how to explain the trinity to a new believer
Learn the basics of what Christians believe. God is one in a certain way (essence) and three in a different way (person). Lets apply these concepts to the Trinity. Trinity: Loving relationship defines God's very being Just like anything else, some kids have to work hard for what comes easily to, Read More 15 Powerful Self Esteem Activities for Kids to Do at Home and in SchoolContinue. 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.". Of course, anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about (p. 145). This would make each Person less than fully God and thus not God at all. So even if the Bible did call the Trinity a mystery it would only be saying it was unknown to the one not illuminated, i.e. 3:17; 17:5; Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 10:15; 12:28; 17:1-26; 1 Tim. It has been said, Try to explain the trinity and lose your mind, try to explain away the trinity and lose your soul. The Trinity is a mystery beyond our comprehension (Isa. Thus, Jesus prayed to God the Father without praying to Himself. Binmin Podcast 8: God & Origins | What Questions Should I Ask About My Faith, Binmin Podcast Ep. 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. The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. 1:2;). C.S. Lewis and Mere Christianity: The Trinity (The Three-Personal God Most Christians are puzzled by the Trinity, and therefore, cant explain it very well. And that he is manifest as three Persons.. 4:47), In Hebrews (Heb. 3. He said, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29). But as a follower of Christ, your identity can and should be grounded in one thing: who He says you are. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all fully God. The three members of the unholy trinity are Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. But a common question arises: How do the members of the Trinity differ from one another?. The doctrine of the Trinity is considered to be one of the central Christian affirmations about God. We believe God is one in essence. The personhood of each member of the Trinity means that each Person has a distinct center of consciousness. A rumor is started, and it spreads like wildfire. Not the answer an enquiring young mind was looking for. 12:32; 28:19; Luke 3:22), There is one God and three Gods (a contradiction), God is one person and three persons (a contradiction), God has one nature and three natures (a contradiction), There is a functional order within the Trinity, Bowman, R Jr. The Biblical Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity. Blue Letter Bible, https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/bowman_robert/trinity/trinity.cfm#trin_1 Accessed: 1/20/2022. And confusing ones. Learn to develop your skills, desire and ability to join others on their spiritual journeys and take them closer to Jesus. LESSON 1: THE TRINITY AIM: To teach the children in simple terms the truth of the Godhead. 11 Things to Know about the Doctrine of the Trinity - Zondervan Academic The Bible is clear that all three Persons are each one hundred percent God. While Jesus and the Father are both God, they are different Persons. But that doesnt mean the concept isnt clearly taught. Third, Christians believe that the entire New Testament is inspired. Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine, and Jerome mention it. Thats where the confusion comes from. That is because it is the only religion that believes in the Trinity. This is girl drama, and it can be extremely harmful to girls both mentally and emotionally. For example they: 5. That is ok when it comes to rocks and triangles. The New Testament lists all three Persons of the Trinity simultaneously, 6. Its okay to admit you dont know everything. The Trinity is the perfect loving community of three Persons. He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. In Hinduism, the trinity (Trimrti, or The Three Forms) is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. For example, since the Father sent the Son into the world (John 3:16), He cannot be the same person as the Son. The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. . While no church is perfect, the Trinity is still the model for the churchs unity (John 1:2123). 4:4). He is also referred to in third-person singular pronouns (John 14:26), He engages in actions only a person can do: He searches (1 Cor. While some say . Surely not. 2:11), and performs miracles (Matt. Here are three I found to be really helpful. If youre wondering how to explain the Trinity to a child, keep it simple. Read Books About The Trinity. 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. 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 . After Christ rose from the grave, he appeared to the disciples and gave them a job to do: preach the Word to everyone. That is where I go back to the starting point I mentioned above. The best way to teach the Trinity to ANYONE who is confused is with an object lesson. Do Trinity Crafts/Printables. So, rather than starting there, heres where were headed: To think we will everfullyunderstand the Trinity is to make the mistake of thinking God is fully understandable. 12:28; Rom. After all, the Trinity is difficult to understand. Christ through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God.. 3:6. In brief, how we view God will profoundly impact our everyday lives. Some attributes include eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. (Againwere trying to grasp something that isnt fully grasp-able.). Further, we clearly should not think of God as consisting of anything other than divinity. 2:5), The Father is not the Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26), The Son is not the Spirit (Matt. Trinity comes from two word parts: tri, meaning three, and unity, meaning as one. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms a union of three. But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. The wordTrinitymeansthree-in-one. The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith. Disclaimer: I believe Trinity. No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. 8:6a). The Easiest Way to Explain the Trinity | SsouthernLifestyle 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. Its NOT God. The answer hinges on the differences in their unique roles. A bright teen asked me to explain the Trinity. Here's what I said. 10:57), The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian. Lets go back to the Trinity triangle graphic, and you will see: By now you understand that the three Persons of the Trinity equally share Gods essence. The Trinity has a very significant application to prayer. First, we have God. Our kids are currently 2, 4, and 7, and its equally loved by all of them, so the Yoto age range is really wide! This is one of the books of the Torah. Weve made a comparison between this object and the Trinity. The Trinity confuses many people. This should make it clear why it is so important to understand that all three Persons are the same essence. Here are the best childrens Bibles, sorted by age. Dont despair. All will play a role in the events mentioned in Revelation. Essenceis the objective set of attributes necessary to the thing being described. 4:15), dying for our sins (1 Cor. In sum, the essence or nature of anything is what it is. Divide your group into three teams and give each group a sheet of butcher paper or poster. As a result, Jesus death covered or atoned for our sins (2 Cor. See if you can let kids arrive at the notion that God isnt really made up of parts. 