He is one in essence. Trinity | Definition, Theology, & History | Britannica This is absolutely true. May 23, 2012 by: Justin Buzzard. And we can delight in praying to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit (John 14:1314; Eph. We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The different roles refer to a functional order or functional subordination.. Allegedly, Saint Patrick used a shamrock as a metaphor to explain the Trinity: three leaves, one shamrock. Now, as Fred Sanders once quipped, this doesn't mean you should begin every witnessing encounter, "God loves you . Teaching the Trinity to Students Youth Pastor Theologian There are two men in their 20s who came to faith in Christ in recent weeks through the ministry of our church. Fun fact: The 325 Nicene Creed does not state Trinity. 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 . 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). The Holy Spirit is God, but He is not the Son or the Father. 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. If youre wondering how to explain the Trinity to a child, keep it simple. Among the three persons of the Trinity, there is a proper order: The Father is the First Person of the Most Holy Trinity. The Bible speaks of the Father as God (Phil. Thats where the confusion comes from. Binmin Podcast 8: God & Origins | What Questions Should I Ask About My Faith, Binmin Podcast Ep. Lets start with the geometric figure of the triangle itself. In all transparency, I feel like I did a pretty mediocre job of explaining the Trinity to them in a way they could grasp. The Bible teaches the Trinity beginning with the days of creation. Therefore, it is often difficult to have a concrete definition of Person as we use it in regards to the Trinity. Did your kids give each form of God different personality traits? But that doesnt mean the concept isnt clearly taught. Best Age To Teach The Trinity To A Child. Since our personal relationship is with Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit lies within us, what role does God play as Father? ), "If God was small enough for my brain to fully understand, He wouldnt be big enough to save me!, The authors of the Bible understood this. As a result, Jesus death covered or atoned for our sins (2 Cor. For example: God the Father is a person. 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 Trinity Is Unique Among Monotheistic Religions Christianity is a "monotheistic" religion. The Father is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of God. Why not plan on studying verses in each section to prove to yourself that the Bible does claim that God is a Trinity? 2:6), The image of God (John 12:45; 2 Cor. Monotheism. Youngblood, R. F., et al. As Hebrews 9:14 declares. Does it look like Grandpa? You may feel like you are drinking from a fire hydrant. Jesus (the Son) is God. 25:3146; 2 Cor. Finally I would end with Deuteronomy 29:29 which helps us to realize that we cannot fully comprehend God. 12:11), When the Holy Spirit speaks, he refers to himself in first person (Acts 13:2). 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 . Are you still not a Christian? He realized Scripture alone is the only way we know about the Trinity (1 Cor. As a former youth minister and childrens minister, Ive already done your research! 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. 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. Tertullian coined the term Trinity during the second century. Secondly I'd like you to read this verse with me from the Bible. The Son and Holy Spirit are equal in deity to the Father. OrThe person were explaining it to will think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). . How is God one? There are three Persons with 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. While theconceptof the Trinity is evident in the New Testament (Matt. 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. In regards to the Trinity, we use the term Person differently than we generally use it in everyday life. And when he speaks, he refers to himself in first personas I (Deut. We all have a story. What does essence mean? And the voice of the Father declared, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased (Matt. 4:4; Col. 1:15), Eternal (John 1:1-3; 17:5; Col. 1:16-17; Jude 25), Omnipresent (Matt. Hes the one who walked the Earth blamelessly, performing miracles, and extending mercy and love. Simply stated, God is one in essence and three in person. After all, the Trinity is difficult to understand. Lets apply these concepts to the Trinity. I am also fully Keith Ferrin. We should not think of God as like a pie cut into three pieces, each piece representing a Person. In explaining the Trinity to your friend, begin, perhaps, with the work of salvation. 45:5-6, New Testament: Mark 12:29; John 5:44; Eph. For instance, the Father is the first person of the Trinity. His function is superior to that of the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity was present in the atonement at the cross. Does the Trinity mean that God is divided into three parts? Heres how the triangle analogy can help: Consider a triangle with me. In this case, "immanent" means "the action remaining within an agent.". What is a functional order or subordination? It means that a Trinity member submits himself to one or both of the other members. The idea that God is somehow three and one starts onPage 1and never changes. Reaching students and faculty in middle and high school. 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]. C.S. Lewis and Mere Christianity: The Trinity (The Three-Personal God 1. Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. Our mind distinguishes each of the three leaves (the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost), but at the same time recognizes they are one shamrock. Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide. 1:8). All of this information is a lot to take in at once. Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. At Jesus baptism, when Christ came up out of the water, the Spirit descended in the appearance of a dove. (Ohand I'll send you my free guideThe Simplest Way to Study ANY Bible Passageas a "Thank you" for jumping on board!). It is one of the two ordinances of the Christian Church. You can cut into an apple in front of your group. How To Explain the Trinity to Muslims - Bellator Christi He is one Being in three Persons (centers of consciousness), not merely three roles. 