What does essence mean? 4:4; Col. 1:15), Eternal (John 1:1-3; 17:5; Col. 1:16-17; Jude 25), Omnipresent (Matt. Then study the pronouns used in Scripture point to the Trinity: This one-ness is Gods one divine essence (Heb 1:3). In brief, how we view God will profoundly impact our everyday lives. The second point of clarification has to do with personhood. The doctrine of the Trinity is considered to be one of the central Christian affirmations about God. 9:18; Matt. How could we? "The Trinity is the foundational Christian belief that God is one Being who exists in three Persons." Unpacking the Definition The word Trinity means three-in-one. The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible . Jesus dying on the Cross is one of the most important parts of His story. How to Teach Kids the Trinity with an Apple Object Lesson Grab an apple and share these five truths with your kids: An apple has three parts: the seeds, the flesh, and the skin. Fortunately, the most popular analogy of the Trinity is the triangle. 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. This doctrine is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity. 2:5), The Father is not the Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26), The Son is not the Spirit (Matt. In describing the Trinity, the New Testament clearly distinguishes three Persons who are all simultaneously active. . Since our personal relationship is with Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit lies within us, what role does God play as Father? Matt Perman is the director of career navigation at The Kings College NYC, a blogger, and an author. You can't explain the Trinity to anyone who reasons because: 1) The Bible does not support it. Most Christians are puzzled by the Trinity, and therefore, cant explain it very well. 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. 40:18; Rom. A subreddit for the encouragement and discussion of the Biblical Unitarian position which holds 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. How can three and one refer to the same God? Girls become divided, friendships are ruined, and reputations are tarnished. Unfortunately, there are many illustrations which are not simply imperfect, but in error. Remember, the nature or essence of an entity is the property or attributes that make it what it is. 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. He was sustaining and manifesting Gods immediate presence in his creation. 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). 4; 14; Jon. Check out my tips for teaching your kids about bedtime prayer. Baker Books, 1995, pp. The Trinity is like an egg. See, each member participated in the creation, the incarnation, and redemption. 2:11), and performs miracles (Matt. Omnipotence (Jer. "Economic" has to do with the history of salvation, and discusses the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the sending and mission of salvation. 10:2831), In Johns writings (1 John 4:1314; Rev. Learn why He did it and what it means for you. This analogy ignores the personal distinctions within God and mitigates them to mere roles. Many of us say it every single Sunday morning. The Definition Of The Trinity. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Jesus is the one whose life we try to copy. These verses make it impossible to deny their individuality and deity. We just covered Gods one divine essence. Satan. 3. He regenerates us with new spiritual life (John 3:58). Christ took Gods punishment, and wrath meant for us because of our sins (Heb. 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. You can cut into an apple in front of your group. What's the Origin and History of the Trinity in the Church? That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. Within a week,, Read More Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? For instance, the Father is the first person of the Trinity. His function is superior to that of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Perhaps for the first time, you have read that the Trinity is a mystery and not acontradiction. What is the essence of a triangle? Steam, water, and ice are all H20. 9:14; Heb. 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. Each member of the Trinity is . The apple one is kind of cool. 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. 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. Sometimes the Spirit is treated more like a force than a Person. 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.. However, the biblical doctrine of the Trinity does not rest on one verse of Scripture, but is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. 3 in 1: A Picture of God This one is for anyone interested in using the apple object lesson. The substance of God is God, not a bunch of ingredients that taken together yield deity. 23-26; Luke 7:11-17; Luke 11:1-45), Sends the Holy Spirit and his gifts (John 16:714), Put his words on a par with Gods (Matt. In sum, the essence or nature of anything is what it is. The three most common go-to analogies for explaining the Trinity are water, an egg, and the sun. That way were providing a simple, common language and framework for everything else were going to say (or any analogies we use). 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). My passion is helping you not just read and study the Bible, but truly enjoy it! 5:21), making it possible for us to have a relationship with God. 4. 5:7). Tozerputs it well in The Knowledge of the Holy. And this illustration helps us understand the Trinity: This illustration shows how the doctrine of the Trinity does not divide God into three parts. Instead, it reveals that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit possess the same divine essence. 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. 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! That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. I wont go into all of the verses here (simply type bible verses about the Trinity into Google and youll find plenty). But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. So, in this article, we will look at where the term originated. 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.". Essence and person are not the same thing. In eternity past, before the beginning, God was alone. 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. 1. 19:714; Ps. Question: How do you explain the Trinity? We are referring to two different features of God: (1) his singular essenceor natureand (2) three Persons. 8:26), comprehends (1 Cor. 3. For example they: 5. There was never a time when one of the Persons of the Godhead did not exist. 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. Gods One-ness is his One divine essence, 3. Two biblical teachings confirm the doctrine of the Trinity: How is that possible? Genesis 1:1says this: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.. If you go to YouTube and search on explain the Trinity youll findlotsof videos. 2. Conclusion: Scripture teaches the Trinity. You arent alone! 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. Binmin Podcast 8: God & Origins | What Questions Should I Ask About My Faith, Binmin Podcast Ep. He is beyond us. What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. It is fundamental to our worldview. 104:30), sanctifies (Rom. And the Trinity is an essential doctrine to our understanding of God. 8:6), Jesus is called God (John 1:1-5; John 20:28; Rom. Deut. But all three must be present simultaneously for the geometric figure to be a triangle. The word "scripture " graphe The Father and the Son are God almighty, omnipotent God. John says in the first verse of the book: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God.". LESSON 1: THE TRINITY AIM: To teach the children in simple terms the truth of the Godhead. 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. While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. Fill this out to make sure you don't miss a thing! The doctrine or concept of the Trinity is central to most Christian denominations and faith groups, although not all. The three-ness and one-ness are two different features. 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. No, the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible. .. God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt. 11:3336). They have eternally (John 17:5, 24) sought to glorify each other (Phil. Jesus carried out these creative decrees (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). You may feel like you are drinking from a fire hydrant. 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 Trinity does not divide God into three parts. 25:3146; 2 Cor. If someone already has an understanding based on the definition and explanation above, then these analogiesmighthelp them grasp aspects of the Trinity. You can help us reach children and their families to know Jesus. God is infinite. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. What is the Trinity? And we can delight in praying to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit (John 14:1314; Eph. The Bible teaches the Trinity beginning with the days of creation. 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.. 1:8). 1:17; Dan. Errr, not quite. 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. Ive already done your research at my local library. Matthew 12:28. Confusing them leads to misunderstanding. Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Crus annual report and more. Even then, he was not alone, because he had his Logos within him. 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. While we cannot fully understand everything about the Trinity (or anything else), it is possible to answer questions like these and come to a solid grasp of what it means for God to be three in one. And yet, we run into the same problem again, because God isnt made up of parts. OrThe person were explaining it to will think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). 19:26). 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. Unsubscribe at any time. . 23:2324). 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. God the Father, Jesus His Son, with the Holy Spirit, they are three in one! During this period, it was attempted solely by using algorithmswhich are basically rules or sets of rules you tell a computer to follow.