These images fall short, because these components arent enough to be considered a whole on their own. Cool it down, and itll eventually freeze into a solid. The Father hears their intercessory prayers. How Helpful Are Analogies of the Trinity? - Kuyperian Commentary It may not appear to agree with common sense. For them, a person is someone who could relate to another. How can we ever explain our Most High, exalted, powerful, uncontainable, and most glorious God? These two analogies are the "water" analogy and the "egg" analogy. Also, the egg is made up of three distinct and unalike parts. And for a mere mortal to have dared invent it and be able t. Yeah its definitely a hard thing to understand, let alone explain to little ones ! An essential factor lacking from those concepts is the relational quality of God. When we think about influential New Testament leaders, most names are male. 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. How would you explain the Trinity if someone asked you right now? The Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. 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. When they used the word person, they didnt mean it in the same way that we do today. Lord of all, we bow before thee. Each person is fully the one God, but is also distinct. Ontological means the nature or essence of something. 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. Afterall, we can get rid of a few of its parts - for instance the shell - and still scramble an egg. Thought of Tim Its amazing to think that everything will be so clear when we het to Heaven! Time exists as 3 things: past, present, and future. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. Among the most popular analogies for the Trinity, two in particular stand out; and most of the others resemble one of them. 2:5-6; Col. 1:15-17, 2:9; Heb. The Unseen Father is in Christs mind. And let us once more come to illustrations. Water is water, but exists in three different forms: liquid, frozen, or steam. She would explode!" 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. Analogies often fall short. 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. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. show me your glory. An egg has a shell, white, and yolk, but these three are part of an egg or Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao but the same Philippines. The analogy breaks down because the three cloves are overly distinct and cannot represent the unity of God. Each PERSON is distinct from one another. 2. The sun comprises the sun itself, its light and its heat. The watermelon has a skin, pulp and seeds; the egg is shell, yolk and egg white. Hello busy women! 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. They are equally eternal, powerful, sovereign, and worthy of worship. They are unified in one divine being. If one of the sides were removed, then there would be no equilateral triangle. What Is A Good Analogy For The Trinity? - Therefore, God Exists 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. The Father sends the Son, and both the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit. I have the good one. The egg white represents Gods Spirit. Which ones have you heard? But understanding the Trinity is important. One cannot remove the Holy Spirit and still have the God as taught in the Bible. It should bring us to realise that we truly are finite creatures standing before a sovereign, transcendent, divine mystery. Many of us would use analogies to explain the Trinity. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Trinity is foundational and at the heart of our Christian faith. 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. Further, we can label each of the sides. These hand embroidered emblems are made with metallic gold-plated thread with silver content, printed on canvas. Shively, This book is now available in a published format for easy sharing and classroom use. The past is not the present and the present is not the future, yet all three together is what we call time. For example, triangles are not the kinds of things that are personal. Therefore the eternal brightness shines forth before Him, and co-exists with Him, in that, existing without a beginning, and always begotten, He always shines before Him; and He is that Wisdom which says, I was that wherein He delighted, and I was daily His delight before His face at all times.. A single molecule cannot simultaneously exist in three different states. The problem with this analogy is that it teaches that God has three components: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Another analogy that Tim remembers, being Irish Catholic, is the analogy of the shamrock with its three parts. CafeLogos.orgThe Egg and i -A Simple Explanation of The Trinity Jesus is in the form of the Holy Spirit. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father., 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. If the sun exists, there is also day; if nothing of this be manifest, it is impossible that the sun should be there. How do we make sense of the Trinity? It taught there is one nature in God, and that there are two processions, three persons, and four relations that constitute the Blessed Trinity. 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. They suggest that only one God exists but this God transforms or morphs into each of the different persons. Or water can be evaporated and called steam. Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. We came up with several practical implications of this doctrine. How can we explain what it means to have three persons in one being? One day, however, the image will be clear. You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. The mystery is in the how this is accomplished; something we will finally understand in heaven. But its all the same person, operating in three roles or functions. This is a bad analogy because it fails at the truth that all three persons comprise the fullness of God. Devils see that Spirit as a tempestuious fire. At times God is Father, or Son, or Holy Spirit. One sits on the throne looking like Sardine and Jasper stone. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) But the Trinity is our belief as Christians that God is one being who exists in three Persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. We wont find the word Trinity in the Bible, but the concept is shown in many verses. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. We define a person as one having a will and who is distinguishable from another person. One of the more traditional analogies is to the states of water. 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. 1:8-12; 1 Pet. The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. Jesus isn't a demigod or partially god. Admittedly, the idea of three distinct persons/expressions that are each fully God is part of the mystery. My prayer is to infuse God's character into your everyday lives with short ( 4-5") devotions and Bible Studies every Monday morning. 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. . Understanding 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. 