The Trinity Is Unique Among Monotheistic Religions Christianity is a "monotheistic" religion. And we can delight in praying to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit (John 14:1314; Eph. The Holy Spirit is God, but He is not the Son or the Father. But Christianitys God is unique. 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 consists of one being revealed in three distinct persons. God created man in His image. God the Son is the rays of sunshine. But first, lets cover the basics. Among the worlds religions, the Christian faith is unique. The Holy Spirit isnt like an egg yolk, because the egg yolk is only part of an egg, whereas the Holy Spirit isnt part of God it IS God. 1:20-21), In salutations and benedictions (2 Cor. 7:28; Ps. 2:34; Heb. Why not consider these truths and place your faith in Jesus (1 John 5:1)? That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. The seeds are like the Holy Spirit, because He helps us grow. In other words, what are the objective attributes or properties that make up all rocks? But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. Use Objects As Visual Aids. Before moving on tounderstandingthe idea of one Being existing in three Persons, I will point out that theBiblical idea of the Trinity goes all the way back to the first verse in the first chapter in the first book of the Bible. The important difference between complexity and incomprehension: If Christianity was something we were making up, of course, we could make it easier. How to Teach Kids the Trinity with an Apple Object Lesson Grab an apple and share these five truths with your kids: An apple has three parts: the seeds, the flesh, and the skin. 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. 28:18-20; 2 Cor. 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. passage also demonstrates Jesus' early declaration of the Trinity. Matthew 12:28. The Trinity. Each member of the Trinity is . God the Father. Why? However, the biblical doctrine of the Trinity does not rest on one verse of Scripture, but is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. We Reflect God's Personhood and Relations. If youre wondering how to explain the Trinity to a child, keep it simple. Errr, not quite. That is ok when it comes to rocks and triangles. 1. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. For instance, each Person: Scripture often names all three members of the Trinity together. So God is one what but three whos.. . Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth by his word. The different roles refer to a functional order or functional subordination.. Is God the same as Jesus? He was sustaining and manifesting Gods immediate presence in his creation. For example they: 5. While not a typical conversation starter, this question is one of the most important we can ask in life. That leaves us with the modern definition of the word mystery. I think the major problem involves not distinguishing two different features of God. 3:19; Eph. But is there any easy way to apprehend these exciting discoveries? Having seen that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, that they are each fully God, and that there is nonetheless only one God, we must conclude that all three Persons are the same God. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. Grace is the promise that you stand forgiven before God if you know Jesus. In explaining the Trinity to your friend, begin, perhaps, with the work of salvation. And he should be referred to by personal pronouns and never as it. The Holy Spirits is a person because he: Scripture also proves that the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are God. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. the one who is not a Christian. 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). Heres how the triangle analogy can help: Consider a triangle with me. How do we come to terms with these different ideas of God? But Jesus did not become less than the Father during his incarnation. Are these just three different ways of looking at God, or simply ways of referring to three different roles that God plays? But dont get confused. 1:12). Does the Trinity mean that God is divided into three parts? My passion is helping you not just read and study the Bible, but truly enjoy it! Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son. Whether an object is a rock or a triangle, we can classify it based on its objective characteristics. "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. 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. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. In Hinduism, the trinity (Trimrti, or The Three Forms) is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Trinity, in Christian doctrine, the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. You may be wondering how to wrap your mind around all this brand-new information! Best Age To Teach The Trinity To A Child. Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. 1. OksoWhat about this idea of one being who exists in three persons?. Sigh. Thus, Jesus prayed to God the Father without praying to Himself. At Jesus baptism, when Christ came up out of the water, the Spirit descended in the appearance of a dove. The Father and the Son are God almighty, omnipotent God. God the Father spoke from heaven and spoke of His Son, Jesus. 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 hate SPAM. 3. Your Identity in Christ: How God Sees You. If you're looking for the best Christian jobs and careers, check out Cru's ministry job openings for full- and part-time missionaries and professionals. Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. 8:3539; Eph. 3:25; Dan. Just like anything else, some kids have to work hard for what comes easily to, Read More 15 Powerful Self Esteem Activities for Kids to Do at Home and in SchoolContinue. The personhood of each member of the Trinity means that each Person has a distinct center of consciousness. They are different Persons, not three different ways of looking at God. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. 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. In this blog post, we are going to discuss the Holy Trinity in simple terms. 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). 4 Visual Ways To Explain The Trinity To A Child. The word "trinity" cannot be found in the Bible, but the truth is that the three of them have been there together all the way along. He sent Jesus to save us and then completed our salvation through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Eph. They have eternally (John 17:5, 24) sought to glorify each other (Phil. Clearly, he appreciated a plurality within the Godhead. But Scripture provides ample evidence of the existence of the Trinity. Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. 8:6a). The answer hinges on the differences in their unique roles. But I hope you have learned that the Trinity is not contradictory. Let's explore each of these members. So, the Trinity is incomprehensible. It is one of the two ordinances of the Christian Church. He realized Scripture alone is the only way we know about the Trinity (1 Cor. "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. For instance he: Jesus has all the features that ensure he, too, is a person. Some attributes include eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. The trouble with this one is that its a bit less visual. The best way to teach the Trinity to ANYONE who is confused is with an object lesson. 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). Object Lessons on the Trinity for a Child or New Believer, The Difference Between Teaching the Trinity to a Child vs. a Teenager, Books that Explain the Trinity to a Child, Navigating Girl Drama: 20 Ways Schools and Parents Can Help Calm the Storm, Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? 5:2122; John 13:34), End-time judgment (Matt. *catholic, meaning universal here, and not a reference to the big C Catholic. 19:26). What is Gods essence? Others seem to come by it naturally, and its just not fair! After all, theyre good questions. 3:1617). There we read that " God said, 'Let us make man in our image' . Those centuries were t Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. Unsubscribe at any time. These are all qualities of personhood. 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.. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. And that knowledge can feel liberating. It is the unity of the Father, Son, and Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. But the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a He (see John 14:26; 16:7-15; Acts 8:16). ). A beautiful mystery. 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.. 5:510; 1 Cor. The Trinity is a mystery beyond our comprehension (Isa. 23:2324). 15:16), inspires, intercedes (Rom. 12:711), The Father is not the Son (Matt. Learn the basics of what Christians believe. Hes the one who walked the Earth blamelessly, performing miracles, and extending mercy and love. But how does it show us why there is only one God instead of three? 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. Each corner is distinct (i.e., different) from the others. 1:8). Gods essence is His being. 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. . Many other verses concurrently list the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. 13: Trinity | Putting the Fun In, Faith and Finances: 5 Steps to Get Started. Conclusion: Scripture supports the Trinity. We just covered Gods one divine essence. Being Gods child, we can worship the Father and Jesus through the Spirit (John 4:2324; Phil. 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. Simply put: without three angles, theres no triangle! Its NOT God. Jesus carried out these creative decrees (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). He differs from the Father, but was and . Lets change that! And yet, we run into the same problem again, because God isnt made up of parts. The Trinity is first of all important because God is important. God the Holy Spirit is the warmth you feel from the sun. Not the answer an enquiring young mind was looking for. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. Steam, water, and ice are all H20. In all transparency, I feel like I did a pretty mediocre job of explaining the Trinity to them in a way they could grasp. Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? In other words, you have contradicted yourself if you affirm and deny the same statement. This would make each Person less than fully God and thus not God at all. In brief, how we view God will profoundly impact our everyday lives. The Apostle Paul also affirms the doctrine of the Trinity. 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. The Trinity does not divide God into three parts. 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. Find freedom from your sins today. The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. And when he speaks, he refers to himself in first personas I (Deut. To contemplate the Trinity is to lift up your heart and to "set your mind on the things above" (Col. 3:2). The word Trinity is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible; however, countless scriptures mention all three forms of God. He exists as a Trinity. 1:7; 2 Tim. If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is one-third of God? Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org. This can only be if they share one essence. "The Trinity is the foundational Christian belief that God is one Being who exists in three Persons.. 104:30), sanctifies (Rom. 4; 14; Jon. Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Crus annual report and more. We all have a story. How we seek to journey together with everyone towards a relationship with Jesus. In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? As youll see explained more deeply in one of the videos below, you can think of it this way: I am a human being. It's easy to turn doctrinal discussions into strictly intellectual affairs, but as Dr. Fred Sanders teaches in The Triune God course, we need to do so "in a way that enlists the reader's strict and holy attention for what is essentially a spiritual exercise." The Holy Trinity is 'the Center of Everything.'