Stars were made on the forth day. Jesus would have remained in the tomb, or hell, had Jesus sinned. What is H2O? Only the Son became incarnate, took on flesh. Each one is fully 100% God. You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. So, part of understanding the Trinity is realizing that God is personal and relational. Also, the egg is made up of three distinct and unalike parts. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. Tritheism denies the unity of the God-head by saying there is just three different gods. Although the water changes forms it is still H2O. Take a moment and give it a try. The Father Matthew 27:45-46 (usually there is no argument that the Father is not God, since every place Jesus speaks to God, he is addressing the Father. We can always rebut these claims with another equation: 1 x 1 x 1=1. For the Trinity, instead of using the formula 1+1+1, we use 1x1x1. 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. Our limited intellects are unable to comprehend its reality, yet, our Scriptures and scholarly Tradition makes it known to us. Thought of Tim Its amazing to think that everything will be so clear when we het to Heaven! As a result, this analogy can easily lead to tritheism in which there are three different gods which might share some like substance. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. 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. I remember asking my Life Group last year, How have you heard the Trinity explained? I braced myself for the inevitable reply. This is a worse analogy than the egg because it is more analogous to the heretical doctrine of Modalism/Oneness than for the Trinity. we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,neither blending their personsnor dividing their essence. They are three in one egg. When discussing God, especially in regards to his nature, being and persons, a simple statement to articulate the Trinity is: God is 1, *. 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). 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. But while this idea is central to the Christian faith, it is also incredibly mysterious to us. We recommend you adhere these emblems to your vestments by mounting on the material with fabric glue and then stitching them . The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. Analogies that we present would always be insufficient as none of them would equate to the incomprehensible beauty of God. The Holy Spirit is the shell, Jesus is the egg white, and the Father is the egg yolk. As a result the water molecule must change forms. Water can be ice and steam, yet they are the same element. No analogy is perfect, but we want to be careful of using wrong ones that may confuse people. The word trinity is not in the Scriptures, but is a word used to describe the three in one God revealed in the Bible. 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). ANALOGY OF CHARACTERS. 6And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons., , The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all., There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. The concept is literally unthinkable. They have a common purpose in making harmonious music, but each note is its own separate entity. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is not His" (Romans 8:9). The egg analogy fails because it denies that each person of the Trinity is of the same eternal essence. copyright 2009 by H.D. 3. God is not made up of 3 'parts' like the 3 parts of the egg. Father, Son, Holy Sprit : 3 persons, 1 great relationship, Copyright 2023 Fervr | Terms of Service. 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. This is not an exhaustive list: For further reading on the Trinity, I would recommend James Whites The Forgotten Trinity, Wayne Grudems Systematic Theology and online articles by CARM.org. We believe that it is a revelation that comes from Christ Himself. But in the Godhead, each Person is fully and completely God unto Himself (even as they are all one God). In the same way is God being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. There have been many attempts to explain the Trinity the relationship between God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. He wondered how it was possible that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit could be inseparable, while, in . 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). The Holy Spirit prays for us. Some have taken on the task of explaining how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist as one. You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. Now were going to look at how some people often misunderstand the Trinity. Space Analogy God is like space. Jesus, visually seen, judges all, not the Unseen Father. (Describing God as LOVE is my favorite way of understanding the Trinity. He was with God in the beginning. We have the creeds for just that reason. His motto was that "There was a time when the son did not exist". 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. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. 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. Your email address will not be published. Space consists of three things: height, width, and depth. The yolk represents Gods Person, His Being, and His Holiness which generates Light that no man can approach (I Timothy 6:16). In the Scripture we see "the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Col 1:9). Its downright hard to understand. That fire keeps devils away from the saved. The trinity is a like a Three-Leaf Clover. Yet there is still only one God we serve. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)One of my Sunday School students said, "How could Jesus (God) enter Mary's stomach (womb) and be born? When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. His ways are higher than ours, but isnt that a comfort?! They say that three separate beings exist 2. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. And then theres Jesus, Gods son. Water has three states: solid, liquid, and gas. The early church labeled this view "tritheism". This error denies something central to God that makes Him God. If the Sun existed from eternity past then so were the light rays from the Sun. Each side is co-equal with the others, yet, each side is necessary. Or have you ever tried to teach kids about the Trinity? The trinity is Like a man who is a father, husband, and son. Vestment Emblems. But, when it's heated, it turns into a gas (steam) and, when it's frozen, it turns into a solid (ice). Hello busy women! Here are four. God is one. How do we make sense of the Trinity? While an egg has a yolk, a white and a shell to make up the whole, each part is only ever . And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (John14:2, 3). The trinity is not a contradiction, but a paradox. We worship one God who exists in three persons. (Which I just found out is in error). God is Great, I always try to figure out how to explain it to my Sunday school kids and they get confused which i get, how would you explain it to them? This analogy is an invalid comparison to the Trinity and is a heresy called PARTIALISM. They that dont have the Holy Spirit in them will talk like the Adversary. 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). Each one is fully God. Therefore, we would rightly say, within the Ontological Trinity, there is no variation or distinction made. But its all the same person, operating in three roles or functions. