A Simple Way to Explain the Trinity - Keith Ferrin Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! What is the essence of a triangle? And that knowledge can feel liberating. 2:11), and performs miracles (Matt. Perfect for the Bible newbie or the long-time Bible reader. My passion is helping you not just read and study the Bible, but truly enjoy it! 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. 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. How could we? God the Father. However,barais the singular conjugation of the verb. 3:19; Eph. Have some fun taking various quizzes and assessments to learn about yourself and others. Of course, if the triangle illustration were perfect, we would be able to comprehend God fully, but we cant. Believe it or not, the fact that God is too immense for our finite minds should be comforting, not discouraging! 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 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. ). 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! Monotheism is foundational to Christianity. Clearly, he appreciated a plurality within the Godhead. Of course, anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about (p. 145). The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith. These are all qualities of personhood. The Apostle Paul also affirms the doctrine of the Trinity. 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. That isGod is three Persons in onethe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I'm an author, speaker, husband, father and ice cream lover. The doctrine of the Trinity states that God exists as one God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. It is the unity of the Father, Son, and Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. These questions arealwaysasked by someone who is exploring faith in Jesus. Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. 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. (Heavy sigh.) (Ohand I'll send you my free guideThe Simplest Way to Study ANY Bible Passageas a "Thank you" for jumping on board!). The Father is God. Among the worlds religions, the Christian faith is unique. What Is the Doctrine of the Trinity? - Blue Letter Bible With teenagers, you want to take a different approach, and celebrate the mystery of it all. This would make each Person less than fully God and thus not God at all. From our understanding of the Trinity (a social being), we recognize that a person is a relational being, not just someone with a mind, a will, and . Not the answer an enquiring young mind was looking for. The Trinity Explained in 8 Steps - Binmin 4:30), and a will (1 Cor. Answer: Jesus came to lead us into relationship with the Father and that required the sacrifice of his own life because of our rebellion. 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.. So, the Trinity is incomprehensible. God the Son. He was "begotten, not made," and he was of the same substance or essence ( homoousios) as the Father. 4 Visual Ways To Explain The Trinity To A Child. All three members of the Trinity have these characteristics. . That's the one we think of as the Father. 11:3336). Third, we have the Holy Spirit, which is also God, living in our hearts and guiding us through life. Geisler, N. L., and R. E MacKenzie, R. E. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences. 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. Then share them with another Christian or genuine seeker. 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. Thus, Jesus prayed to God the Father without praying to Himself. Is the Trinity a contradiction? A simpler way to talk about the Trinity is through "God grammar.". 4:6; James 2:19; Jude 25. 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. 40:18; Rom. Understanding the Trinity: How Can God Be Three Persons in One? - Cru.org 1:3), Demonstrated divine sovereignty over nature (Matt. Principle #3: Order. They are all eternal. The doctrine of the Trinity is considered to be one of the central Christian affirmations about God. EXPLAIN THE TRINITY - How To Explain The Holy Trinity Simply And all three members of the Trinity were involved. 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. The second point of clarification has to do with personhood. However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the . Several analogies help us apprehend the Trinity. While some say . It is understandable that our finite minds cannot grasp an infinite God. Christ through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God.. 4:15), dying for our sins (1 Cor. Learn how you can know God personally. God Is Triune | Answers in Genesis The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. 20 Bible verses that mention all Trinity members - OverviewBible This is one of the books of the Torah. Now lets dig into these imperfect yet better than nothing representations of the Trinity for kids. It is crucial for properly understanding what God is like, how He relates to us, and how we should relate to Him. Finally I would end with Deuteronomy 29:29 which helps us to realize that we cannot fully comprehend God. using the shamrock or the three states of H 2 O to explain the . Faith is recognizing that we dont have all the answers and deciding that its okay to keep believing and growing. Trying to fully understand God is like a 2-year-old trying to fully understand the complexities of relationships, marriage, and parenting! Omnipotence (Jer. While it is good for us to seek understanding of the Trinity, we cannot fully comprehend God. All will play a role in the events mentioned in Revelation. