 8:3539; Eph. What Is the Unholy Trinity in the Bible? - Christianity.com 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). Rather than let that frustrate you, let it encourage you. Does Matthew 28:19 Prove the Trinity? - Life, Hope & Truth Lets apply what weve learned to the Trinity based on the graphic. This is a limitation on God that doesnt acknowledge that God isalwaysthe Father,alwaysthe Son, andalwaysthe Holy Spirit. As Hebrews 9:14 declares. God is one in a certain way (essence) and three in a different way (person). Trinity | Definition, Theology, & History | Britannica Ask them to draw it on the page. I hate getting spam. I am fully human. Does the Trinity mean that God is divided into three parts? 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. The substance of God is God, not a bunch of ingredients that taken together yield deity. Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine, and Jerome mention it. The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. Even wonderful parents have kids who struggle with self esteem, despite excellent parenting and a supportive home environment. The Trinity is like an egg or apple. I recently had some of my kids friends ask meWhat is the Trinity? Explore resources to help you live out your life and relationships in a way that honors God. 25:3146; 2 Cor. Does it look like Grandpa? Instead, they are all identical in attributes. ). Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. 32:17, 27; Matt. 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. But a common question arises: How do the members of the Trinity differ from one another?. 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 youre wondering how to explain the Trinity to a child, keep it simple. How to Explain the Trinity in 4 Steps - The Catechism Guy The Trinity Is Unique Among Monotheistic Religions Christianity is a "monotheistic" religion. 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! The three members of the unholy trinity are Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. Perhaps for the first time, you have read that the Trinity is a mystery and not acontradiction. See, each member participated in the creation, the incarnation, and redemption. If it were the other way around and we understood God completely, how would he be the sovereign God? Why do so many people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity? Matthew 3:16. 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. This is something far removed from our human experience, where every different human "person" is a different being as well. Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Crus annual report and more. Many other verses concurrently list the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. If youd like to get away from simple object lessons and move your child toward a deeper understanding of Gods nature, check out The Attributes of God for Kids. God the Father. Begin and end with your object lesson, and be comfortable with the imperfect teaching. Famous pastor and authorA.W. 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. Fun fact: The 325 Nicene Creed does not state Trinity. Monotheism. Youngblood, R. F., et al. Find resources for personal or group Bible study. So God is one what but three whos.. Actually, March 17 commemorates St. Patrick's death, actually. Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. 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. 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. He is three in a different way than He is one. Christ through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God.. ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. God is truth, so the unity that He is effecting between believers is a unity grounded in truth. And when he speaks, he refers to himself in first personas I (Deut. Question & Answer: The Orthodox Presbyterian Church 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. After Christ rose from the grave, he appeared to the disciples and gave them a job to do: preach the Word to everyone. To understand more fully what God is like is a way of honoring God. 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. 2:18). 3:1417). Firstly, we agree that finite humankind is limited. All of this information is a lot to take in at once. That is ok when it comes to rocks and triangles. 2. In describing the Trinity, the New Testament clearly distinguishes three Persons who are all simultaneously active.
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