ANALOGY OF CHARACTERS. So much of what we know about what God does is wrapped up in who He is. That is why Moses said. Now God can be in you by His Spirit! One is a musical chord with three notes. This was first used by Patrick of Ireland (yes there really was a Patrick of Ireland and he was a great guy), around 400 A.D. 2. It is a miraculous invention, the egg. And then theres Jesus, Gods son. Is He Jesus side-kick? There would be three thrones. We define a person as one having a will and who is distinguishable from another person. In other words, God may manifest Himself as the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. That fire keeps devils away from the saved. The Trinity is like waterand other bad analogies Yet God lovingly chose to create and eventually redeem us anyway (both thoroughly Trinitarian acts), at great cost to Himself. In the second instance, the truth of Gods Trinity reveals a further aspect of Gods love for His people. What does that really mean? . The egg white represents Gods Spirit. Every kid in Sunday school thinks he knows all about God. 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. Tritheism denies the unity of the God-head by saying there is just three different gods. So God performs 3 different roles/relationships but 1 God. Further, we can label each of the sides. It falls into the heresy of tri-theism. The egg analogy fails because it denies that each person of the Trinity is of the same eternal essence. This analogy sounds pretty good, but it is fatally flawed in that is describes the Son and Spirit as creations of the Father. 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. It leads to the heresy of MODALISM which teaches that God switches to different modes. Your email address will not be published. Basic mathematics tells us that 1x1x1 = 1.. Unfortunately, no analogy is perfect. Infinite thy vast domain, everlasting is thy reign.. This is why Jesus said, He who has seen Me, has seen the Father (John 14:9). But its all water. 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. If all you had were an eggshell, you wouldnt have a very exciting breakfast. This analogy actually teaches the heresy of modalism. But, when it's heated, it turns into a gas (steam) and, when it's frozen, it turns into a solid (ice). Its hard to explain! You are an egg! We believe that it is a revelation that comes from Christ Himself. 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. . I bet I havent sung or heard this song in years! We have the creeds for just that reason. 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. To put it simply, "The problem with using analogies to explain the Holy Trinity is that you always end up confessing some ancient heresy." . Jesus Person is the image of Gods Person (Hebrews 1:3), and the Invisible Spirit of the Father that is in Him - God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (II Corinthians 5:19). What Is A Good Analogy For The Trinity? - Therefore, God Exists Before I even began writing this post, I had an unusual song stuck in my head Holy God, we praise thy name. Or have you ever tried to teach kids about the Trinity? Born in England in 1961, Benjamin Waterhouse Benjamin Waterhouse has been the organist of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity since 2000. This is a place to find encouragement and hope from God's Word as you move through your busy life. The beautiful depth of Gods eternal Triune nature is a sublime reality which should bring an end to our attempts to cognitively master Him. Some people falsely claim the Trinity is a form of . In reality, I change my role depending on who I am interacting with. The Sun was created on the forth day. Well the issue is, the water analogy is akin to the heresy of Modalism. 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. 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). Although he is one he has different roles to different people. show me your glory. He can even be all three at the same time. So, part of understanding the Trinity is realizing that God is personal and relational. My intention is merely to address some common erroneous analogies, including water. Yeah its definitely a hard thing to understand, let alone explain to little ones ! These two analogies are the "water" analogy and the "egg" analogy. Here are eight bible characters that you might not know about, but should. The Father sends the Son, and both the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit. . Part 2. 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*. Modernizations of this analogy include that of an apple (with the peel, the flesh, and the core) or an egg (with its shell, yoke, and white). These hand embroidered emblems are made with metallic gold-plated thread with silver content, printed on canvas. He has been relationally fulfilled within Himself since forever. Analogies of the Trinity. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. Through the brokenness of the Shell, His Son, the Spirit white pours out into our beings through our faith in what was done and believers are joined with the yolk, for it is by One Spirit we have access to God the Father (Ephesians 2:18). If youve been involved in ministries for children or young people, questions about the Trinity have most likely come up. The problem here is it describes each part of the Trinity as 1/3 parts of the overall egg. Father, Son, and Spirit are each fully God (their own egg)- not fractions of one. 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. Similarly, people have used the example of the apple in the same way- skin, flesh, and seeds. