Then study the pronouns used in Scripture point to the Trinity: This one-ness is Gods one divine essence (Heb 1:3). After all, so much happens in the week leading up to the resurrection of Christ. God is spirit (John 4:24). Why, if they are ALL God? 92:8) and third person (he, his, him) singular pronouns (1 Kings 18:39). Christianity is a monotheistic religion. (Ohand I'll send you my free guideThe Simplest Way to Study ANY Bible Passageas a "Thank you" for jumping on board!). While Jesus and the Father are both God, they are different Persons. From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. Third, notice that although the three divine Persons are distinct, we are baptized into their name (singular), not names (plural). Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. 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. God the Son. 8:2327), Resuscitates the dead (Matt. Within a week,, Read More Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? God the Father spoke from heaven and spoke of His Son, Jesus. The answer is they are gray and hard. Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. 1. How to Explain the Trinity to an Unbeliever - YouTube Let's explore each of these members. But analogies cannot entirely explain the mystery of God. That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. And in John 16:13-15 we see that although there is a close unity between them all, the Holy Spirit is also distinct from the Father and the Son. 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! This can only be if they share one essence. 2. For instance he: Jesus has all the features that ensure he, too, is a person. This one is kinda fun for older kids who understand a bit of science. Of course, if the triangle illustration were perfect, we would be able to comprehend God fully, but we cant. The prologue of the Gospel of John has the strongest argument for the Trinity. 1:8). 139:711; Jer. It is one of the two ordinances of the Christian Church. The Holy Spirit was moving or hovering over the face of the waters (Gen. 1:2). What does it take to begin a relationship with God? Is God the same as Jesus? After all, the Trinity is difficult to understand. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about the Trinity. 55:8-9). 5:2122; John 13:34), End-time judgment (Matt. The important difference between complexity and incomprehension: If Christianity was something we were making up, of course, we could make it easier. The Bible is clear that all three Persons are each one hundred percent God. 3:3; Heb. Many of us say it every single Sunday morning. Have a great discussion about it! Show them that there are three parts: seeds, flesh, and skin. The answer is simple. To help us do that, here are two reasons why the Trinity matters. However,barais the singular conjugation of the verb. Assign each group with one of the Godheads: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), or the Holy Spirit. The doctrine is critical, even if not easily comprehended. The Bible reveals that God isone, in essence, eternally revealed inthree Persons. In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. He brings all light and life to the world. Surely not. How to Explain the Trinity in 4 Steps - The Catechism Guy Somehow Gods being is so much greater than ours that within his one undivided being there can be an unfolding into interpersonal relationships, so that there can be three distinct persons.[5]. Two Reasons the Trinity Matters - The Gospel Coalition Admittedly, the idea of three distinct persons/expressions that are each fully God is part of the mystery. How is God three? But all three must be present simultaneously for the geometric figure to be a triangle. How to explain the trinity to a new believer pdf - Canada Examples Step Why do so many people struggle with the doctrine of the Trinity? Ask them to draw it on the page. "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.". Even then, he was not alone, because he had his Logos within him. Read more. It was God who took the initiative to save humankind. Are these just three different ways of looking at God, or simply ways of referring to three different roles that God plays? The Trinity does not divide God into three parts. How to explain the Trinity to a new believer - Quora Most people, including many Christians, struggle trying to apprehend the Trinity. How do they relate? 2:11), and performs miracles (Matt. 9:18; Matt. Find resources for personal or group Bible study. John says in the first verse of the book: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God.". He is beyond us. We can never completely understand the Trinities one essence and three Persons. Did your kids give each form of God different personality traits? These questions arealwaysasked by someone who is exploring faith in Jesus. Thats the one we think of as the Father. Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org. Jesus himself spoke of the one-ness of the Godhead when he quoted the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4. Others seem to come by it naturally, and its just not fair! Faith is recognizing that we dont have all the answers and deciding that its okay to keep believing and growing. This is great fun to see how teenagers draw a picture of God. Specifically, distinguishing between Gods one essence and his three Persons. And then you will read eight critical truths about the nature of the Trinity. What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. A Christian would still be expected to understand it. How can three and one refer to the same God? passage also demonstrates Jesus' early declaration of the Trinity. Clearly, he appreciated a plurality within the Godhead. But I hope you have learned that the Trinity is not contradictory. Jehovah's Witnesses and the Trinity | Bible.org Are you still not a Christian? The concept of the Trinity is often referred to during worship, which helps Christians to understand it. That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. How to Explain the Trinity to Children | Free Printable - A HEART TO KNOW Learn the basics of what Christians believe. For example: God the Father is a person. Each person of the Trinity is equally and fully God, distinct from the others, and yet they remain just one God. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. Geisler, N. L., and R. E MacKenzie, R. E. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences. 42. 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. Remember, the nature or essence of an entity is the property or attributes that make it what it is. Ask the teenager this question: Where does this fall short? What is a functional order or subordination? It means that a Trinity member submits himself to one or both of the other members. They are personal forms of existence other than a difference in being. 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. If there is one passage which most clearly brings all of this together, it is Matthew 28:19: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. First, notice that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinguished as distinct Persons. And God created humankind to share that love (John 17:2126; Acts 17:25). Our kids are currently 2, 4, and 7, and its equally loved by all of them, so the Yoto age range is really wide! But is there any easy way to apprehend these exciting discoveries? Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. Go ahead and start with one of the object lessons above. 2:511). Have some fun taking various quizzes and assessments to learn about yourself and others. Actually, March 17 commemorates St. Patrick's death, actually. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. We need you. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earthand in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spiritand born of the virgin Mary.He suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended to the dead.On the third day he rose again.He ascended into heaven,and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy catholic* Church,the communion of the saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting. (Againwere trying to grasp something that isnt fully grasp-able.). 4:4). Trinity not mentioned in the Bible anywhere! The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. How Not to Be Scared of AI 104:30), sanctifies (Rom. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. Showing God in action in and through His people. 20:3; cf. 3:1417). Be cool with leaving the gathering with more questions than answers. 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 4; 14; Jon. 2:8-9), we can become Gods children. First of all I want to tell you that the Trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 15:3). The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. 32:39), Has personal traits, such as the ability to communicate (John 14:31), He has intellect (John 2:25), emotions (John 11:35), and a will (John 6:38), Has intellect (John 14:26; 1 Cor. While some say . Christ through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God.. The Father is God. You may feel like you are drinking from a fire hydrant. John 1 tells us that the Word is Yeshua - that he was with God and was God from the get go, right there at creation. Question & Answer: The Orthodox Presbyterian Church 2. You can describe the Trinity in different ways: The wordspersonsandessencerefer to entirely different features relating to God. Would you like to give your time to work with Cru? 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). Further, we should allow the fact that God is triune to deepen our worship. 23-26; Luke 7:11-17; Luke 11:1-45), Sends the Holy Spirit and his gifts (John 16:714), Put his words on a par with Gods (Matt. That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. For instance, each Person: Scripture often names all three members of the Trinity together. Principle #3: Order. This is one possibility of explaining it. Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1.