Even wonderful parents have kids who struggle with self esteem, despite excellent parenting and a supportive home environment. Hes the one who walked the Earth blamelessly, performing miracles, and extending mercy and love. 1:18; Luke 1:2635). 10:57), The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian. The three-ness and one-ness are two different features. 8:1417). I am fully human. God is like the skin because He protects us. Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. While this is in my mind the simplest, clearest explanation, I understand that even this breaks down when we go further and say I am a human and I am Keith Ferrin. The Bible reveals that God isone, in essence, eternally revealed inthree Persons. Faith is recognizing that we dont have all the answers and deciding that its okay to keep believing and growing. 3. ). We cannot entirelycomprehendan infinite God and these mysteries (Rom. God told Moses in the Torah to tell God's people these words: M. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." ( Deuteronomy 6:4) C. Yes, that's right. It is understandable that our finite minds cannot grasp an infinite God. In fact, would Jesus have us baptize in the name of a mere creature? He said, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29). I wont go into all of the verses here (simply type bible verses about the Trinity into Google and youll find plenty). May 23, 2012 by: Justin Buzzard. Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? In John 1:1 it is affirmed that Jesus is God and, at the same time, that He was with God- thereby indicating that Jesus is a distinct Person from God the Father (cf. OksoWhat about this idea of one being who exists in three persons?. This one is kinda fun for older kids who understand a bit of science. You cant find an earthly match for this concept. Lets start with the geometric figure of the triangle itself. We can discern and apprehend what it is. Steam, water, and ice are all H20. These questions arealwaysasked by someone who is exploring faith in Jesus. It is the unity of the Father, Son, and Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. Here are three I found to be really helpful. Paul unequivocally taught Jesus is God (Col. 2:9). Thus, as Wayne Grudem writes, When we speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together we are not speaking of any greater being than when we speak of the Father alone, the Son alone, or the Holy Spirit alone.[2]. Even then, he was not alone, because he had his Logos within him. using the shamrock or the three states of H 2 O to explain the . The Trinity was present in the atonement at the cross. In other words, Christianity is unique among all other worldviews. And interesting they are listed under a single name. This refers to Gods single essence. So God is one what but three whos.. The concept of the Trinity. It's so simple, it fits on one page. For instance, the Father is the first person of the Trinity. His function is superior to that of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Why, if they are ALL God? " Here God is a plural noun, said is in the . After all, theyre good questions. Third, we have the Holy Spirit, which is also God, living in our hearts and guiding us through life. Egg A single egg is made up of the yolk, the whites, and the shell. At this stage, your head may be swimming with all this new information about God! 1:2;). Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. Jesus is God, but He is not the Father or the Holy Spirit. These are all qualities of personhood. That leaves us with the modern definition of the word mystery. Three separate beings, all rolled into one entity. Develop your leadership skills and learn how to launch a ministry wherever you are. And yet, we run into the same problem again, because God isnt made up of parts. The wordtrinitymeans tri-unity or three-in-oneness.. What does it take to begin a relationship with God? LESSON 1: THE TRINITY AIM: To teach the children in simple terms the truth of the Godhead. Many non-Christians and new Christians often struggle with the idea of the Holy Trinity, where we break up God into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is three in a different way than He is one. Famous pastor and authorA.W. "But if I [Jesus] cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.". God the Son is the rays of sunshine. God is truth, so the unity that He is effecting between believers is a unity grounded in truth. To understand more fully what God is like is a way of honoring God. And certainly not if it were a contradiction. While the three members of the Trinity are distinct, this does not mean that any is inferior to the other. To start, let me define what I mean when I say persons. Personhood is having intellect, emotions, and a will. Looking for a great childrens Bible? A triangle must have three different corners in order to be one triangle. 25:3146; 2 Cor. We all have a story. The verb for created isbara. But as a follower of Christ, your identity can and should be grounded in one thing: who He says you are. For example, since the Father sent the Son into the world (John 3:16), He cannot be the same person as the Son. But he avoids contradiction with this statement because he means that in one sense it was the best of times, but in another sense it was the worst of times. All three Persons of the Trinity are God. The three Persons are distinct, yet only constitute one name. Thats why they wrote words like we find inJob 11:7-8, "Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty? be explained away. As Benjamin Needler preached: This doctrine should establish us in the truth of the gospel For my part, I would not worship that God that I could comprehend Bless God for the clear discovery of this truth under the gospel! Find resources for personal or group Bible study. Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth by his word. 8:6), Jesus is called God (John 1:1-5; John 20:28; Rom. 1:318; 1 Pet. 4; 14; Jon. 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. Ask the teenager this question: Where does this fall short? Only older children will grasp the in one concept of H20. 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. Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org. 3:1617). The Father and the Son are God almighty, omnipotent God. The Trinity. (So I won't send you any.) The Holy Trinity is depicted in the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar, Ethiopia. 13: Trinity | Putting the Fun In, Faith and Finances: 5 Steps to Get Started. After all, the Trinity is difficult to understand. For instance, the Trinity does not mean that: Instead, we need to clearly distinguish two categories (Persons and essence). The apple one is kind of cool. Neither should we think of the Persons as being defined by attributes added on to the being of God. 139:711; Jer. Why? You may be wondering how to wrap your mind around all this brand-new information! 8:26), comprehends (1 Cor. Leading from values so others will walk passionately with God to grow and bear fruit. I am also fully Keith Ferrin. We believe God is one in essence. We Reflect God's Personhood and Relations. (Ohand I'll send you my free guideThe Simplest Way to Study ANY Bible Passageas a "Thank you" for jumping on board!). The general pattern of prayer in the Bible is to pray to the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18). The Trinity expresses the belief that God is one being made up of three distinct persons who exist in co-equal essence and co-eternal communion as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit . What's the Origin and History of the Trinity in the Church? The best way to teach the Trinity to ANYONE who is confused is with an object lesson. ). He was sustaining and manifesting Gods immediate presence in his creation. Helping students know Jesus, grow in their faith and go to the world to tell others. 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. Among the three persons of the Trinity, there is a proper order: The Father is the First Person of the Most Holy Trinity. Then share them with another Christian or genuine seeker. Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. Get the answers to frequently asked questions on Christian beliefs and practices. 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. The Trinity is like an egg. 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. 15:28). He was "begotten, not made," and he was of the same substance or essence ( homoousios) as the Father. 20:23; Deut. But it is possible to go deeper. Of course, anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about (p. 145). Is referred to in the second person (you; Ps. They are higher than the heavenswhat can you do?, "For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.. Because these features make up the singular essence or nature of a triangle. Baker Books, 1995, pp. God is one in a certain way (essence) and three in a different way (person). As theologian and apologist Norman Geisler has explained it, while essence is what you are, person is who you are. We are dealing with fact. The Father is God. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. Thus, they relate to each other personally the Father regards Himself as I, while He regards the Son and Holy Spirit as You. Likewise the Son regards Himself as I, but the Father and the Holy Spirit as You.. Our fellowship with God should be enhanced by consciously knowing that we are relating to a tri-personal God! Each person of the Trinity is equally and fully God, distinct from the others, and yet they remain just one God. 4 Visual Ways To Explain The Trinity To A Child. Remember, the nature or essence of an entity is the property or attributes that make it what it is.