Matthew 3:16-17- As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. But its all water. You are an egg! This analogy actually teaches the heresy of modalism. Modalism is a heresy because it denies the distinction of God. God is not made up of 3 parts like the 3 parts of the egg. The apple seed alone is not an apple. God is one. The trinity is a mystery that cannot be fully comprehended. So whats one good way to explain what the Trinity is? He is married to Shamsa Lea, is the father of Amira, and loves running, boxing and studying history and theology. The mystery is in the how this is accomplished; something we will finally understand in heaven. 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. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. It can also be a liquid and called water. He also knows how to perfectly love us. Yeah its definitely a hard thing to understand, let alone explain to little ones ! Jesus is fully God. Genisis 1:17, KJV. The idea that the Trinity can be compared to a shamrock is largely attributed to St. Patrick. That helps explain the concept quite well- the oneness, unity of God with the distinct three persons of God- Father, Son, and Spirit. Another analogy that Tim remembers, being Irish Catholic, is the analogy of the shamrock with its three parts. 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. Before we look at a few bad analogies that many often use to try to illustrate the trinity, we need to first understand the doctrine itself. They are three in one egg. Despite its potential obscurity, Trinity Sunday is a great occasion for me to revisit an old article on the Trinity. A man might be a father to his children, a husband to his wife, and son to his parents. As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God. The egg white represents Gods Spirit. The problem with this analogy is that it denies the distinction of persons in the God-head. St. Augustine, one of the most important Fathers of the Church, wrote a great deal on the doctrine of the Trinity. Unfortunately, Arianism is still around and can found within the Jehovah's Witnesses teachings. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. Why is it wrong? The shortfall of this illustration, and others like it, is that God cannot be divided into "parts." 5And there are varieties of ministries and the same Lord. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Spirit are three different persons who are all equally one God. He is married to Shamsa Lea, is the father of Amira, and loves boxing and studying Theology. The analogy breaks down because I can simultaneously be a father, husband, and son to any one person. The watermelon has a skin, pulp and seeds; the egg is shell, yolk and egg white. Copyright 2023 Christian Today. If youve been involved in ministries for children or young people, questions about the Trinity have most likely come up. Take a moment and give it a try. 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. They suggest that only one God exists but this God transforms or morphs into each of the different persons. Modalism denies the distinction of person in the trinity. 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. The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. 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. So cool that God imparted that song in your mind and heart before you even wrote this blog post! The concept is literally unthinkable. Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. We wont find the word Trinity in the Bible, but the concept is shown in many verses. To return to my Life Group anecdote, after our discussion I asked why does it even matter?. 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 . Just as water changes forms so too is the trinity. 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. It is not important merely for the sake of tradition, or because the word itself is taught in the Bible (the word is not). Arianism denies the deity of each person in the trinity. His motto was that "There was a time when the son did not exist". At the Cathedral, we recognize that there are responsibilities that come with . A, distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A. is the whole nature or essence of something. Some have taken on the task of explaining how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist as one. What portion of the analogy holds true with Church Teaching? The trinity is an essential doctrine to the Christian faith. When we think about influential New Testament leaders, most names are male. Here are a couple "usefully flawed" analogies for the Trinity. HO may act as water, steam, or ice, but it is still HO. Some who deny the Trinity claim 1+1+1=3, and therefore claim we worship three Gods. 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? God is not made up of 3 'parts' like the 3 parts of the egg. So God performs 3 different roles/relationships but 1 God. A good example would be an electrical cord. I think the illustration that represents the Trinity most accurately is the egg example. 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). The divine persons are really DISTINCT from one another, and not merely different roles of God at different times. This may be my favorite verse of them all. In one of his sermons, he wrestled with the passage in Scripture recounting Jesus' Baptism. - well, sort of. The trinity is not a contradiction, but a paradox. What does that really mean? When we view the egg in its entirety we have the Biblical Trinity, One that is Three. This analogy denies the unity of the God-head. . They that dont have the Holy Spirit in them will talk like the Adversary. ), The Son Phil. It should bring us to realise that we truly are finite creatures standing before a sovereign, transcendent, divine mystery. Some people think that H2O cannot exist in all three states simultaneously but that is not true. 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. And we know that because the Persons of the Godhead have perfectly blessed and exalted each other for all eternity. For instance, we know that God is perfectly loving. No analogy is perfect, but we want to be careful of using wrong ones that may confuse people. Under Arianism Jesus is less than fully God. 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). If you only had an apple core, you wouldnt pack it in your lunch. Here are a few of the many verses giving evidence of the Trinity in the Bible: Genesis 1:1&2- In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. The Holy Spirit was an active participant in the creative process. Each person is fully the one God, but is also distinct. Unfortunately, there is a problem with this view of the Trinity. This is a bad analogy because it fails at the truth that all three persons comprise the fullness of God. But, when it's heated, it turns into a gas (steam) and, when it's frozen, it turns into a solid (ice). Only the Son became incarnate, took on flesh. The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, constructed between 1800 and 1804, is the first Anglican cathedral to have been built outside the British Isles. 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. Ontological means the nature or essence of something. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. Yet God lovingly chose to create and eventually redeem us anyway (both thoroughly Trinitarian acts), at great cost to Himself. Depth isnt the same thing as height and height isnt the same thing as width, yet all three together are what comprise space. Each side is co-equal with the others, yet, each side is necessary. In the same way is God being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. Do you know why I keep saying God is like an egg (or H2O) but God is not like an egg (or H2O)? If you say, "water" then you are incorrect. If you need to use an analogy, then use a good one. The sun comprises the sun itself, its light and its heat. Our limited intellects are unable to comprehend its reality, yet, our Scriptures and scholarly Tradition makes it known to us. In the Scripture we see "the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Col 1:9). - well, sort of. 