How do I explain to a non-believer that belief in the Trinity is be explained away. 2. To contemplate the Trinity is to lift up your heart and to "set your mind on the things above" (Col. 3:2). Thats what faith is being content with our own confusion while still knowing that God is bigger than we can comprehend. In sum, the essence or nature of anything is what it is. Each person of the Trinity is equally and fully God, distinct from the others, and yet they remain just one God. The Holy Trinity - Explained. Divide your group into three teams and give each group a sheet of butcher paper or poster. 5 Scriptural Points to Help You Understand the Trinity They include: Now you have a basic understanding of the Trinity. A triangle must have three sides three corners (angles), and the sum of the three angles must be 180 degrees. They are not merely modes or manifestations of the same person (as Oneness theology incorrectly asserts) who sometimes acts as Father, sometimes as Son, and sometimes as Spirit. See if you can let kids arrive at the notion that God isnt really made up of parts. The Trinity does not divide God into three parts. 3:17; 17:5; Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 10:15; 12:28; 17:1-26; 1 Tim. While admitting the lack of conformity among believers, we must never consider it a minor issue of doctrine. From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. (So I won't send you any.) 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. .. He wrote, What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.. The best way to teach the Trinity to ANYONE who is confused is with an object lesson. So a closer look at the fact that God is one in essence but three in person has helped to show why the Trinity is not a contradiction. Begin and end with your object lesson, and be comfortable with the imperfect teaching. No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. 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. 1:3), Demonstrated divine sovereignty over nature (Matt. God the Father, Jesus His Son, with the Holy Spirit, they are three in one! However, the biblical doctrine of the Trinity does not rest on one verse of Scripture, but is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. 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 . However, let me highlight some of the most significant passages that confirm monotheism: Are you interested in learning more about the Godhead? The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. Christ took Gods punishment, and wrath meant for us because of our sins (Heb. In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. After all, as I have said many times (to myself as much as others! Yet most Christians have difficulty explaining the Trinity clearly and Biblically. Answer. The technical term in case youre interested for this wrong way of thinking about God is calledmodalism. Trinity not mentioned in the Bible anywhere! Jesus carried out these creative decrees (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). The Father is not one-third of the being of God, He is all of the being of God. In Hinduism, the trinity (Trimrti, or The Three Forms) is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. What is a functional order or subordination? It means that a Trinity member submits himself to one or both of the other members. 8:6), Jesus is called God (John 1:1-5; John 20:28; Rom. The word "scripture " graphe 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. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. How do we come to terms with these different ideas of God? Conclusion: Scripture supports the Trinity. What is the Trinity? - Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry The first commandment says, You shall have no other gods before me (Ex. 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. 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. According to the American Heritage Dictionary the word They are all eternal. Before anything was created he begat his Logos as a person distinct from himself. That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. 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. However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the . Christianity is a monotheistic religion. 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 is God one? Perhaps for the first time, you have read that the Trinity is a mystery and not acontradiction. Each Person of the Trinity is distinct, 8. Each member of the Trinity is . During this period, it was attempted solely by using algorithmswhich are basically rules or sets of rules you tell a computer to follow. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be distinct from the Father and the Son. The Holy Trinity is depicted in the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar, Ethiopia. know that I recognise only one God. PDF Understanding the Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity (Godhead) - Bible Truth If youre wondering how to explain the Trinity to a child, keep it simple. The ancient church fathers at first simply acknowledged the Trinity without feeling the need to explain a theology of that understanding. How To Explain The Trinity To A Child Or Teenager - Mama Manages The Trinity is like an egg or apple. PDF UNDERSTANDING THE TRINITY - Silica Bible Chapel To be even more precise, essence is what you are. 119; Prov. Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. Baker Books, 1995, pp. To understand more fully what God is like is a way of honoring God. Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. 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. The Nicene and Reformed Doctrine of the Trinity - CBE 1:20-21), In salutations and benedictions (2 Cor. How do I explain to a non-believer that belief in the Trinity is What a challenge! 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. 10:2831), In Johns writings (1 John 4:1314; Rev. But that doesnt mean the concept isnt clearly taught. While we cannot fully understand everything about the Trinity (or anything else), it is possible to answer questions like these and come to a solid grasp of what it means for God to be three in one. Essence means the same thing as being. Thus, since God is only one essence, He is only one being, not three. 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. The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 12:11), When the Holy Spirit speaks, he refers to himself in first person (Acts 13:2). Monotheism is foundational to Christianity. Example 1: What is the nature or essence of a rock? These questions arealwaysasked by someone who is exploring faith in Jesus. Awareness of the distinct role that each Person of the Trinity has in our salvation can especially serve to give us greater comfort and appreciation for God in our prayers, as well as helping us to be specific in directing our prayers. Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. And the voice of the Father declared, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased (Matt. However, these illustrations arent perfect, and really mature kids or teenagers (or adult new believers) could handle digging a bit deeper! 2:511). This can only be if they share one essence. Take the next step in your faith journey with resources on prayer, devotionals and other tools for personal and spiritual growth. Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. 2:2729). Use the links below to jump to a specific section: The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. For example, it says of Christ that "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). After Christ rose from the grave, he appeared to the disciples and gave them a job to do: preach the Word to everyone. This post is full of Bible facts for kids that will spark the imagination, encourage lots of good questions, and even inspire some Bible reading. Whats a Mama to say when the questions start flowing? 3 in 1: A Picture of God This one is for anyone interested in using the apple object lesson. It is very simple: All three Persons are one God because, as we saw above, they are all the same essence. If you're looking for the best Christian jobs and careers, check out Cru's ministry job openings for full- and part-time missionaries and professionals. understand the doctrine of the Trinity. Must you become a better person so that God will accept you? Explore answers to life's biggest questions. That isGod is three Persons in onethe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. However, the Bible teaches us enough about these mysteries that we can apprehend them. Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. The Trinity is the perfect loving community of three Persons. How to Explain the Trinity to an Unbeliever - YouTube Use Objects As Visual Aids. Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth by his word. A bright teen asked me to explain the Trinity. Here's what I said. God is infinite. 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 . 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. How to explain the trinity to a new believer pdf - Canada Examples Step God is like the skin because He protects us. 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. We baptize into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. What is the essence of a triangle? The Holy Spirit was moving or hovering over the face of the waters (Gen. 1:2). For instance he: Jesus has all the features that ensure he, too, is a person. The Bible speaks of the Father as God (Phil. Theologians have pointed out that if it were not true, the Bible would be unreliable, Christ would not be divine, and His death on the cross would not atone for our sins, being merely the death of a martyr. That is where I go back to the starting point I mentioned above. What is the origin of the doctrine of the Trinity? . Each corner is distinct (i.e., different) from the others. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! Just as ONE egg has THREE different parts - the shell, the white, the yoke - ONE God has THREE different . Three separate beings, all rolled into one entity. So God is one what but three whos.. 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 Three parts in one, yet all very much an egg. A Christian would still be expected to understand it. If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is one-third of God?