. Now lets dig into these imperfect yet better than nothing representations of the Trinity for kids. And the Trinity is an essential doctrine to our understanding of God. The idea that God is somehow three and one starts onPage 1and never changes. This is just an egg, or an apple, or H2O. 15:16), inspires, intercedes (Rom. Fortunately, the most popular analogy of the Trinity is the triangle. As long as a shape has those three angles that add up to 180 degrees, it doesnt matter what the angles degrees are. 6:11; Gal. For example they: 5. Lets apply what weve learned to the Trinity based on the graphic. So, in this article, we will look at where the term originated. This formulation can show us why there are not three Gods, and why the Trinity is not a contradiction. Each member of the Trinity is . But its not a mystery that can or should! Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. These three persons are of the same substance, equal in power and glory. 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]. Ignore the urge to tie everything up with a nice little bow. 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. Your Identity in Christ: How God Sees You. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. While no church is perfect, the Trinity is still the model for the churchs unity (John 1:2123). Matthew 3:16. 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! But how can finite humans know anything about Gods infinite essence? Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son. Everything in Christian theology and in the believer's life finally comes back to who God is: the divine nature, the persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God the Son. And this teaching gives us a glimpse into the incomprehensible greatness of God. 2:10), knows (1 Cor. He was "begotten, not made," and he was of the same substance or essence ( homoousios) as the Father. And the triangle can help us distinguish one essence from the three Persons. Its NOT God. 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. Errr, not quite. Why not consider these truths and place your faith in Jesus (1 John 5:1)? "The Trinity is the foundational Christian belief that God is one Being who exists in three Persons.. For instance, each Person: Scripture often names all three members of the Trinity together. This is something far removed from our human experience, where every different human "person" is a different being as well. Find freedom from your sins today. Neither should we think of the Persons as being defined by attributes added on to the being of God. The oldest member of the unholy trinity. (So I won't send you any.) What does essence mean? Simply put: without three angles, theres no triangle! 2. It's a great reminder of the three parts of the Holy Trinity! But all three must be present simultaneously for the geometric figure to be a triangle. The word "scripture " graphe For instance, the Father is the first person of the Trinity. His function is superior to that of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Firstly, we agree that finite humankind is limited. The Trinity is the perfect loving community of three Persons. 1:12). Why is the Trinity important to Christianity? 23:2324). What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. To contemplate the Trinity is to lift up your heart and to "set your mind on the things above" (Col. 3:2). We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. 11:3336). God is truth, so the unity that He is effecting between believers is a unity grounded in truth. We also see this evidenced in how the Son and Father sent the Spirit into the world (John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7). The trouble with this one is that its a bit less visual. For instance he: Jesus has all the features that ensure he, too, is a person. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. If you are a Christian, why not memorize some of this blogs verses? In fact, it is precisely the continuing dialogue between the Father and the Son (Matthew 3:17; 17:5; John 5:19; 11:41-42; 17:1ff ) which furnishes the best evidence that they are distinct Persons with distinct centers of consciousness. We just covered Gods one divine essence. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. draws the believer into a new . First of all I want to tell you that the Trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To further our understanding of the distinction of persons within the one God it is best to move on to the next trinitarian principle. While theconceptof the Trinity is evident in the New Testament (Matt. If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? And when he speaks, he refers to himself in first personas I (Deut. To this day, this scripture inspires the language we use to baptize people across Christian denominations. Have some fun taking various quizzes and assessments to learn about yourself and others. I think the major problem involves not distinguishing two different features of God. 2:11), speaks (Mark 13:11), testifies (Acts 20:23), reveals (1 Cor. God is one in a certain way (essence) and three in a different way (person). 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). 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. 2:511). Its probably the most classic Trinity object lesson, but its not my favorite. And interesting they are listed under a single name. This refers to Gods single essence. The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. More posts you may like r/TrueChristian Our fellowship with God should be enhanced by consciously knowing that we are relating to a tri-personal God! The answer is they are gray and hard. Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. As Christians, we derive our concept of person from the relations in the Trinity. Most people, including many Christians, struggle trying to apprehend the Trinity. Three parts in one, yet all very much an egg. If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is one-third of God? Unfortunately, it is also a doctrine that is surrounded by disagreement and controversy among believers. ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. This is absolutely true. Omnibenevolence (Jer. 4:4). As a former youth minister and childrens minister, Ive already done your research! 40:18; Rom. In other words, there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons. 3:25; Dan. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. 13:14), the term Trinity does not appear. This is great fun to see how teenagers draw a picture of God. Further, we clearly should not think of God as consisting of anything other than divinity. 28:20; Col. 3:11), Omnibenevolent (John 13:34; Rom. Well, we can know because God has given us his special revelation: the Bible. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. We begin with a brief discussion of the doctrine in historical context, explaining more fully the nature of the problem it raises. However, these illustrations arent perfect, and really mature kids or teenagers (or adult new believers) could handle digging a bit deeper! You may feel like you are drinking from a fire hydrant. At this stage, your head may be swimming with all this new information about God! But as a follower of Christ, your identity can and should be grounded in one thing: who He says you are. Then share them with another Christian or genuine seeker. So, the Trinity is incomprehensible. While admitting the lack of conformity among believers, we must never consider it a minor issue of doctrine. The The truth is always new, fresh, and exciting to the believer in Christ. 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 Trinity does not divide God into three parts. All of this information is a lot to take in at once. 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 Christ rose from the grave, he appeared to the disciples and gave them a job to do: preach the Word to everyone. The Trinity is like an egg or apple. Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). 9:18; Matt. We can never completely understand the Trinities one essence and three Persons. ). Begin and end with your object lesson, and be comfortable with the imperfect teaching. Each Person of the Trinity is distinct, 8. . 