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. Therefore, it is often difficult to have a concrete definition of Person as we use it in regards to the Trinity. But Christianity's God is unique. 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. 104:30), sanctifies (Rom. 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). They have eternally (John 17:5, 24) sought to glorify each other (Phil. Two Reasons the Trinity Matters - The Gospel Coalition 28:20; Col. 3:11), Omnibenevolent (John 13:34; Rom. In brief, how we view God will profoundly impact our everyday lives. We believe God is one in essence. Most people, including many Christians, struggle trying to apprehend the Trinity. Of course we are speaking by analogy here, for we cannot understand this in a physical way about God. What is the Trinity? Why is the Trinity important to Christianity? The doctrine or concept of the Trinity is central to most Christian denominations and faith groups, although not all. These personal distinctions are modes of existence within the divine being, but are not divisions of the divine being. Trinity may be a new term for you and can be confusing even for Christians to explain to others. 32:17, 27; Matt. Lets apply these concepts to the Trinity. Well, we can know because God has given us his special revelation: the Bible. 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 . We are dealing with fact. As a result, Jesus death covered or atoned for our sins (2 Cor. We just covered Gods one divine essence. Tozerputs it well in The Knowledge of the Holy. Example 1: What is the nature or essence of a rock? Firstly, we agree that finite humankind is limited. He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. 5 Scriptural Points to Help You Understand the Trinity It has been said, Try to explain the trinity and lose your mind, try to explain away the trinity and lose your soul. God is like the skin because He protects us. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. 3:6. 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. 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.. He differs from the Father, but was and . After understanding the difference between essence and personhood, most objections evaporate! 4. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. Its okay to admit you dont know everything. Did your kids give each form of God different personality traits? The Fathers plan for our redemption shows his great love for humankind. ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. 1:2), Jesus as God (Titus 2:13), and the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5:3-4). 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. Here is an object with three parts: a hard shell, the egg white, and the yolk. There are three Persons with one divine essence! And the triangle can help us distinguish one essence from the three Persons. At Jesus baptism, when Christ came up out of the water, the Spirit descended in the appearance of a dove. After all, as I have said many times (to myself as much as others! Because of Gods nature, several mysteries exist within our faith. 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. The Holy Trinity - Explained. Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. Heres how the triangle analogy can help: Consider a triangle with me. Since God is one in a different way than He is three, the Trinity is not a contradiction. We then turn to the most important strategies that have been developed by Christians to resolve this problem. After all, if the trinitarian nature of God is not in the Bible, why bother talking about it at all? 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. Be cool with leaving the gathering with more questions than answers. Deity of Jesus: 10 Essentials You Need to Know! The early church absolutely believed and taught the belief in a God who was three-in-one. Or what are the objective characteristics that all triangles share? Thus, we are not speaking with a forked tongue we are not saying that God is one and then denying that He is one by saying that He is three. 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. As a former youth minister and childrens minister, Ive already done your research! The Son and Holy Spirit are equal in deity to the Father. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms - a union of three. After all, theyre good questions. He is one in essence. God is spirit (John 4:24). However, the Bible teaches us enough about these mysteries that we can apprehend them. The first commandment says, You shall have no other gods before me (Ex. That may sound intimidating but dont worry Ill unpack that definition below. And certainly not if it were a contradiction. There will always be some level of mystery to this, but when you talk about the being/nature/essence as God and the persons/expressions as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit I think we get at least a little bit closer to beginning to comprehend something we can never fully comprehend. "Economic" has to do with the history of salvation, and discusses the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the sending and mission of salvation. Internship opportunities with Cru's ministries. According to the American Heritage Dictionary the word 5:21), making it possible for us to have a relationship with God. What Is The Best Way To Explain The Trinity To A New Believer The Bible teaches the Trinity beginning with the days of creation. 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. Since our personal relationship is with Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit lies within us, what role does God play as Father? *catholic, meaning universal here, and not a reference to the big C Catholic. They had to wait another 50 year for the 381 update. The Trinity isn't some complicated distraction from the simple gospelit's actually part of the gospel. He exists as a Trinity. Now lets go a little deeper and consider the triangles three corners (angles). Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. PDF Understanding the Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity (Godhead) - Bible Truth Ive already done your research at my local library. In all transparency, I feel like I did a pretty mediocre job of explaining the Trinity to them in a way they could grasp. Actually, March 17 commemorates St. Patrick's death, actually. Wayne Grudem explains: But if each person is fully God and has all of Gods being, then we also should not think that the personal distinctions are any kind of additional attributes added on to the being of God . 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. For example, if I say that the moon is made entirely of cheese but then also say that the moon is not made entirely of cheese, I have contradicted myself. In describing the Trinity, the New Testament clearly distinguishes three Persons who are all simultaneously active. 7:28; Ps. 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. The answer is they are gray and hard. 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. Surely not. Fill this out to make sure you don't miss a thing! You will and can grasp these principles. The New Testament lists all three Persons of the Trinity simultaneously, 6. . He is beyond us. PDF UNDERSTANDING THE TRINITY - Silica Bible Chapel Omnibenevolence (Jer. 1:7; 2 Tim. But a common question arises: How do the members of the Trinity differ from one another?. 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). First, we have God. It was God who took the initiative to save humankind. Grace is the promise that you stand forgiven before God if you know Jesus. The seeds are like the Holy Spirit, because He helps us grow. Unfortunately, it is also a doctrine that is surrounded by disagreement and controversy among believers. Lets do a quick review of the topics we have covered. Each person of the Trinity is equally and fully God, distinct from the others, and yet they remain just one God. But that doesn't mean the concept isn't clearly taught. 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. Within a week,, Read More Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? How is God different? Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? 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. In fact, kids who have been in church for many years will probably have already heard one of these illustrations. How To Explain the Trinity To Your Child - 4 Creative Ways This should make it clear why it is so important to understand that all three Persons are the same essence. In other words, what are the objective attributes or properties that make up all rocks? This formulation can show us why there are not three Gods, and why the Trinity is not a contradiction. The next time you (or I) are asked to explain the Trinity, you could start with a 1-sentence definition and then unpack that definition. That is why any discussion of the Trinity is based on Scripture (Ps. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. Anytime you see a geometric figure with these features, it is a triangle. To understand more fully what God is like is a way of honoring God. The Trinity. This post is full of Bible facts for kids that will spark the imagination, encourage lots of good questions, and even inspire some Bible reading. "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. With input from her father, fart followed within a day or two, and I was horrified, but also excited that she mysteriously managed an r-controlled vowel without any explicit instruction. If someone already has an understanding based on the definition and explanation above, then these analogiesmighthelp them grasp aspects of the Trinity. In other words, there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons. If each Person of the Trinity is distinct and yet fully God, then should we conclude that there is more than one God? Question & Answer: The Orthodox Presbyterian Church Jehovah's Witnesses and the Trinity | Bible.org From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. 3:16; 2 Pet. I think it is because they lack at least two pieces of information: The main confusion is that many people dont get this distinction. This is one possibility of explaining it. How to EXPLAIN The Trinity to a New Believer - Introduction to the Godhead In this video I will introduce the godhead or the trinity in one of the easiest te. 89:14; John 17:25; Rom. 2:18). Orthodox Christian theology has always affirmed that the one true God is triune in nature. 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 confuses many people. And in John 16:13-15 we see that although there is a close unity between them all, the Holy Spirit is also distinct from the Father and the Son. For example the: Finite humankind cannot wholly comprehend these mysteries. You can help us reach children and their families to know Jesus. God the Holy Spirit is the warmth you feel from the sun. Understanding who the Holy Spirit is, the place He holds within the Holy Trinity and the role He plays in individual lives is vital to anyone exploring what it means to become a Christian and anyone trying to follow Jesus. For example, since the Father sent the Son into the world (John 3:16), He cannot be the same person as the Son. Yes, the Spirit was sent, but this does not imply that the Holy Spirit is less than they are. Get the answers to frequently asked questions on Christian beliefs and practices. The three members of the Trinity are Persons. 