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. Here are the best childrens Bibles, sorted by age. 4:15), dying for our sins (1 Cor. LESSON 1: THE TRINITY AIM: To teach the children in simple terms the truth of the Godhead. Answer: Jesus came to lead us into relationship with the Father and that required the sacrifice of his own life because of our rebellion. Further, we clearly should not think of God as consisting of anything other than divinity. Rather, each person of the Trinity has all of the attributes of God, and no one Person has any attributes that are not possessed by the others. There are many illustrations which have been offered to help us understand the Trinity. How we seek to journey together with everyone towards a relationship with Jesus. Thats the one we think of as the Father. 3:17), Omnipresence (Ps. .. As theologian and apologist Norman Geisler has explained it, while essence is what you are, person is who you are. In the early 2000s, people began using a new approach called "deep . Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. It is crucial for properly understanding what God is like, how He relates to us, and how we should relate to Him. To contemplate the Trinity is to lift up your heart and to "set your mind on the things above" (Col. 3:2). 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. 2:11), and performs miracles (Matt. Are these just three different ways of looking at God, or simply ways of referring to three different roles that God plays? In his bookMere Christianity, C. S. Lewis points out an important distinction. I wont go into all of the verses here (simply type bible verses about the Trinity into Google and youll find plenty). Question: How do you explain the Trinity? The word Trinity is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible; however, countless scriptures mention all three forms of God. Show them that there are three parts: seeds, flesh, and skin. 3. The verb for created isbara. The Trinity consists of one being revealed in three distinct persons. Neither should we think of the Persons as being defined by attributes added on to the being of God. passage also demonstrates Jesus' early declaration of the Trinity. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. First, we have God. He differs from the Father, but was and . (So I won't send you any.) But he is not inferior in Gods divine essence. 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. Essence and person are not the same thing. First of all I want to tell you that the Trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I think the major problem involves not distinguishing two different features of God. You arent alone! He is the only God that exists. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. 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. We then turn to the most important strategies that have been developed by Christians to resolve this problem. Learn to develop your skills, desire and ability to join others on their spiritual journeys and take them closer to Jesus. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. The Trinity confuses many people. While not a typical conversation starter, this question is one of the most important we can ask in life. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. For example they: 5. In Hinduism, the trinity (Trimrti, or The Three Forms) is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. But they are eternally subordinate in their roles to him (1 Cor. While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. Ive got you covered with all the basics, no matter your denomination. Why not consider these truths and place your faith in Jesus (1 John 5:1)? 2:511). That is where I go back to the starting point I mentioned above. 12:28; Rom. 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. How can God be both one and three? View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages. The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 7:28; Ps. What does it take to begin a relationship with God? Weve made a comparison between this object and the Trinity. He said, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29). Because these features make up the singular essence or nature of a triangle. OksoWhat about this idea of one being who exists in three persons?. also 1:18). Can You Explain the Trinity to Me? - Billy Graham Evangelistic Association The Trinity | Answers in Genesis PDF A Brief Explanation of the Trinity - TheologicalStudies.org.uk Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. And God created humankind to share that love (John 17:2126; Acts 17:25). We exist to worship God. Faith is recognizing that we dont have all the answers and deciding that its okay to keep believing and growing. Geisler, N. L., and R. E MacKenzie, R. E. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences. 4:30), and a will (1 Cor. Explore resources to help you live out your life and relationships in a way that honors God. To understand more fully what God is like is a way of honoring God. What is the origin of the doctrine of the Trinity? 40:18; Rom. I'm an author, speaker, husband, father and ice cream lover. 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. Your Identity in Christ: How God Sees You. Omnibenevolence (Jer. As Christians, we derive our concept of person from the relations in the Trinity. These three persons make up the one true God. They are three real persons, not three roles God plays. When Jesus answered the question, What is the greatest commandment? he prefaced the answer by quoting the. If you are a Christian, why not memorize some of this blogs verses? 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. Therefore, there is one God with one divine nature and three divine Persons. 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. What Is the Economic and Immanent Trinity? - Zondervan Academic Gods One-ness is his One divine essence, 3. The divine essence is thus not something that exists above or separate from the three Persons, but the divine essence is the being of the three Persons. Jehovah's Witnesses and the Trinity | Bible.org But its not a mystery that can or should! Ask them to draw it on the page. Steam, water, and ice are all H20. That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. 3:16; 2 Pet. Famous pastor and authorA.W. How do they relate? The oldest member of the unholy trinity. The Holy Spirit is God. 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. We hate SPAM. However, the Bible teaches us enough about these mysteries that we can apprehend them. My passion is helping you not just read and study the Bible, but truly enjoy it! The seeds are like the Holy Spirit, because He helps us grow. From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. 19:714; Ps. A subreddit for the encouragement and discussion of the Biblical Unitarian position which holds 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). But first, lets cover the basics. Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? Most people, including many Christians, struggle trying to apprehend the Trinity.
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