This is one possibility of explaining it. 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.. 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. Volunteer abroad this year on a short term global missions trip offered by one of the best, most-reliable Christian missions organizations in the world. All of this information is a lot to take in at once. He is three in Person. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. It included Jesus miraculous conception in the virgin Mary (John 3:16)an act that we call the incarnation.. the one who is not a Christian. May 23, 2012 by: Justin Buzzard. The concept of the Trinity is often referred to during worship, which helps Christians to understand it.
The Holy Trinity Prek Teaching Resources | TPT He said, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29). In fact, kids who have been in church for many years will probably have already heard one of these illustrations. As long as a shape has those three angles that add up to 180 degrees, it doesnt matter what the angles degrees are. While not a typical conversation starter, this question is one of the most important we can ask in life. 2:34; Heb. ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. 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 Trinity consists of one being revealed in three distinct persons. Divide your group into three teams and give each group a sheet of butcher paper or poster. 42. The three members of the Trinity are Persons. After all, theyre good questions. Other statements may at first seem contradictory but are really not. 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? The Son is the Second Person of the Most Holy 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. While there are some illustrations which are helpful, we should recognize that no illustration is perfect. As a former youth minister and childrens minister, Ive already done your research! The Holy Spirit is God, but He is not the Son or the Father. 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.
The Trinity | Answers in Genesis Essence means the same thing as being. Thus, since God is only one essence, He is only one being, not three. In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. God the Son. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. 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. 2. Show them that there are three parts: seeds, flesh, and skin. Ask them to draw it on the page.
How do I explain to a non-believer that belief in the Trinity is God is spirit (John 4:24). Why? The Bible speaks of the Father as God (Phil. God is like the skin because He protects us. However, let me highlight some of the most significant passages that confirm monotheism: Are you interested in learning more about the Godhead? God is the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Here are the best childrens Bibles, sorted by age. 8:26), guides (John 16:13), creates (Ps. Would you like to give your time to work with Cru? God is one in a certain way (essence) and three in a different way (person). There are many illustrations which have been offered to help us understand the Trinity. There would only be a contradiction if we said that God is three in the same way that He is one. However, the Bible teaches us enough about these mysteries that we can apprehend them. 1. 1:318; 1 Pet. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. Surely not. How do we come to terms with these different ideas of God? OksoWhat about this idea of one being who exists in three persons?. Jesus himself spoke of the one-ness of the Godhead when he quoted the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4. "It has been said that there have been four centuries when the church's understanding of the person of Christ has been most under attack. And likewise with the Holy Spirit. also 1:18). If Jesus is God, why do the Gospels record instances where He prayed to God? 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.
The Trinity - God and authority in Christianity - BBC Bitesize What is the origin of the doctrine of the Trinity? (Heavy sigh.) I am also fully Keith Ferrin. He is beyond us. But that doesnt mean the concept isnt clearly taught. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. I hate getting spam. We hate SPAM. While no church is perfect, the Trinity is still the model for the churchs unity (John 1:2123). But continue seeking to understand why the Trinitarian nature of God matters. 3. Unsubscribe at any time. Question: How do you explain the Trinity? Each corner is distinct (i.e., different) from the others. 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 It's so simple, it fits on one page. To be even more precise, essence is what you are. And the Trinity is an essential doctrine to our understanding of God. 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. Read more. Sun The sun is a physical object, but also gives off light and heat. 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? Showing God in action in and through His people. Jesus carried out these creative decrees (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). The apple one is kind of cool. Lets change that! 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.
