I think the illustration that represents the Trinity most accurately is the egg example. Music - The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Quebec, Canada The Holy Trinity: Egg Analogy by Sharmaine Pagtakhan - Prezi show me your glory. Or what? As John 1:18 says, Jesus is "the only begotten God, in the bosom of [God] the Father.". The trinity is like this man. Do you know why I keep saying God is like an egg (or H2O) but God is not like an egg (or H2O)? There would be three thrones. Jesus was standing in the Jordan River, His Father speaks from heaven above, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him as a dove. we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,neither blending their personsnor dividing their essence. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. Each one is fully God. She would explode!" 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. . But common sense is intuition based on day-to-day experience. The military would like to have that power. 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. 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. But if they give us a warped idea of what they are trying to explain, they arent helpful illustrations. He has been relationally fulfilled within Himself since forever. The Holy Spirit prays for us. Love your blogs! 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. Surely this is a better understanding of the water analogy! He has one essenceone substance. Sending of another: The Father sends the Son, and both the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit. The problem with this analogy is it denies the unity of the God-head. Each one is fully 100% God. 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. When we tend to make an analogy about the trinity we are forced to diminish one of the three trinitarian truths in order to make the analogy work. According to modalism, God does not actually exist in three persons. How to Explain the Trinity to Children | Free Printable If one of the persons were not there, then we would not have God. In other words, God may manifest Himself as the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. All of the above Bad Analogies would perhaps do more harm than good if used in explaining the Trinity. Dont you know Jesus? Or water can be evaporated and called steam. Ontological means the nature or essence of something. What does that really mean? He taught that the son was at one point created by God the father. The term Economic refers to the roles, functions, and relationships that exist within the Trinity. We believe in only one true God in all existence, in all places, at all times. Each separate being is co-equal, co-powerful and co-eternal. Arianism denies the deity of each person in the trinity. Memory, Understanding, and Will. A person distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A being is the whole nature or essence of something. How can we explain what it means to have three persons in one being? 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. 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. The Unseen Father is in Christs mind. Trinity Analogies that End Up as Heresies - Medium 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. This analogy denies the unity of the God-head. This analogy actually teaches the heresy of tritheism. The trinity is like water. The watermelon has a skin, pulp and seeds; the egg is shell, yolk and egg white. Modalism, or Sabellianism, denies the three distinct Persons of the Trinity and claims that God is one Person who appears in different modes at different timesin the Old Testament He appeared as the Father, in the Gospels He appeared as the Son, and from Pentecost onwards He appears as the Holy Spirit. Jesus loves us so much that he did not obliterate people who died, with power that set stars in the universe. The three-leaf clover analogy is OK. The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. 2A) Dave is a father of four children: three boys and a . One of the more traditional analogies is to the states of water. But the Father is not the Son or the Spirit. Its all one person, simply functioning in three different roles. Below is a compilation of the verses that reference all 3 persons of the one God. He has been a member of the Royal Australian Air Force since 2007, and is now training to be an Air Force Chaplain. 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. The Father sends the Son, and both the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit. We all want to experience the good life. 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? Starting with the three biblical affirmations, ask your kids to show you how these examples support or deny what the bible teaches about the Trinity. ORDER from Barnes and NobleAmazon.com or wherever fine books are soldISBN-13: 978-1978167643Return to Cafe Logos Homepage | Bite-Sized Bible Bites. Now were going to look at how some people often misunderstand the Trinity. The above picture is a famous work of art by Andrei Rubilev, the great medieval Russian painter of Orthodox icons and frescos. Further, we can label each of the sides. Water at room temperature is liquid. Now God can be in you by His Spirit! Further, his dialectic is guided by the particular consideration of what true love is: a trinity of lover, beloved and the love that binds . Time Analogy God is like time. My interview: https://www.readlotswritelot.com/wp/podcast/episode-21-john-k-adams/, More from Catholicism for the Modern World, https://www.readlotswritelot.com/wp/podcast/episode-21-john-k-adams/. They have a common purpose in making harmonious music, but each note is its own separate entity. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (John14:2, 3). Well the issue is, the water analogy is akin to the heresy of Modalism. He got married there in 1965, and his four . Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. This is just as bad as the Water analogy and leads to the same error. These attributes are: omnipotence (all-powerful), omniscience (all-knowing), and omnipresence (exists in all places). One popular and simple illustration of the Trinity is the egg. What is wrong with what I said? Despite its potential obscurity, Trinity Sunday is a great occasion for me to revisit an old article on the Trinity. Modalism teaches that the trinity is not three distinct persons, but just different modes that God reveals himself to human beings. This is the Christmas paradox. We worship one God who exists in three persons. It may not appear to agree with common sense. 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). His ways are not my ways! Every kid in Sunday school thinks he knows all about God. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Holy Trinity - A Scientific Analogy - The Fra Angelico Institute What Is the Trinity | Holy Trinity in the Bible | Explore God Each one is fully 100% God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . If God has existed for all eternity in a perfectly loving Triune relationship, then it shows He is completely self-sufficient and requires no further relationship in order to complete or satisfy Himself. But remember, it is much better to let Scripture teach the 3 points above which establish the doctrine of the Trinity than to rely on analogies. Our limited intellects are unable to comprehend its reality, yet, our Scriptures and scholarly Tradition makes it known to us. 5And there are varieties of ministries and the same Lord. Although he is one man who is simultaneously a husband, a father, and a student, he would consider it Modalism to suggest that this is a good Trinitarian analogy. This is because the H20 is changing forms in representing each 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. In scripture we see explicit trinitarian references, especially at Jesus' baptism where the Father speaks, the Spirit descends, and the Son is in the water. Analogies of the Trinity. 