Lets do a quick review of the topics we have covered. That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. The Son is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. 15:28). Stated differently, God is one in essence and three in person. But each member had a different function. A subreddit for the encouragement and discussion of the Biblical Unitarian position which holds The New Testament lists all three Persons of the Trinity simultaneously, 6. Assign each group with one of the Godheads: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), or the Holy Spirit. To start, let me define what I mean when I say persons. Personhood is having intellect, emotions, and a will. 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. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. As youll see explained more deeply in one of the videos below, you can think of it this way: I am a human being. 8:3539; Eph. 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. We cannot entirelycomprehendan infinite God and these mysteries (Rom. Deut. Then share them with another Christian or genuine seeker. Orthodox Christian theology has always affirmed that the one true God is triune in nature. The Holy Trinity is depicted in the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar, Ethiopia. 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). passage also demonstrates Jesus' early declaration of the Trinity. And these three Persons are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 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. 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 . 8:6a). Unfortunately, it is also a doctrine that is surrounded by disagreement and controversy among believers. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. That's the one we think of as the Father. 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 9:5; Col. 2:9), The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:34; 2 Cor. "But if I [Jesus] cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.". Lets apply what weve learned to the Trinity based on the graphic. John says in the first verse of the book: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God.". "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. He said, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29). The Trinity Is Unique Among Monotheistic Religions Christianity is a "monotheistic" religion. He is the only God that exists. 5:2), Miracles (Ex. We all have a story. To understand more fully what God is like is a way of honoring God. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. 45:5-6, New Testament: Mark 12:29; John 5:44; Eph. 2. Actually, March 17 commemorates St. Patrick's death, actually. It is the same thing in three different forms. The Apostle Paul also affirms the doctrine of the Trinity. 92:8) and third person (he, his, him) singular pronouns (1 Kings 18:39). All three Persons of the Trinity are God. Just hang on a little longer. When Jesus answered the question, What is the greatest commandment? he prefaced the answer by quoting the. 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. Question: How do you explain the Trinity? If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? 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. 12:711), The Father is not the Son (Matt. Explore answers to life's biggest questions. Most of them are less-than-helpful. Girls become divided, friendships are ruined, and reputations are tarnished. For instance, each Person: Scripture often names all three members of the Trinity together. God is like the skin because He protects us. 8:1417). Some attributes include eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. Trinity comes from two word parts: tri, meaning three, and unity, meaning as one. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms a union of three. 1:2), Jesus as God (Titus 2:13), and the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5:3-4). For example: God the Father is a person. The easiest way to explain the Trinity is with an object lesson, and thats true no matter how old someone might be. I think it is because they lack at least two pieces of information: The main confusion is that many people dont get this distinction. He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. 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. Gods attributes are not parts of his singular divine essence. But analogies cannot entirely explain the mystery of God. 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. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. As Benjamin Needler preached: This doctrine should establish us in the truth of the gospel For my part, I would not worship that God that I could comprehend Bless God for the clear discovery of this truth under the gospel! And this teaching gives us a glimpse into the incomprehensible greatness of God. At Jesus baptism, when Christ came up out of the water, the Spirit descended in the appearance of a dove. (Heavy sigh.) Have a great discussion about it! Rather than let that frustrate you, let it encourage you. The word Trinity is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible; however, countless scriptures mention all three forms of God. (Againwere trying to grasp something that isnt fully grasp-able.). That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. In this case, "immanent" means "the action remaining within an agent.". "After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him.". One God? If you are a Christian, why not memorize some of this blogs verses? All will play a role in the events mentioned in Revelation. Divide your group into three teams and give each group a sheet of butcher paper or poster. Often it is objected that If Jesus is God, then he must have prayed to himself while he was on earth. But the answer to this objection lies in simply applying what we have already seen. You may be wondering how to wrap your mind around all this brand-new information! Obviously we cannot, for Scripture is clear that there is only one God: There is no other God besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. However, the Bible teaches us enough about these mysteries that we can apprehend them. He was sustaining and manifesting Gods immediate presence in his creation. The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. The Trinity is more than just a vital doctrine. The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. 