There's a simple reason they don't work: The Trinity, as such, isn't like anything in creation. The trinity is Like a man who is a father, husband, and son. 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. 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. 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. Matthew 3:16-17- As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Only the Son became incarnate, took on flesh. Shively, This book is now available in a published format for easy sharing and classroom use. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. Cool it down, and itll eventually freeze into a solid. An explanation that is so common, and seemingly does elucidate how something can simultaneously be three and onecan it really be that bad? Time exists as 3 things: past, present, and future. 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. All Scripture is taken from the NIV version unless otherwise specified, Author Ignace Franz, translated by Clarence A. Walworth. , 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. in that while water can change into vapour or ice, Jesus cannot change into the Father or the Holy Spirit. Basic mathematics tells us that 1x1x1 = 1.. St. Augustine, one of the most important Fathers of the Church, wrote a great deal on the doctrine of the Trinity. 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. You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. Another analogy that Tim remembers, being Irish Catholic, is the analogy of the shamrock with its three parts. Should Women Really Keep Silent in Church? Analogies of the Trinity. In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. HO may act as water, steam, or ice, but it is still HO. The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 but more like 1 x 1 x 1. So whats one good way to explain what the Trinity is? In the same way, water is all the same molecular structure, expressing itself in three different modes. To the other major monotheistic faiths (Islam and Judaism), it is rank heresyTrinitarianism is therefore definitional to Christianity. Like modalism, the "three beings" view was rejected by the early church. In reality, I change my role depending on who I am interacting with. Understanding the Trinity - Busy Blessed Women See the depths of Catholicism for yourself! The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. Analogies that we present would always be insufficient as none of them would equate to the incomprehensible beauty of God. I believe that the best way to talk about the Trinity is to simply say that God is one God, who eternally exists in three Persons. 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. Your email address will not be published. In the same way, there is a God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. Often these analogies explicitly teach heresy. God is like H2O in that the Bible may refer to a specific person of the Trinity but that person is still God. I write to see memory and language wrestle with reality. But having lots 6 Bible Study Tools To Help You Dive Deeper. The more I reflect on Easter, the more Ive realized how much its become a consumeristic holidayeven Did Jesus really rise from the dead? In Arianism, the Son is not eternally equal with the Father, but was the Fathers first and best creation. (Which I just found out is in error). The word Trinity comes from the Latin word trinitas which means tri-unity. Dont grieve the Holy Spirit out of you. 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. 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. The Trinity are three distinct persons who exist apart from each other. 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. Furthermore, this trinity is related to a shamrock, an apple, or an egg. Each side is co-equal with the others, yet, each side is necessary. And we know that because Hes been experiencing perfect love within Himself forever. This analogy actually teaches the heresy of tritheism. They've always led to error and have been rejected by the church. Jesus is the Holy Spirit. This analogy explains that the Father is like the sun. 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. Let's use an egg to explain the Holy Trinity! Although he is one he has different roles to different people. If you're looking to dive deeper into God's word, here are 6 kinds of bible study tools and resources 9 Influential Female Leaders in the New Testament. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) Yet it appears to be almost entirely misunderstood within contemporary evangelical circles. Wow! How Helpful Are Analogies of the Trinity? - Kuyperian Commentary That is heaven in a person. Misunderstanding 1: The transforming trinity In this analogy, God is compared to a man. Genisis 1:17, KJV. If you say, "Jesus Christ" then you MAY BE incorrect. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. 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 . Music - The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Quebec, Canada THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three different parts or components of God, but the . This is the one I used long ago when trying to explain the Trinity to a group of 1st-5th graders. Analogies often fall short. He cares for his creation and his people. 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. Some have taken on the task of explaining how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist as one. 4 Bad Analogies for the Trinity Justin Deeter Adorn your liturgical vestments with classic images from the Monastery Icons collection. Each one is fully 100% God. But its all water. Holy Trinity, the downtown Greek Orthodox church that was partially destroyed by fire 11 years ago, was a special place for 57-year-old Georgiou. 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. So God performs 3 different roles/relationships but 1 God. On a whim, I looked up the lyrics at a later time. Therefore it behoves us to know what He has revealed (including the Trinity), and to lovingly worship Him accordingly. But we can (and should) have a solid foundation to explain this core belief of our faith. Heat it up, and it turns to vapor. Water can exist in liquid at room temperature. God controls that light. God Himself explains why some things are still a mystery: For as heaven is higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9) Our human minds can never understand all of who God is and how He thinks and acts. The problem with this analogy is that an egg yoke is of a very different substance than a shell. No analogy is perfect, but we want to be careful of using wrong ones that may confuse people. