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

PDF Understanding the Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity (Godhead) - Bible Truth In sum, the essence or nature of anything is what it is. 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. 11:3336). That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. God created man in His image. Ironically, not much is known about his death; even the year when he passed away is up for debate. How is God three? Have a great discussion about it! Fill this out to make sure you don't miss a thing! Think about it: Finite Christians serve an eternal and infinite God. Thats the one we think of as the Father. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. How we seek to journey together with everyone towards a relationship with Jesus. Monotheism is foundational to Christianity. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. We Reflect God's Personhood and Relations. Modern theologians have created a distinction between the "economic Trinity" and the "immanent Trinity.". 15:19), God is called Father (John 17:1; John 3; 20:17; 1 Cor. 4:47), In Hebrews (Heb. Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. How to Talk Right(ly) About the Trinity - pursueGOD.org 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). Then study the pronouns used in Scripture point to the Trinity: This one-ness is Gods one divine essence (Heb 1:3). In explaining the Trinity to your friend, begin, perhaps, with the work of salvation. At this stage, your head may be swimming with all this new information about God! That isGod is three Persons in onethe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Because these features make up the singular essence or nature of a triangle. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. 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. 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. . 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. 28:20; Col. 3:11), Omnibenevolent (John 13:34; Rom. 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). Matthew 12:28. But he is not inferior in Gods divine essence. That may sound intimidating but dont worry Ill unpack that definition below. In eternity past, before the beginning, God was alone. After all, as I have said many times (to myself as much as others! He brings all light and life to the world. Ask them to draw it on the page. It is crucial for properly understanding what God is like, how He relates to us, and how we should relate to Him. The word Trinity does not appear even once in the Bible. Jesus himself spoke of the one-ness of the Godhead when he quoted the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4. 2:11), speaks (Mark 13:11), testifies (Acts 20:23), reveals (1 Cor. know that I recognise only one God. So even if the Bible did call the Trinity a mystery it would only be saying it was unknown to the one not illuminated, i.e. Rather, the being of each Person is equal to the whole being of God.[1] The divine essence is not something that is divided between the three persons, but is fully in all three persons without being divided into parts., Thus, the Son is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of God. 8:6a). Divide your group into three teams and give each group a sheet of butcher paper or poster. 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! (eds. However, you dont want to stop there with a student who can participate in a discussion. Three separate beings, all rolled into one entity. While not a typical conversation starter, this question is one of the most important we can ask in life. In this blog post, we are going to discuss the Holy Trinity in simple terms. The second point of clarification has to do with personhood. Orthodox Christian theology has always affirmed that the one true God is triune in nature. 4:15), dying for our sins (1 Cor. "But if I [Jesus] cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.". This is very important: God is one and three at the same time, but not in the same way. To help us do that, here are two reasons why the Trinity matters. Most people, including many Christians, struggle trying to apprehend the Trinity. This analogy ignores the personal distinctions within God and mitigates them to mere roles. 15:28). He is one Being in three Persons (centers of consciousness), not merely three roles. The Holy Spirit is God. The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. How to explain the Trinity to a new believer - Quora How To Explain the Trinity To Your Child - 4 Creative Ways using the shamrock or the three states of H 2 O to explain the . Omnipotence (Jer. We are referring to two different features of God: (1) his singular essenceor natureand (2) three Persons. We can discern and apprehend what it is. How Do You Explain the Trinity? - A Thimble-full of Theology for Daily Why, if they are ALL 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. See if they can think of anything better, and be ready to discuss where different ideas might not quite work. 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. The Holy Spirit was moving or hovering over the face of the waters (Gen. 1:2). Actually, March 17 commemorates St. Patrick's death, actually. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit do not unite people by neglecting t Here are the best childrens Bibles, sorted by age. We can never completely understand the Trinities one essence and three Persons. Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. 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. So all three members of the Trinity have unique personhood. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. A simpler way to talk about the Trinity is through "God grammar.". 2:8-9), we can become Gods children. Read about individuals who have been transformed by faith. Firstly, we agree that finite humankind is limited. It is the unity of the Father, Son, and Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. The Trinity. The Trinity is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. How is God different? 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. 2. Girls become divided, friendships are ruined, and reputations are tarnished. There are three Persons with one divine essence! Yet Jesus would not have referenced the Trinity unless it was important. 2:17). All will play a role in the events mentioned in Revelation. God the Son. Satan existed with the angels at the beginning of creation as one of the cherubim. Ask the teenager this question: Where does this fall short? Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. God the Father spoke from heaven and spoke of His Son, Jesus. According to the American Heritage Dictionary the word See if you can let kids arrive at the notion that God isnt really made up of parts. 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. 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. The relationship between essence and Person, then, is as follows. Allegedly, Saint Patrick used a shamrock as a metaphor to explain the Trinity: three leaves, one shamrock. The Holy Spirit is God, but He is not the Son or the Father. The concept of the Trinity. 4. Geisler, N. L., and R. E MacKenzie, R. E. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences. Its a devotional book. ). 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? To start, let me define what I mean when I say persons. Personhood is having intellect, emotions, and a will. also 1:18). One God? 19:26). 20:3; cf. 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.. In regards to the Trinity, we use the term Person differently than we generally use it in everyday life. "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.". The answer hinges on the differences in their unique roles. 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. Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. The Trinity Matters because the Gospel Matters. 9:18; Matt. If you are a Christian, why not memorize some of this blogs verses? This is one possibility of explaining it. Weve made a comparison between this object and the Trinity. 19:714; Ps. Essence and person are not the same thing. He regenerates us with new spiritual life (John 3:58). Here we will summarize some of the fruits of their labor. My Starting Point for Trying to Explain the Trinity, The Simplest but Still Clear Explanation for the Trinity, The 3 Most Common Trinity Analogies (and their limitations). 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. Specifically, distinguishing between Gods one essence and his three Persons. 118:28, God referred to in the third person singular (he, his, him): Gen. 1:5, 10; Ex. Perhaps for the first time, you have read that the Trinity is a mystery and not acontradiction. Understanding the Trinity - Busy Blessed Women Jehovah's Witnesses and the Trinity | Bible.org As youll see explained more deeply in one of the videos below, you can think of it this way: I am a human being. These are all qualities of personhood. 13: Trinity | Putting the Fun In, Faith and Finances: 5 Steps to Get Started. Here is an object with three parts: a hard shell, the egg white, and the yolk. After all, each of these illustrate the idea that God is made up of parts, and thats not really true. The Bible teaches the Trinity beginning with the days of creation. However,barais the singular conjugation of the verb. Read more. The Trinity does not divide God into three parts. Clearly, he appreciated a plurality within the Godhead. I am fully human. Or what are the objective characteristics that all triangles share? God the Holy Spirit. Disclaimer: I believe Trinity. In brief, how we view God will profoundly impact our everyday lives. 2. These three persons are of the same substance, equal in power and glory. Can We Explain the Trinity? | Desiring God What does essence mean? 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." Principle #3: Order. 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 . The Bible is clear that all three Persons are each one hundred percent God. That is why any discussion of the Trinity is based on Scripture (Ps. Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. The word "trinity" is a term used to denote the Christian doctrine that God exists as a unity of three distinct, simultaneous persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. . The early church absolutely believed and taught the belief in a God who was three-in-one. The personhood of each member of the Trinity means that each Person has a distinct center of consciousness. Yet he also proclaimed, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live (1 Cor. 11:3336). Monotheism. Youngblood, R. F., et al. The Father is God. It is one of the two ordinances of the Christian Church. I might end with sharing a few analogies from nature. PDF A Brief Explanation of the Trinity - TheologicalStudies.org.uk But I hope you have learned that the Trinity is not contradictory. View our top Cru resources in more than 20 languages. As I said earlier, it means the same thing as being. The Trinity was present in the atonement at the cross. In all transparency, I feel like I did a pretty mediocre job of explaining the Trinity to them in a way they could grasp. Deut. Several analogies help us apprehend the Trinity. But dont get confused. The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity is the Bible . For example they: 5. 