18:20; Matt. And God seeks people to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. So many things clamor to define you. 12:711), The Father is not the Son (Matt. 55:8-9). Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). And yet, we run into the same problem again, because God isnt made up of parts. Among the three persons of the Trinity, there is a proper order: The Father is the First Person of the Most Holy Trinity. If you go to YouTube and search on explain the Trinity youll findlotsof videos. As youll see explained more deeply in one of the videos below, you can think of it this way: I am a human being. 1:2), and empowers us for service (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. How to explain the Trinity to a new believer - Quora To this day, this scripture inspires the language we use to baptize people across Christian denominations. Have a great discussion about it! So God is one what but three whos.. Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. A beautiful mystery. This is girl drama, and it can be extremely harmful to girls both mentally and emotionally. The Bible is clear that all three Persons are each one hundred percent God. be explained away. For I am God, and there is no other (Isaiah 45:21-22; see also 44:6-8; Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 4:35; 6:4-5; 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:2; 1 Kings 8:60). The word "scripture " graphe To help us do that, here are two reasons why the Trinity matters. PDF A Brief Explanation of the Trinity - TheologicalStudies.org.uk Must you become a better person so that God will accept you? This explains how God can be both one and three. The problem with this is that it reflects a heresy called modalism. In explaining the Trinity to your friend, begin, perhaps, with the work of salvation. Question: How do you explain the Trinity? While this is in my mind the simplest, clearest explanation, I understand that even this breaks down when we go further and say I am a human and I am Keith Ferrin. Therefore, there is one God with one divine nature and three divine Persons. What Is the Trinity in Christianity? - Learn Religions 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.. Our kids are currently 2, 4, and 7, and its equally loved by all of them, so the Yoto age range is really wide! You can't explain the Trinity to anyone who reasons because: 1) The Bible does not support it. For example, it says of Christ that in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9). Why? The Holy Spirit is God, but He is not the Son or the Father. Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. 3:3; Heb. Why do so many people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity? Jesus himself spoke of the one-ness of the Godhead when he quoted the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4. Now, as Fred Sanders once quipped, this doesn't mean you should begin every witnessing encounter, "God loves you . But the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a He (see John 14:26; 16:7-15; Acts 8:16). 1:20-21), In salutations and benedictions (2 Cor. The wordTrinitymeansthree-in-one. 5:2), Miracles (Ex. This verse accurately states the doctrine of the Trinity that God is One God in three Persons. 13:14; 1 Pet.1:2), In the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1025), When Jesus promises the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 1:48), Peters sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:33; Acts 3839), Peter and apostles answer the high priest (Acts 5:3032), During Stephens heavenly vision at his stoning (Acts 7:5556), In Peters sermon to the gentiles in Caesarea (Acts 10:3638; Acts 4448), When Peter reports to the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:1518), When Peter speaks at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:811), During Pauls interaction with Jewish leaders in Rome (Acts 28:2531), Pauls epistles (Rom. First of all I want to tell you that the Trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 3 in 1: A Picture of God This one is for anyone interested in using the apple object lesson. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. How is God one? After all, the Trinity is difficult to understand. This is absolutely true. Assign each group with one of the Godheads: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), or the Holy Spirit. God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being (Gen. 1:1). What we have seen so far provides a good basic understanding of the Trinity. The Trinity is a mystery beyond our comprehension (Isa. The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible . The Trinity is first of all important because God is important. 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. Each Person of the Trinity is distinct, 8. 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 substance of God is God, not a bunch of ingredients that taken together yield deity. Learn to develop your skills, desire and ability to join others on their spiritual journeys and take them closer to Jesus. Even then, he was not alone, because he had his Logos within him. The three members of the unholy trinity are Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. However, the biblical doctrine of the Trinity does not rest on one verse of Scripture, but is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. For instance he: Jesus has all the features that ensure he, too, is a person. God the Holy Spirit. Even wonderful parents have kids who struggle with self esteem, despite excellent parenting and a supportive home environment.