What is the Trinity? - Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry Thus, Jesus prayed to God the Father without praying to Himself. That is where I go back to the starting point I mentioned above. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not unite people by neglecting t 18:20; Matt. What does it take to begin a relationship with God? Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. So all three members of the Trinity have unique personhood. For instance, each Person: Scripture often names all three members of the Trinity together. Its probably the most classic Trinity object lesson, but its not my favorite. God is spirit (John 4:24). Sigh. 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. But how does it show us why there is only one God instead of three? The wordTrinitymeansthree-in-one. 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. Hes the one who walked the Earth blamelessly, performing miracles, and extending mercy and love. In his bookMere Christianity, C. S. Lewis points out an important distinction. 3. The Holy Spirit was moving or hovering over the face of the waters (Gen. 1:2). Assign each group with one of the Godheads: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), or the Holy Spirit. (eds. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. While some say . 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. 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. You can help us reach children and their families to know Jesus. Each member of the Trinity is . One God? 8:6a). 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). This one is kinda fun for older kids who understand a bit of science. What Is the Trinity in Christianity? - Learn Religions John says in the first verse of the book: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God.". Essence and person are not the same thing. 4. What's the Origin and History of the Trinity in the Church? One illustration to beware of is the one which says, I am one person, but I am a student, son, and brother. Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Crus annual report and more. Omnibenevolence (Jer. OrThe person were explaining it to will think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). In fact, kids who have been in church for many years will probably have already heard one of these illustrations. Think about it: Finite Christians serve an eternal and infinite God. 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. 4:4). It is the same thing in three different forms. Because of Gods nature, several mysteries exist within our faith. Is referred to in the second person (you; Ps. EXPLAIN THE TRINITY - How To Explain The Holy Trinity Simply For instance, the Father is the first person of the Trinity. His function is superior to that of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Does it look like Grandpa? Tertullian coined the term Trinity during the second century. To this day, this scripture inspires the language we use to baptize people across Christian denominations. We cannot entirelycomprehendan infinite God and these mysteries (Rom. Monotheism. Youngblood, R. F., et al. passage also demonstrates Jesus' early declaration of the Trinity. What does the Bible teach about the Trinity? | GotQuestions.org And God created humankind to share that love (John 17:2126; Acts 17:25). These three persons are of the same substance, equal in power and glory. We hate SPAM. The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. We just covered Gods one divine essence. 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. If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? And interesting they are listed under a single name. This refers to Gods single essence. It included Jesus miraculous conception in the virgin Mary (John 3:16)an act that we call the incarnation.. The three members of the unholy trinity are Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. Each person of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) really IS God. 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. Matthew 3:16. Explore resources to help you live out your life and relationships in a way that honors God. But Christianity's God is unique. They have eternally (John 17:5, 24) sought to glorify each other (Phil. Whats a Mama to say when the questions start flowing? God is like the skin because He protects us. Can We Explain the Trinity? | Desiring God Jesus is the one whose life we try to copy. It's so simple, it fits on one page. But it is not. The Trinity is the perfect loving community of three Persons. This command lists all three persons of the Trinity. Divide your group into three teams and give each group a sheet of butcher paper or poster. Would you like to give your time to work with Cru? 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. This triune God (or Trinity) began to allude to this aspect of His nature right in Genesis 1:26-27. 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. A rumor is started, and it spreads like wildfire. 12:711), The Father is not the Son (Matt. Other statements may at first seem contradictory but are really not. Two biblical teachings confirm the doctrine of the Trinity: How is that possible? Yes, the Spirit was sent, but this does not imply that the Holy Spirit is less than they are. For example the: Finite humankind cannot wholly comprehend these mysteries. What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. If we can understand more precisely what is meant by essence and person, how these two terms differ, and how they relate, we will then have a more complete understanding of the Trinity. To start, let me define what I mean when I say persons. Personhood is having intellect, emotions, and a will. As a former youth minister and childrens minister, Ive already done your research! 5:2), Miracles (Ex. PDF A Brief Explanation of the Trinity - TheologicalStudies.org.uk 1. 8:26), comprehends (1 Cor. The verb for created isbara. For example: One of the most common mistakes people make is to think of the Holy Spirit as some force ala Star Wars. But the Holy Spirit is most assuredly a person. 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]. Well, we can know because God has given us his special revelation: the Bible. Need help teaching your kids about communion, either at Sunday School or home? Example 1: What is the nature or essence of a rock? Sometimes the Spirit is treated more like a force than a Person. 1:318; 1 Pet. But the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a He (see John 14:26; 16:7-15; Acts 8:16). 2. 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. Specifically, distinguishing between Gods one essence and his three Persons. The Bible reveals that God isone, in essence, eternally revealed inthree Persons. The The truth is always new, fresh, and exciting to the believer in Christ. Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). . Unfortunately, there are many illustrations which are not simply imperfect, but in error. This is a limitation on God that doesnt acknowledge that God isalwaysthe Father,alwaysthe Son, andalwaysthe Holy Spirit. A bright teen asked me to explain the Trinity. Here's what I said. 8:26), guides (John 16:13), creates (Ps. 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! The trouble with this one is that its a bit less visual. In other words, Christianity is unique among all other worldviews. This verse accurately states the doctrine of the Trinity that God is One God in three Persons. 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.. 