Yeah its definitely a hard thing to understand, let alone explain to little ones ! On a whim, I looked up the lyrics at a later time. But if they give us a warped idea of what they are trying to explain, they arent helpful illustrations. If youve been involved in ministries for children or young people, questions about the Trinity have most likely come up. That is why Moses said. 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. He is married to Shamsa Lea, is the father of Amira, and loves running, boxing and studying history and theology. See the depths of Catholicism for yourself! Revelation 4:3And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. That would not be had God be three persons. We have the creeds for just that reason. Im giving God the credit for stirring this memory, and am extremely grateful. 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. Which ones have you heard? They've always led to error and have been rejected by the church. I think the illustration that represents the Trinity most accurately is the egg example. The Holy Spirit is Christs spirit in us guiding us into all truth. The early church labeled this view "tritheism". So under modalism, God acts as the Father in the Old Testament, the son in the Gospels, and the Spirit in Acts and the Epistles. God is not made up of 3 parts like the 3 parts of the egg. Do you know why I keep saying God is like an egg (or H2O) but God is not like an egg (or H2O)? The doctrine of the Trinity tells us that there's ONE GOD who is THREE distinct PERSONS existing as a community of self-giving and loving relationships with each other. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. Does that make sense? God Is Like An Egg - vtaide.com - well, sort of. Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind lived the doctrinal truth about the Trinity. Jesus is in the form of the Holy Spirit. Not just for explaining it to others, but to bolster our own faith and see how each One works in our lives. Matthew 3:16-17- As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Before we look at a few bad analogies that many often use to try to illustrate the trinity, we need to first understand the doctrine itself. From time to time, Doctors of the Church used analogies, but with care. The egg white represents Gods Spirit. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) Jonathon serves as a lay pastor at Gospel Life Church in New Braunfels, TX and currently works as the IT Manager for a non-profit ministry. Well the issue is, the water analogy is akin to the heresy of Modalism. In Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk . What is wrong with what I said? There would be three thrones. 4 Bad Analogies for the Trinity Justin Deeter The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 butmore like 1 x 1 x 1.You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. Or have you ever tried to teach kids about the Trinity? One sits on the throne looking like Sardine and Jasper stone. THE TRUTH IS: From the very beginning, the Blessed Trinity Father, Son, and Spirit was there. Stars were made on the forth day. There was no relational deficiency that prompted God to create us. What happens when an egg hatches? We can admit it is a mystery and accept that our incomplete knowledge cannot fully comprehend it. However, keep in mind that the one being who is God is a personal being. In the first place, if we truly claim to love God, then surely we should endeavour to know Him. copyright 2009 by H.D. Check out verse four: Holy Author, Holy Word, Holy Spirit, three we name thee; Still, one holy voice is heard; undivided God, we claim thee, and adoring bend the knee, while we own the mystery. . PDF UNDERSTANDING THE TRINITY - Andrew M. Bailey What we can understand and accept is that God exists eternally as one divine nature, substance, or essence, comprising three co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial personsthe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In humans, our spirits are designed to operate with and be united to the soul which is the person of anyone and so it is with our Egg. But God is the eternal Light, which has neither had a beginning, nor shall ever fail. Three Gods or one? So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)One of my Sunday School students said, "How could Jesus (God) enter Mary's stomach (womb) and be born? The Unseen Father would have been put into Satans prison. Youre right, theyre all good but not perfect because only God IS perfect. In the same way, at one moment God is the Father, but at different times God morphs or transforms into the Son or Holy Spirit. All of the above Bad Analogies would perhaps do more harm than good if used in explaining the Trinity. This is one of the reasons we say that "God is LOVE". Jesus Person is joined to the Father by the Fathers Holy Spirit, because Gods Spirit is also Jesus Spirit - "But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. 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.). This would make Jesus something less than fully God. When the Bible talks about God, it may be referring to Jesus Christ in a specific instance, the Holy Spirit in another and God the Father in a third occasion. This little child cannot look at one without experiencing a profound sense of wonderment and awe. This description that all persons are fully God is called the Ontological Trinity. . If the Sun existed from eternity past then so were the light rays from the Sun. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. The Sun was created on the forth day. It may not appear to agree with common sense. In the same way, there is a God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. The meme above discourages the use of analogies in explaining the Trinity. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. He has been relationally fulfilled within Himself since forever. Devils see that Spirit as a tempestuious fire. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. There would be three thrones. Again, this analogy doesnt work because God doesnt morph, change, or become different aspects of Himself. In other words, this view denies Gods oneness. My prayer is to infuse God's character into your everyday lives with short ( 4-5") devotions and Bible Studies every Monday morning. The Holy Spirit prays for us. Yet there is only one God. Thankfully he isnt a cage-stage Calvinist about it all. A good example would be an electrical cord. It should bring us to realise that we truly are finite creatures standing before a sovereign, transcendent, divine mystery. The Bible teaches three truths: 1 - there is one God. If you need to use an analogy, then use a good one. Martyn Iles Removed as Managing Director of Australian Christian Lobby by Board, Seven Types of Rest to Restore Your Body, Mind and Spirit, 8 witnesses testified against Hillsong founder Brian Houston in court case, wife Bobbie reveals, Why you feel guilty for not going to church, Samaritan's Purse sends 52-bed field hospital to Turkey. Shively, This book is now available in a published format for easy sharing and classroom use. But the Father is not the Son or the Spirit. As we examine the scriptural witness we see three truths that make up the doctrine of 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. These three Persons are all equally God and all equally Persons. We came up with several practical implications of this doctrine. The analogy breaks down because the three cloves are overly distinct and cannot represent the unity of God. And in our efforts to grasp it, weve come up with a number of analogies. The God of the Bible is one God. Should Women Really Keep Silent in Church? How so? But if modalism is true, and the Trinity really is like water, then the story of Jesus (the Son) praying to the Father as recorded in the Bible seems like an awfully strange masquerade. This analogy seems to make a lot of sense, but it actually reinforces a fatal misconception about the Trinity called modalism. It's impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God. If the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate beings, then its not really clear how someone can say that God is one or that only one God exists. It is a miraculous invention, the egg. Did I leave out any analogies? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. At the Cathedral, we recognize that there are responsibilities that come with . Church Adornments & Worship: Vestment Emblems - Monastery Icons The analogy explains that in the same way that one shamrock can have three leaves on it, the Trinity has three Persons that constitute one God. The Biblical Principle Of Baptism By Fire, The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything, 3 Reasons Why Jesus Humanity Really Matters Her & Hymn, 3 Reasons Why Jesus' Humanity Really Matters, How Jesus Teaches Us To Be Human Her & Hymn. The military would end up destroying themselves. Further, we can label each of the sides. God created us for community, since God is communal and we were created in His image. Yet, these persons are not separate from one another. This analogy actually falls prey to the same error of modalism. 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. The analogy explains that in the same way that one shamrock can have three leaves on it, the Trinity has three Persons that constitute one God. The idea that the Trinity can be compared to a shamrock is largely attributed to St. Patrick. And for a mere mortal to have dared invent it and be able t. So when God created us and revealed Himself to us, what He did was to invite us into the perfect goodness He has always known within Himself. Located in the heart of Quebec's historic district, it is a source of inspiration for visitors from around the world. But they are one God. Jesus then becomes a created being and thus less than fully God. To return to my Life Group anecdote, after our discussion I asked why does it even matter?. (It is also why the Jews had an issue with Jesus calling Himself God.). Light comes from God. H2O is a combination of two particles (atoms) of hydrogen and one particle of oxygen and this compound can exist as water (liquid), ice (solid) and vapour (gas). Just like an egg, none of the parts are co-equal, nor are all of the parts necessary for the egg to exist. 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. FOR CENTURIES, the Church had fought against heresies on the Trinity. This is a general rule when we study this Mystery using our human weakness since it is absolutely impossible for our human minds to comprehend the Divine. Yet others have thought that H20 (water) shows us the Trinity since H20 can be three things: solid (ice), liquid (running water) and vapor (steam). They suggest that only one God exists but this God transforms or morphs into each of the different persons Let's begin with the second view. But its all the same person, operating in three roles or functions. Who is God? This analogy sounds pretty good, but it is fatally flawed in that is describes the Son and Spirit as creations of the Father. Sadly, theres something "rotten" about this egg analogy. 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. In reality, I change my role depending on who I am interacting with. Each one is fully God. The egg has a shell, the whites and a yoke. So, I shot down a lot of images that seems to be pretty helpful. She would explode!" That fire keeps devils away from the saved. If youre interested into diving deeper into the topic of the Trinity, here are some valuable resources that could help. I dont believe that God wishes us to be confused about the Three that are so apparent throughout the Old and New Testaments. But thats not how they understood it. His ways are not my ways! The shortfall of this illustration, and others like it, is that God cannot be divided into "parts." It does not imply Jesus was created if you emphasize that the Sun existed from eternity past. The Holy Trinity, one of the five Dogmas of the Church, is an extraordinary and unfathomable mystery. I dont know how our majestic God feels about being compared to watermelons and eggs, but He is also a loving Father, and like any father, I believe God would seek to provide simple explanations so His little children can understand. Jesus, visually seen, judges all, not the Unseen Father. It is the Fathers desire to join His Spirit with all of us as well for He has said They shall be My sons and daughters (II Corinthians 6:18). The unity or oneness of God is also found in the Bible. For those, like myself, who are not from a highly-liturgical denomination, it may come as a surprise that June 11 was Trinity Sunday. ORDER from Barnes and NobleAmazon.com or wherever fine books are soldISBN-13: 978-1978167643Return to Cafe Logos Homepage | Bite-Sized Bible Bites. The Unseen Father keeps the Father that is seen, alive. , 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you., For further reading on the Trinity, I would recommend James Whites, Lastly, below is a helpful graphical chart explaining the doctrine of the Trinity I found from the Christian blog by Tim Challies. It leads to the heresy of MODALISM which teaches that God switches to different modes. Here are a few of the many verses giving evidence of the Trinity in the Bible: Genesis 1:1&2- In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. The Holy Spirit was an active participant in the creative process. 