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

The doctrine of the Trinity is the belief that there is one God who has revealed Himself in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. passage also demonstrates Jesus' early declaration of the Trinity. The Father is God. I recently had some of my kids friends ask meWhat is the Trinity? 13:14), the term Trinity does not appear. 2:5), The Father is not the Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26), The Son is not the Spirit (Matt. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. Ask teenagers hard questions about the Trinity that will make them think, and dont bother trying to come equipped with the perfect answer to everything. After understanding the difference between essence and personhood, most objections evaporate! God the Son. We can discern and apprehend what it is. Is God the same as Jesus? God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. And he should be referred to by personal pronouns and never as it. The Holy Spirits is a person because he: Scripture also proves that the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are God. Christs resurrection is variously attributed to: Multiple verses distinguish each member of the Trinity. The Trinity is first of all important because God is important. I hate getting spam. But the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a He (see John 14:26; 16:7-15; Acts 8:16). The three-ness and one-ness are two different features. 55 years on I've yet to hear or read an explanation of the Trinity that makes sense. All will play a role in the events mentioned in Revelation. To contemplate the Trinity is to lift up your heart and to "set your mind on the things above" (Col. 3:2). As I said earlier, it means the same thing as being. Several analogies help us apprehend the Trinity. To further our understanding of the distinction of persons within the one God it is best to move on to the next trinitarian principle. 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. Matthew 3:16. In this blog post, we are going to discuss the Holy Trinity in simple terms. Ask them to draw it on the page. But what does it mean that God is gracious? And interesting they are listed under a single name. This refers to Gods single essence. For example, since the Father sent the Son into the world (John 3:16), He cannot be the same person as the Son. But how does it show us why there is only one God instead of three? The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. The Trinity does not divide God into three parts. 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). There would only be a contradiction if we said that God is three in the same way that He is one. Each corner is distinct (i.e., different) from the others. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. They are different Persons, not three different ways of looking at God. We are referring to two different features of God: (1) his singular essenceor natureand (2) three Persons. 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). 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. The idea that God is somehow three and one starts onPage 1and never changes. Disclaimer: I believe Trinity. 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. The three most common go-to analogies for explaining the Trinity are water, an egg, and the sun. 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 The only way humans can know about these mysteries is because the Bible teaches them. Lets apply these concepts to the Trinity. 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. The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In Hinduism, the trinity (Trimrti, or The Three Forms) is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. 2:511). Then share them with another Christian or genuine seeker. ). Learn why He did it and what it means for you. 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. The Trinity was present in the atonement at the cross. That is ok when it comes to rocks and triangles. 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). using the shamrock or the three states of H 2 O to explain the . "The Trinity is the foundational Christian belief that God is one Being who exists in three Persons.. God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt. The Bible is clear that all three Persons are each one hundred percent God. 2:10), knows (1 Cor. Their prime usefulness it to show the mystery is not contradictory. How do we come to terms with these different ideas of God? (eds. 4. Amen. OrThe person were explaining it to will think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). 8:26), guides (John 16:13), creates (Ps. We will never sell your information, for any reason. Deut. Neither should we think of the Persons as being defined by attributes added on to the being of 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. Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org. These three persons make up the one true God. God is infinite. Many of us say it every single Sunday morning. You can't explain the Trinity to anyone who reasons because: 1) The Bible does not support it. Paul unequivocally taught Jesus is God (Col. 2:9). 3. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms - a union of three. God the Father, Jesus His Son, with the Holy Spirit, they are three in one! Since our personal relationship is with Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit lies within us, what role does God play as Father? 92:8) and third person (he, his, him) singular pronouns (1 Kings 18:39). Go ahead and start with one of the object lessons above. 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. While it is good for us to seek understanding of the Trinity, we cannot fully comprehend God. Learn how you can know God personally. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. Then study the pronouns used in Scripture point to the Trinity: This one-ness is Gods one divine essence (Heb 1:3). The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. Essence means the same thing as being. Thus, since God is only one essence, He is only one being, not three. Would you like to give your time to work with Cru? "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. Omnibenevolence (Jer. Conclusion: Scripture supports the Trinity. That is where I go back to the starting point I mentioned above. Does it look like Grandpa? Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. Most of them are less-than-helpful. All three Persons of the Trinity are God. He sent Jesus to save us and then completed our salvation through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Eph. The first commandment says, You shall have no other gods before me (Ex. A triangle must have three sides three corners (angles), and the sum of the three angles must be 180 degrees. 139:711; Jer. In fact, would Jesus have us baptize in the name of a mere creature? I wont go into all of the verses here (simply type bible verses about the Trinity into Google and youll find plenty). *catholic, meaning universal here, and not a reference to the big C Catholic. "After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him.". Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). The Trinity Is Unique Among Monotheistic Religions Christianity is a "monotheistic" religion. Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. 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. He is the only God that exists. Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation. Some attributes include eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. The second point of clarification has to do with personhood. It may seem that the Catholic Church and all the Protestant denominations dont have much in common, but they do have this creed to share. Therefore, we must always endeavor to deepen our worship of God in truth as well as in our hearts. But its not a mystery that can or should! It is crucial for properly understanding what God is like, how He relates to us, and how we should relate to Him. Do Trinity Crafts/Printables. God addressed in the second person singular (you): 2 Sam. What is Gods essence? The Son is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. A beautiful mystery. 3. You may feel like you are drinking from a fire hydrant. Object Lessons on the Trinity for a Child or New Believer, The Difference Between Teaching the Trinity to a Child vs. a Teenager, Books that Explain the Trinity to a Child, Navigating Girl Drama: 20 Ways Schools and Parents Can Help Calm the Storm, Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? 4. Simply put: without three angles, theres no triangle! In other words, you have contradicted yourself if you affirm and deny the same statement. First, we have God. In describing the Trinity, the New Testament clearly distinguishes three Persons who are all simultaneously active. These verses make it impossible to deny their individuality and deity. It is fundamental to our worldview. 9:5; Col. 2:9), The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:34; 2 Cor. The wordTrinitymeansthree-in-one. 19:714; Ps. Ironically, not much is known about his death; even the year when he passed away is up for debate. 20:3; cf. As a mom to three kids under 8, an instructional coach, and a former classroom teacher, I know a thing or two about how public schools REALLY work and the challenges we face in the United States. He differs from the Father, but was and . The Trinity confuses many people. 104:30), sanctifies (Rom. They are three real persons, not three roles God plays. 2:11), speaks (Mark 13:11), testifies (Acts 20:23), reveals (1 Cor. Its a mystery the Bible teaches. That's the one we think of as the Father. That isGod is three Persons in onethe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. For example: God the Father is a person. They are personal forms of existence other than a difference in being. He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. Theologian R.C. In all transparency, I feel like I did a pretty mediocre job of explaining the Trinity to them in a way they could grasp. Jesus (the Son) is God. The Holy Trinity is depicted in the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar, Ethiopia. 8:6a). Ask the teenager this question: Where does this fall short? Two biblical teachings confirm the doctrine of the Trinity: How is that possible? 15:19), God is called Father (John 17:1; John 3; 20:17; 1 Cor. 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 apple one is kind of cool. Kids understand the three different forms clearly, as separate objects. God the Son is the rays of sunshine. Genesis 1:1says this: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.. 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. If youre wondering how to explain the Trinity to a child, keep it simple. Reflecting Jesus together for the good of the city. 7:28; Ps. The Holy Trinity is 'the Center of Everything.'. 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. And Scripture provides many descriptors, orattributes,of Gods singular essence or nature. In fact, kids who have been in church for many years will probably have already heard one of these illustrations. You can describe the Trinity in different ways: The wordspersonsandessencerefer to entirely different features relating to God. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. In other words, Christianity is unique among all other worldviews. Learn the basics of what Christians believe. Other references to the Trinity in the New Testament include Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 12:4-5, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2, and more. The word Trinity does not appear even once in the Bible. But analogies cannot entirely explain the mystery of God. Find resources for personal or group Bible study. Jesus is God, but He is not the Father or the Holy Spirit. The concept of the Trinity is often referred to during worship, which helps Christians to understand it. We begin with a brief discussion of the doctrine in historical context, explaining more fully the nature of the problem it raises. He said, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29). They have eternally (John 17:5, 24) sought to glorify each other (Phil. 6:11; Gal. You can cut into an apple in front of your group. The doctrine of the Trinity states that God exists as one God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Satan. Have a great discussion about it! Third, we have the Holy Spirit, which is also God, living in our hearts and guiding us through life. 20:23; Deut. And God created humankind to share that love (John 17:2126; Acts 17:25). We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. God is the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. 5:510; 1 Cor. 119; Prov. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. 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! Further, we should allow the fact that God is triune to deepen our worship. There we read that " God said, 'Let us make man in our image' . Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. 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). Now lets go a little deeper and consider the triangles three corners (angles). We should not think of God as like a pie cut into three pieces, each piece representing a Person. 11:3336). What is a functional order or subordination? It means that a Trinity member submits himself to one or both of the other members. 8:6), Jesus is called God (John 1:1-5; John 20:28; Rom. Many other verses concurrently list the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The late theologian Herman Bavinck has stated something very helpful at this point: The persons are modes of existence within the being; accordingly, the Persons differ among themselves as the one mode of existence differs from the other, and using a common illustration as the open palm differs from a closed fist.[4], Because each of these forms of existence are relational (and thus are Persons), they are each a distinct center of consciousness, with each center of consciousness regarding Himself as I and the others as You. Nonetheless, these three Persons all consist of the same stuff (that is, the same what, or essence). The doctrine is critical, even if not easily comprehended.