. Then study the pronouns used in Scripture point to the Trinity: This one-ness is Gods one divine essence (Heb 1:3). Further, we should allow the fact that God is triune to deepen our worship. After all, so much happens in the week leading up to the resurrection of Christ. How do we know whats age-appropriate for them to understand? But analogies cannot entirely explain the mystery of God. This is just an egg, or an apple, or H2O. In other words, Christianity is unique among all other worldviews. What we have seen so far provides a good basic understanding of the Trinity. But how can finite humans know anything about Gods infinite essence? Ask them to draw it on the page. He sanctifies us (1 Pet. However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the . The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. All will play a role in the events mentioned in Revelation. 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. Perfect for the Bible newbie or the long-time Bible reader. You may feel like you are drinking from a fire hydrant. To this day, this scripture inspires the language we use to baptize people across Christian denominations. Since God is one in a different way than He is three, the Trinity is not a contradiction. Orthodox Christian theology has always affirmed that the one true God is triune in nature. The apple one is kind of cool. And this teaching gives us a glimpse into the incomprehensible greatness of God. Finally I would end with Deuteronomy 29:29 which helps us to realize that we cannot fully comprehend God. 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. But Christianity's God is unique. 55 years on I've yet to hear or read an explanation of the Trinity that makes sense. That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. 4:4; Col. 1:15), Eternal (John 1:1-3; 17:5; Col. 1:16-17; Jude 25), Omnipresent (Matt. The Hebrew word for God isElohim. 1:3), Demonstrated divine sovereignty over nature (Matt. While theconceptof the Trinity is evident in the New Testament (Matt. For example, it says of Christ that "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). The Father is God. He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. It is the revelation of who our Almighty Creator actually isnot just a god, but an infinite Being existing in eternity as three co-equal, infinite Persons, consubstantial yet distinct. Learn about Cru's global leadership team. 2:10), knows (1 Cor. 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. 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. 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. The three members of the unholy trinity are Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being (Gen. 1:1). Trying to fully understand God is like a 2-year-old trying to fully understand the complexities of relationships, marriage, and parenting! It is the same thing in three different forms. . For instance: Additionally, all three members of the Trinity participate together in several critical events. At this stage, your head may be swimming with all this new information about God! Anytime you see a geometric figure with these features, it is a triangle. Why not plan on studying verses in each section to prove to yourself that the Bible does claim that God is a Trinity? A rumor is started, and it spreads like wildfire. Theologians have pointed out that if it were not true, the Bible would be unreliable, Christ would not be divine, and His death on the cross would not atone for our sins, being merely the death of a martyr. Yet he also proclaimed, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live (1 Cor. Therefore, there is one God with one divine nature and three divine Persons. Ironically, not much is known about his death; even the year when he passed away is up for debate. (Heavy sigh.) For instance, the Trinity does not mean that: Instead, we need to clearly distinguish two categories (Persons and essence). He wrote, What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.. 10:2831), In Johns writings (1 John 4:1314; Rev. Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. Theologian R.C. Read Books About The Trinity. The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible . While admitting the lack of conformity among believers, we must never consider it a minor issue of doctrine. Of course, anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about (p. 145). Egg A single egg is made up of the yolk, the whites, and the shell. How is God different? 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. The three members of the Trinity are Persons. May 23, 2012 by: Justin Buzzard. A triangle must have three different corners in order to be one triangle. Thats the one we think of as the Father. 1:2), Jesus as God (Titus 2:13), and the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5:3-4). So a closer look at the fact that God is one in essence but three in person has helped to show why the Trinity is not a contradiction. However, these illustrations arent perfect, and really mature kids or teenagers (or adult new believers) could handle digging a bit deeper! Does it look like Grandpa? 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. This one is kinda fun for older kids who understand a bit of science. ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. In the early 2000s, people began using a new approach called "deep . Looking for a great childrens Bible? Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. But it is not. Read more. To understand more fully what God is like is a way of honoring God. 4. The first commandment says, You shall have no other gods before me (Ex. 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. Essenceis the objective set of attributes necessary to the thing being described. And interesting they are listed under a single name. This refers to Gods single essence. Perhaps for the first time, you have read that the Trinity is a mystery and not acontradiction. 