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). Get the answers to frequently asked questions on Christian beliefs and practices. How Not to Be Scared of AI God the Father. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. Hes the one who walked the Earth blamelessly, performing miracles, and extending mercy and love. After all, children deal best with concrete ideas. This is just an egg, or an apple, or H2O. What is the origin of the doctrine of the Trinity? Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. As a former youth minister and childrens minister, Ive already done your research! God is not one person who plays three different roles, as this illustration suggests. To this day, this scripture inspires the language we use to baptize people across Christian denominations. Discipleship 101: How to Disciple a New Believer - Crossway Scriptural evidence supports every element proving the Trinity. Yes, the Spirit was sent, but this does not imply that the Holy Spirit is less than they are. Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring. It is very simple: All three Persons are one God because, as we saw above, they are all the same essence. Conclusion: Scripture supports the Trinity. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. Internship opportunities with Cru's ministries. 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. Whats a Mama to say when the questions start flowing? But that doesnt mean the concept isnt clearly taught. It has been said, Try to explain the trinity and lose your mind, try to explain away the trinity and lose your soul. Understanding the Trinity: How Can God Be Three Persons in One? - Cru.org Looking for a great childrens Bible? There would only be a contradiction if we said that God is three in the same way that He is one. Is referred to in the second person (you; Ps. See, each member participated in the creation, the incarnation, and redemption. Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? 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). How is God one? 3:3; Heb. They are personal forms of existence other than a difference in being. 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. Before anything was created he begat his Logos as a person distinct from himself. Those centuries were t I work hard to produce evidence-based information about school for both teachers and parents, and to produce and share resources that can help at home and in the classroom. The Bible speaks of the Father as God (Phil. Question & Answer: The Orthodox Presbyterian Church 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. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. God is the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. The Father sent Jesus into the world (John 3:16; Gal. (Againwere trying to grasp something that isnt fully grasp-able.). Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. Be cool with leaving the gathering with more questions than answers. The only way humans can know about these mysteries is because the Bible teaches them. draws the believer into a new . The Holy Trinity is depicted in the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar, Ethiopia. How can three and one refer to the same God? Our mind distinguishes each of the three leaves (the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost), but at the same time recognizes they are one shamrock. Why not plan on studying verses in each section to prove to yourself that the Bible does claim that God is a Trinity? What a challenge! He said, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29). The oldest member of the unholy trinity. Answer. And the triangle can help us distinguish one essence from the three Persons. 3:17), Omnipresence (Ps. But continue seeking to understand why the Trinitarian nature of God matters. Its okay to admit you dont know everything. Does it look like Grandpa? This would make each Person less than fully God and thus not God at all. Question: How do you explain the Trinity? Because humankind is limited, God will always exceed our knowledge and understanding (Isa. passage also demonstrates Jesus' early declaration of the Trinity. Now, as Fred Sanders once quipped, this doesn't mean you should begin every witnessing encounter, "God loves you . Many other verses concurrently list the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. As theologian and apologist Norman Geisler has explained it, while essence is what you are, person is who you are. 6:11; Gal. Why is the Trinity important to Christianity? You may be wondering how to wrap your mind around all this brand-new information! After understanding the difference between essence and personhood, most objections evaporate! When you cut an apple in half, you can see that each of these three parts are different (at this point, you can cut the apple open for your kids! Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. What is Gods essence? 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. Being Gods child, we can worship the Father and Jesus through the Spirit (John 4:2324; Phil. But what does it mean that God is gracious? 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. These definitions express three crucial truths: (1) The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, (2) each Person is fully God, (3) there is only one God. It is the same thing in three different forms. If each Person of the Trinity is distinct and yet fully God, then should we conclude that there is more than one God? After all, the Trinity is difficult to understand. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. Essenceis the objective set of attributes necessary to the thing being described. 