how to explain the trinity to a new believer

Clearly, he appreciated a plurality within the Godhead. Essence means the same thing as being. Thus, since God is only one essence, He is only one being, not three. Here is an object with three parts: a hard shell, the egg white, and the yolk. And when he speaks, he refers to himself in first personas I (Deut. All will play a role in the events mentioned in Revelation. For instance: Additionally, all three members of the Trinity participate together in several critical events. After all, so much happens in the week leading up to the resurrection of Christ. Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org. The relationship between essence and Person, then, is as follows. Jesus dying on the Cross is one of the most important parts of His story. 5:2), Miracles (Ex. 3:16; 2 Pet. In his bookMere Christianity, C. S. Lewis points out an important distinction. However, the Bible teaches us enough about these mysteries that we can apprehend them. How to Explain the Trinity to Children | Free Printable - A HEART TO KNOW We begin with a brief discussion of the doctrine in historical context, explaining more fully the nature of the problem it raises. The easiest way to explain the Trinity is with an object lesson, and thats true no matter how old someone might be. Discipleship involves a lot, but one of the most important things you can do with a new believer is read the Bible with them-teaching them how to read, understand, respond to, and apply God's Word. 2:8-9), we can become Gods children. While no church is perfect, the Trinity is still the model for the churchs unity (John 1:2123). A subreddit for the encouragement and discussion of the Biblical Unitarian position which holds 10:57), The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian. Understanding the Trinity: How Can God Be Three Persons in One? - Cru.org This would make each Person less than fully God and thus not God at all. But is there any easy way to apprehend these exciting discoveries? 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! Just hang on a little longer. In explaining the Trinity to your friend, begin, perhaps, with the work of salvation. Jesus carried out these creative decrees (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). If we were to translate it . OksoWhat about this idea of one being who exists in three persons?. This is very important: God is one and three at the same time, but not in the same way. In the baptism of Jesus, we see the Father speaking from heaven and the Spirit descending from heaven in the form of a dove as Jesus comes out of the water (Mark 1:10-11). The 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. I am also Keith Ferrin. The Father sent Jesus into the world (John 3:16; Gal. Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation. God addressed in the second person singular (you): 2 Sam. In John 1:1 it is affirmed that Jesus is God and, at the same time, that He was with God- thereby indicating that Jesus is a distinct Person from God the Father (cf. 5:510; 1 Cor. Question: How do you explain the Trinity? 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. They are three real persons, not three roles God plays. 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. After all, each of these illustrate the idea that God is made up of parts, and thats not really true. Ibid, p. 255. To be even more precise, essence is what you are. But they are eternally subordinate in their roles to him (1 Cor. What is Gods essence? 3:19; Eph. The concept of the Trinity is often referred to during worship, which helps Christians to understand it. ). Now youre gonna tell me theyre all the same but also different? The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. You will and can grasp these principles. Further, we clearly should not think of God as consisting of anything other than divinity. 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. May 23, 2012 by: Justin Buzzard. What does essence mean? 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. We hate SPAM. As theologian and apologist Norman Geisler has explained it, while essence is what you are, person is who you are. Each person of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) really IS God. And God created humankind to share that love (John 17:2126; Acts 17:25). Understanding the Doctrine of the Trinity (+ Free Printable) 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. What is the Trinity? Now, as Fred Sanders once quipped, this doesn't mean you should begin every witnessing encounter, "God loves you . The concept of the Trinity. You can cut into an apple in front of your group. 2. Explaining the Holy Trinity of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit will be needed at some point when presenting the God of the Bible to children, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons and other non-Christians. When the global church comes together then powerful things can happen. So many things clamor to define you. The substance of God is God, not a bunch of ingredients that taken together yield deity. And certainly not if it were a contradiction. Lets do a quick review of the topics we have covered. Therefore, there is one God with one divine nature and three divine Persons. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. 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. The three most common go-to analogies for explaining the Trinity are water, an egg, and the sun. He is the only God that exists. The verb for created isbara. Rather, each person of the Trinity has all of the attributes of God, and no one Person has any attributes that are not possessed by the others. Showing God in action in and through His people. 