Lets apply what weve learned to the Trinity based on the graphic. It's a great reminder of the three parts of the Holy Trinity! Learn why He did it and what it means for you. Think about it: Finite Christians serve an eternal and infinite God. Why? Principle #3: Order. 5:2), Miracles (Ex. Need help teaching your kids about communion, either at Sunday School or home? Being Gods child, we can worship the Father and Jesus through the Spirit (John 4:2324; Phil. The early church absolutely believed and taught the belief in a God who was three-in-one. But dont get confused. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. The technical term in case youre interested for this wrong way of thinking about God is calledmodalism. 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. To start, let me define what I mean when I say persons. Personhood is having intellect, emotions, and a will. Their prime usefulness it to show the mystery is not contradictory. As long as a shape has those three angles that add up to 180 degrees, it doesnt matter what the angles degrees are. First, we have God. But first, lets cover the basics. 4 Visual Ways To Explain The Trinity To A Child. As you might expect, some people consider these mysteries as contradictions. But in response we can point out both agreement and clarification. And the voice of the Father declared, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased (Matt. Egg A single egg is made up of the yolk, the whites, and the shell. 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? 15:3). 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. We need you. A Christian would still be expected to understand it. Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. 3:16; 2 Pet. Deut. 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. 23:2324). And then you will read eight critical truths about the nature of the Trinity. Below are several of the most popular ones. Now youre gonna tell me theyre all the same but also different? Ignore the urge to tie everything up with a nice little bow. .. God created man in His image. How we seek to journey together with everyone towards a relationship with Jesus. View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages. Sometimes the Spirit is treated more like a force than a Person. It is the same thing in three different forms. Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. Thus, we are not speaking with a forked tongue we are not saying that God is one and then denying that He is one by saying that He is three. This doctrine is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity. 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. 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. (eds. 42. In explaining the Trinity to your friend, begin, perhaps, with the work of salvation. How can one explain the Trinity simply to a new believer? 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. The Bible is full of Scripture speaking of there being only one God (seeDeuteronomy 6:4for starters), as well as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all being God. know that I recognise only one God. But Scripture provides ample evidence of the existence of the Trinity. Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage. 20:23; Deut. Each person of the Trinity is equally and fully God, distinct from the others, and yet they remain just one God. 4:30), and a will (1 Cor. 25:3146; 2 Cor. 1:17; Dan. 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]. *catholic, meaning universal here, and not a reference to the big C Catholic. Perhaps for the first time, you have read that the Trinity is a mystery and not acontradiction. Whats a Mama to say when the questions start flowing? The second point of clarification has to do with personhood. . Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring. 1. Have a great discussion about it! After all, if the trinitarian nature of God is not in the Bible, why bother talking about it at all? 4. Let's explore each of these members. The wordtrinitymeans tri-unity or three-in-oneness.. 2:10), convinces (John 6:44), teaches (Luke 12:12), convicts (John 16:18), commands (Acts 1:2), moves (John 11:33), helps (Rom. How do we receive His grace? 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. be explained away. 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). Steam, water, and ice are all H20. The Father is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of God. For instance he: Jesus has all the features that ensure he, too, is a person. If someone already has an understanding based on the definition and explanation above, then these analogiesmighthelp them grasp aspects of the Trinity. You can't explain the Trinity to anyone who reasons because: 1) The Bible does not support it. All three Persons of the Trinity are God. John 1 tells us that the Word is Yeshua - that he was with God and was God from the get go, right there at creation. The Father and the Son are God almighty, omnipotent God. The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. 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. At his death on the cross, sinless Jesus chose to substitute himself in our place (Heb. 40:18; Rom. Why not consider these truths and place your faith in Jesus (1 John 5:1)? Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine, and Jerome mention it. How to Explain the Trinity to an Unbeliever The Village Church - Flower Mound 118K subscribers 36K views 5 years ago The Trinity is confusing even to most Christians, so we want to pull the. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. 139:711; Jer. However, the Bible teaches us enough about these mysteries that we can apprehend them. There was never a time when one of the Persons of the Godhead did not exist. If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is one-third of God? God the Father. But secondly, Christians need to clarify that God is incomprehensible. First, we have God. We can never completely understand the Trinities one essence and three Persons. . The doctrine of the Trinity is considered to be one of the central Christian affirmations about God. What a challenge! He exists as a Trinity. 2:17). For example the: Finite humankind cannot wholly comprehend these mysteries. Thats the one we think of as the Father. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about the Trinity. Understanding who the Holy Spirit is, the place He holds within the Holy Trinity and the role He plays in individual lives is vital to anyone exploring what it means to become a Christian and anyone trying to follow Jesus. In regards to the Trinity, we use the term Person differently than we generally use it in everyday life. Paul unequivocally taught Jesus is God (Col. 2:9). 