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. The Trinity is not real in my life because of superior knowledge or insight. But having lots 6 Bible Study Tools To Help You Dive Deeper. Our words should dissipate and be replaced instead with an awestruck adoration and wonder, as we realise the only appropriate response is to fall to our knees and humbly worship the one truly perfect, unified divine essence, comprising three diverse, co-equal and co-eternal divine persons. One popular and simple illustration of the Trinity is the egg. When we use analogies, we need to indicate these things so as to not lead to heresies, A Catholic and Filipino writer interested in theology, philosophy, liturgy, politics, and law. This analogy denies the unity of the God-head. According to modalism, God does not actually exist in three persons. Yet it appears to be almost entirely misunderstood within contemporary evangelical circles. The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk . None of the 3 are less divine than the others. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. I dont believe that God wishes us to be confused about the Three that are so apparent throughout the Old and New Testaments. One cannot remove the Holy Spirit and still have the God as taught in the Bible. The apple seed alone is not an apple. Now were going to look at how some people often misunderstand the Trinity. What Is the Trinity | Holy Trinity in the Bible | Explore God So while its tough to make sense of the Trinity, the Trinity actually helps us make sense of so many things we believe. Space consists of three things: height, width, and depth. In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. But it cant be that way with God. Required fields are marked *. 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). However, keep in mind that the one being who is God is a personal being. Three Gods or one? But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. Devils cannot grab ahold of them to cast them into Satans prison. For them, a person is someone who could relate to another. We recommend you adhere these emblems to your vestments by mounting on the material with fabric glue and then stitching them . We might call one side A, another side B, and the other C. So, there is a distinction between each of the sides, yet, all three are the same. You can also catch up with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three different parts or components of God, but the . I dont believe that God wishes us to be confused about the Three that are so apparent throughout the Old and New Testaments. How would you explain the Trinity if someone asked you right now? Admittedly, the idea of three distinct persons/expressions that are each fully God is part of the mystery. Deuteronomy 6:4- Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. This verse is also the beginning of the Jewish Shema prayer; their confession of faith. Some who deny the Trinity claim 1+1+1=3, and therefore claim we worship three Gods. MULTIPLICATION ANALOGY. 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. Few if any have every tried to teach the heresy of Tritheism, but it needs to be mentioned anyway. And the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son. An egg is made up of shell, white and yolk. Yet, as we view the pages of the Bible, we see that God is a personal and relational God. A, distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A. is the whole nature or essence of something. Many of us would use analogies to explain the Trinity. Water Analogy - God is like water, or H2O, which can exist in 3 forms. Again, this analogy doesnt work because God doesnt morph, change, or become different aspects of Himself. Each Person in the Trinity (or the Godhead) is fully God and fully a Person. There is what is called the 'triple point' the combination of pressure and temperature at which H2O can exist simultaneously in all three states: solid, liquid and gas. What does the Bible teach about the Trinity? | GotQuestions.org But theres one problem: the water analogy is not the biblical picture of God. RELATED: What Did Jesus Really Look Like? The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. In this analogy, God is compared to a man. Answer (1 of 25): Cynics assert that the idea of the Holy Trinity is a logical impossibility. The Trinity is foundational and at the heart of our Christian faith. 3:15; John 17:1-4, The Holy Spirit Acts 5:3-4; John 14:16-17, 26; John 16:7-13. The unity or oneness of God is also found in the Bible. God created us for community, since God is communal and we were created in His image. Water can be ice and steam, yet they are the same element. Time Analogy God is like time. Below is a compilation of the verses that reference all 3 persons of the one God. He got married there in 1965, and his four . There are three different cloves that represent the three different persons of the trinity. If we separate them we still may have God the Egg yolk, God the Holy Spirit Egg white and God the Son, the Egg shell/image, three individual parts of an Egg, but they cannot be a Trinity, or tri-unity unless they are unified and are seen as one Egg, so to speak. Our God is three in one. Some have taken on the task of explaining how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist as one. In some ways, it resembles the tritheism view (Misunderstanding 2). Jesus isn't a demigod or partially god. A Note on Trinitarian Analogies | Place for Truth - Alliance of Water can be ice and steam, yet they are the same element. Jesus then becomes a created being and thus less than fully God. The Son is not the Father or the Spirit. The trinity is like this man. The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. It may not appear to agree with common sense. The mystery is in the "how" this is accomplished; something we will finally understand in heaven. Furthermore, this trinity is related to a shamrock, an apple, or an egg. The word God in this sense is defined as a single being, having all divine attributes. Here's a look at six explanations for why so many people truly believe 3 Ways to Experience The Good Life in Jesus. Light comes from God. So if all of these explanations are heretical, what is a good analogy? Each one is fully 100% God. 