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). He realized Scripture alone is the only way we know about the Trinity (1 Cor. 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. Scriptural evidence supports every element proving the Trinity. Trinity: Loving relationship defines God's very being We believe God is one in essence. 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. What Is The Best Way To Explain The Trinity To A New Believer 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. But what exactly are essence or nature and personhood? Contrary to this, the passages we have seen imply that God always was and always will be three Persons. Most Christians are puzzled by the Trinity, and therefore, cant explain it very well. Nothing is more astonishing, more challenging, and more potentially life-transforming than knowing God.". Gods One-ness is his One divine essence, 3. 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. know that I recognise only one God. PDF UNDERSTANDING THE TRINITY - Andrew M. Bailey Then study the pronouns used in Scripture point to the Trinity: This one-ness is Gods one divine essence (Heb 1:3). Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. So, in this article, we will look at where the term originated. Be cool with leaving the gathering with more questions than answers. Christs resurrection is variously attributed to: Multiple verses distinguish each member of the Trinity. Our kids are currently 2, 4, and 7, and its equally loved by all of them, so the Yoto age range is really wide! 13:14; 1 Pet.1:2), In the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1025), When Jesus promises the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 1:48), Peters sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:33; Acts 3839), Peter and apostles answer the high priest (Acts 5:3032), During Stephens heavenly vision at his stoning (Acts 7:5556), In Peters sermon to the gentiles in Caesarea (Acts 10:3638; Acts 4448), When Peter reports to the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:1518), When Peter speaks at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:811), During Pauls interaction with Jewish leaders in Rome (Acts 28:2531), Pauls epistles (Rom. 8:6a). However, these illustrations arent perfect, and really mature kids or teenagers (or adult new believers) could handle digging a bit deeper! 2. Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. 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. But continue seeking to understand why the Trinitarian nature of God matters. The Trinity was present in the atonement at the cross. For example the: Finite humankind cannot wholly comprehend these mysteries. Omnipotence (Jer. God is the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. 1:3), Demonstrated divine sovereignty over nature (Matt. Christianity is a monotheistic religion. The answer hinges on the differences in their unique roles. 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. 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. C.S. Lewis and Mere Christianity: The Trinity (The Three-Personal God Only older children will grasp the in one concept of H20. I'm an author, speaker, husband, father and ice cream lover. 4:15), dying for our sins (1 Cor. Its okay to admit you dont know everything. Among the three persons of the Trinity, there is a proper order: The Father is the First Person of the Most Holy Trinity. 1:18; Luke 1:2635). 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 . 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. He regenerates us with new spiritual life (John 3:58). The Trinity | Answers in Genesis Orthodox Christian theology has always affirmed that the one true God is triune in nature. Now we will turn our attention to showing the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are persons.. Rather than let that frustrate you, let it encourage you. " Here God is a plural noun, said is in the . 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. Why do so many people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity? That's the one we think of as the Father. Or stated simply, the triangles what-ness.. If you are teaching young children, these object lessons are both the perfect starting and stopping point. Elohimis the plural form of the word God. The three members of the Trinity are Persons. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. Deity of Jesus: 10 Essentials You Need to Know! A triangle must have three sides three corners (angles), and the sum of the three angles must be 180 degrees. Ironically, not much is known about his death; even the year when he passed away is up for debate. I am fully human. I think it is because they lack at least two pieces of information: The main confusion is that many people dont get this distinction. The ancient church fathers at first simply acknowledged the Trinity without feeling the need to explain a theology of that understanding. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. .. The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith. That definition is a mouthful. A Simple Way to Explain the Trinity - Keith Ferrin He brings all light and life to the world. Internship opportunities with Cru's ministries. God the Father spoke from heaven and spoke of His Son, Jesus. 4; 14; Jon. 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. How do we receive His grace? Thats what faith is being content with our own confusion while still knowing that God is bigger than we can comprehend. But Jesus did not become less than the Father during his incarnation. In this case, "immanent" means "the action remaining within an agent.". First, we have God. The Holy Spirit is God.