2:8-9), we can become Gods children. Satan. After all, plenty of, Read More 40 Surprising and Fun Bible Facts for Kids (with a FREE true/false printable game)Continue, Whereas most of us are pretty comfortable with our family traditions for celebrating Easter, Holy Week for kids is WAY more intimidating. The Trinity is like an egg. God the Son is the rays of sunshine. 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. But that doesn't mean the concept isn't clearly taught. 8:2327), Resuscitates the dead (Matt. For example, since the Father sent the Son into the world (John 3:16), He cannot be the same person as the Son. 2:34; Heb. 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). He is one in essence. However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the . A simpler way to talk about the Trinity is through "God grammar.". Since our personal relationship is with Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit lies within us, what role does God play as Father? For example, it says of Christ that in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9). The Holy Trinity is depicted in the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar, Ethiopia. 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. The Bible teaches the Trinity beginning with the days of creation. 8:26), guides (John 16:13), creates (Ps. 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. Have a great discussion about 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. 19:26). Remember, the nature or essence of an entity is the property or attributes that make it what it is. (Ohand I'll send you my free guideThe Simplest Way to Study ANY Bible Passageas a "Thank you" for jumping on board!). Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. It's so simple, it fits on one page. Sometimes the Spirit is treated more like a force than a Person. The easiest way to explain the Trinity is with an object lesson, and thats true no matter how old someone might be. Must you become a better person so that God will accept you? 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. To help us do that, here are two reasons why the Trinity matters. understand the doctrine of the Trinity. After all, the Trinity is difficult to understand. We can be adopted by the Father and united with Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit (John 1:1223; Rom. Confusing them leads to misunderstanding. 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. Rather than let that frustrate you, let it encourage you. 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). 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 . And God seeks people to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). At his death on the cross, sinless Jesus chose to substitute himself in our place (Heb. 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. 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. To be even more precise, essence is what you are. 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! Its okay for them to have a very limited understanding of God. Why? 3:3; Heb. I recently had some of my kids friends ask meWhat is the Trinity? But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. One God? 3:6. . Weve made a comparison between this object and the Trinity. 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 are different Persons, not three different ways of looking at God. Thats where the confusion comes from. Others seem to come by it naturally, and its just not fair! Deut. Ask the teenager this question: Where does this fall short? Other references to the Trinity in the New Testament include Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 12:4-5, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2, and more. We are referring to two different features of God: (1) his singular essenceor natureand (2) three Persons. You can't explain the Trinity to anyone who reasons because: 1) The Bible does not support it. Hes the one who walked the Earth blamelessly, performing miracles, and extending mercy and love. 31:3; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8), Righteous (Ps. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! Because these features make up the singular essence or nature of a triangle. Girls become divided, friendships are ruined, and reputations are tarnished. 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. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. 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.. The answer hinges on the differences in their unique roles. Gods attributes are not parts of his singular divine essence. Learn how you can know God personally. 8:6a). 25:3146; 2 Cor. Thats the one we think of as the Father. 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). Read more. 1. Gods essence is His being. 1:17; Dan. This command lists all three persons of the Trinity. Even then, he was not alone, because he had his Logos within him. Are you still not a Christian? Is God the same as Jesus? 4. God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt. The early church absolutely believed and taught the belief in a God who was three-in-one. 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." That is why any discussion of the Trinity is based on Scripture (Ps. Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. Yet Jesus would not have referenced the Trinity unless it was important. Jesus dying on the Cross is one of the most important parts of His story. This doctrine is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity. He wrote, What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.. The ancient church fathers at first simply acknowledged the Trinity without feeling the need to explain a theology of that understanding. The Trinity is Christianity's most unique, defining, incomprehensible, and awesome mystery. 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. In describing the Trinity, the New Testament clearly distinguishes three Persons who are all simultaneously active. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Unfortunately, there are many illustrations which are not simply imperfect, but in error. 317 subscribers in the BiblicalUnitarian community. 1. The relationship between essence and Person, then, is as follows. Specifically, distinguishing between Gods one essence and his three Persons. What a challenge! The doctrine of the Trinity, simply stated, is as follows: The Bible teaches that there is one eternal God who is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Check out my tips for teaching your kids about bedtime prayer. 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. We Reflect God's Personhood and Relations. We hate SPAM. Bringing hope and resources to military families worldwide. We will never sell your information, for any reason. No, the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible. Lets start with the geometric figure of the triangle itself. 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. You may be wondering how to wrap your mind around all this brand-new information! You can cut into an apple in front of your group. We can discern and apprehend what it is. While it is good for us to seek understanding of the Trinity, we cannot fully comprehend God. 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. The Trinity. 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. 3. Be cool with leaving the gathering with more questions than answers. This is girl drama, and it can be extremely harmful to girls both mentally and emotionally. 4. Essence means the same thing as being. Thus, since God is only one essence, He is only one being, not three. 12:28; Rom. The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It has been said, Try to explain the trinity and lose your mind, try to explain away the trinity and lose your soul. This leads us to investigate more closely a very helpful definition of the Trinity which I mentioned earlier: God is one in essence, but three in Person. The most popular is probably the one found in the Great Commission: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit . Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. It is one of the two ordinances of the Christian Church. What we have seen so far provides a good basic understanding of the Trinity. 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. A triangle must have three sides three corners (angles), and the sum of the three angles must be 180 degrees.
Paul Gater And John Holiday, How Much Does A 12 Foot Roll Of Carpet Weigh, Articles H
Paul Gater And John Holiday, How Much Does A 12 Foot Roll Of Carpet Weigh, Articles H