how to explain the trinity to a new believer how to explain the trinity to a new believer

God the Father. Essenceis the objective set of attributes necessary to the thing being described. It was God who took the initiative to save humankind. 12:711), The Father is not the Son (Matt. And that he is manifest as three Persons.. 2:17). Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. In his bookMere Christianity, C. S. Lewis points out an important distinction. 12:11), When the Holy Spirit speaks, he refers to himself in first person (Acts 13:2). 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]. They are different Persons, not three different ways of looking at God. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. The answer is they are gray and hard. During this period, it was attempted solely by using algorithmswhich are basically rules or sets of rules you tell a computer to follow. Ignore the urge to tie everything up with a nice little bow. Here is an object with three parts: a hard shell, the egg white, and the yolk. Showing God in action in and through His people. 2:2729). 45:5-6, New Testament: Mark 12:29; John 5:44; Eph. He is one Being in three Persons (centers of consciousness), not merely three roles. Deity of Jesus: 10 Essentials You Need to Know! Tozerputs it well in The Knowledge of the Holy. In other words, you have contradicted yourself if you affirm and deny the same statement. Because of Gods nature, several mysteries exist within our faith. December 19, 2018. LESSON 1: THE TRINITY AIM: To teach the children in simple terms the truth of the Godhead. 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. Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org. Perfect for the Bible newbie or the long-time Bible reader. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. We should not think of God as like a pie cut into three pieces, each piece representing a Person. But I hope you have learned that the Trinity is not contradictory. 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. 2. Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. We will never sell your information, for any reason. Third, we have the Holy Spirit, which is also God, living in our hearts and guiding us through life. 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." And the Trinity is an essential doctrine to our understanding of God. Its okay to admit you dont know everything. If you go to YouTube and search on explain the Trinity youll findlotsof videos. The word Trinity is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible; however, countless scriptures mention all three forms of God. In his second letter to the Corinthians, he bids farewell to them: "May the grace of the Lord Jesus, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. 1:18; Luke 1:2635). 8:26), guides (John 16:13), creates (Ps. 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. 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]. OksoWhat about this idea of one being who exists in three persons?. What does it take to begin a relationship with God? Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. They are equal in power, love, mercy, justice, holiness, knowledge, and all other qualities. Because humankind is limited, God will always exceed our knowledge and understanding (Isa. 19:714; Ps. The Trinity Is Unique Among Monotheistic Religions Christianity is a "monotheistic" religion. 118:28, God referred to in the third person singular (he, his, him): Gen. 1:5, 10; Ex. God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt. Rather, each person of the Trinity has all of the attributes of God, and no one Person has any attributes that are not possessed by the others. We Reflect God's Personhood and Relations. So, in this article, we will look at where the term originated. The three most common go-to analogies for explaining the Trinity are water, an egg, and the sun. 13:14; 1 Pet.1:2), In the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1025), When Jesus promises the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 1:48), Peters sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:33; Acts 3839), Peter and apostles answer the high priest (Acts 5:3032), During Stephens heavenly vision at his stoning (Acts 7:5556), In Peters sermon to the gentiles in Caesarea (Acts 10:3638; Acts 4448), When Peter reports to the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:1518), When Peter speaks at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:811), During Pauls interaction with Jewish leaders in Rome (Acts 28:2531), Pauls epistles (Rom. What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being (Gen. 1:1). However, the Bible teaches us enough about these mysteries that we can apprehend them. All of this information is a lot to take in at once. The only way humans can know about these mysteries is because the Bible teaches them. "The Trinity is the foundational Christian belief that God is one Being who exists in three Persons.. If someone already has an understanding based on the definition and explanation above, then these analogiesmighthelp them grasp aspects of the Trinity. 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. One of the problems is that most of us myself included are tempted to move too quickly to analogies that only help explainaspectsof the Trinity. We begin with a brief discussion of the doctrine in historical context, explaining more fully the nature of the problem it raises. 317 subscribers in the BiblicalUnitarian community. Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. Modern theologians have created a distinction between the "economic Trinity" and the "immanent Trinity.". I think the major problem involves not distinguishing two different features of God. 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! In fact, would Jesus have us baptize in the name of a mere creature? God the Son. He was sustaining and manifesting Gods immediate presence in his creation. 32:39), Has personal traits, such as the ability to communicate (John 14:31), He has intellect (John 2:25), emotions (John 11:35), and a will (John 6:38), Has intellect (John 14:26; 1 Cor. (eds. That is ok when it comes to rocks and triangles. But that doesn't mean the concept isn't clearly taught. Heres how the triangle analogy can help: Consider a triangle with me. Leading from values so others will walk passionately with God to grow and bear fruit. The answer is simple. We exist to worship God. The Trinity does not divide God into three parts. Have some fun taking various quizzes and assessments to learn about yourself and others. 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. And during his earthly ministry, Christ subjected himself to the Fathers will. 15:19), God is called Father (John 17:1; John 3; 20:17; 1 Cor. If there is one passage which most clearly brings all of this together, it is Matthew 28:19: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. First, notice that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinguished as distinct Persons. For example: The Nicene Creed is recited during every service of Holy Communion . Matthew 12:28. Obviously we cannot, for Scripture is clear that there is only one God: There is no other God besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. What is 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. Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring. To help us do that, here are two reasons why the Trinity matters. The relationship between essence and Person, then, is as follows. You can't explain the Trinity to anyone who reasons because: 1) The Bible does not support it. 2:34; Heb. My passion is helping you not just read and study the Bible, but truly enjoy it! The The truth is always new, fresh, and exciting to the believer in Christ. First of all I want to tell you that the Trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Explore answers to life's biggest questions. Essence means the same thing as being. Thus, since God is only one essence, He is only one being, not three. Just as ONE egg has THREE different parts - the shell, the white, the yoke - ONE God has THREE different . However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the . They are personal forms of existence other than a difference in being. It is fundamental to our worldview. Read about individuals who have been transformed by faith. It's so simple, it fits on one page. And we can delight in praying to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit (John 14:1314; Eph. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about the Trinity. If we were to translate it . These three persons make up the one true God. Have a great discussion about it! The Trinity confuses even adults, so when youre tasked (or inspired) to teach the Trinity to a child, teenager, or new believer, it can be overwhelming. There was never a time when one of the Persons of the Godhead did not exist. "Economic" has to do with the history of salvation, and discusses the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the sending and mission of salvation. Your Identity in Christ: How God Sees You. 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. A beautiful mystery. 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. After all, as I have said many times (to myself as much as others! Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. 5:21), making it possible for us to have a relationship with God. 2:11), emotions (Eph. understand the doctrine of the Trinity. Famous pastor and authorA.W. 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. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! 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 . This is very important: God is one and three at the same time, but not in the same way. After all, children deal best with concrete ideas. With teenagers, you want to take a different approach, and celebrate the mystery of it all. This one is kinda fun for older kids who understand a bit of science. Some attributes include eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. Why not plan on studying verses in each section to prove to yourself that the Bible does claim that God is a Trinity? The Holy Trinity - Explained. Are these just three different ways of looking at God, or simply ways of referring to three different roles that God plays? Orthodox Christian theology has always affirmed that the one true God is triune in nature. This is great fun to see how teenagers draw a picture of God. Satan existed with the angels at the beginning of creation as one of the cherubim. Unfortunately, it is also a doctrine that is surrounded by disagreement and controversy among believers. Monotheism. Youngblood, R. F., et al. In brief, how we view God will profoundly impact our everyday lives. We are dealing with fact. Now we will turn our attention to showing the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are persons.. Lets start with the geometric figure of the triangle itself. This can only be if they share one essence. Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. We cannot entirelycomprehendan infinite God and these mysteries (Rom. While Jesus and the Father are both God, they are different Persons. 3 in 1: A Picture of God This one is for anyone interested in using the apple object lesson. 3:17), Omnipresence (Ps. You arent alone! ), "If God was small enough for my brain to fully understand, He wouldnt be big enough to save me!, The authors of the Bible understood this. Only older children will grasp the in one concept of H20. May 23, 2012 by: Justin Buzzard. But as a follower of Christ, your identity can and should be grounded in one thing: who He says you are. Trinity comes from two word parts: tri, meaning three, and unity, meaning as one. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms a union of three. Their prime usefulness it to show the mystery is not contradictory. If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is one-third of God? The New Testament lists all three Persons of the Trinity simultaneously, 6. Disclaimer: I believe Trinity. God is truth, so the unity that He is effecting between believers is a unity grounded in truth. In this case, "immanent" means "the action remaining within an agent.". In this blog post, we are going to discuss the Holy Trinity in simple terms. Our kids are currently 2, 4, and 7, and its equally loved by all of them, so the Yoto age range is really wide! Allegedly, Saint Patrick used a shamrock as a metaphor to explain the Trinity: three leaves, one shamrock. 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. 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. All three Persons of the Trinity are God. Each corner is distinct (i.e., different) from the others. 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. After all, so much happens in the week leading up to the resurrection of Christ. 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. 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. The word "scripture " graphe But it also raises many difficult questions. Neither should we think of the Persons as being defined by attributes added on to the being of God. The ancient church fathers at first simply acknowledged the Trinity without feeling the need to explain a theology of that understanding. OrThe person were explaining it to will think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). 1:2), Jesus as God (Titus 2:13), and the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5:3-4). Other statements may at first seem contradictory but are really not. I might end with sharing a few analogies from nature. Let's explore each of these members. To contemplate the Trinity is to lift up your heart and to "set your mind on the things above" (Col. 3:2). 4:47), In Hebrews (Heb. That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. 