1:12). The easiest way to explain the Trinity is with an object lesson, and thats true no matter how old someone might be. Surely not. The substance of God is God, not a bunch of ingredients that taken together yield deity. Thus, they relate to each other personally the Father regards Himself as I, while He regards the Son and Holy Spirit as You. Likewise the Son regards Himself as I, but the Father and the Holy Spirit as You.. He was sustaining and manifesting Gods immediate presence in his creation. Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org. But first, lets cover the basics. There are three Persons with one divine essence! Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth by his word. 9:14; Heb. Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. It included Jesus miraculous conception in the virgin Mary (John 3:16)an act that we call the incarnation.. No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. In brief, how we view God will profoundly impact our everyday lives. Learn how you can know God personally. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms - a union of three. using the shamrock or the three states of H 2 O to explain the . 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. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son. Read Books About The Trinity. 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. 317 subscribers in the BiblicalUnitarian community. But dont get confused. But as a follower of Christ, your identity can and should be grounded in one thing: who He says you are. But how does it show us why there is only one God instead of three? We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Even wonderful parents have kids who struggle with self esteem, despite excellent parenting and a supportive home environment. 3. 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. Thats why they wrote words like we find inJob 11:7-8, "Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty? Tozerputs it well in The Knowledge of the Holy. While admitting the lack of conformity among believers, we must never consider it a minor issue of doctrine. Thats the one we think of as the Father. We all have a story. Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. Why, if they are ALL God? After all, as I have said many times (to myself as much as others! Omnibenevolence (Jer. But Christianitys God is unique. Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? This is one possibility of explaining it. 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]. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. The Bible reveals that God isone, in essence, eternally revealed inthree Persons. Rather, everything that one Person is involved in, the other two are also involved in, one way or another. What's the Origin and History of the Trinity in the Church? For instance, the Father is the first person of the Trinity. His function is superior to that of the Son and the Holy Spirit. God told Moses in the Torah to tell God's people these words: M. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." ( Deuteronomy 6:4) C. Yes, that's right. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. Trinity, in Christian doctrine, the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. We define personhood by three key characteristics: Now that you understand the critical distinction, you know that essence is what. And you know personhood is who.. How could we? However, Matthew 28:19 is frequently used in attempts to prove that the Trinity is a biblical teaching. And we can delight in praying to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit (John 14:1314; Eph. Many non-Christians and new Christians often struggle with the idea of the Holy Trinity, where we break up God into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 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! 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). 3. That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. "The Trinity is the foundational Christian belief that God is one Being who exists in three Persons.. 3:3; Heb. What does it take to begin a relationship with God? Why do so many people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity? In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. See if you can let kids arrive at the notion that God isnt really made up of parts. Best Age To Teach The Trinity To A Child. Ignore the urge to tie everything up with a nice little bow. However,barais the singular conjugation of the verb. These questions arealwaysasked by someone who is exploring faith in Jesus. These personal distinctions are modes of existence within the divine being, but are not divisions of the divine being. The Son and Holy Spirit are equal in deity to the Father. 9:5; Col. 2:9), The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:34; 2 Cor. Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. But that doesnt mean the concept isnt clearly taught. So, the Trinity is incomprehensible. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the . 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 differs from the Father, but was and . 28:18-20; 2 Cor. 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. 4. Now we will turn our attention to showing the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are persons.. That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. 25:3146; 2 Cor. Another serious error people have made is to think that the Father became the Son, who then became the Holy Spirit. 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. After all, if the trinitarian nature of God is not in the Bible, why bother talking about it at all? Not the answer an enquiring young mind was looking for. But Jesus did not become less than the Father during his incarnation. Just hang on a little longer. Genesis 1:1says this: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.. Egg A single egg is made up of the yolk, the whites, and the shell. In other words, there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons. Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring. 32:17, 27; Matt. The Holy Spirit is God. We are dealing with fact. Further, we clearly should not think of God as consisting of anything other than divinity. Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. How is God one? 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. 4:47), In Hebrews (Heb. 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. 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. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. Matthew 12:28. God addressed in the second person singular (you): 2 Sam. 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 . The Trinity consists of one being revealed in three distinct persons. A beautiful mystery. 1:3), Demonstrated divine sovereignty over nature (Matt. They are equal in power, love, mercy, justice, holiness, knowledge, and all other qualities. Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. Some attributes include eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. 3:6. How do we know whats age-appropriate for them to understand? As Hebrews 9:14 declares. You will and can grasp these principles. 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 But he is not inferior in Gods divine essence. Explaining the Holy Trinity of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit will be needed at some point when presenting the God of the Bible to children, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons and other non-Christians. 1. Therefore, there is one God with one divine nature and three divine Persons. 