Some have taken on the task of explaining how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist as one. The Son was begotten by the Father IN ETERNITY, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. The Gospel is theperson, work, and message of Jesus Christ that provides salvation to all repentant believers. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. Analogies of the Trinity. He has been relationally fulfilled within Himself since forever. There have been many attempts to explain the Trinity the relationship between God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Some people falsely claim the Trinity is a form of . Misunderstanding 1: The transforming trinity Because Gods Person is unapproachable, the Spirit White acts as insulation, for we know that it is through the Holy Spirit that God can communicate, speak through and interact with mankind. He is one God who expresses Himself in three modesFather, Son, and Spirit. John 17). The military would like to have that power. Each of the persons is that supreme reality, viz., the divine substance, essence or nature. (Lateran Council IV), 4. And whos the Holy Spirit? Why is it wrong? That is heaven in a person. He is one God in three persons, all at the same time. Understanding the Trinity - Busy Blessed Women For them, a person is someone who could relate to another. What are some popular illustrations of the Holy Trinity? But this view, too, wont do. It is still H20, but just different forms. The above picture is a famous work of art by Andrei Rubilev, the great medieval Russian painter of Orthodox icons and frescos. As a result, this analogy can easily lead to tritheism in which there are three different gods which might share some like substance. Revelation 4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. That would not be had God be three persons. Son and Holy Ghost are each fully God. But understanding the Trinity is important. The Bible reveals that each person of the Trinity has unique roles, relationships, and functions which are distinct from one another. Or water can be evaporated and called steam. Tritheism denies the unity of the God-head by saying there is just three different gods. The trinity is not a contradiction, but a paradox. God is not made up of 3 parts like the 3 parts of the egg. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. How to Explain the Trinity to Children | Free Printable In the first place, if we truly claim to love God, then surely we should endeavour to know Him. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. God created us for community, since God is communal and we were created in His image. It is so important that to deny the trinity is to deny Christianity. It may not appear to agree with common sense. 1. When we view the egg in its entirety we have the Biblical Trinity, One that is Three. What is the best analogy of the Holy Trinity? - Quora He is married to Shamsa Lea, is the father of Amira, and loves running, boxing and studying history and theology. In this analogy, God is compared to a man. Therefore, we would rightly say, within the Ontological Trinity, there is no variation or distinction made. My intention is merely to address some common erroneous analogies, including water. Each one is fully God. That helps explain the concept quite well- the oneness, unity of God with the distinct three persons of God- Father, Son, and Spirit. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three different parts or components of God, but the . They all exist as fully God, with none of them lacking in any attribute or aspect that defines God. Both are one. It does not imply Jesus was created if you emphasize that the Sun existed from eternity past. Notice the distinction between persons and being. If all you had were an eggshell, you wouldnt have a very exciting breakfast. Furthermore, this trinity is related to a shamrock, an apple, or an egg. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Spirit are three different persons who are all equally one God. These hand embroidered emblems are made with metallic gold-plated thread with silver content, printed on canvas. Shively, This book is now available in a published format for easy sharing and classroom use. Analogies that we present would always be insufficient as none of them would equate to the incomprehensible beauty of God. Therefore, in this context, God is the what and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the who. The trinity is like this man. So cool that God imparted that song in your mind and heart before you even wrote this blog post! The Holy Trinity Easy as One, Two, Three | by John K Adams Unfortunately, most of them actually give us the wrong idea about what the Trinity is. This is one of the reasons we say that "God is LOVE". In other words, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have a unique and unbreakable unity, and their existence together is the being that is God. H2O is a combination of two particles (atoms) of hydrogen and one particle of oxygen and this compound can exist as water (liquid), ice (solid) and vapour (gas). Indeed, how can an infinite God be contained in a finite human womb! And for a mere mortal to have dared invent it and be able t. (It is also why the Jews had an issue with Jesus calling Himself