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. Each one is fully God. The Egg and I - Part Two In Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). These are likewise erroneous or even heretical. 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). So, I shot down a lot of images that seems to be pretty helpful. You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. 1 Corinthians 8:6: Yet for us there is but one God.. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. The above picture is a famous work of art by Andrei Rubilev, the great medieval Russian painter of Orthodox icons and frescos. Trinity Egg Analogy . That is heaven in a person. Let's use an egg to explain the Holy Trinity! The problem with this analogy is that it teaches that God has three components: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Son and Holy Ghost are each fully God. Dr. Bruce Ware does an excellent job in his book Big Truths for Young Hearts. 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. Revelation 4:3 And 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. 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). 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. This error denies something central to God that makes Him God. This is because the H20 is changing forms in representing each person. 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/. The 3 Most Common "Trinity Analogies" (and their limitations) The three most common go-to analogies for explaining the Trinity are water, an egg, and the sun. The Trinity is distinct in their roles and individuality, but united in their attributes of love, mercy, holiness, knowledge, etc. Arius was condemned by the council of Nicea in 325 AD. I go to prepare a place for you. This analogy is still not perfect because each of the aspect cannot stand as egg like each of the persons in the trinity can stand as God. These images fall short, because these components arent enough to be considered a whole on their own. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. Should Women Really Keep Silent in Church? It does not imply Jesus was created if you emphasize that the Sun existed from eternity past. His being is somewhat of a mystery to us. 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). 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. THE TRUTH IS: From the very beginning, the Blessed Trinity Father, Son, and Spirit was there. Sure enough, one member answered Well Ive heard that the Trinity is like water: water can be liquid, gas (steam), or solid (ice), but its still the same water. They are three in one egg. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the primary tenants of the Christian faith. We believe in only one true God in all existence, in all places, at all times. We can say that the first is egg the shell, the second is egg the albumen and the third is egg the yoke. We worship one God who exists in three persons. But while this idea is central to the Christian faith, it is also incredibly mysterious to us. There is only one egg with three different parts. All Scripture is taken from the NIV version unless otherwise specified, Author Ignace Franz, translated by Clarence A. Walworth. However, keep in mind that the one being. At times God is Father, or Son, or Holy Spirit. Podcast: Common Misconceptions about the Trinity (Fred Sanders) In the first place, if we truly claim to love God, then surely we should endeavour to know Him. To the other major monotheistic faiths (Islam and Judaism), it is rank heresyTrinitarianism is therefore definitional to Christianity. Celebrating Easter Is About so Much More Than One Hour on Sunday. Although God is transcendent, sovereign, unapproachable light, He has condescended to reveal something of Himself to His creation. 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. To become the people we were always created to be. In other words, one stuffness. However, He exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Try starting your explanation with a simple definition and then ask for further questions: No one can completely know or understand God. God is much bigger and much greater than we can understand, and to be honest, I'm ok with that. Each character of the trinity has in one another (cf. I never thought about it in that way some of these examples Ive never heard of. Lord of all, we bow before thee. 