What is the Trinity? For since light is always in existence, it is manifest that its brightness also exists, because light is perceived to exist from the fact that it shines, and it is impossible that light should not shine. According to modalism, God does not actually exist in three persons. It is the Central Mystery of our Christian faith. It may not appear to agree with common sense. In other words, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have a unique and unbreakable unity, and their existence together is the being that is God. Admittedly, the idea of three distinct persons/expressions that are each fully God is part of the mystery. Though I find the video to be hilarious and often . For the Trinity, instead of using the formula 1+1+1, we use 1x1x1. The water analogy of the Trinity follows this line of reasoning: water can be a solid (ice/frozen water), liquid, and gas (water vapor), and yet all three forms are still water (H 2 O), and likewise, God manifests Himself in 3 different ways in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This was first used by Patrick of Ireland (yes there really was a Patrick of Ireland and he was a great guy), around 400 A.D. 2. Water is water, but exists in three different forms: liquid, frozen, or steam. 6And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons., , The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all., There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. in that while water can change into vapour or ice, Jesus cannot change into the Father or the Holy Spirit. We define a person as one having a will and who is distinguishable from another person. Thus, the Father Himself is not God, nor is the Son, nor is the Holy Spirit, but combining the three, there is one God. show me your glory. The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. This analogy explains that the Father is like the sun. Well the issue is, the water analogy is akin to the heresy of Modalism. In reality, I change my role depending on who I am interacting with. My prayer is to infuse God's character into your everyday lives with short ( 4-5") devotions and Bible Studies every Monday morning. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the primary tenants of the Christian faith. So whats one good way to explain what the Trinity is? Or what? Some have used examples such as water, watermelons and eggs; the principle behind those illustrations is that even though each thing is one, it is also three. A certain YouTube page created a famous video titled "St. Patrick's Bad Analogies" (which can be found here), in which the historic St. Patrick meets charming villagers who deride him based on the analogies which he uses in the process of explaining the Holy Trinity. Did I leave out any analogies? He has been a member of the Royal Australian Air Force since 2007, and is now training to be an Air Force Chaplain. Both are one. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. Modalism denies the distinction of person in the trinity. This little child cannot look at one without experiencing a profound sense of wonderment and awe. In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. It is still important that we have some understanding of the concept, however. Proof texting is when we cite a bunch of bible verses to support a theological stance. Sending of another: The Father sends the Son, and both the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit. . Relationship Analogy (Husband/Son/Father) God is like a person with different relationships just as a man can be a Dad, but also someones Son, and also someones Husband. He taught that the son was at one point created by God the father. . and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). They've always led to error and have been rejected by the church. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. In the same way is God being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. Yet, these persons are not separate from one another. A man might be a father to his children, a husband to his wife, and son to his parents. They are three in one egg. For those, like myself, who are not from a highly-liturgical denomination, it may come as a surprise that June 11 was Trinity Sunday. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. All Rights Reserved. However, keep in mind that the one being. God is kind of like a man who is a father, a son and an uncle God is kind of like a three-leaf clover, or a triangle; one object, but three different, identifiable leaves, or sides* To help you out, here is a comical and silly video that teaches about these bad analogies. But God is the eternal Light, which has neither had a beginning, nor shall ever fail. One day, however, the image will be clear. The trinity is not a contradiction, but a paradox. Eggs are one, yet comprise yolk, shell and albumen. They are equally eternal, powerful, sovereign, and worthy of worship. The Trinity is foundational and at the heart of our Christian faith. He got married there in 1965, and his four . What is H2O? In other words, this view denies Gods oneness. Genesis 1:26- Let us make man in our image, in our likeness The plural us and our show more than one person was involved. As a result the water molecule must change forms. This is why Jesus said, He who has seen Me, has seen the Father (John 14:9). There are three different cloves that represent the three different persons of the trinity. These two analogies are the "water" analogy and the "egg" analogy. One sits on the throne looking like Sardine and Jasper stone. The problem here is it describes each part of the Trinity as 1/3 parts of the overall egg. Father, Son, and Spirit are each fully God (their own egg)- not fractions of one. We came up with several practical implications of this doctrine. Shively, This book is now available in a published format for easy sharing and classroom use. Time Analogy God is like time. These images fall short, because these components arent enough to be considered a whole on their own. When you encounter a person or group who denies the Trinity, it is merely a matter of walking through these 3 points, to see where they diverge from Biblical teaching. According to the first, just as water takes three forms (liquid, vapor, and ice), so too God takes the form of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Here are some of them: The problem with this is that it leads to the view that God is a Trinity simply because He relates differently to us at different times. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. Space consists of three things: height, width, and depth. And for a mere mortal to have dared invent it and be able t. Yet there is still only one God we serve. This view teaches that three separate beings exist. PART OF A WHOLE. 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. Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. It is a miraculous invention, the egg. We worship one God who exists in three persons. Each separate being is co-equal, co-powerful and co-eternal. In order to accomplish this union with God and man, He allowed His Shell to be broken with the weight of our sins to cleanse our souls so His holiness can approach, for God cannot look upon sin (Habakkuk 1:13). The Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. It is a miraculous invention, the egg. They say that three separate beings exist 2. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not simply names designating modalities of the divine being, for they are really DISTINCT from one another: He is not the Father who is the Son, nor is the Son he who is the Father, nor is the Holy Spirit he who is the Father or the Son. (CCC 254), 3. This analogy seems to make a lot of sense, but it actually reinforces a fatal misconception about the Trinity called modalism. Each of the divine persons is GOD WHOLE AND ENTIRE, and there is one God. There would be three thrones. The Father Matthew 27:45-46 (usually there is no argument that the Father is not God, since every place Jesus speaks to God, he is addressing the Father. My intention is merely to address some common erroneous analogies, including water. H2O can exist as a solid, a liquid and a gas but they are all still H2O. How do we make sense of the Trinity? But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. He can even be all three at the same time. This is the error of Arianism (not to be confused with Aryanism, which is also bad). Like modalism, the "three beings" view was rejected by the early church. A person distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A being is the whole nature or essence of something. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) Each character of the trinity has in one another (cf. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. God is Great, I always try to figure out how to explain it to my Sunday school kids and they get confused which i get, how would you explain it to them? Copyright 2023 Christian Today. The scientific analogy that will be provided in a few moments is truly inadequate to describe the Holy Trinity. Augustine's typical dialectic is to move from the exterior realities of creation to the interior reality of the human soul where he hoped to encounter God in the image of God, damaged as it is by the fall. I did read about the shamrock analogy! Some people think that H2O cannot exist in all three states simultaneously but that is not true. In order to accomplish this union with God and man, He allowed His Shell to be broken with the weight of our sins to cleanse our souls so His holiness can approach, for God cannot look upon sin (Habakkuk 1:13). In trying to describe what they saw in the pages of the Bible, the early church decided to use the word person to describe the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Light comes from God. Or, we can quote Daniel Webster; a strong Christian- I do not pretend fully to understand the arithmetic of heaven now. . Genisis 1:17, KJV. The Holy Trinity: Egg Analogy The Holy Trinity is GOD in three divine persons GOD the FATHER GOD the HOLY SPIRIT GOD the SON But together they makeup and are still ONE GOD Like how an egg is made up of three things but is still ONE EGG. For example, we know that God didnt create humanity because He bored or lonely. - well, sort of. I can only shake my head when He does these things! Sure enough, one member answered Well Ive heard that the Trinity is like water: water can be liquid, gas (steam), or solid (ice), but its still the same water. He has not yet revealed some mysteries (what did Jesus do in His childhood, when will He return, what does the word Selah mean in the Old Testament- and so many more.). Each of the persons is that supreme reality, viz., the divine substance, essence or nature. (Lateran Council IV), 4. Each one is fully 100% God. The trinity is like this man. Just like an egg, none of the parts are co-equal, nor are all of the parts necessary for the egg to exist. The Unseen Father is in Christs mind. Dont you know Jesus? They all exist as fully God, with none of them lacking in any attribute or aspect that defines God. But based on what you know that Jesus is born so that He can save people from their wrongdoings, will you trust Him to forgive you. 1:8-12; 1 Pet. This view, also known as "modalism", was rejected by the early church. We can touch the cord, but not the power it is insulating. He is married to Shamsa Lea, is the father of Amira, and loves running, boxing and studying history and theology. But having lots 6 Bible Study Tools To Help You Dive Deeper. However, it breaks down on the level of equality: No one keeps or eats the shell of an egg. It is not important merely for the sake of tradition, or because the word itself is taught in the Bible (the word is not). But thats not how they understood it. The egg has a shell, the whites and a yoke. Likewise we cannot have the Father or His Spirit without the Son I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except by Me- John 14:6. When discussing God, especially in regards to his nature, being and persons, a simple statement to articulate the Trinity is: God is 1, *. I think the illustration that represents the Trinity most accurately is the egg example. Im giving God the credit for stirring this memory, and am extremely grateful. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. The word Trinity comes from the Latin word trinitas which means tri-unity. The word God in this sense is defined as a single being, having all divine attributes. Here's a look at six explanations for why so many people truly believe 3 Ways to Experience The Good Life in Jesus. THE TRUTH IS: From the very beginning, the Blessed Trinity Father, Son, and Spirit was there. Have you wondered what is God like? Christians believe, then, that only one God exists but this God exists as a unity of three persons: a Trinity. Here are a few common illustrations: The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk. But this idea is central to the Christian faith. In an attempt to explain the Trinity, there are some bad examples people use, and some better ones. The idea that the Trinity can be compared to a shamrock is largely attributed to St. Patrick. Some have taken on the task of explaining how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist as one. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14). Yet the orthodox view is that each person of the Trinity is fully divine. 1B) This son of Graham and Lois Armstrong is Dave. If you need to use an analogy, then use a good one. An analogy illustrates that in a similar way, one shamrock can have three leaves on it, and the trinity has three persons that comprise one God.
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