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. Some who deny the Trinity claim 1+1+1=3, and therefore claim we worship three Gods. In other words, God may manifest Himself as the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. The trinity is not a contradiction, but a paradox. Arianism is named after the heretic Arius. If all you had were an eggshell, you wouldnt have a very exciting breakfast. Some have taken on the task of explaining how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist as one. The Holy Trinity: Egg Analogy by Sharmaine Pagtakhan - Prezi The military would like to have that power. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. RELATED: The Biblical Principle Of Baptism By Fire. Genesis 1:26- Let us make man in our image, in our likeness The plural us and our show more than one person was involved. The egg white represents Gods Spirit. 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. Like modalism, the "three beings" view was rejected by the early church. There have been many attempts to explain the Trinity the relationship between God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Though I find the video to be hilarious and often . in which all 3 persons may act or speak as one. 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. In the same way, water is all the same molecular structure, expressing itself in three different modes. In other words, one stuffness. However, He exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son. Intercession: The Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. Below is a compilation of the verses that reference all 3 persons of the one God. Should Women Really Keep Silent in Church? 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). I do not have the time or space to exhaustively demonstrate in scripture these truths, but the Biblical witness teaches these three truths consistently about God. Tritheism denies that there is only one God. That is why Moses said. Our limited intellects are unable to comprehend its reality, yet, our Scriptures and scholarly Tradition makes it known to us. 1B) This son of Graham and Lois Armstrong is Dave. The word God in this sense is defined as a single being, having all divine attributes. Proof texting is when we cite a bunch of bible verses to support a theological stance. It falls into the heresy of tri-theism. Why Analogies And Illustrations Of The Trinity Fail His being is somewhat of a mystery to us. Each of the divine persons is GOD WHOLE AND ENTIRE, and there is one God. 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. However, it breaks down on the level of equality: No one keeps or eats the shell of an egg. We can always rebut these claims with another equation: 1 x 1 x 1=1. In the same way, there is a God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. He got married there in 1965, and his four . Or, we can quote Daniel Webster; a strong Christian- I do not pretend fully to understand the arithmetic of heaven now. . As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God. A good example would be an electrical cord. If you looked at a single cloverleaf, you wouldnt call it a shamrock. Understanding the Trinity - Busy Blessed Women 4 Bad Analogies for the Trinity Justin Deeter 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. The Trinity for Kids - Part 2 - Prepared to Answer At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. Some think of God as H 2 O, which is sometimes a solid (ice), sometimes a liquid (water), and sometimes a gas (steam). in that while water can change into vapour or ice, Jesus cannot change into the Father or the Holy Spirit. Eggs are one, yet comprise yolk, shell and albumen. Bach, and has released two previous CDs, one . Another wrong illustration is using ourselves: I am one person, but also a wife, mother, and writer. To the other major monotheistic faiths (Islam and Judaism), it is rank heresyTrinitarianism is therefore definitional to Christianity. Son and Holy Ghost are each fully God. Holy Trinity: Some Analogies to Help Us Comprehend To put it simply, "The problem with using analogies to explain the Holy Trinity is that you always end up confessing some ancient heresy." . Copyright 2023 Christian Today. The unity or oneness of God is also found in the Bible. According to modalism, God does not actually exist in three persons. John 17). (Describing God as LOVE is my favorite way of understanding the Trinity. This analogy is an invalid comparison to the Trinity and is a heresy called PARTIALISM. Now were going to look at how some people often misunderstand the Trinity. Perhaps youve heard the analogy that the Trinity is like H2O (the molecular symbol for water). At the Cathedral, we recognize that there are responsibilities that come with . 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. Water can be frozen and is called ice. Have you wondered what is God like? Notice the distinction between persons and being. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. St. Augustine's Analogy for Understanding the Trinity 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. The Trinity is Like an Egg How the analogy goes: The Trinity is like an egg. Over the course of church history there have been several heresies that have cropped up that deny one of these three truths. From time to time, Doctors of the Church used analogies, but with care. But in the Godhead, each Person is fully and completely God unto Himself (even as they are all one God). Examples of these different roles would be: The Incarnation: Only the Son became incarnate, took on flesh. The following verses attest to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). If you say, "Jesus Christ" then you MAY BE incorrect. The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 butmore like 1 x 1 x 1.You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. This is one of the reasons we say that "God is LOVE". We believe that it is a revelation that comes from Christ Himself. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. 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. An explanation that is so common, and seemingly does elucidate how something can simultaneously be three and onecan it really be that bad? 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. 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. 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. 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). 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). Located in the heart of Quebec's historic district, it is a source of inspiration for visitors from around the world. is not). 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. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three different parts or components of God, but the . Good and Bad Analogies of the Trinity - Answers . Therefore, in this context, God is the what and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the who. The analogy breaks down because I can simultaneously be a father, husband, and son to any one person. The three parts create a unified whole. God is like H2Olike water. I go to prepare a place for you. We can say that the first is egg the shell, the second is egg the albumen and the third is egg the yoke. God controls that light. But theres one problem: the water analogy is not the biblical picture of God. In some ways, it resembles the tritheism view (Misunderstanding 2). We also know that God didnt create humanity out of loneliness or boredom. