What is Gods essence? Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. 8:3539; Eph. How can God be both one and three? Now we will turn our attention to showing the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are persons.. EitherThe person were explaining it to will think that God simply changes from one to the other at different times and under different circumstances (water). 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. Now lets dig into these imperfect yet better than nothing representations of the Trinity for kids. I am also fully Keith Ferrin. We are dealing with fact. That is because it is the only religion that believes in 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]. The second point of clarification has to do with personhood. Volunteer abroad this year on a short term global missions trip offered by one of the best, most-reliable Christian missions organizations in the world. But what exactly are essence or nature and personhood? Modern theologians have created a distinction between the "economic Trinity" and the "immanent Trinity.". 4 Visual Ways To Explain The Trinity To A Child. The Trinity Matters because the Gospel Matters. We hate SPAM. 20:23; Deut. Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. Because these features make up the singular essence or nature of a triangle. Simply stated, God is one in essence and three in person. 2:10), knows (1 Cor. AboutPressCopyrightContact. 3:17), Omnipresence (Ps. In the early 2000s, people began using a new approach called "deep . The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being (Gen. 1:1). He is beyond us. The Fathers plan for our redemption shows his great love for humankind. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. Now lets go a little deeper and consider the triangles three corners (angles). The Trinity does not divide God into three parts. However,barais the singular conjugation of the verb. 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. 1:7; 2 Tim. He is one in essence. Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? God is spirit (John 4:24). 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]. 4:15), dying for our sins (1 Cor. We begin with a brief discussion of the doctrine in historical context, explaining more fully the nature of the problem it raises. Lets do a quick review of the topics we have covered. 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. 8:1417). And that knowledge can feel liberating. The fact that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons means, in other words, that the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father. 2:511). The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. But is there any easy way to apprehend these exciting discoveries? The three-ness and one-ness are two different features. Specifically, distinguishing between Gods one essence and his three Persons. How is God different? 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. 4; 14; Jon. The concept of the Trinity. After all, as I have said many times (to myself as much as others! 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. Often it is objected that If Jesus is God, then he must have prayed to himself while he was on earth. But the answer to this objection lies in simply applying what we have already seen. While there are some illustrations which are helpful, we should recognize that no illustration is perfect. The Hebrew word for God isElohim. 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. If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? 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. Only older children will grasp the in one concept of H20. 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. Do Trinity Crafts/Printables. And confusing ones. And this teaching gives us a glimpse into the incomprehensible greatness of God. However, you dont want to stop there with a student who can participate in a discussion. ). So a closer look at the fact that God is one in essence but three in person has helped to show why the Trinity is not a contradiction. Scriptural evidence supports every element proving the Trinity. Among the worlds religions, the Christian faith is unique. But what does it mean that God is gracious? The Trinity is like an egg. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. In addition to these texts, the others we mentioned above make clear that the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Personhood of the Son and the Father. 2:11), emotions (Eph. This is great fun to see how teenagers draw a picture of God. 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. God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt. 8:26), guides (John 16:13), creates (Ps. But they are eternally subordinate in their roles to him (1 Cor. The Bible is clear that all three Persons are each one hundred percent God. But it also raises many difficult questions. 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. 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. While theconceptof the Trinity is evident in the New Testament (Matt. The Apostle Paul also affirms the doctrine of the Trinity. 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. 2:8-9), we can become Gods children. Unfortunately, it is also a doctrine that is surrounded by disagreement and controversy among believers. Therefore, we must always endeavor to deepen our worship of God in truth as well as in our hearts. God the Father spoke from heaven and spoke of His Son, Jesus. The The truth is always new, fresh, and exciting to the believer in Christ. This analogy ignores the personal distinctions within God and mitigates them to mere roles. 1:2), and empowers us for service (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. Yes, the Spirit was sent, but this does not imply that the Holy Spirit is less than they are. The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. The Trinity has a very significant application to prayer. 118:28, God referred to in the third person singular (he, his, him): Gen. 1:5, 10; Ex. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. 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. OrThe person were explaining it to will think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). I am also Keith Ferrin. Let's explore each of these members. Even wonderful parents have kids who struggle with self esteem, despite excellent parenting and a supportive home environment. 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 Holy Trinity is depicted in the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar, Ethiopia. See if they can think of anything better, and be ready to discuss where different ideas might not quite work. Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? It included Jesus miraculous conception in the virgin Mary (John 3:16)an act that we call the incarnation.. 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. Why? In other words, what are the objective attributes or properties that make up all rocks? know that I recognise only one God. But how can finite humans know anything about Gods infinite essence? 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. Reaching students and faculty in middle and high school. We then turn to the most important strategies that have been developed by Christians to resolve this problem. However, Matthew 28:19 is frequently used in attempts to prove that the Trinity is a biblical teaching. And the voice of the Father declared, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased (Matt. Thus, Jesus prayed to God the Father without praying to Himself. 