1:18; Luke 1:2635). Omnipotence (Jer. It is the same thing in three different forms. 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. 118:28, God referred to in the third person singular (he, his, him): Gen. 1:5, 10; Ex. 2:511). Of course we are speaking by analogy here, for we cannot understand this in a physical way about God. Why is the Trinity important to Christianity? (Againwere trying to grasp something that isnt fully grasp-able.). Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. 12:28; Rom. This verse accurately states the doctrine of the Trinity that God is One God in three Persons. And that he is manifest as three Persons.. After all, so much happens in the week leading up to the resurrection of Christ. And the triangle can help us distinguish one essence from the three Persons. In this case, "immanent" means "the action remaining within an agent.". 55:8-9). Trinity not mentioned in the Bible anywhere! Answer. But each member had a different function. God the Father, Jesus His Son, with the Holy Spirit, they are three in one! How is God three? 8:3539; Eph. Deut. To understand more fully what God is like is a way of honoring God. 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. The Father is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of God. 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. *catholic, meaning universal here, and not a reference to the big C Catholic. We exist to worship God. Steam, water, and ice are all H20. "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. Kids understand the three different forms clearly, as separate objects. 1:7; 2 Tim. know that I recognise only one God. From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. We need you. Sigh. I think it is because they lack at least two pieces of information: The main confusion is that many people dont get this distinction. 31:3; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8), Righteous (Ps. But what exactly are essence or nature and personhood? The only way humans can know about these mysteries is because the Bible teaches them. Here are three I found to be really helpful. . The Father is God. 92:8) and third person (he, his, him) singular pronouns (1 Kings 18:39). Just as ONE egg has THREE different parts - the shell, the white, the yoke - ONE God has THREE different . Our fellowship with God should be enhanced by consciously knowing that we are relating to a tri-personal 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 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. However, you dont want to stop there with a student who can participate in a discussion. 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). But that doesn't mean the concept isn't clearly taught. Jesus is the one whose life we try to copy. 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. Binmin Podcast 8: God & Origins | What Questions Should I Ask About My Faith, Binmin Podcast Ep. They are three real persons, not three roles God plays. 15:16), inspires, intercedes (Rom. Because humankind is limited, God will always exceed our knowledge and understanding (Isa. 2:10), convinces (John 6:44), teaches (Luke 12:12), convicts (John 16:18), commands (Acts 1:2), moves (John 11:33), helps (Rom. The trouble with this one is that its a bit less visual. Matthew 3:16. We cannot entirelycomprehendan infinite God and these mysteries (Rom. ). In other words, what are the objective attributes or properties that make up all rocks? Let's explore each of these members. Most Christians are puzzled by the Trinity, and therefore, cant explain it very well. In sum, the essence or nature of anything is what it is. How can we pack more meaning and deeper, Read More Holy Week for Kids: How to Teach Beyond Easter SundayContinue, Not every child is born with tons of self esteem. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. The early church absolutely believed and taught the belief in a God who was three-in-one. If you are a Christian, why not memorize some of this blogs verses? Even then, he was not alone, because he had his Logos within him. That is where I go back to the starting point I mentioned above. 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. 23:2324). Instead, they are all identical in attributes. Third, Christians believe that the entire New Testament is inspired. The Trinity is a mystery beyond our comprehension (Isa. Actually, March 17 commemorates St. Patrick's death, actually. For example, since the Father sent the Son into the world (John 3:16), He cannot be the same person as the Son. 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. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not unite people by neglecting t What is the essence of a triangle? As theologian and apologist Norman Geisler has explained it, while essence is what you are, person is who you are. 3:17; 17:5; Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 10:15; 12:28; 17:1-26; 1 Tim. Sproul cites as an example Dickens famous line, It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Obviously this is a contradiction if Dickens means that it was the best of times in the same way that it was the worst of times. A simpler way to talk about the Trinity is through "God grammar.". Grace is the promise that you stand forgiven before God if you know Jesus. Jesus is God, but He is not the Father or the Holy Spirit. 5:21), making it possible for us to have a relationship with God. We hate SPAM. 2. understand the doctrine of the Trinity. I am fully human. 5:510; 1 Cor. 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). 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. These three-in-one are called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity" In the Hindu Puranas there is this passage: 'O ye three Lords! The first commandment says, You shall have no other gods before me (Ex. Two biblical teachings confirm the doctrine of the Trinity: How is that possible? God the Holy Spirit. A triangle must have three different corners in order to be one triangle. In fact, kids who have been in church for many years will probably have already heard one of these illustrations. More posts you may like r/TrueChristian Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? 5:7). So all three members of the Trinity have unique personhood. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. Answer. These definitions express three crucial truths: (1) The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, (2) each Person is fully God, (3) there is only one God. Reaching students and faculty in middle and high school. There would only be a contradiction if we said that God is three in the same way that He is one. (Ohand I'll send you my free guideThe Simplest Way to Study ANY Bible Passageas a "Thank you" for jumping on board!). 8:26), comprehends (1 Cor. Amen. If youre wondering how to explain the Trinity to a child, keep it simple. Perhaps for the first time, you have read that the Trinity is a mystery and not acontradiction. Christianity is a monotheistic religion. Unfortunately, there are many illustrations which are not simply imperfect, but in error. Have some fun taking various quizzes and assessments to learn about yourself and others. Lets change that! Its probably the most classic Trinity object lesson, but its not my favorite. I wont go into all of the verses here (simply type bible verses about the Trinity into Google and youll find plenty). The idea that God is somehow three and one starts onPage 1and never changes. And God seeks people to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Volunteer abroad this year on a short term global missions trip offered by one of the best, most-reliable Christian missions organizations in the world.