how to explain the trinity to a new believer

That may sound intimidating but dont worry Ill unpack that definition below. The substance of God is God, not a bunch of ingredients that taken together yield deity. To help us do that, here are two reasons why the Trinity matters. Amen. Its probably the most classic Trinity object lesson, but its not my favorite. Some attributes include eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. After Christ rose from the grave, he appeared to the disciples and gave them a job to do: preach the Word to everyone. 20:23; Deut. 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. Therefore, there is one God with one divine nature and three divine Persons. It is the same thing in three different forms. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. Trinity, in Christian doctrine, the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. 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.". 8:6), Jesus is called God (John 1:1-5; John 20:28; Rom. But how can finite humans know anything about Gods infinite essence? He is one in essence. 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 Trinity expresses the belief that God is one being made up of three distinct persons who exist in co-equal essence and co-eternal communion as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit . 10:2831), In Johns writings (1 John 4:1314; Rev. 8:26), guides (John 16:13), creates (Ps. Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? When Jesus answered the question, What is the greatest commandment? he prefaced the answer by quoting the. 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. That leaves us with the modern definition of the word mystery. To further our understanding of the distinction of persons within the one God it is best to move on to the next trinitarian principle. In Hinduism, the trinity (Trimrti, or The Three Forms) is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Jesus (the Son) is God. 2:11), speaks (Mark 13:11), testifies (Acts 20:23), reveals (1 Cor. They are personal forms of existence other than a difference in being. 18:20; Matt. They only describe what makes up Gods singular essence. Learn how you can know God personally. That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. Would you like to give your time to work with Cru? Explore answers to life's biggest questions. 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. But what exactly are essence or nature and personhood? 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? The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. This triune God (or Trinity) began to allude to this aspect of His nature right in Genesis 1:26-27. Now we will turn our attention to showing the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are persons.. (Heavy sigh.) 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. But I hope you have learned that the Trinity is not contradictory. Learn the basics of what Christians believe. So, rather than starting there, heres where were headed: To think we will everfullyunderstand the Trinity is to make the mistake of thinking God is fully understandable. Its a devotional book. Matthew 12:28. 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. 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. In other words, Christianity is unique among all other worldviews. Among the worlds religions, the Christian faith is unique. The verb for created isbara. In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. These personal distinctions are modes of existence within the divine being, but are not divisions of the divine being. 8:3539; Eph. I think it is because they lack at least two pieces of information: The main confusion is that many people dont get this distinction. God the Father. The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. There we read that " God said, 'Let us make man in our image' . 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! Just as ONE egg has THREE different parts - the shell, the white, the yoke - ONE God has THREE different . I am fully human. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. Others seem to come by it naturally, and its just not fair! 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 . Further, we should allow the fact that God is triune to deepen our worship. Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. Kids understand the three different forms clearly, as separate objects. He sanctifies us (1 Pet. Find resources for personal or group Bible study. No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. 12:11), When the Holy Spirit speaks, he refers to himself in first person (Acts 13:2). This formulation can show us why there are not three Gods, and why the Trinity is not a contradiction. Since God is one in a different way than He is three, the Trinity is not a contradiction. That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. The important difference between complexity and incomprehension: If Christianity was something we were making up, of course, we could make it easier. The Trinity is Christianity's most unique, defining, incomprehensible, and awesome mystery. 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. 9:14; Heb. Because these features make up the singular essence or nature of a triangle. Then share them with another Christian or genuine seeker. While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. To contemplate the Trinity is to lift up your heart and to "set your mind on the things above" (Col. 3:2). We are referring to two different features of God: (1) his singular essenceor natureand (2) three Persons. Essence means the same thing as being. Thus, since God is only one essence, He is only one being, not three. 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 . Gods One-ness is his One divine essence, 3. The Trinity. Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. Scriptural evidence supports every element proving the Trinity. Unfortunately, there are many illustrations which are not simply imperfect, but in error. To start, let me define what I mean when I say persons. Personhood is having intellect, emotions, and a will. For example they: 5. The doctrine is critical, even if not easily comprehended. The three-ness and one-ness are two different features. A triangle must have three different corners in order to be one triangle. 15:16), inspires, intercedes (Rom. If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? 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]. I recently had some of my kids friends ask meWhat is the Trinity? 4:47), In Hebrews (Heb. Reaching students and faculty in middle and high school. 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. Sigh. To be even more precise, essence is what you are. While not a typical conversation starter, this question is one of the most important we can ask in life. 1. They are not merely modes or manifestations of the same person (as Oneness theology incorrectly asserts) who sometimes acts as Father, sometimes as Son, and sometimes as Spirit. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. 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. Jesus dying on the Cross is one of the most important parts of His story. This is absolutely true. In all transparency, I feel like I did a pretty mediocre job of explaining the Trinity to them in a way they could grasp. Deut. These are all qualities of personhood. But its not a mystery that can or should! Orthodox Christian theology has always affirmed that the one true God is triune in nature. I'm an author, speaker, husband, father and ice cream lover. 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. Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. 2:34; Heb. For example, it says of Christ that "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). The Trinity is the perfect loving community of three Persons. Theologian R.C. 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. However, the Bible teaches us enough about these mysteries that we can apprehend them. 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. You can help us reach children and their families to know Jesus. 1. No, the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible. 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 answer is simple. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. 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! (So I won't send you any.) It was God who took the initiative to save humankind. Now lets dig into these imperfect yet better than nothing representations of the Trinity for kids. 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.. 92:8) and third person (he, his, him) singular pronouns (1 Kings 18:39). The word "scripture " graphe Answer. The late theologian Herman Bavinck has stated something very helpful at this point: The persons are modes of existence within the being; accordingly, the Persons differ among themselves as the one mode of existence differs from the other, and using a common illustration as the open palm differs from a closed fist.[4], Because each of these forms of existence are relational (and thus are Persons), they are each a distinct center of consciousness, with each center of consciousness regarding Himself as I and the others as You. Nonetheless, these three Persons all consist of the same stuff (that is, the same what, or essence). 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. 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. We hate SPAM. Ignore the urge to tie everything up with a nice little bow. Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. Before anything was created he begat his Logos as a person distinct from himself. This explains how God can be both one and three. The problem with this is that it reflects a heresy called modalism. And then you will read eight critical truths about the nature of the Trinity. 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. The doctrine of the Trinity is considered to be one of the central Christian affirmations about God. 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]. If you are teaching young children, these object lessons are both the perfect starting and stopping point. The three members of the unholy trinity are Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. 2:5), The Father is not the Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26), The Son is not the Spirit (Matt. Trinity not mentioned in the Bible anywhere! But that doesn't mean the concept isn't clearly taught. This analogy ignores the personal distinctions within God and mitigates them to mere roles. draws the believer into a new . 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 . God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being (Gen. 1:1). Ive already done your research at my local library. Actually, March 17 commemorates St. Patrick's death, actually. 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. In other words, you have contradicted yourself if you affirm and deny the same statement. You can cut into an apple in front of your group. 13: Trinity | Putting the Fun In, Faith and Finances: 5 Steps to Get Started. Even wonderful parents have kids who struggle with self esteem, despite excellent parenting and a supportive home environment. be explained away. Essence and personhood are NOT the same thing. The Trinity is first of all important because God is important. The different roles refer to a functional order or functional subordination.. "But if I [Jesus] cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.". 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. So all three members of the Trinity have unique personhood. Being Gods child, we can worship the Father and Jesus through the Spirit (John 4:2324; Phil. Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth by his word. Paul unequivocally taught Jesus is God (Col. 2:9). But it is not. 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. Stated differently, God is one in essence and three in person. They had to wait another 50 year for the 381 update. While admitting the lack of conformity among believers, we must never consider it a minor issue of doctrine. Get the answers to frequently asked questions on Christian beliefs and practices. Allegedly, Saint Patrick used a shamrock as a metaphor to explain the Trinity: three leaves, one shamrock. Be cool with leaving the gathering with more questions than answers. Below are several of the most popular ones. However,barais the singular conjugation of the verb. 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 Trinity consists of one being revealed in three distinct persons. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. John says in the first verse of the book: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God." Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. We exist to worship God. Not the answer an enquiring young mind was looking for. This is something far removed from our human experience, where every different human "person" is a different being as well. But dont get confused. 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. 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. ). How could we? 2. Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine, and Jerome mention it. The idea that God is somehow three and one starts onPage 1and never changes. 104:30), sanctifies (Rom. Baker Books, 1995, pp. So, in this article, we will look at where the term originated. Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage. A triangle must have three sides three corners (angles), and the sum of the three angles must be 180 degrees. 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. This verse accurately states the doctrine of the Trinity that God is One God in three Persons. Of course we are speaking by analogy here, for we cannot understand this in a physical way about God. They are equal in power, love, mercy, justice, holiness, knowledge, and all other qualities. He is three in a different way than He is one. 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. 20:3; cf. The trouble with this one is that its a bit less visual. 