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? Modalism teaches that the trinity is not three distinct persons, but just different modes that God reveals himself to human beings. Under Arianism Jesus is less than fully God. 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. But you cannot be broken when your faith is in Jesus, for the Spirit of the Son that lives in us and gives us the voice through which we cry Abba, Father, (Galatians 4:6,) this Spirit of the Father that dwells within you is there to strengthen, protect and guard your person. The Egg Analogy - This claims to be a good representation of the Trinity because Eggs have three distinct parts: the shell, the yolk, and the whites. This is a place to find encouragement and hope from God's Word as you move through your busy life. Jesus is fully God. Because Gods Person is unapproachable, the Spirit White acts as insulation, for we know that it is through the Holy Spirit that God can communicate, speak through and interact with mankind. There are many mysteries to our faith. If water is inadequate, there are a wide array of alternative analogies we can turn to in modern theological parlance. The mystery is in the how this is accomplished; something we will finally understand in heaven. The best analogy for the Trinity (hold your stones) - The Project on The Son is not the Father or the Spirit. Space Analogy God is like space. The beautiful depth of Gods eternal Triune nature is a sublime reality which should bring an end to our attempts to cognitively master Him. The egg example, while not perfect or complete by any means, will still give us a basic understanding of the primary principle of Biblical Trinitarianism. We can say that the first is egg the shell, the second is egg the albumen and the third is egg the yoke. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three different parts or components of God, but the . It only has 1 person acting in three different roles. The past is not the present and the present is not the future, yet all three together is what we call time. When we think about influential New Testament leaders, most names are male. We all want to experience the good life. "The Egg and i - A Simple Explanation of The Trinity" - cafe Logos The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. The very definition of the heresy known as Modalism/Oneness is that there is one person existing in three different modes or manifestations. What Is A Good Analogy For The Trinity? - Therefore, God Exists H2O can exist as a solid, a liquid and a gas but they are all still H2O. The egg (or apple) fails in that the shell, white, and yolk are parts of the egg, not the egg in themselves, just as the skin, flesh, and seeds of the apple are parts of it, not the apple itself. Arianism clearly denies the deity of the three persons. Answer (1 of 25): Cynics assert that the idea of the Holy Trinity is a logical impossibility. In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. However, many of our faithful, and even priests, attempted to simplify the Mystery of the Trinity and made it easier to understand by using MODELS AND ANALOGIES, giving birth to modern-day heresies/fallacies about the Trinity. And a voice from heaven said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. God the Father spoke from heaven and spoke of His Son, Jesus. But we can (and should) have a solid foundation to explain this core belief of our faith. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is not His" (Romans 8:9). What is H2O? When we see them as three individual spirits, (God is one Spirit John 4:24), then that is the blasphemy of polytheism which is the worship of more than one God. 1 Corinthians 8:6: Yet for us there is but one God.. The Trinity are three distinct persons who exist apart from each other. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. Homily for The Solemnity of Holy Trinity They that dont have the Holy Spirit in them will talk like the Adversary. The egg analogy fails because it denies that each person of the Trinity is of the same eternal essence. This little child cannot look at one without experiencing a profound sense of wonderment and awe. Every kid in Sunday school thinks he knows all about God. When we separate them and view them as individual deities, that is the error of tritheism, which is the worship of three individual gods as one. My name is AnnMarie and I'm so glad you're here! Born in England in 1961, Benjamin Waterhouse Benjamin Waterhouse has been the organist of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity since 2000. Understanding 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. As a result, this analogy can easily lead to tritheism in which there are three different gods which might share some like substance. RELATED: What Did Jesus Really Look Like? The mystery is in the "how" this is accomplished; something we will finally understand in heaven. In this analogy, God is compared to a man. What does the Bible teach about the Trinity? | GotQuestions.org But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. Similarly, people have used the example of the apple in the same way- skin, flesh, and seeds. Each side is co-equal with the others, yet, each side is necessary. Your email address will not be published. La da dee dee dum dum (I couldnt remember the in-between parts). Below is a compilation of the verses that reference all 3 persons of the one God. Notice the distinction between persons and being. God is one. RELATED: Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead? It is the Fathers desire to join His Spirit with all of us as well for He has said They shall be My sons and daughters (II Corinthians 6:18).
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