2. What is the Trinity? 12:28; Rom. They are three real persons, not three roles God plays. And certainly not if it were a contradiction. Because ethnicity is part of the good of creation, we seek to honor and celebrate the ethnic identity of those with whom we serve as well as those we seek to reach. Binmin Podcast 8: God & Origins | What Questions Should I Ask About My Faith, Binmin Podcast Ep. Both the New Testament and Old Testament testify that there is only one God: Unfortunately, we cannot go through each of these passages in detail. Answer: Jesus came to lead us into relationship with the Father and that required the sacrifice of his own life because of our rebellion. Christs resurrection is variously attributed to: Multiple verses distinguish each member of the Trinity. In fact, kids who have been in church for many years will probably have already heard one of these illustrations. We need you. 3:6. Therefore each of the Persons into whose name we are to be baptized must be deity. 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. The Trinity is like an egg. The doctrine or concept of the Trinity is central to most Christian denominations and faith groups, although not all. Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. The Holy Spirit is God. The wordTrinitymeansthree-in-one. And likewise with the Holy Spirit. We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. This explains how God can be both one and three. The problem with this is that it reflects a heresy called modalism. This analogy ignores the personal distinctions within God and mitigates them to mere roles. As you might expect, some people consider these mysteries as contradictions. But in response we can point out both agreement and clarification. 2:1011; Heb. I hate getting spam. And during his earthly ministry, Christ subjected himself to the Fathers will. Yoto has lots of great stuff for, Read More 27 of the Best Yoto Cards for Kids (sorted by age group)Continue, If youre a Sunday School teacher or a mom hoping to instill a love of Bible learning in your children, Ive got some goodies for you! Here are three I found to be really helpful. 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. 5:2), Miracles (Ex. I'm an author, speaker, husband, father and ice cream lover. Leading from values so others will walk passionately with God to grow and bear fruit. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not unite people by neglecting t He is the only God that exists. No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. Christianity is a monotheistic religion. Fortunately, the most popular analogy of the Trinity is the triangle. 8:26), guides (John 16:13), creates (Ps. But it also raises many difficult questions. Geisler, N. L., and R. E MacKenzie, R. E. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms - a union of three. 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? Its okay to admit you dont know everything. However, Matthew 28:19 is frequently used in attempts to prove that the Trinity is a biblical teaching. know that I recognise only one God. Our fellowship with God should be enhanced by consciously knowing that we are relating to a tri-personal God! But he avoids contradiction with this statement because he means that in one sense it was the best of times, but in another sense it was the worst of times. 32:17, 27; Matt. Amen. From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. Lets apply these concepts to the Trinity. Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation. Well, we can know because God has given us his special revelation: the Bible. To further our understanding of the distinction of persons within the one God it is best to move on to the next trinitarian principle. Within a week,, Read More Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? It may seem that the Catholic Church and all the Protestant denominations dont have much in common, but they do have this creed to share. He is beyond us. As a result, Jesus death covered or atoned for our sins (2 Cor. What we do mean by Person is something that regards himself as I and others as You. So the Father, for example, is a different Person from the Son because He regards the Son as a You, even though He regards Himself as I. Thus, in regards to the Trinity, we can say that Person means a distinct subject which regards Himself as an I and the other two as a You. These distinct subjects are not a division within the being of God, but a form of personal existence other than a difference in being.[3]. 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). Principle #3: Order. 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. 3 in 1: A Picture of God This one is for anyone interested in using the apple object lesson. 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. Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring. 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 regenerates us with new spiritual life (John 3:58). But its not a mystery that can or should! These questions arealwaysasked by someone who is exploring faith in Jesus. Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. The three-ness and one-ness are two different features. Tertullian coined the term Trinity during the second century. Most of them are less-than-helpful. For example: The Nicene Creed is recited during every service of Holy Communion . This is very important: God is one and three at the same time, but not in the same way. If someone already has an understanding based on the definition and explanation above, then these analogiesmighthelp them grasp aspects of the Trinity. However, you dont want to stop there with a student who can participate in a discussion. God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt.

How To Get My Curls Back After Bleaching, Examples Of Smart Goals For Medical Assistant, Beaches And Cream Nutrition, Utah High School Rodeo Past Champions, Ken Hill Obituary, Articles H