12:28; Rom. The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible . The ancient church fathers at first simply acknowledged the Trinity without feeling the need to explain a theology of that understanding. Trying to fully understand God is like a 2-year-old trying to fully understand the complexities of relationships, marriage, and parenting! They include: Now you have a basic understanding of the Trinity. The Definition Of The Trinity. 5:7). The Holy Spirit is God, but He is not the Son or the Father. 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. Sun The sun is a physical object, but also gives off light and heat. Tozerputs it well in The Knowledge of the Holy. 4:4). You can describe the Trinity in different ways: The wordspersonsandessencerefer to entirely different features relating to God. "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.". Perfect for the Bible newbie or the long-time Bible reader. However, let me highlight some of the most significant passages that confirm monotheism: Are you interested in learning more about the Godhead? Does the Trinity mean that God is divided into three parts? This one is kinda fun for older kids who understand a bit of science. Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org. understand the doctrine of the Trinity. For example, it says of Christ that in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9). 11:3336). 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. Its okay for them to have a very limited understanding of God. While we cannot fully understand everything about the Trinity (or anything else), it is possible to answer questions like these and come to a solid grasp of what it means for God to be three in one. To this day, this scripture inspires the language we use to baptize people across Christian denominations. We will never sell your information, for any reason. 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. 1:17; Dan. What a challenge! also 1:18). Jesus carried out these creative decrees (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). 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. You may be wondering how to wrap your mind around all this brand-new information! The Hebrew word for God isElohim. If you are a Christian, why not memorize some of this blogs verses? Use the links below to jump to a specific section: 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 it is possible to go deeper. During this period, it was attempted solely by using algorithmswhich are basically rules or sets of rules you tell a computer to follow. 3. But it also raises many difficult questions. Because of Gods nature, several mysteries exist within our faith. They are all eternal. Therefore, it is often difficult to have a concrete definition of Person as we use it in regards to the Trinity. While some say . He sent Jesus to save us and then completed our salvation through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Eph. But how does it show us why there is only one God instead of three? 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]. 1:3), Demonstrated divine sovereignty over nature (Matt. "Economic" has to do with the history of salvation, and discusses the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the sending and mission of salvation. 11:3336). Third, we have the Holy Spirit, which is also God, living in our hearts and guiding us through life. 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? 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. Lets start with the geometric figure of the triangle itself. And this teaching gives us a glimpse into the incomprehensible greatness of God. And that knowledge can feel liberating. There are many illustrations which have been offered to help us understand the Trinity. Each person of the Trinity is equally and fully God, distinct from the others, and yet they remain just one God. What is a functional order or subordination? It means that a Trinity member submits himself to one or both of the other members. 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). There was never a time when one of the Persons of the Godhead did not exist. The wordTrinitymeansthree-in-one. Only older children will grasp the in one concept of H20. 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. Ive got you covered with all the basics, no matter your denomination. 3:25; Dan. The Bible teaches the Trinity beginning with the days of creation. Gods essence is His being. Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. May 23, 2012 by: Justin Buzzard. 2:1011; Heb. God the Holy Spirit is the warmth you feel from the sun. In other words, there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons. 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 we can delight in praying to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit (John 14:1314; Eph. However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the . It's a great reminder of the three parts of the Holy Trinity! You will and can grasp these principles. If it were the other way around and we understood God completely, how would he be the sovereign God? God addressed in the second person singular (you): 2 Sam. The technical term in case youre interested for this wrong way of thinking about God is calledmodalism. 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! On the other hand, we must say that the Persons are real, that they are not just different ways of looking at the one being of GodThe only way it seems possible to do this is to say that the distinction between the persons is not a difference of "being" but a difference of "relationships." The Bible speaks of the Father as God (Phil. Answer. Divide your group into three teams and give each group a sheet of butcher paper or poster. What does it take to begin a relationship with God? More posts you may like r/TrueChristian After all, children deal best with concrete ideas. Further, we clearly should not think of God as consisting of anything other than divinity. Tertullian coined the term Trinity during the second century. Nothing is more astonishing, more challenging, and more potentially life-transforming than knowing God.". That's the one we think of as the Father. What is Gods essence? Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. The Apostle Paul also affirms the doctrine of the Trinity. using the shamrock or the three states of H 2 O to explain the . Yet Jesus would not have referenced the Trinity unless it was important. I hate getting spam. Carrying this concept over to the Trinity, it is not a contradiction for God to be both three and one because He is not three and one in the same way. 13:14), the term Trinity does not appear. 6:45; 32:39; 1 Kings 8:60; 2 Kings 5:15; Isa. Check out my tips for teaching your kids about bedtime prayer. To understand more fully what God is like is a way of honoring God. But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages. The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons.

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