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. A triangle must have three different corners in order to be one triangle. God is the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. While Jesus and the Father are both God, they are different Persons. 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. In regards to the Trinity, we use the term Person differently than we generally use it in everyday life. 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 Son and Holy Spirit are equal in deity to the Father. And all three members of the Trinity were involved. The ancient church fathers at first simply acknowledged the Trinity without feeling the need to explain a theology of that understanding. For instance: Additionally, all three members of the Trinity participate together in several critical events. Look at what the Bible clearly shows: that there is one God ( Deuteronomy 6:4) that the Father is called God ( Ephesians 4:6 ), that Jesus (the Son) is called God ( Titus 2:13) and existed with God before creation ( John 1:1; 17:4) and the Holy Spirit is attributed . He was "begotten, not made," and he was of the same substance or essence ( homoousios) as the Father. Errr, not quite. 1. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. Have some fun taking various quizzes and assessments to learn about yourself and others. Does the Trinity mean that God is divided into three parts? Ibid, p. 255. In other words, what are the objective attributes or properties that make up all rocks? This explains how God can be both one and three. The problem with this is that it reflects a heresy called modalism. With teenagers, you want to take a different approach, and celebrate the mystery of it all. Just hang on a little longer. They are equal in power, love, mercy, justice, holiness, knowledge, and all other qualities. The answer hinges on the differences in their unique roles. This formulation can show us why there are not three Gods, and why the Trinity is not a contradiction. Ask the teenager this question: Where does this fall short? 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! It's a great reminder of the three parts of the Holy Trinity! 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). But dont get confused. 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. Must you become a better person so that God will accept you? 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]. All three Persons of the Trinity are God. LESSON 1: THE TRINITY AIM: To teach the children in simple terms the truth of the Godhead. No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. God the Father spoke from heaven and spoke of His Son, Jesus. Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. 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). 4:4; Col. 1:15), Eternal (John 1:1-3; 17:5; Col. 1:16-17; Jude 25), Omnipresent (Matt. " Here God is a plural noun, said is in the . These are all qualities of personhood. God is truth, so the unity that He is effecting between believers is a unity grounded in truth. It is understandable that our finite minds cannot grasp an infinite God. 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. Modern theologians have created a distinction between the "economic Trinity" and the "immanent Trinity.". Rather, the being of each Person is equal to the whole being of God.[1] The divine essence is not something that is divided between the three persons, but is fully in all three persons without being divided into parts., Thus, the Son is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of God. While admitting the lack of conformity among believers, we must never consider it a minor issue of doctrine. Fun fact: The 325 Nicene Creed does not state Trinity. 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. But secondly, Christians need to clarify that God is incomprehensible. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. Therefore, we must always endeavor to deepen our worship of God in truth as well as in our hearts. 1:20-21), In salutations and benedictions (2 Cor. Learn the basics of what Christians believe. Simply put: without three angles, theres no triangle! "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. . 2:11), speaks (Mark 13:11), testifies (Acts 20:23), reveals (1 Cor. 3:19; Eph. There are two men in their 20s who came to faith in Christ in recent weeks through the ministry of our church. That way were providing a simple, common language and framework for everything else were going to say (or any analogies we use). *catholic, meaning universal here, and not a reference to the big C Catholic. The Holy Trinity Prek Teaching Resources | TPT Its a devotional book. The personhood of each member of the Trinity means that each Person has a distinct center of consciousness. There are many illustrations which have been offered to help us understand the Trinity. Their prime usefulness it to show the mystery is not contradictory. Answer: Jesus came to lead us into relationship with the Father and that required the sacrifice of his own life because of our rebellion. Christ through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God.. This is very important: God is one and three at the same time, but not in the same way. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. Christs resurrection is variously attributed to: Multiple verses distinguish each member of the Trinity. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. Of course, if the triangle illustration were perfect, we would be able to comprehend God fully, but we cant. Teaching the Trinity to Students Youth Pastor Theologian In John 1:1 it is affirmed that Jesus is God and, at the same time, that He was with God- thereby indicating that Jesus is a distinct Person from God the Father (cf. Our Triune God - Grace To You God created man in His image. 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. 6:45; 32:39; 1 Kings 8:60; 2 Kings 5:15; Isa. 3:1417). 10:57), The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian. However, Matthew 28:19 is frequently used in attempts to prove that the Trinity is a biblical teaching. Why not consider these truths and place your faith in Jesus (1 John 5:1)? Are these just three different ways of looking at God, or simply ways of referring to three different roles that God plays? All of this information is a lot to take in at once. Among the worlds religions, the Christian faith is unique. A subreddit for the encouragement and discussion of the Biblical Unitarian position which holds If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is one-third of God? So, in this article, we will look at where the term originated. I might end with sharing a few analogies from nature. God the Son. 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. 55 years on I've yet to hear or read an explanation of the Trinity that makes sense. Read about individuals who have been transformed by faith. To further our understanding of the distinction of persons within the one God it is best to move on to the next trinitarian principle. 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. I wont go into all of the verses here (simply type bible verses about the Trinity into Google and youll find plenty). 2:11), emotions (Eph. The Trinity has a very significant application to prayer. Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? 7:28; Ps. The relationship between essence and Person, then, is as follows. In other words, there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons. They include: Now you have a basic understanding of the Trinity. 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. Christ took Gods punishment, and wrath meant for us because of our sins (Heb. A Simple Way to Explain the Trinity - Keith Ferrin