4; 14; Jon. In fact, would Jesus have us baptize in the name of a mere creature? What is the Trinity? In brief, how we view God will profoundly impact our everyday lives. 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. Learn the basics of what Christians believe. According to the American Heritage Dictionary the word Its not unusual for teenagers to give Jesus a bunch of loving characteristics and then put words like justice and vengeance on God the Fathers poster. One illustration to beware of is the one which says, I am one person, but I am a student, son, and brother. 2. This doctrine is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity. For instance, the Father is the first person of the Trinity. His function is superior to that of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Its okay for them to have a very limited understanding of God. Or what are the objective characteristics that all triangles share? Answer: Jesus came to lead us into relationship with the Father and that required the sacrifice of his own life because of our rebellion. Yet Jesus would not have referenced the Trinity unless it was important. This should make it clear why it is so important to understand that all three Persons are the same essence. Therefore, there is one God with one divine nature and three divine Persons. How can three and one refer to the same God? More simply stated, the essence of any entity is what it is. Each person of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) really IS God. In fact, kids who have been in church for many years will probably have already heard one of these illustrations. Steam, water, and ice are all H20. Engage Children in learning The Holy Trinity through Reading, Writing, Playing, Creating, Singing!Included in this resource:Bible Lesson Book-Teacher Edition: Read Aloud!Full sized, colorful large print . However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the . . Clearly, he appreciated a plurality within the Godhead. Now youre gonna tell me theyre all the same but also different? If someone already has an understanding based on the definition and explanation above, then these analogiesmighthelp them grasp aspects of the Trinity. As theologian and apologist Norman Geisler has explained it, while essence is what you are, person is who you are. In other words, Christianity is unique among all other worldviews. 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. With teenagers, you want to take a different approach, and celebrate the mystery of it all. 5:21), making it possible for us to have a relationship with God. "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. At his death on the cross, sinless Jesus chose to substitute himself in our place (Heb. For example: The Nicene Creed is recited during every service of Holy Communion . 2:10), convinces (John 6:44), teaches (Luke 12:12), convicts (John 16:18), commands (Acts 1:2), moves (John 11:33), helps (Rom. Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. The second point of clarification has to do with personhood. 6:45; 32:39; 1 Kings 8:60; 2 Kings 5:15; Isa. This is absolutely true. 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. 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. Third, we have the Holy Spirit, which is also God, living in our hearts and guiding us through life. Genesis 1:1says this: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.. 31:3; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8), Righteous (Ps. 2:34; Heb. Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org. Simply put: without three angles, theres no triangle! God the Son. He is one in essence. And confusing ones. The Trinity is Christianity's most unique, defining, incomprehensible, and awesome mystery. Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. Anytime you see a geometric figure with these features, it is a triangle. The Father sent Jesus into the world (John 3:16; Gal. He realized Scripture alone is the only way we know about the Trinity (1 Cor. There are two men in their 20s who came to faith in Christ in recent weeks through the ministry of our church. The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But first, lets cover the basics. What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. Why do so many people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity? They are three real persons, not three roles God plays. 2:10), knows (1 Cor. And all three members of the Trinity were involved. This is one possibility of explaining it. And during his earthly ministry, Christ subjected himself to the Fathers will. And yet, we run into the same problem again, because God isnt made up of parts. We begin with a brief discussion of the doctrine in historical context, explaining more fully the nature of the problem it raises. As a result, Jesus death covered or atoned for our sins (2 Cor. 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. 4:15), dying for our sins (1 Cor. This verse accurately states the doctrine of the Trinity that God is One God in three Persons. And that knowledge can feel liberating. I think the major problem involves not distinguishing two different features of God. But it is not. After all, the Trinity is difficult to understand. Ask teenagers hard questions about the Trinity that will make them think, and dont bother trying to come equipped with the perfect answer to everything. Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. As a mom to three kids under 8, an instructional coach, and a former classroom teacher, I know a thing or two about how public schools REALLY work and the challenges we face in the United States. The verb for created isbara. For instance: Additionally, all three members of the Trinity participate together in several critical events. Several analogies help us apprehend the Trinity. Its probably the most classic Trinity object lesson, but its not my favorite. But it also raises many difficult questions. 5:7). But Christianity's God is unique. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. What is the essence of a triangle? And then you will read eight critical truths about the nature of the Trinity. What does it take to begin a relationship with God? And Scripture provides many descriptors, orattributes,of Gods singular essence or nature. The Bible reveals that God isone, in essence, eternally revealed inthree Persons. We will never sell your information, for any reason. 1:318; 1 Pet. At this stage, your head may be swimming with all this new information about God! But all three must be present simultaneously for the geometric figure to be a triangle. But Christianitys God is unique. After understanding the difference between essence and personhood, most objections evaporate! 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. So all three members of the Trinity have unique personhood. 6:11; Gal. While Jesus and the Father are both God, they are different Persons. There are three Persons with one divine essence! OrThe person were explaining it to will think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). 3:3; Heb. Now lets dig into these imperfect yet better than nothing representations of the Trinity for kids. When he has gone further in his "explanation" of the Trinity than many have gone, he admits, "I am far from asserting this as any . December 19, 2018. Grace is the promise that you stand forgiven before God if you know Jesus. Modern theologians have created a distinction between the "economic Trinity" and the "immanent Trinity.". Surely not. But what does it mean that God is gracious? 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). Rather, everything that one Person is involved in, the other two are also involved in, one way or another. Thats what faith is being content with our own confusion while still knowing that God is bigger than we can comprehend. Their prime usefulness it to show the mystery is not contradictory. It was God who took the initiative to save humankind. Trinity not mentioned in the Bible anywhere! Learn how you can know God personally. The Trinity is a mystery beyond our comprehension (Isa. 8:26), comprehends (1 Cor. Find freedom from your sins today. John introduces us to the Trinity in John 1:1- "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God.". Does it look like Grandpa? ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. 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. 3:25; Dan. How is God different? 139:711; Jer. the one who is not a Christian. Sometimes the Spirit is treated more like a force than a Person. Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. The Trinity. These three persons are of the same substance, equal in power and glory. In the early 2000s, people began using a new approach called "deep . 3:17), Omnipresence (Ps. But how can finite humans know anything about Gods infinite essence? Conclusion: Scripture supports the Trinity. 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 Books About The Trinity. 89:14; John 17:25; Rom. How can God be both one and three? We then turn to the most important strategies that have been developed by Christians to resolve this problem. Ibid, p. 255. What is a functional order or subordination? It means that a Trinity member submits himself to one or both of the other members. We are dealing with fact. First, we have God. How do we know whats age-appropriate for them to understand? Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Crus annual report and more. 20:3; cf. In Hinduism, the trinity (Trimrti, or The Three Forms) is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. OksoWhat about this idea of one being who exists in three persons?. Your Identity in Christ: How God Sees You. The technical term in case youre interested for this wrong way of thinking about God is calledmodalism. 1:17; Dan. After all, as I have said many times (to myself as much as others! Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. It has been said, Try to explain the trinity and lose your mind, try to explain away the trinity and lose your soul. The Definition Of The Trinity. If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is one-third of God? The three members of the unholy trinity are Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. All three members of the Trinity have these characteristics. Christ through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God.. 2:11), speaks (Mark 13:11), testifies (Acts 20:23), reveals (1 Cor. 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. Here we will summarize some of the fruits of their labor. Heres how the triangle analogy can help: Consider a triangle with me. Each corner is distinct (i.e., different) from the others. The wordtrinitymeans tri-unity or three-in-oneness.. Instead, they are all identical in attributes. 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. So many things clamor to define you. Binmin Podcast 8: God & Origins | What Questions Should I Ask About My Faith, Binmin Podcast Ep. The doctrine or concept of the Trinity is central to most Christian denominations and faith groups, although not all.
Bryan Robson Daughter, Jack And Joanne Ham, Articles H
Bryan Robson Daughter, Jack And Joanne Ham, Articles H