how to explain the trinity to a new believerhow to explain the trinity to a new believer
The Trinity. Each Person of the Trinity is distinct, 8. The three-ness and one-ness are two different features. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. To confess that the Father, Son, and Spirit are equal in power of course means that one does not rule over the other in any way. We hate SPAM. 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. Have a great discussion about it! After all, theyre good questions. But it is not. Trinity may be a new term for you and can be confusing even for Christians to explain to others. And confusing ones. While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. Satan. Must you become a better person so that God will accept you? Genesis 1:1 reads: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." If we look more closely at the word we translate "God," Elohim, we see it is plural. 3. The Father and the Son are God almighty, omnipotent God. Errr, not quite. My passion is helping you not just read and study the Bible, but truly enjoy it! So many things clamor to define you. 1:2), Jesus as God (Titus 2:13), and the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5:3-4). These are all qualities of personhood. 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 . 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. Conclusion: Scripture supports the Trinity. Theologian R.C. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. If we were to translate it . Read Books About The Trinity. The relationship between essence and Person, then, is as follows. 3:25; Dan. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. Ibid, p. 255. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms - a union of three. That way were providing a simple, common language and framework for everything else were going to say (or any analogies we use). be explained away. As youll see explained more deeply in one of the videos below, you can think of it this way: I am a human being. The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. God is one in a certain way (essence) and three in a different way (person). Christ took Gods punishment, and wrath meant for us because of our sins (Heb. 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. 10:57), The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian. Best Age To Teach The Trinity To A Child. He was "begotten, not made," and he was of the same substance or essence ( homoousios) as the Father. The technical term in case youre interested for this wrong way of thinking about God is calledmodalism. Assign each group with one of the Godheads: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), or the Holy Spirit. 4:6; James 2:19; Jude 25. Show them that there are three parts: seeds, flesh, and skin. 11:3336). Many of us say it every single Sunday morning. No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. 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! 3:3; Heb. How is God different? 4 Visual Ways To Explain The Trinity To A Child. 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. The ancient church fathers at first simply acknowledged the Trinity without feeling the need to explain a theology of that understanding. 4:30), and a will (1 Cor. First of all I want to tell you that the Trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 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]. . This is absolutely true. As a result, Jesus death covered or atoned for our sins (2 Cor. Principle #3: Order. 2:5), The Father is not the Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26), The Son is not the Spirit (Matt. 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. Of course we are speaking by analogy here, for we cannot understand this in a physical way about God. Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. . 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. We are dealing with fact. Jesus dying on the Cross is one of the most important parts of His story. 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. The Fathers plan for our redemption shows his great love for humankind. What is Gods essence? Other statements may at first seem contradictory but are really not. Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. As I said earlier, it means the same thing as being. 9:18; Matt. From our understanding of the Trinity (a social being), we recognize that a person is a relational being, not just someone with a mind, a will, and . December 19, 2018. This is a limitation on God that doesnt acknowledge that God isalwaysthe Father,alwaysthe Son, andalwaysthe Holy Spirit. Ironically, not much is known about his death; even the year when he passed away is up for debate. 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. Unfortunately, there are many illustrations which are not simply imperfect, but in error. 11:3336). Actually, March 17 commemorates St. Patrick's death, actually. And certainly not if it were a contradiction. But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. Weve made a comparison between this object and the Trinity. The Son is the Second Person of the Most Holy 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. In describing the Trinity, the New Testament clearly distinguishes three Persons who are all simultaneously active. 118:28, God referred to in the third person singular (he, his, him): Gen. 1:5, 10; Ex. God the Son. 4:47), In Hebrews (Heb. 4:15), dying for our sins (1 Cor. 1:3), Demonstrated divine sovereignty over nature (Matt. How can God be both one and three? 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 . The Trinity expresses the belief that God is one being made up of three distinct persons who exist in co-equal essence and co-eternal communion as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit . Monotheism is foundational to Christianity. Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. The personhood of each member of the Trinity means that each Person has a distinct center of consciousness. We begin with a brief discussion of the doctrine in historical context, explaining more fully the nature of the problem it raises. In brief, how we view God will profoundly impact our everyday lives. Girls become divided, friendships are ruined, and reputations are tarnished. 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. And yet, we run into the same problem again, because God isnt made up of parts. The word Trinity is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible; however, countless scriptures mention all three forms of God. 8:6a). 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. ETS members all confess the Father, the Son, and the Spirit to be "one in essence, equal in power and glory.". 