Jehovah's Witnesses and the Trinity | Bible.org 3:3; Heb. Then study the pronouns used in Scripture point to the Trinity: This one-ness is Gods one divine essence (Heb 1:3). The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. Three parts in one, yet all very much an egg. 10:2831), In Johns writings (1 John 4:1314; Rev. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. 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). 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. Assign each group with one of the Godheads: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), or the Holy Spirit. God the Father spoke from heaven and spoke of His Son, Jesus. After all, the Trinity is difficult to understand. Actually, March 17 commemorates St. Patrick's death, actually. This triune God (or Trinity) began to allude to this aspect of His nature right in Genesis 1:26-27. 3. Each person of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) really IS God. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. Neither should we think of the Persons as being defined by attributes added on to the being of God. With teenagers, you want to take a different approach, and celebrate the mystery of it all. . You cant find an earthly match for this concept. 2:6), The image of God (John 12:45; 2 Cor. God is not one person who plays three different roles, as this illustration suggests. Specifically, distinguishing between Gods one essence and his three Persons. They are different Persons, not three different ways of looking at God. Lets start with the geometric figure of the triangle itself. You can help us reach children and their families to know Jesus. Wayne Grudem explains: But if each person is fully God and has all of Gods being, then we also should not think that the personal distinctions are any kind of additional attributes added on to the being of God . 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. Only older children will grasp the in one concept of H20. Monotheism. Youngblood, R. F., et al. The Trinity is Christianity's most unique, defining, incomprehensible, and awesome mystery. You can cut into an apple in front of your group. Yet he also proclaimed, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live (1 Cor. Nothing is more astonishing, more challenging, and more potentially life-transforming than knowing God.". 2:2729). 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. Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. 2:17). If you go to YouTube and search on explain the Trinity youll findlotsof videos. Matt Perman is the director of career navigation at The Kings College NYC, a blogger, and an author. If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is one-third of God? This is very important: God is one and three at the same time, but not in the same way. 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.. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God.
A bright teen asked me to explain the Trinity. Here's what I said. God the Son is the rays of sunshine. If youre wondering how to explain the Trinity to a child, keep it simple. The best way to teach the Trinity to ANYONE who is confused is with an object lesson. 3:19; Eph.
How to EXPLAIN The Trinity to a New Believer | Introduction to The Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. Why do so many people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity? 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.. This is a limitation on God that doesnt acknowledge that God isalwaysthe Father,alwaysthe Son, andalwaysthe Holy Spirit. 3. These questions arealwaysasked by someone who is exploring faith in Jesus. Omnibenevolence (Jer. To further our understanding of the distinction of persons within the one God it is best to move on to the next trinitarian principle. Here are three I found to be really helpful.
How would you explain the Trinity? - The Gathering Community Church Mumbai Go ahead and start with one of the object lessons above. The Trinity isn't some complicated distraction from the simple gospelit's actually part of the gospel. Egg A single egg is made up of the yolk, the whites, and the shell. Weve made a comparison between this object and the Trinity. And Scripture provides many descriptors, orattributes,of Gods singular essence or nature. Learn about Cru's global leadership team. 2:511). Scriptural evidence supports every element proving the Trinity. 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 Did your kids give each form of God different personality traits? The answer is they are gray and hard. The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name.
How Do You Explain the Trinity? - A Thimble-full of Theology for Daily This is something far removed from our human experience, where every different human "person" is a different being as well. Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. To start, let me define what I mean when I say persons. Personhood is having intellect, emotions, and a will. This command lists all three persons of the Trinity. 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. When Jesus answered the question, What is the greatest commandment? he prefaced the answer by quoting the. No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. Our fellowship with God should be enhanced by consciously knowing that we are relating to a tri-personal God! As I said earlier, it means the same thing as being. What is Gods essence? Ironically, not much is known about his death; even the year when he passed away is up for debate. This analogy ignores the personal distinctions within God and mitigates them to mere roles. 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. Learn why He did it and what it means for you. However, you dont want to stop there with a student who can participate in a discussion. *catholic, meaning universal here, and not a reference to the big C Catholic. What does essence mean? Answer: Jesus came to lead us into relationship with the Father and that required the sacrifice of his own life because of our rebellion. 2:5), The Father is not the Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26), The Son is not the Spirit (Matt. Begin and end with your object lesson, and be comfortable with the imperfect teaching. 8:3539; Eph. 13:14), the term Trinity does not appear. Is God the same as Jesus? (Againwere trying to grasp something that isnt fully grasp-able.). Jesus is like the flesh, because He became flesh so we could know Him better. So all three members of the Trinity have unique personhood. And confusing ones. The word Trinity is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible; however, countless scriptures mention all three forms of God. That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. 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. Each Person of the Trinity is distinct, 8. Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. 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.". Explore resources to help you live out your life and relationships in a way that honors God. It is fundamental to our worldview. The three most common go-to analogies for explaining the Trinity are water, an egg, and the sun. No, the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible. But is there any easy way to apprehend these exciting discoveries? 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. One of the reasons Jonathan Edwards's vision of God has proved so helpful in my worship and ministry is that he does, and he doesn't, "explain" the Trinity. Disclaimer: I believe Trinity. 25:3146; 2 Cor. When he has gone further in his "explanation" of the Trinity than many have gone, he admits, "I am far from asserting this as any . But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. This verse accurately states the doctrine of the Trinity that God is One God in three Persons. The Trinity was present in the atonement at the cross. Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage. For instance, the Father is the first person of the Trinity. His function is superior to that of the Son and the Holy Spirit. What's the Origin and History of the Trinity in the Church? One helpful Scripture explicitly refers to the essence and personhood of the Trinity. 3:17; 17:5; Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 10:15; 12:28; 17:1-26; 1 Tim. Satan existed with the angels at the beginning of creation as one of the cherubim. Now youre gonna tell me theyre all the same but also different? The relationship between essence and Person, then, is as follows.