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. God is one. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. Few topics of discussion in the Christian faith are more confusing than the idea of the Trinity. It does not imply Jesus was created if you emphasize that the Sun existed from eternity past. The Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. Devils see that Spirit as a tempestuious fire. Here are a few common illustrations: The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk. If you say, "water" then you are incorrect. But Hes God too, right? There have been many attempts to explain the Trinity the relationship between God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It is not important merely for the sake of tradition, or because the word itself is taught in the Bible (. The Unseen Father and Father that is seen existed at the same time. Yet there is still only one God we serve. The Son is not the Father or the Spirit. It only has 1 person acting in three different roles. Therefore, there is one God, who is eternally present in three persons. Haydn describes himself as a five-point Calvinist, but he recognises that many faithful Christians disagree. For them, a person is someone who could relate to another. The Trinity is distinct in their roles and individuality, but united in their attributes of love, mercy, holiness, knowledge, etc. 2. Like modalism, the "three beings" view was rejected by the early church. Understanding the Trinity - Busy Blessed Women If youve been involved in ministries for children or young people, questions about the Trinity have most likely come up. Therefore, we would rightly say, within the Ontological Trinity, there is no variation or distinction made. He differs from the Father, but was and still is God. Your email address will not be published. This is a worse analogy than the egg because it is more analogous to the heretical doctrine of Modalism/Oneness than for the Trinity. Believing in the above 3 points leads all Christians to acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity. If you say, "Jesus Christ" then you MAY BE incorrect. None of the 3 are less divine than the others. Our God is three in one. We believe that it is a revelation that comes from Christ Himself. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the primary tenants of the Christian faith. He has the world and our individual lives within His supremely capable hands. What is the Trinity? For example, we know that God didnt create humanity because He bored or lonely. So much of what we know about what God does is wrapped up in who He is. We also know that God didnt create humanity out of loneliness or boredom. Is He Jesus side-kick? Depth isnt the same thing as height and height isnt the same thing as width, yet all three together are what comprise space. At times God is Father, or Son, or Holy Spirit. Similarly, in our aquatic analogy, water can appear in three different modes, depending on the environment, but the three are not co-existing. TO AVOID HERESIES, LET US LIVE BY WHAT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO US: 1. The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. Indeed, how can an infinite God be contained in a finite human womb! And we know that because Hes been experiencing perfect love within Himself forever. Rather, He created us in order to bless us. 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. All these make up one egg just as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit make up one God. They are three in one egg. Learn how your comment data is processed. This description that all persons are fully God is called the Ontological Trinity. The egg white represents Gods Spirit. There are many mysteries to our faith. Perhaps youve heard the analogy that the Trinity is like H2O (the molecular symbol for water). Instead, each person is co-equal, co-powerful and co-eternal. In Biblical Trinitarianism we can never have one without the other because they are one Spirit; each is the totality of the other which means we cannot have the Holy Spirit without the Father and the Son, We will come (into the believer through the Holy Spirit, John 14:23), and we cannot have the Son without The Father whose Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20). In contrast to the Ontological Trinity, there is the Economic Trinity. What are some popular illustrations of the Holy Trinity? As a result, this analogy can easily lead to tritheism in which there are three different gods which might share some like substance. Scripture however, doesnt depict God this way. Yet it appears to be almost entirely misunderstood within contemporary evangelical circles. Bach, and has released two previous CDs, one . Misunderstanding 1: The transforming trinity Arianism is named after the heretic Arius. To return to my Life Group anecdote, after our discussion I asked why does it even matter?. In the same way, there is a God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. I know in the past Ive used analogies that werent the best (more on those later.) Each person is fully the one God, but is also distinct. Vestment Emblems. Or have you ever tried to teach kids about the Trinity? The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. His motto was that "There was a time when the son did not exist". My intention is merely to address some common erroneous analogies, including water. We find it in all four Gospels. Water Analogy - God is like water, or H2O, which can exist in 3 forms. The problem with this analogy is that it would imply that there is only one Divine Person, who eventually multiplied Himself. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,, , Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. When discussing God, especially in regards to his nature, being and persons, a simple statement to articulate the Trinity is: God is 1 what and 3 whos*. And we know that because the Persons of the Godhead have perfectly blessed and exalted each other for all eternity. He explains why the doctrine of the Trinity is essential to the gospel even if it seems abstract or confusing, highlights why all analogies and metaphors are of limited value when thinking about the Godhead, and responds to the . In other words, one stuffness. However, He exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This analogy explains that the Father is like the sun. This analogy sounds pretty good, but it is fatally flawed in that is describes the Son and Spirit as creations of the Father. MULTIPLICATION ANALOGY. My name is AnnMarie and I'm so glad you're here! There are three different cloves that represent the three different persons of the trinity. This is a quick way to describe the doctrine of the Trinity namely, God is 1 being (the what is Gods nature, essence, being) and 3 whos (the whos being Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) It is a miraculous invention, the egg.