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! We believe God is one in essence. Errr, not quite. 20:23; Deut. 1:17; Dan. Trinity, in Christian doctrine, the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. While it is good for us to seek understanding of the Trinity, we cannot fully comprehend God. 3. How to EXPLAIN The Trinity to a New Believer | Introduction to The The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. And when he speaks, he refers to himself in first personas I (Deut. 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. 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. The Nicene and Reformed Doctrine of the Trinity - CBE (Ohand I'll send you my free guideThe Simplest Way to Study ANY Bible Passageas a "Thank you" for jumping on board!). My passion is helping you not just read and study the Bible, but truly enjoy it! He is one in essence. They include: Now you have a basic understanding of the Trinity. 32:17, 27; Matt. If someone already has an understanding based on the definition and explanation above, then these analogiesmighthelp them grasp aspects of the Trinity. But they are eternally subordinate in their roles to him (1 Cor. 4 Visual Ways To Explain The Trinity To A Child. *catholic, meaning universal here, and not a reference to the big C Catholic. Its NOT God. Rather, everything that one Person is involved in, the other two are also involved in, one way or another. It was God who took the initiative to save humankind. God the Holy Spirit is the warmth you feel from the sun. But Christianitys God is unique. Understanding the Doctrine of the Trinity (+ Free Printable) 42. 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. "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. 45:5-6, New Testament: Mark 12:29; John 5:44; Eph. Christs resurrection is variously attributed to: Multiple verses distinguish each member of the Trinity. Its a mystery the Bible teaches. Then share them with another Christian or genuine seeker. 2:34; Heb. How To Explain the Trinity to Muslims - Bellator Christi Therefore, it is often difficult to have a concrete definition of Person as we use it in regards to the Trinity. 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! There will always be some level of mystery to this, but when you talk about the being/nature/essence as God and the persons/expressions as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit I think we get at least a little bit closer to beginning to comprehend something we can never fully comprehend. What we have seen so far provides a good basic understanding of the Trinity. 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 . For if we deny this, we have denied Gods unity and affirmed that there is more than one being of God (i.e., that there is more than one God). You can help us reach children and their families to know Jesus. We all have a story. In other words, there is one God who exists as three distinct Persons. 5:21), making it possible for us to have a relationship with God. John says in the first verse of the book: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God.". 1:2;). The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. Reflecting Jesus together for the good of the city. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. Jesus (the Son) is God. Jesus is the one whose life we try to copy. Showing God in action in and through His people. Of course, if the triangle illustration were perfect, we would be able to comprehend God fully, but we cant. No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. In fact, it is precisely the continuing dialogue between the Father and the Son (Matthew 3:17; 17:5; John 5:19; 11:41-42; 17:1ff ) which furnishes the best evidence that they are distinct Persons with distinct centers of consciousness. How do I explain to a non-believer that belief in the Trinity is You arent alone! How can one explain the Trinity simply to a new believer? Nothing is more astonishing, more challenging, and more potentially life-transforming than knowing 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. Let's explore each of these members. Of course we are speaking by analogy here, for we cannot understand this in a physical way about God. 40:18; Rom. Third, Christians believe that the entire New Testament is inspired. how to explain the trinity to a new believer - NewJeru Or stated simply, the triangles what-ness.. 1:318; 1 Pet. The best way to teach the Trinity to ANYONE who is confused is with an object lesson. Answer: Jesus came to lead us into relationship with the Father and that required the sacrifice of his own life because of our rebellion. That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. 23:2324). How To Explain The Trinity To A Child Or Teenager - Mama Manages We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. For instance, each Person: Scripture often names all three members of the Trinity together. 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. What Should Christians Know about the Trinity? These verses make it impossible to deny their individuality and deity. Conclusion: Scripture teaches the Trinity. Of course, anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about (p. 145). The Trinity is more than just a vital doctrine. 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. Here are three I found to be really helpful. The doctrine of the Trinity is considered to be one of the central Christian affirmations about God. They had to wait another 50 year for the 381 update. 3. As long as a shape has those three angles that add up to 180 degrees, it doesnt matter what the angles degrees are.