5 Scriptural Points to Help You Understand the Trinity Girls become divided, friendships are ruined, and reputations are tarnished. The New Testament lists all three Persons of the Trinity simultaneously, 6. Here we will summarize some of the fruits of their labor. I think the major problem involves not distinguishing two different features of God. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others.
The Trinity: Easy As 1, 2, 3? - ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry Because ethnicity is part of the good of creation, we seek to honor and celebrate the ethnic identity of those with whom we serve as well as those we seek to reach. Many of us say it every single Sunday morning. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms - a union of three. Secondly I'd like you to read this verse with me from the Bible. He exists as a Trinity. It is very simple: All three Persons are one God because, as we saw above, they are all the same essence. God the Holy Spirit is the warmth you feel from the sun. How can God be both one and three? 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! For example the: Finite humankind cannot wholly comprehend these mysteries. The Trinity Matters because the Gospel Matters. How could we? These personal distinctions are modes of existence within the divine being, but are not divisions of the divine being. LESSON 1: THE TRINITY AIM: To teach the children in simple terms the truth of the Godhead. But they are eternally subordinate in their roles to him (1 Cor. The fact that the Holy Spirit is a Person, not an impersonal force (like gravity), is also shown by the fact that He speaks (Hebrews 3:7), reasons (Acts 15:28), thinks and understands (1 Corinthians 2:10-11), wills (1 Corinthians 12:11), feels (Ephesians 4:30), and gives personal fellowship (2 Corinthians 13:14).
A Simple Way to Explain the Trinity - Keith Ferrin If it were the other way around and we understood God completely, how would he be the sovereign God? 1:8). The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. Each person of the Trinity is equally and fully God, distinct from the others, and yet they remain just one God. . Instead, they are all identical in attributes. 2:8-9), we can become Gods children. "But if I [Jesus] cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.". 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. Amen. It starts with a whisper. To help us do that, here are two reasons why the Trinity matters. 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. These verses make it impossible to deny their individuality and deity.
The Trinity and Christian Unity - Ligonier Ministries The Hebrew word for God isElohim. What we do not mean by Person is an independent individual in the sense that both I and another human are separate, independent individuals who can exist apart from one another.
How To Explain The Trinity To A Child Or Teenager - Mama Manages Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. 3:17), Omnipresence (Ps. 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. In addition to these texts, the others we mentioned above make clear that the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Personhood of the Son and the Father. 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. 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. 1:12). What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. Yet Jesus would not have referenced the Trinity unless it was important. The Son and Holy Spirit are equal in deity to the Father. 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). 5:7). After all, children deal best with concrete ideas. A mystery that should cause us to marvel, and wonder, and worship! Partnering with urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs. How can we pack more meaning and deeper, Read More Holy Week for Kids: How to Teach Beyond Easter SundayContinue, Not every child is born with tons of self esteem. The oldest member of the unholy trinity. 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. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. 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."
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