2:511). 28:18-20; 2 Cor. Remember, the nature or essence of an entity is the property or attributes that make it what it is. Tozerputs it well in The Knowledge of the Holy. At his death on the cross, sinless Jesus chose to substitute himself in our place (Heb. God is like the skin because He protects us. 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. And these three Persons are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It was God who took the initiative to save humankind. They are all eternal. 7:28; Ps. And we can delight in praying to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit (John 14:1314; Eph. Those centuries were t 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). The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? 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. He is one Being in three Persons (centers of consciousness), not merely three roles. Some attributes include eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. Ive already done your research at my local library. 32:17, 27; Matt. The The truth is always new, fresh, and exciting to the believer in Christ. God told Moses in the Torah to tell God's people these words: M. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." ( Deuteronomy 6:4) C. Yes, that's right. There are two men in their 20s who came to faith in Christ in recent weeks through the ministry of our church. 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. 4. The Trinity is like an egg or apple. Lets change that! This is just an egg, or an apple, or H2O. God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt. But how can finite humans know anything about Gods infinite essence? It starts with a whisper. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not unite people by neglecting t Their prime usefulness it to show the mystery is not contradictory. Awareness of the distinct role that each Person of the Trinity has in our salvation can especially serve to give us greater comfort and appreciation for God in our prayers, as well as helping us to be specific in directing our prayers. Are you still not a Christian? What is the Trinity? Why, if they are ALL God? But its not a mystery that can or should! Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. 2. The doctrine or concept of the Trinity is central to most Christian denominations and faith groups, although not all. 6:2122), Resuscitation of the dead (1 Kings 17:1724; 2 Kings 4:1837), The resurrection of Jesus (Acts 4:10; Acts 10:40), Sustains the universe (Col. 1:17; Heb. Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. He said, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29). Another serious error people have made is to think that the Father became the Son, who then became the Holy Spirit. In other words, you have contradicted yourself if you affirm and deny the same statement. 5:7). 2:34; Heb. If it were the other way around and we understood God completely, how would he be the sovereign God? What does it take to begin a relationship with God? You may feel like you are drinking from a fire hydrant. John says in the first verse of the book: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God.". And interesting they are listed under a single name. This refers to Gods single essence. Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? Our fellowship with God should be enhanced by consciously knowing that we are relating to a tri-personal God! Jesus is the one whose life we try to copy. 15:28). There we read that " God said, 'Let us make man in our image' . That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. We can be adopted by the Father and united with Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit (John 1:1223; Rom. He differs from the Father, but was and . So, in this article, we will look at where the term originated. This is very important: God is one and three at the same time, but not in the same way. These verses make it impossible to deny their individuality and deity. Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth by his word. 13: Trinity | Putting the Fun In, Faith and Finances: 5 Steps to Get Started. From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). 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 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. Here are three I found to be really helpful. 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. 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 Now lets dig into these imperfect yet better than nothing representations of the Trinity for kids. As theologian and apologist Norman Geisler has explained it, while essence is what you are, person is who you are. That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. See if you can let kids arrive at the notion that God isnt really made up of parts. The answer is they are gray and hard. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! Third, Christians believe that the entire New Testament is inspired. A triangle must have three different corners in order to be one triangle. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. Yet most Christians have difficulty explaining the Trinity clearly and Biblically. In his bookMere Christianity, C. S. Lewis points out an important distinction. Explaining the Holy Trinity of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit will be needed at some point when presenting the God of the Bible to children, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons and other non-Christians. The Trinity is important to Christians because it reminds us that God is all-powerful, walked this Earth as a perfect human who can relate to our pain, and also lives on today in our hearts. How do we know whats age-appropriate for them to understand? Trinity, in Christian doctrine, the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. The Son and Holy Spirit are equal in deity to the Father. For instance, the Trinity does not mean that: Instead, we need to clearly distinguish two categories (Persons and essence). Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. 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! How is God three? Instead, they are all identical in attributes. Most Christians are puzzled by the Trinity, and therefore, cant explain it very well. Nonetheless, while recognizing the distinct roles that each Person has, we should never think of their roles as so separate that the other Persons are not involved. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. 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].
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how to explain the trinity to a new believer