What does essence mean? To this day, this scripture inspires the language we use to baptize people across Christian denominations. Lets start with the geometric figure of the triangle itself. . That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. But secondly, Christians need to clarify that God is incomprehensible. 28:20; Col. 3:11), Omnibenevolent (John 13:34; Rom. 4; 14; Jon. After understanding the difference between essence and personhood, most objections evaporate! 11:3336). 1. The Trinity is a mystery beyond our comprehension (Isa. 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. Fortunately, the most popular analogy of the Trinity is the triangle. 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. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. 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. 2. He was "begotten, not made," and he was of the same substance or essence ( homoousios) as the Father. Or what are the objective characteristics that all triangles share? ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. The first commandment says, You shall have no other gods before me (Ex. What Is the Trinity? (Free Downloads) - Ligonier.org One illustration to beware of is the one which says, I am one person, but I am a student, son, and brother. Not the answer an enquiring young mind was looking for. The Trinity confuses many people. How To Explain St. Patrick's Day To A Child, From Fun To Facts - MSN God is spirit (John 4:24). While Jesus and the Father are both God, they are different Persons. These three persons make up the one true God. I think the major problem involves not distinguishing two different features of God. He sanctifies us (1 Pet. As youll see explained more deeply in one of the videos below, you can think of it this way: I am a human being. Get the answers to frequently asked questions on Christian beliefs and practices. Steam, water, and ice are all H20. And yet, we run into the same problem again, because God isnt made up of parts. Fill this out to make sure you don't miss a thing! 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. What we do not mean by Person is an independent individual in the sense that both I and another human are separate, independent individuals who can exist apart from one another. Trinity | Definition, Theology, & History | Britannica 2:11), and performs miracles (Matt. The doctrine of the Trinity is the belief that there is one God who has revealed Himself in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Even then, he was not alone, because he had his Logos within him. To contemplate the Trinity is to lift up your heart and to "set your mind on the things above" (Col. 3:2). This is one of the books of the Torah. While not a typical conversation starter, this question is one of the most important we can ask in life. 4. Third, Christians believe that the entire New Testament is inspired. They only describe what makes up Gods singular essence. Perhaps for the first time, you have read that the Trinity is a mystery and not acontradiction. But Christianity's God is unique. 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. Believe it or not, the fact that God is too immense for our finite minds should be comforting, not discouraging! Geisler, N. L., and R. E MacKenzie, R. E. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences. 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! But they are eternally subordinate in their roles to him (1 Cor. 3:17), Omnipresence (Ps. 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]. How can God be both one and three? This triune God (or Trinity) began to allude to this aspect of His nature right in Genesis 1:26-27. 4. 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 different roles refer to a functional order or functional subordination.. May 23, 2012 by: Justin Buzzard. These three persons are of the same substance, equal in power and glory. How to Explain the Trinity in 4 Steps - The Catechism Guy PDF UNDERSTANDING THE TRINITY - Silica Bible Chapel 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 . 55 years on I've yet to hear or read an explanation of the Trinity that makes sense. 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 Trinity: Easy As 1, 2, 3? - ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry 4:4; Col. 1:15), Eternal (John 1:1-3; 17:5; Col. 1:16-17; Jude 25), Omnipresent (Matt. I think it is because they lack at least two pieces of information: The main confusion is that many people dont get this distinction. In this blog post, we are going to discuss the Holy Trinity in simple terms. 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. Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. A beautiful mystery. That way were providing a simple, common language and framework for everything else were going to say (or any analogies we use). 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. We should not think of God as like a pie cut into three pieces, each piece representing a Person. That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. Trinity may be a new term for you and can be confusing even for Christians to explain to others. Binmin Podcast 8: God & Origins | What Questions Should I Ask About My Faith, Binmin Podcast Ep. Need help teaching your kids about communion, either at Sunday School or home? Baker Books, 1995, pp. 2:17). There was never a time when one of the Persons of the Godhead did not exist. 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). Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. 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. 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. Its probably the most classic Trinity object lesson, but its not my favorite. While admitting the lack of conformity among believers, we must never consider it a minor issue of doctrine. The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Assign each group with one of the Godheads: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), or the Holy Spirit. The general pattern of prayer in the Bible is to pray to the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18). Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. The Trinity. How To Explain the Trinity To Your Child - 4 Creative Ways But is there any easy way to apprehend these exciting discoveries? " Here God is a plural noun, said is in the . The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. The three members of the unholy trinity are Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. 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. The Definition Of The Trinity. After all, children deal best with concrete ideas. Learn how you can know God personally. Trying to fully understand God is like a 2-year-old trying to fully understand the complexities of relationships, marriage, and parenting! Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. 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. When Jesus answered the question, What is the greatest commandment? he prefaced the answer by quoting the. The apple one is kind of cool. Sigh. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. But it also raises many difficult questions. How to explain the trinity to a new believer pdf - Canada Examples Step Finally I would end with Deuteronomy 29:29 which helps us to realize that we cannot fully comprehend God. 18:20; Matt. God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being (Gen. 1:1). The Easiest Way to Explain the Trinity | SsouthernLifestyle How Do You Explain the Trinity? - A Thimble-full of Theology for Daily So, in this article, we will look at where the term originated. After all, as I have said many times (to myself as much as others! 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. All three Persons of the Trinity are God. PDF UNDERSTANDING THE TRINITY - Andrew M. Bailey Dont despair. Reflecting Jesus together for the good of the city. 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. 11 Things to Know about the Doctrine of the Trinity - Zondervan Academic