God.). . The word trinity is not in the Scriptures, but is a word used to describe the three in one God revealed in the Bible. Over the course of church history there have been several heresies that have cropped up that deny one of these three truths. The Church should not forget that these heresies still exist in the present day and is even being taught by some priests and catechists. If youve been involved in ministries for children or young people, questions about the Trinity have most likely come up. Each character of the trinity has in one another (cf. Here are 8 Bible Characters Who Should Be More Famous. Before I even began writing this post, I had an unusual song stuck in my head Holy God, we praise thy name. God does not just change forms but exists as three persons in unity. But Jesus makes it clear in John 10:30- I and the Father are One. The Greek word for one means one thing, not one person. They are united in their essence (spirit, nature) but not identical persons. God is like an egg - VTAide Before we look at a few bad analogies that many often use to try to illustrate the trinity, we need to first understand the doctrine itself. If you only had an apple core, you wouldnt pack it in your lunch. . Some have used examples such as water, watermelons and eggs; the principle behind those illustrations is that even though each thing is one, it is also three. We worship one God who exists in three persons. The 3 Most Common "Trinity Analogies" (and their limitations) The three most common go-to analogies for explaining the Trinity are water, an egg, and the sun. Haydn Lea is an Ordained Minister, and is currently serving as an Air Force Chaplain in Adelaide. . In humans, our spirits are designed to operate with and be united to the soul which is the person of anyone and so it is with our Egg. And when the time comes when death is allowed to crack your shell in its final hour and your believing soul is released; the Spirit of God that holds you will carry you in His arms to your heavenly home because In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. Under Arianism Jesus is less than fully God. Likewise we cannot have the Father or His Spirit without the Son I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except by Me- John 14:6. Dont become discouraged if you cant answer the question to your liking. The divine persons are really DISTINCT from one another, and not merely different roles of God at different times. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. The Egg Analogy God is like an egg. Thus, the Father Himself is not God, nor is the Son, nor is the Holy Spirit, but combining the three, there is one God. 1:8-12; 1 Pet. To put it simply, "The problem with using analogies to explain the Holy Trinity is that you always end up confessing some ancient heresy." . When the Bible talks about God, it may be referring to Jesus Christ in a specific instance, the Holy Spirit in another and God the Father in a third occasion. None of the 3 are less divine than the others. These are likewise erroneous or even heretical. He also knows how to perfectly love us. All Scripture is taken from the NIV version unless otherwise specified, Author Ignace Franz, translated by Clarence A. Walworth. On a whim, I looked up the lyrics at a later time. The past is not the present and the present is not the future, yet all three together is what we call time. Here are some common analogies that Christians have used about the Trinity: God is kind of like water which can be ice, liquid and steam. The problem with this analogy is that an egg yoke is of a very different substance than a shell. Let's use an egg to explain the Holy Trinity! Similarly, light and heat are simply creations of the sun, yet it is the heresy of Arianism to claim that the Son or Spirit are mere creations of the Father. Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. . But this idea is central to the Christian faith. If youre interested into diving deeper into the topic of the Trinity, here are some valuable resources that could help. This little child cannot look at one without experiencing a profound sense of wonderment and awe. I'm always interested in ways to encourage you, so feel free to contact me and let me know what areas interest you! The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 butmore like 1 x 1 x 1.You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. A single molecule cannot simultaneously exist in three different states. When we separate them and view them as individual deities, that is the error of tritheism, which is the worship of three individual gods as one. Podcast: Common Misconceptions about the Trinity (Fred Sanders) God is like H2Olike water. The Latin word for trinity (trinitas) combines two words- unitas (unity) and trias (three). Each of the divine persons is GOD WHOLE AND ENTIRE, and there is one God. The Son "proceeds" from the Father, and the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son.". Thought of Tim Its amazing to think that everything will be so clear when we het to Heaven! Music - The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Quebec, Canada This is a place to find encouragement and hope from God's Word as you move through your busy life. As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God.