5:21), making it possible for us to have a relationship with God. The substance of God is God, not a bunch of ingredients that taken together yield deity. Lets move on to Scriptural evidence for the Trinity. 8:2327), Resuscitates the dead (Matt. How is God three? There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. 1:2), and empowers us for service (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. However, the biblical doctrine of the Trinity does not rest on one verse of Scripture, but is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. Well, we can know because God has given us his special revelation: the Bible. The Trinity is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. Answers to questions on donations, financial policies, Crus annual report and more. This should make it clear why it is so important to understand that all three Persons are the same essence. He is three in Person. 4:47), In Hebrews (Heb. " Here God is a plural noun, said is in the . Elohimis the plural form of the word God. In his bookMere Christianity, C. S. Lewis points out an important distinction. 4:15), dying for our sins (1 Cor. 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. Trinity not mentioned in the Bible anywhere! Yet most Christians have difficulty explaining the Trinity clearly and Biblically. using the shamrock or the three states of H 2 O to explain the . Each Person of the Trinity is distinct, 8. I am fully human. And during his earthly ministry, Christ subjected himself to the Fathers will. The Trinity Matters because the Gospel Matters. Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth by his word. Dont despair. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. It has been said, Try to explain the trinity and lose your mind, try to explain away the trinity and lose your soul. Answer: Jesus came to lead us into relationship with the Father and that required the sacrifice of his own life because of our rebellion. Reflecting Jesus together for the good of the city. But Jesus did not become less than the Father during his incarnation. 2:11), emotions (Eph. Gods essence is His being. How do they relate? Did your kids give each form of God different personality traits? While admitting the lack of conformity among believers, we must never consider it a minor issue of doctrine. Does it look like Grandpa? Faith is recognizing that we dont have all the answers and deciding that its okay to keep believing and growing. Whether an object is a rock or a triangle, we can classify it based on its objective characteristics. Before anything was created he begat his Logos as a person distinct from himself. Because humankind is limited, God will always exceed our knowledge and understanding (Isa. 119; Prov. We are dealing with fact. 1:12). Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. Show them that there are three parts: seeds, flesh, and skin. They are three real persons, not three roles God plays. Find resources for personal or group Bible study. Divide your group into three teams and give each group a sheet of butcher paper or poster. Its probably the most classic Trinity object lesson, but its not my favorite. Simply stated, God is one in essence and three in person. 12:11), When the Holy Spirit speaks, he refers to himself in first person (Acts 13:2). Why do so many people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity? 28:20; Col. 3:11), Omnibenevolent (John 13:34; Rom. Theologian R.C. 2:6), The image of God (John 12:45; 2 Cor. Read about individuals who have been transformed by faith. The The truth is always new, fresh, and exciting to the believer in Christ. 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. (Againwere trying to grasp something that isnt fully grasp-able.). But it is not. Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. 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. Therefore, we must always endeavor to deepen our worship of God in truth as well as in our hearts. 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). Best Age To Teach The Trinity To A Child. The idea that God is somehow three and one starts onPage 1and never changes. Here we will summarize some of the fruits of their labor. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. 2:2729). The Trinity confuses many people. 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. Check out my tips for teaching your kids about bedtime prayer. God the Son is the rays of sunshine. 2:18). 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 . 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. For instance, the Trinity does not mean that: Instead, we need to clearly distinguish two categories (Persons and essence). That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. This is great fun to see how teenagers draw a picture of God. It's easy to turn doctrinal discussions into strictly intellectual affairs, but as Dr. Fred Sanders teaches in The Triune God course, we need to do so "in a way that enlists the reader's strict and holy attention for what is essentially a spiritual exercise." 11:3336). In other words, what are the objective attributes or properties that make up all rocks? While not a typical conversation starter, this question is one of the most important we can ask in life. That definition is a mouthful. 1. 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). One helpful Scripture explicitly refers to the essence and personhood of the Trinity. But all three must be present simultaneously for the geometric figure to be a triangle. 8:1417). On the other hand, we must say that the Persons are real, that they are not just different ways of looking at the one being of GodThe only way it seems possible to do this is to say that the distinction between the persons is not a difference of "being" but a difference of "relationships." These verses make it impossible to deny their individuality and deity. Leading from values so others will walk passionately with God to grow and bear fruit. That way were providing a simple, common language and framework for everything else were going to say (or any analogies we use). Surely not. Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? The three members of the Trinity are Persons. 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]. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. Then share them with another Christian or genuine seeker. 45:5-6, New Testament: Mark 12:29; John 5:44; Eph. 8:6), Jesus is called God (John 1:1-5; John 20:28; Rom. One of the problems is that most of us myself included are tempted to move too quickly to analogies that only help explainaspectsof the Trinity. The wordTrinitymeansthree-in-one. Lets do a quick review of the topics we have covered. The Trinity has a very significant application to prayer. Many of us say it every single Sunday morning. God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms - a union of three. God is spirit (John 4:24). Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. The Trinity is Christianity's most unique, defining, incomprehensible, and awesome mystery. The Trinity confuses even adults, so when youre tasked (or inspired) to teach the Trinity to a child, teenager, or new believer, it can be overwhelming. Reaching students and faculty in middle and high school. 19:714; Ps. 13: Trinity | Putting the Fun In, Faith and Finances: 5 Steps to Get Started. John says in the first verse of the book: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God." Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. 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). God addressed in the second person singular (you): 2 Sam. 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. Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. 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. How is God one? 3. Now lets dig into these imperfect yet better than nothing representations of the Trinity for kids. (Ohand I'll send you my free guideThe Simplest Way to Study ANY Bible Passageas a "Thank you" for jumping on board!). 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! . In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. But a common question arises: How do the members of the Trinity differ from one another?. Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. Engage Children in learning The Holy Trinity through Reading, Writing, Playing, Creating, Singing!Included in this resource:Bible Lesson Book-Teacher Edition: Read Aloud!Full sized, colorful large print . Read Books About The Trinity. All of this information is a lot to take in at once. He realized Scripture alone is the only way we know about the Trinity (1 Cor. 19:26). The Trinity. This is something far removed from our human experience, where every different human "person" is a different being as well. They have eternally (John 17:5, 24) sought to glorify each other (Phil. We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:1says this: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.. Example 1: What is the nature or essence of a rock? Firstly, we agree that finite humankind is limited. But the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a He (see John 14:26; 16:7-15; Acts 8:16). The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. Jesus is the one whose life we try to copy. 3. The personhood of each member of the Trinity means that each Person has a distinct center of consciousness. 20:3; cf. And God created humankind to share that love (John 17:2126; Acts 17:25). That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. 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. 3:1617). The Holy Spirit is God. Most Christians are puzzled by the Trinity, and therefore, cant explain it very well. The New Testament lists all three Persons of the Trinity simultaneously, 6. Learn about Cru's global leadership team. My passion is helping you not just read and study the Bible, but truly enjoy it! Many non-Christians and new Christians often struggle with the idea of the Holy Trinity, where we break up God into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Having seen that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, that they are each fully God, and that there is nonetheless only one God, we must conclude that all three Persons are the same God. This is one possibility of explaining it. In brief, how we view God will profoundly impact our everyday lives. 2. As I said earlier, it means the same thing as being. You can cut into an apple in front of your group. A triangle must have three sides three corners (angles), and the sum of the three angles must be 180 degrees. Hmmm. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. "The Trinity is the foundational Christian belief that God is one Being who exists in three Persons.. Yet he also proclaimed, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live (1 Cor. If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? That is why any discussion of the Trinity is based on Scripture (Ps. I think it is because they lack at least two pieces of information: The main confusion is that many people dont get this distinction. Disclaimer: I believe Trinity. Ive got you covered with all the basics, no matter your denomination. The answer hinges on the differences in their unique roles. As youll see explained more deeply in one of the videos below, you can think of it this way: I am a human being. There would only be a contradiction if we said that God is three in the same way that He is one. Answer. At the risk of sounding too physical, essence can be understood as the stuff that you consist of.. Ive been thinking about it a lot, doing some research to see how people smarter than I have explained the Trinity, and come to a better understanding of the Trinity andhow to explain the Trinity in simpler terms. OksoWhat about this idea of one being who exists in three persons?. 3:6. But how does it show us why there is only one God instead of three? The Trinity Is Unique Among Monotheistic Religions Christianity is a "monotheistic" religion. 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. draws the believer into a new . 55:8-9). Therefore, it is often difficult to have a concrete definition of Person as we use it in regards to the Trinity. 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.. What is the essence of a triangle? 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. Why? The Holy Spirit is God, but He is not the Son or the Father. Jesus (the Son) is God. Only older children will grasp the in one concept of H20. Most of them are less-than-helpful. The ancient church fathers at first simply acknowledged the Trinity without feeling the need to explain a theology of that understanding. You will and can grasp these principles. . The concept of the Trinity. Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? 15:19), God is called Father (John 17:1; John 3; 20:17; 1 Cor. 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.. 6:45; 32:39; 1 Kings 8:60; 2 Kings 5:15; Isa. Matthew 3:16. These three-in-one are called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity" In the Hindu Puranas there is this passage: 'O ye three Lords! Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. Sproul cites as an example Dickens famous line, It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Obviously this is a contradiction if Dickens means that it was the best of times in the same way that it was the worst of times. And the Trinity is an essential doctrine to our understanding of God. Find freedom from your sins today. No, the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible. This one is kinda fun for older kids who understand a bit of science.