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each called Jehovah (or Spirit of Jehovah), given divine attributes, and are distinguished from one another. But we can (and should) have a solid foundation to explain this core belief of our faith. He taught that the son was at one point created by God the father. But the Trinity is our belief as Christians that God is one being who exists in three Persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. Not just for explaining it to others, but to bolster our own faith and see how each One works in our lives. Three persons is false. The trinity is a mystery that cannot be fully comprehended. If you say, "water" then you are incorrect. I think the analogy of the Sun works well. This analogy actually teaches the heresy of tritheism. This description that all persons are fully God is called the Ontological Trinity. If then the sun were eternal, the day would never end; but now, for such is not really the state of the case, the day begins with the beginning of the sun, and ends with its ending. 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. THE TRUTH IS: From the very beginning, the Blessed Trinity Father, Son, and Spirit was there. In the same way, water is all the same molecular structure, expressing itself in three different modes. You are an egg! I dont believe that God wishes us to be confused about the Three that are so apparent throughout the Old and New Testaments. If youve been involved in ministries for children or young people, questions about the Trinity have most likely come up. Light comes from God. A man might be a father to his children, a husband to his wife, and son to his parents. The watermelon has a skin, pulp and seeds; the egg is shell, yolk and egg white. But it cant be that way with God. The problem with this analogy is that it teaches that God has three components: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Dr. Bruce Ware does an excellent job in his book Big Truths for Young Hearts. In the same way, at one moment God is the Father, but at different times God morphs or transforms into the Son or Holy Spirit. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 but more like 1 x 1 x 1. God does not just change forms but exists as three persons in unity. So "son" = "Dave". It can also be a liquid and called water. The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, constructed between 1800 and 1804, is the first Anglican cathedral to have been built outside the British Isles. Since these bad analogies tend to lead to a heresy, we will examine the main three areas of heresy concerning the trinity. The three distinct notes come together to make one beautiful sound. The very definition of the heresy known as Modalism/Oneness is that there is one person existing in three different modes or manifestations. Do you know why I keep saying God is like an egg (or H2O) but God is not like an egg (or H2O)? Here are some common analogies that Christians have used about the Trinity: God is kind of like water which can be ice, liquid and steam. In Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). An egg is made up of shell, white and yolk. They all exist as fully God, with none of them lacking in any attribute or aspect that defines God. Is He Jesus side-kick? Time Analogy God is like time. In reality, I change my role depending on who I am interacting with. Haydn Lea is an Associate Pastor in Queensland, and is currently studying his Master of Arts (Theology). And for a mere mortal to have dared invent it and be able t. Truly, it is a Mystery. Before moving on I should note that providing a full theological explanation of Trinitarian doctrine is well beyond the scope of what I can do here. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not simply names designating modalities of the divine being, for they are really DISTINCT from one another: He is not the Father who is the Son, nor is the Son he who is the Father, nor is the Holy Spirit he who is the Father or the Son. (CCC 254), 3. And in our efforts to grasp it, weve come up with a number of analogies. Misunderstanding 1: The transforming trinity The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. This is the error of Arianism (not to be confused with Aryanism, which is also bad). This is one of the reasons we say that "God is LOVE". Paul leaves the Corinthians with this blessing in 2 Corinthians 13:14- May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.. The yolk represents Gods Person, His Being, and His Holiness which generates Light that no man can approach (I Timothy 6:16). Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. Water can exist in liquid at room temperature. The watermelon has a skin, pulp and seeds; the egg is shell, yolk and egg white. The idea of God as three-in-one is indeed a mysterious concept, one that is difficult to understand. The trinity is like this man. For example, we know that God didnt create humanity because He bored or lonely. Adorn your liturgical vestments with classic images from the Monastery Icons collection. Unfortunately, most of them actually give us the wrong idea about what the Trinity is. Surely this is a better understanding of the water analogy! This book is now available in a published format for easy sharing and classroom use. He got married there in 1965, and his four . 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 it appears to be almost entirely misunderstood within contemporary evangelical circles. So, in God, there are three distinct persons. Further, we can label each of the sides. The divine persons are really DISTINCT from one another, and not merely different roles of God at different times. It is not important merely for the sake of tradition, or because the word itself is taught in the Bible (the word is not). The problem with this analogy is that it denies the distinction of persons in the God-head. The teaching of the trinity is clearly taught in Scripture and must be preserved as such. These things are referred to as the Economic Trinity. Sadly, theres something "rotten" about this egg analogy. 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. I and My Father are One (John 10:30). Each one is fully 100% God. 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. This analogy actually falls prey to the same error of modalism. One thing that Ive found helpful is using the Trinity to illustrate truths we know about God. Being the brightness of the eternal Light, He Himself also is absolutely eternal. The Son "proceeds" from the Father, and the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son.". Can you think of some Bible verses to back up your explanation? How would you explain the Trinity if someone asked you right now? 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. A single molecule cannot simultaneously exist in three different states. To return to my Life Group anecdote, after our discussion I asked why does it even matter?. We can touch the cord, but not the power it is insulating. 1 Corinthians 8:6: Yet for us there is but one God.. 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. We Christians believe it on faith. It only has 1 person acting in three different roles. The analogy breaks down because I can simultaneously be a father, husband, and son to any one person. Water Analogy God is like water, or H2O, which can exist in 3 forms. PART OF A WHOLE. Yet, the trinity is mysterious. In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. This would make Jesus something less than fully God. Celebrating Easter Is About so Much More Than One Hour on Sunday. This analogy explains that the Father is like the sun. 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. RELATED: Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead? It taught there is one nature in God, and that there are two processions, three persons, and four relations that constitute the Blessed Trinity. Trinity is like a Shamrock (or an Apple or an Egg). It does not imply Jesus was created if you emphasize that the Sun existed from eternity past. 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 . The problem with this analogy is that an egg yoke is of a very different substance than a shell. An explanation that is so common, and seemingly does elucidate how something can simultaneously be three and onecan it really be that bad?