23:2324). Because humankind is limited, God will always exceed our knowledge and understanding (Isa. How To Explain the Trinity To Your Child - 4 Creative Ways Deut. According to the American Heritage Dictionary the word Well, we can know because God has given us his special revelation: the Bible. This is great fun to see how teenagers draw a picture of God. Have a great discussion about it! Show them that there are three parts: seeds, flesh, and skin. After all, if the trinitarian nature of God is not in the Bible, why bother talking about it at all? The Bible is clear that all three Persons are each one hundred percent God. Therefore, it is often difficult to have a concrete definition of Person as we use it in regards to the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity is the belief that there is one God who has revealed Himself in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity Is Unique Among Monotheistic Religions Christianity is a "monotheistic" religion. Use your hobbies and interests to find the best place for you to serve. Must you become a better person so that God will accept you? Christ took Gods punishment, and wrath meant for us because of our sins (Heb. The Father is God. A Christian would still be expected to understand it. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. God is not one person who plays three different roles, as this illustration suggests. We also see this evidenced in how the Son and Father sent the Spirit into the world (John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7). Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. Its not unusual for teenagers to give Jesus a bunch of loving characteristics and then put words like justice and vengeance on God the Fathers poster. I am also fully Keith Ferrin. 317 subscribers in the BiblicalUnitarian community. That means that, as Christians, we believe in only one God. In the baptism of Jesus, we see the Father speaking from heaven and the Spirit descending from heaven in the form of a dove as Jesus comes out of the water (Mark 1:10-11). Object Lessons on the Trinity for a Child or New Believer, The Difference Between Teaching the Trinity to a Child vs. a Teenager, Books that Explain the Trinity to a Child, Navigating Girl Drama: 20 Ways Schools and Parents Can Help Calm the Storm, Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? If someone already has an understanding based on the definition and explanation above, then these analogiesmighthelp them grasp aspects of the Trinity. What Is the Unholy Trinity in the Bible? - Christianity.com What we do mean by Person is something that regards himself as I and others as You. So the Father, for example, is a different Person from the Son because He regards the Son as a You, even though He regards Himself as I. Thus, in regards to the Trinity, we can say that Person means a distinct subject which regards Himself as an I and the other two as a You. These distinct subjects are not a division within the being of God, but a form of personal existence other than a difference in being.[3]. Being Gods child, we can worship the Father and Jesus through the Spirit (John 4:2324; Phil. Baker Books, 1995, pp. This is absolutely true. Confusing them leads to misunderstanding. 18:20; Matt. There are three Persons with one divine essence! Subjection and subordination do not mean inequality. Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. However, you dont want to stop there with a student who can participate in a discussion. . 118:28, God referred to in the third person singular (he, his, him): Gen. 1:5, 10; Ex. Equipping families with practical approaches to parenting and marriage. Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. 1. The three members of the Trinity are Persons. 13: Trinity | Putting the Fun In, Faith and Finances: 5 Steps to Get Started. understand the doctrine of the Trinity. "The Trinity is the foundational Christian belief that God is one Being who exists in three Persons.. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is beyond us. To contemplate the Trinity is to lift up your heart and to "set your mind on the things above" (Col. 3:2). How to EXPLAIN The Trinity to a New Believer | Introduction to The Simply put: without three angles, theres no triangle! To confess that the Father, Son, and Spirit are equal in power of course means that one does not rule over the other in any way. All three members of the Trinity have these characteristics. Because these features make up the singular essence or nature of a triangle. Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation. A triangle must have three different corners in order to be one triangle. Trying to fully understand God is like a 2-year-old trying to fully understand the complexities of relationships, marriage, and parenting! He is one Being in three Persons (centers of consciousness), not merely three roles. Thats the one we think of as the Father. God is spirit (John 4:24). One God? 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). However, let me highlight some of the most significant passages that confirm monotheism: Are you interested in learning more about the Godhead? It's so simple, it fits on one page. If youd like to get away from simple object lessons and move your child toward a deeper understanding of Gods nature, check out The Attributes of God for Kids. Explore answers to life's biggest questions. The The truth is always new, fresh, and exciting to the believer in Christ. He differs from the Father, but was and . Egg A single egg is made up of the yolk, the whites, and the shell. A simpler way to talk about the Trinity is through "God grammar.". How To Explain St. Patrick's Day To A Child, From Fun To Facts - MSN Matthew 12:28. You may feel like you are drinking from a fire hydrant. Here is an indication of the divinity of the Word. And likewise with the Holy Spirit. In his bookMere Christianity, C. S. Lewis points out an important distinction. We are referring to two different features of God: (1) his singular essenceor natureand (2) three Persons. Among the worlds religions, the Christian faith is unique. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. The word Trinity does not appear even once in the Bible. Often it is objected that If Jesus is God, then he must have prayed to himself while he was on earth. But the answer to this objection lies in simply applying what we have already seen. While it is good for us to seek understanding of the Trinity, we cannot fully comprehend God. 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. 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. The Trinity | Answers in Genesis Therefore, we must always endeavor to deepen our worship of God in truth as well as in our hearts. He is three in Person. In other words, what are the objective attributes or properties that make up all rocks? The Trinity: Easy As 1, 2, 3? - ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry The Trinity is like an egg. The Trinity was present in the atonement at the cross. At this stage, your head may be swimming with all this new information about God! Looking for a great childrens Bible? Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. The technical term in case youre interested for this wrong way of thinking about God is calledmodalism.
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