2:34; Heb. So, the Trinity is incomprehensible. Yet he also proclaimed, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live (1 Cor. 2:17). Neither should we think of the Persons as being defined by attributes added on to the being of God. More simply stated, the essence of any entity is what it is. 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. There are two men in their 20s who came to faith in Christ in recent weeks through the ministry of our church. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. May 23, 2012 by: Justin Buzzard. God the Holy Spirit. For example, it says of Christ that in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Colossians 2:9). 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). 4:6; James 2:19; Jude 25. The Definition Of The Trinity. Is God the same as Jesus? Gods essence is His being. He sent Jesus to save us and then completed our salvation through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Eph. And the triangle can help us distinguish one essence from the three Persons. Omnibenevolence (Jer. Errr, not quite. So God is one what but three whos.. For example they: 5. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. He is one Being in three Persons (centers of consciousness), not merely three roles. Monotheism is foundational to Christianity. In this blog post, we are going to discuss the Holy Trinity in simple terms. Why do so many people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity? 12:711), The Father is not the Son (Matt. Essenceis the objective set of attributes necessary to the thing being described. 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. Fun fact: The 325 Nicene Creed does not state Trinity. It is the unity of the Father, Son, and Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. At this stage, your head may be swimming with all this new information about God! In fact, kids who have been in church for many years will probably have already heard one of these illustrations. But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith. This is a limitation on God that doesnt acknowledge that God isalwaysthe Father,alwaysthe Son, andalwaysthe Holy Spirit. This one is kinda fun for older kids who understand a bit of science. To start, let me define what I mean when I say persons. Personhood is having intellect, emotions, and a will. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about the Trinity. 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. Thats the one we think of as the Father. 317 subscribers in the BiblicalUnitarian community. The Trinity consists of one being revealed in three distinct persons. You can't explain the Trinity to anyone who reasons because: 1) The Bible does not support it. They are three real persons, not three roles God plays. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. For example: The Nicene Creed is recited during every service of Holy Communion . The answer hinges on the differences in their unique roles. You may feel like you are drinking from a fire hydrant. 6:45; 32:39; 1 Kings 8:60; 2 Kings 5:15; Isa. Jesus himself spoke of the one-ness of the Godhead when he quoted the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4. For instance, the Trinity does not mean that: Instead, we need to clearly distinguish two categories (Persons and essence). Finally I would end with Deuteronomy 29:29 which helps us to realize that we cannot fully comprehend God. Fortunately, the most popular analogy of the Trinity is the triangle. He is three in Person. What a challenge! We define personhood by three key characteristics: Now that you understand the critical distinction, you know that essence is what. And you know personhood is who.. How to EXPLAIN The Trinity to a New Believer - Introduction to the Godhead In this video I will introduce the godhead or the trinity in one of the easiest te. Monotheism. Youngblood, R. F., et al. But secondly, Christians need to clarify that God is incomprehensible. Answer. What's the Origin and History of the Trinity in the Church? Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth by his word. Need help teaching your kids about communion, either at Sunday School or home? That's the one we think of as the Father. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. Ibid, p. 255. Principle #3: Order. While it is good for us to seek understanding of the Trinity, we cannot fully comprehend God. Dont despair. After all, theyre good questions. 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: Trinity | Putting the Fun In, Faith and Finances: 5 Steps to Get Started. Among the three persons of the Trinity, there is a proper order: The Father is the First Person of the Most Holy Trinity. He exists as a Trinity. If you are a Christian, why not memorize some of this blogs verses? Leading from values so others will walk passionately with God to grow and bear fruit. This should make it clear why it is so important to understand that all three Persons are the same essence. also 1:18). 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). Each person of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) really IS God. Anytime you see a geometric figure with these features, it is a triangle. 3:17; 17:5; Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 10:15; 12:28; 17:1-26; 1 Tim. The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. He differs from the Father, but was and . Tozerputs it well in The Knowledge of the Holy. So many things clamor to define you. 12:28; Rom. The Holy Trinity - Explained. 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). And all three members of the Trinity were involved. 2) It makes no sense 3) The doctrine is rooted in ancient pagan Babylon 4) Jesus himself said he is God's SON; not God himself as the Trinity teaches 3:1617). 25:3146; 2 Cor. One illustration to beware of is the one which says, I am one person, but I am a student, son, and brother. God the Son. But first, lets cover the basics. 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. . In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. Of course we are speaking by analogy here, for we cannot understand this in a physical way about God. How we seek to journey together with everyone towards a relationship with Jesus. It is the same thing in three different forms. 8:6a). The Trinity Is Unique Among Monotheistic Religions Christianity is a "monotheistic" religion. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. 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. He regenerates us with new spiritual life (John 3:58). 2. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. When the global church comes together then powerful things can happen. No, the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible. Genesis 1:1says this: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.. 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. 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 . If you are teaching young children, these object lessons are both the perfect starting and stopping point. But Christianitys God is unique. Learn about Cru's global leadership team. See, each member participated in the creation, the incarnation, and redemption. This is one of the books of the Torah. After all, each of these illustrate the idea that God is made up of parts, and thats not really true. If each Person of the Trinity is distinct and yet fully God, then should we conclude that there is more than one God? After all, children deal best with concrete ideas. There are many illustrations which have been offered to help us understand the Trinity. 