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. Modalism teaches that the trinity is not three distinct persons, but just different modes that God reveals himself to human beings. Thus the Father is in Jesus " I and My Father are One" (John 10:30), "The Father is in Me" (John 14:10) God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (II Corinthians 5:19). in which all 3 persons may act or speak as one. The Unseen Father would have been put into Satans prison. It is not existing as 3 different parts (persons) at the same time. He is one God who expresses Himself in three modesFather, Son, and Spirit. I'm always interested in ways to encourage you, so feel free to contact me and let me know what areas interest you! All of the above Bad Analogies would perhaps do more harm than good if used in explaining the Trinity. Therefore, we would rightly say, within the Ontological Trinity, there is no variation or distinction made. One sits on the throne looking like Sardine and Jasper stone. This is just as bad as the Water analogy and leads to the same error. We can touch the cord, but not the power it is insulating. Do you know why I keep saying God is like an egg (or H2O) but God is not like an egg (or H2O)? 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. When we think about influential New Testament leaders, most names are male. There are, however, some that work better than others. His motto was that "There was a time when the son did not exist". 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. Perhaps we must be content to admit that we cannot fully understand Gods nature in our finitude. Dont you know Jesus? Which ones have you heard? Each PERSON is distinct from one another. Arianism is named after the heretic Arius. I have the good one. Haydn Lea is an Associate Pastor in Queensland, and is currently studying his Master of Arts (Theology). This is a quick way to describe the doctrine of the Trinity namely, God is 1 being (the, is Gods nature, essence, being) and 3 whos (the, being Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Therefore it behoves us to know what He has revealed (including the Trinity), and to lovingly worship Him accordingly. He was with God in the beginning. For example, an equilateral triangle (a triangle with three equal sides) has three sides. But Jesus makes it clear in John 10:30- I and the Father are One. The Greek word for one means one thing, not one person. They are united in their essence (spirit, nature) but not identical persons. I remember asking my Life Group last year, How have you heard the Trinity explained? I braced myself for the inevitable reply. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. If you need to use an analogy, then use a good one. They that dont have the Holy Spirit in them will talk like the Adversary. But the Father is not the Son or the Spirit. All Rights Reserved. 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. God controls that light. And let us once more come to illustrations. Each person is fully God (Phil 2; Acts 5:3-4). Located in the heart of Quebec's historic district, it is a source of inspiration for visitors from around the world. 5And there are varieties of ministries and the same Lord. , 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. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. HO may act as water, steam, or ice, but it is still HO. Its downright hard to understand. H2O can exist as a solid, a liquid and a gas but they are all still H2O. This little child cannot look at one without experiencing a profound sense of wonderment and awe. 1A) Dave is a son of Graham and Lois Armstrong. Another analogy that Tim remembers, being Irish Catholic, is the analogy of the shamrock with its three parts. This is a bad analogy because it fails at the truth that all three persons comprise the fullness of God. Discover the richness of the old yet living 2,000-year-old religion which built the West. God is not made up of 3 parts like the 3 parts of the egg. God is like H2O in that the Bible may refer to a specific person of the Trinity but that person is still God. Now that we know the doctrine of the trinity and its corresponding major heresies, now we are ready to look at some bad analogies for the trinity. Take a moment and give it a try. We wont find the word Trinity in the Bible, but the concept is shown in many verses. Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. While it captures the idea that God is one, it doesnt do such a good job of showing how God is three and one at the same time. They say that three separate beings exist, 2. 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. Why All Analogies of the Trinity Fall Short - Joshua's Pen I think the illustration that represents the Trinity most accurately is the egg example. The visual form of God seperated from Jesus on the cross. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. Three persons is false. The Trinity Guarding The Gospel Analogies often fall short. Therefore, in this context, God is the what and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the who. Its a very common explanation within the church to try to explain how God, who clearly exhorts His followers to preserve His supreme oneness (Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 4), could also be identified with Jesus (Titus chapter 2 verse 13), and the Holy Spirit (Acts chapter 5 verses 3-4). He also knows how to perfectly love us. It is the Central Mystery of our Christian faith. Can you think of some Bible verses to back up your explanation? In Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). 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). We Christians believe it on faith. Unfortunately, Arianism is still around and can found within the Jehovah's Witnesses teachings. If youre interested into diving deeper into the topic of the Trinity, here are some valuable resources that could help. Although the water changes forms it is still H2O. 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.

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