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. The concept of the Trinity. If each Person of the Trinity is distinct and yet fully God, then should we conclude that there is more than one God? Clearly, he appreciated a plurality within the Godhead. Finally I would end with Deuteronomy 29:29 which helps us to realize that we cannot fully comprehend God. I'm an author, speaker, husband, father and ice cream lover. This is just an egg, or an apple, or H2O. Simply stated, God is one in essence and three in person. Learn to develop your skills, desire and ability to join others on their spiritual journeys and take them closer to Jesus. Now, as Fred Sanders once quipped, this doesn't mean you should begin every witnessing encounter, "God loves you . Think about it: Finite Christians serve an eternal and infinite God. . But secondly, Christians need to clarify that God is incomprehensible. 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]. The divine essence is thus not something that exists above or separate from the three Persons, but the divine essence is the being of the three Persons. Trinity may be a new term for you and can be confusing even for Christians to explain to others. At this stage, your head may be swimming with all this new information about God! The Fathers plan for our redemption shows his great love for humankind. The Trinity is like an egg or apple. Steam, water, and ice are all H20. The Trinity is Christianity's most unique, defining, incomprehensible, and awesome mystery. There will always be some level of mystery to this, but when you talk about the being/nature/essence as God and the persons/expressions as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit I think we get at least a little bit closer to beginning to comprehend something we can never fully comprehend. Third, Christians believe that the entire New Testament is inspired. The verb for created isbara. 3. 1:17; Dan. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. Divide your group into three teams and give each group a sheet of butcher paper or poster. 2:10), convinces (John 6:44), teaches (Luke 12:12), convicts (John 16:18), commands (Acts 1:2), moves (John 11:33), helps (Rom. 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). It is very simple: All three Persons are one God because, as we saw above, they are all the same essence. Therefore each of the Persons into whose name we are to be baptized must be deity. What a challenge! Answer. He differs from the Father, but was and . To this day, this scripture inspires the language we use to baptize people across Christian denominations. It's a great reminder of the three parts of the Holy Trinity! Why? We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. The three members of the Trinity are Persons. Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. 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. Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. . 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. Perhaps for the first time, you have read that the Trinity is a mystery and not acontradiction. This command lists all three persons of the Trinity. God is like the skin because He protects us. If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? 119; Prov. The Trinity is more than just a vital doctrine. 31:3; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8), Righteous (Ps. 3:1417). Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. Many other verses concurrently list the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The apple one is kind of cool. Its NOT 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. To further our understanding of the distinction of persons within the one God it is best to move on to the next trinitarian principle. Christ took Gods punishment, and wrath meant for us because of our sins (Heb. Secondly I'd like you to read this verse with me from the Bible. 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. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. How do we know whats age-appropriate for them to understand? 92:8) and third person (he, his, him) singular pronouns (1 Kings 18:39). Fill this out to make sure you don't miss a thing! The fact that the Holy Spirit is a Person, not an impersonal force (like gravity), is also shown by the fact that He speaks (Hebrews 3:7), reasons (Acts 15:28), thinks and understands (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), wills (1 Corinthians 12:11), feels (Ephesians 4:30), and gives personal fellowship (2 Corinthians 13:14). 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. Jesus is God, but He is not the Father or the Holy Spirit. ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. For example, it says of Christ that "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). But it is possible to go deeper. This is girl drama, and it can be extremely harmful to girls both mentally and emotionally. Reflecting Jesus together for the good of the city. At the risk of sounding too physical, essence can be understood as the stuff that you consist of.. More simply stated, the essence of any entity is what it is. The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When the global church comes together then powerful things can happen. Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. He is beyond us. Lets do a quick review of the topics we have covered. (Ohand I'll send you my free guideThe Simplest Way to Study ANY Bible Passageas a "Thank you" for jumping on board!). Yet he also proclaimed, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live (1 Cor. ). The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith. So many things clamor to define you. There are many illustrations which have been offered to help us understand the Trinity. The Trinity is a mystery beyond our comprehension (Isa. (Againwere trying to grasp something that isnt fully grasp-able.). Those centuries were t Or stated simply, the triangles what-ness.. God is infinite. We need you. These three persons are of the same substance, equal in power and glory. 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 Trinity is like an egg. using the shamrock or the three states of H 2 O to explain the . The concept of the Trinity is often referred to during worship, which helps Christians to understand it. In regards to the Trinity, we use the term Person differently than we generally use it in everyday life. As Christians, we derive our concept of person from the relations in the Trinity. Yes, the Spirit was sent, but this does not imply that the Holy Spirit is less than they are. And this teaching gives us a glimpse into the incomprehensible greatness of God. Nothing is more astonishing, more challenging, and more potentially life-transforming than knowing God.". 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.. A mystery that should cause us to marvel, and wonder, and worship! They only describe what makes up Gods singular essence. Find resources for personal or group Bible study. 32:17, 27; Matt. 1:2), and empowers us for service (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. We then turn to the most important strategies that have been developed by Christians to resolve this problem.