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. 3:15; John 17:1-4, The Holy Spirit Acts 5:3-4; John 14:16-17, 26; John 16:7-13. What is the Trinity? Haydn Lea is an Ordained Minister, and is currently serving as an Air Force Chaplain in Adelaide. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the primary tenants of the Christian faith. It only has 1 person acting in three different roles. God is NOT like H2O in that He does not need the right pressure and temperature to exist as three persons. copyright 2009 by H.D. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit also exist eternally and concurrently. I write to see memory and language wrestle with reality. How so? His ways are not my ways! He has been relationally fulfilled within Himself since forever. 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. 3 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons. For instance at the baptism of Christ, the Father, Son and Spirit are all distinctly present and interacting (Matthew chapter 3 verses 16-17). 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. Why analogies of the Trinity fail Youthworks Both are one. 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. What is wrong with what I said? They that dont have the Holy Spirit in them will talk like the Adversary. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. Or have you ever tried to teach kids about the Trinity? Christians believe, then, that only one God exists but this God exists as a unity of three persons: a Trinity. What are some popular illustrations of the Holy Trinity? Here are a few common illustrations: The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk. Scripture however, doesnt depict God this way. Every kid in Sunday school thinks he knows all about God. He wondered how it was possible that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit could be inseparable, while, in . However, keep in mind that the one being. 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. Explaining the Trinity | Catholic Answers The shortfall of this illustration, and others like it, is that God cannot be divided into "parts." Unfortunately, an analogy from the limited realm of creation may not be sufficient in explaining Gods nature. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. Each person is fully God (Phil 2; Acts 5:3-4). (It is also why the Jews had an issue with Jesus calling Himself God.). Here are a couple "usefully flawed" analogies for the Trinity. A good follow up verse to help explain is the baptism of Jesus. we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,neither blending their personsnor dividing their essence. If you say, "water" then you are incorrect. All three persons exist at the same moment in history. 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. This little child cannot look at one without experiencing a profound sense of wonderment and awe. This is just as bad as the Water analogy and leads to the same error. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) A chicken egg consists of a shell, a yolk, and an egg white, yet it is altogether one egg. This is the Christmas paradox. Water has three states: solid, liquid, and gas. Further, his dialectic is guided by the particular consideration of what true love is: a trinity of lover, beloved and the love that binds . The shell, while important, is no longer needed. The wonders and ways of God may not be apparent or fully known at present, but we can still marvel at His supremacy and worship Him in wonder- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! God is not made up of 3 'parts' like the 3 parts of the egg. Arius was condemned by the council of Nicea in 325 AD. As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God. This analogy actually teaches the heresy of tritheism. The Holy Spirit prays for us. God does not just change forms but exists as three persons in unity. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. He can even be all three at the same time. Father, Son, Holy Sprit : 3 persons, 1 great relationship, Copyright 2023 Fervr | Terms of Service. But the Father is not the Son or the Spirit. 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. There are some analogies that come close. 4 Bad Ways to Explain the Trinity (and 1 Good One) It does not imply Jesus was created if you emphasize that the Sun existed from eternity past. I think the illustration that represents the Trinity most accurately is the egg example. The three-leaf clover analogy is OK. RELATED: Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead? 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). So God performs 3 different roles/relationships but 1 God. But having lots 6 Bible Study Tools To Help You Dive Deeper. 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). My name is AnnMarie and I'm so glad you're here! This is why Jesus said, He who has seen Me, has seen the Father (John 14:9). Haydn Lea is an Associate Pastor in Queensland, and is currently studying his Master of Arts (Theology). PART OF A WHOLE. Therefore, we would rightly say, within the Ontological Trinity, there is no variation or distinction made. Matthew 3:16-17- As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Each character of the trinity has in one another (cf. These are likewise erroneous or even heretical. Similarly, in our aquatic analogy, water can appear in three different modes, depending on the environment, but the three are not co-existing. While each person is distinct, they are never separate from one another. I and My Father are One (John 10:30). Modalism is a heresy because it denies the distinction of God. See the depths of Catholicism for yourself! 3. They are three in one egg. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. The Trinity is distinct in their roles and individuality, but united in their attributes of love, mercy, holiness, knowledge, etc. The military would end up destroying themselves. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. The Son is not the Father or the Spirit. Lost will be ashes under the feet of the righteous. Memory, Understanding, and Will. 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. Each side is co-equal with the others, yet, each side is necessary. But if they give us a warped idea of what they are trying to explain, they arent helpful illustrations. How to Explain the Trinity to Children | Free Printable Indeed, how can an infinite God be contained in a finite human womb! What is the Trinity? Living Theologically 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. I can only shake my head when He does these things! This is the one I used long ago when trying to explain the Trinity to a group of 1st-5th graders. Is the Trinity like H2O, an egg, or a triangle? - Fervr 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. God is one. This analogy explains that the Father is like the sun. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. I and My Father are One (John 10:30). The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the primary tenants of the Christian faith. Surely this is a better understanding of the water analogy! Although the water changes forms it is still H2O. But they are one God. 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).