6:11; Gal. 19:26). Show them that there are three parts: seeds, flesh, and skin. I wont go into all of the verses here (simply type bible verses about the Trinity into Google and youll find plenty). 4:30), and a will (1 Cor. Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation. Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. 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. After Christ rose from the grave, he appeared to the disciples and gave them a job to do: preach the Word to everyone. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. As long as a shape has those three angles that add up to 180 degrees, it doesnt matter what the angles degrees are. God is like the skin because He protects us. What is the Trinity? First of all I want to tell you that the Trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Sun The sun is a physical object, but also gives off light and heat. And we can delight in praying to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit (John 14:1314; Eph. Read more. In describing the Trinity, the New Testament clearly distinguishes three Persons who are all simultaneously active. Lets apply what weve learned to the Trinity based on the graphic. He is three in a different way than He is one. Below are several of the most popular ones. 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]. We cannot entirelycomprehendan infinite God and these mysteries (Rom. Why not consider these truths and place your faith in Jesus (1 John 5:1)? All of this information is a lot to take in at once. Use Objects As Visual Aids. Since God is one in a different way than He is three, the Trinity is not a contradiction. 2:10), convinces (John 6:44), teaches (Luke 12:12), convicts (John 16:18), commands (Acts 1:2), moves (John 11:33), helps (Rom. Explore answers to life's biggest questions. 3:25; Dan. The Father is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of 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. 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. Trying to fully understand God is like a 2-year-old trying to fully understand the complexities of relationships, marriage, and parenting! Or stated simply, the triangles what-ness.. 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). Learn the basics of what Christians believe. During this period, it was attempted solely by using algorithmswhich are basically rules or sets of rules you tell a computer to follow. Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. The Trinity does not divide God into three parts. Egg A single egg is made up of the yolk, the whites, and the shell. Paul unequivocally taught Jesus is God (Col. 2:9). It starts with a whisper. As theologian and apologist Norman Geisler has explained it, while essence is what you are, person is who you are. First, we have God. The Bible reveals that God isone, in essence, eternally revealed inthree Persons. Our fellowship with God should be enhanced by consciously knowing that we are relating to a tri-personal God! Even then, he was not alone, because he had his Logos within him. In other words, there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons. 5:7). It was God who took the initiative to save humankind. Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. " Here God is a plural noun, said is in the . Whats a Mama to say when the questions start flowing? No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. But that doesnt mean the concept isnt clearly taught. Jesus carried out these creative decrees (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). OksoWhat about this idea of one being who exists in three persons?. the one who is not a Christian. The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible . Answer. Why is the Trinity important to Christianity? Ironically, not much is known about his death; even the year when he passed away is up for debate. For instance, each Person: Scripture often names all three members of the Trinity together. 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 . The triangle illustration is easy to understand, but an imperfect analogy because: Nonetheless, a triangle illustrates how there can be a three-ness and one-ness same time. Geisler, N. L., and R. E MacKenzie, R. E. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences. Girls become divided, friendships are ruined, and reputations are tarnished. I work hard to produce evidence-based information about school for both teachers and parents, and to produce and share resources that can help at home and in the classroom. Likewise, after the Son returned to the Father (John 16:10), the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit into the world (John 14:26; Acts 2:33). 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.". Faith is recognizing that we dont have all the answers and deciding that its okay to keep believing and growing. Clearly, he appreciated a plurality within the Godhead. Now, as Fred Sanders once quipped, this doesn't mean you should begin every witnessing encounter, "God loves you . 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. Many other verses concurrently list the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. 2. The important difference between complexity and incomprehension: If Christianity was something we were making up, of course, we could make it easier. Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. He sanctifies us (1 Pet. But it is possible to go deeper. 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. Christ through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God.. Further, we should allow the fact that God is triune to deepen our worship. If we were to translate it . Because of Gods nature, several mysteries exist within our faith. They are different Persons, not three different ways of looking at God. ). The Trinity. He was "begotten, not made," and he was of the same substance or essence ( homoousios) as the Father. More posts you may like r/TrueChristian Of course, anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about (p. 145). But dont get confused. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son. Because humankind is limited, God will always exceed our knowledge and understanding (Isa. The first commandment says, You shall have no other gods before me (Ex. 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. 45:5-6, New Testament: Mark 12:29; John 5:44; Eph. What does essence mean? With teenagers, you want to take a different approach, and celebrate the mystery of it all. The Holy Trinity is 'the Center of Everything.'. 5:2), Miracles (Ex. *catholic, meaning universal here, and not a reference to the big C Catholic. 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 different roles refer to a functional order or functional subordination.. Surely not. These three persons are of the same substance, equal in power and glory. Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. It's so simple, it fits on one page. But all three must be present simultaneously for the geometric figure to be a triangle. Therefore, it is often difficult to have a concrete definition of Person as we use it in regards to the Trinity.