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. When it comes to the Trinity, we tend to forget that an analogy is an "aptness of proportion" or a "resemblance of relations," not an identity of relations. Your email address will not be published. Seven Simple Facts About the Trinity - biblequery.org Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is not His" (Romans 8:9). 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. 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 we know that because the Persons of the Godhead have perfectly blessed and exalted each other for all eternity. A Simple Way to Explain the Trinity - Keith Ferrin 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/. Sending of another: The Father sends the Son, and both the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit. This is a place to find encouragement and hope from God's Word as you move through your busy life. Blessings! In other words, one stuffness. However, He exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. TO AVOID HERESIES, LET US LIVE BY WHAT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO US: 1. 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. It is the Central Mystery of our Christian faith. Although the water changes forms it is still H2O. The Spirit white is connected to Jesus Person I will come to you (John 14:18) and the Fathers Person, We will come to him and make our abode with him (John 14:23). H2O can exist as a solid, a liquid and a gas but they are all still H2O. When you encounter a person or group who denies the Trinity, it is merely a matter of walking through these 3 points, to see where they diverge from Biblical teaching. Its downright hard to understand. Pingback: 3 Reasons Why Jesus Humanity Really Matters Her & Hymn, Pingback: 3 Reasons Why Jesus' Humanity Really Matters, Pingback: How Jesus Teaches Us To Be Human Her & Hymn. We also know that God didnt create humanity out of loneliness or boredom. We can always rebut these claims with another equation: 1 x 1 x 1=1. 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. They are unified in one divine being. If you looked at a single cloverleaf, you wouldnt call it a shamrock. 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. Here many of the creeds help us in clearly articulating the trinity. Here are four. Tritheism denies the unity of the God-head by saying there is just three different gods. At the Cathedral, we recognize that there are responsibilities that come with . Here are a few common illustrations: The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk. 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. Why All Analogies of the Trinity Fall Short - Joshua's Pen So comparing God to water isnt really as helpful as it seems on the surface. For instance at the baptism of Christ, the Father, Son and Spirit are all distinctly present and interacting (Matthew chapter 3 verses 16-17). The problem with this analogy is it denies the unity of the God-head. I dont believe that God wishes us to be confused about the Three that are so apparent throughout the Old and New Testaments. If one of the persons were not there, then we would not have God. Yet, the trinity is mysterious. Hi Im not a theologian and I dont disagree with what you say but when you state that we know the persons of the Trinity have perfectly loved for eternity etc how do we know? Notice the distinction between persons and being. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. Jesus was standing in the Jordan River, His Father speaks from heaven above, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him as a dove. This view teaches that three separate beings exist. 3 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons. The egg white represents Gods Spirit. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind lived the doctrinal truth about the Trinity. The scientific analogy that will be provided in a few moments is truly inadequate to describe the Holy Trinity. That fire keeps devils away from the saved. A good example would be an electrical cord. Its all one person, simply functioning in three different roles. We can say that the first is egg the shell, the second is egg the albumen and the third is egg the yoke. I go to prepare a place for you. The visual form of God seperated from Jesus on the cross. The egg has a shell, the whites and a yoke. There are three different cloves that represent the three different persons of the trinity. 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*. ORDER from Barnes and NobleAmazon.com or wherever fine books are soldISBN-13: 978-1978167643Return to Cafe Logos Homepage | Bite-Sized Bible Bites, The Egg and i -A Simple Explanation of The Trinity. It became real to me because I have experienced His love, grace, guidance, redemption, conviction of sin, and fellowship that comes from Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Truly, it is a Mystery. Augustine's typical dialectic is to move from the exterior realities of creation to the interior reality of the human soul where he hoped to encounter God in the image of God, damaged as it is by the fall. 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. Love your blogs! This would make Jesus something less than fully God. And when the time comes when death is allowed to crack your shell in its final hour and your believing soul is released; the Spirit of God that holds you will carry you in His arms to your heavenly home because In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Paul explains our finite understanding of beliefs like the Trinity as looking into a poor-quality mirror- a distorted image; dim and unclear. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each called Jehovah (or Spirit of Jehovah), given divine attributes, and, (usually there is no argument that the Father is not God, since every place Jesus speaks to God, he is addressing the Father.). He has been a member of the Royal Australian Air Force since 2007, and is now training to be an Air Force Chaplain. 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. Many of us would use analogies to explain the Trinity. What makes it hard is that all of our analogies and metaphors fall short of capturing what the Trinity actually is. Hello busy women! But understanding the Trinity is important. RELATED: What Does The Bible Say About Ghosts? Being the brightness of the eternal Light, He Himself also is absolutely eternal. The Trinity is like an egg. It is a miraculous invention, the egg. The problem with this analogy is that it also leads to the heresy of MODALISM. Few if any have every tried to teach the heresy of Tritheism, but it needs to be mentioned anyway. What Is A Good Analogy For The Trinity? - Therefore, God Exists Its impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God.
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