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). Memory, Understanding, and Will. It is the Central Mystery of our Christian faith. Love your blogs! 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. The Holy Spirit is Christs spirit in us guiding us into all truth. But while this idea is central to the Christian faith, it is also incredibly mysterious to us. Revelation 4:3And 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. 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. Or have you ever tried to teach kids about the Trinity? I dont believe that God wishes us to be confused about the Three that are so apparent throughout the Old and New Testaments. 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 is because the H20 is changing forms in representing each person. He began to play the organ as a chorister in England, before continuing his studies in Qubec and France. is not). 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. In Arianism, the Son is not eternally equal with the Father, but was the Fathers first and best creation. God is much bigger and much greater than we can understand, and to be honest, I'm ok with that. I dont believe that God wishes us to be confused about the Three that are so apparent throughout the Old and New Testaments. This means there is a sense in which all 3 persons may act or speak as one. 3:15; John 17:1-4, The Holy Spirit Acts 5:3-4; John 14:16-17, 26; John 16:7-13. God is like an egg in that He is 3-in-1 God the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. He has been a member of the Royal Australian Air Force since 2007, and is now training to be an Air Force Chaplain. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. 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. ANALOGY OF CHARACTERS. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. Bach, and has released two previous CDs, one . If youre interested into diving deeper into the topic of the Trinity, here are some valuable resources that could help. And in our efforts to grasp it, weve come up with a number of analogies. Some have used examples such as water, watermelons and eggs; the principle behind those illustrations is that even though each thing is one, it is also three. Yet there is still only one God we serve. I never thought about it in that way some of these examples Ive never heard of. TO AVOID HERESIES, LET US LIVE BY WHAT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO US: 1. All Rights Reserved. We can think of it this way: the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. It's impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God. H2O can only ever be one form at a time. The military would end up destroying themselves. This analogy is an invalid comparison to the Trinity and is a heresy called PARTIALISM. However, keep in mind that the one being who is God is a personal being. That is a holding pen for final judgment. We all want to experience the good life. The Father hears their intercessory prayers. Jesus then becomes a created being and thus less than fully God. The Unseen Father is in Christs mind. Each one is fully God. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind lived the doctrinal truth about the Trinity. Water is water, but exists in three different forms: liquid, frozen, or steam. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. Yet it appears to be almost entirely misunderstood within contemporary evangelical circles. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. 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). 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. Some think of God as H 2 O, which is sometimes a solid (ice), sometimes a liquid (water), and sometimes a gas (steam). 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. This analogy denies the distinction of the God-head. It is not existing as 3 different parts (persons) at the same time. Not just for explaining it to others, but to bolster our own faith and see how each One works in our lives. So while its tough to make sense of the Trinity, the Trinity actually helps us make sense of so many things we believe. They say that three separate beings exist, 2. All of the above Bad Analogies would perhaps do more harm than good if used in explaining the Trinity. Water Analogy God is like water, or H2O, which can exist in 3 forms. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. I and My Father are One (John 10:30). In this analogy, God is compared to a man. 2 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each God. Now were going to look at how some people often misunderstand the Trinity. God created us for community, since God is communal and we were created in His image. 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). It does not represent 3 persons existing simultaneously. 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). The word God in this sense is defined as a single being, having all divine attributes. It leads to the heresy of MODALISM which teaches that God switches to different modes. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. . we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,neither blending their personsnor dividing their essence. But they are one God. The Trinity is like an egg. Now God can be in you by His Spirit! 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. She would explode!" Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:13). This would make Jesus something less than fully God. Haydn Lea is an Ordained Minister, and is currently serving as an Air Force Chaplain in Adelaide. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each called Jehovah (or Spirit of Jehovah), given divine attributes, and are distinguished from one another. The problem with this analogy is that it also leads to the heresy of MODALISM. 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). Now, as youve probably guessed, this analogy also breaks down. For example, I would say, "God is like an egg." Therefore it behoves us to know what He has revealed (including the Trinity), and to lovingly worship Him accordingly. This description that all persons are fully God is called the Ontological Trinity. And whos the Holy Spirit? Does that make sense? Furthermore, this trinity is related to a shamrock, an apple, or an egg. 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 all exist as fully God, with none of them lacking in any attribute or aspect that defines God. They are three in one egg. If you looked at a single cloverleaf, you wouldnt call it a shamrock. When we separate them we can fall into the error of tritheism, which is the worship of three individual deities as one. Many of these analogies have the best of intentions, but God cannot be described in a way we can fully comprehend or rationalize. Its impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God. One thing that Ive found helpful is using the Trinity to illustrate truths we know about God. The three distinct notes come together to make one beautiful sound. 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. Time exists as 3 things: past, present, and future. in which all 3 persons may act or speak as one. Here's a look at six explanations for why so many people truly believe 3 Ways to Experience The Good Life in Jesus. Although he is one man who is simultaneously a husband, a father, and a student, he would consider it Modalism to suggest that this is a good Trinitarian analogy. These three Persons are all equally God and all equally Persons. In other words, this view denies Gods oneness. There is only one egg with three different parts. Finally, I would suggest that the mere fact that we cannot understand the full depth of the Trinity (even with our myriad of analogies) has implications. Here many of the creeds help us in clearly articulating the trinity. 1B) This son of Graham and Lois Armstrong is Dave. RELATED: What Does The Bible Say About Ghosts? 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. So, the egg analogy doesnt work after all. An egg has a shell, white, and yolk, but these three are part of an egg or Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao but the same Philippines. His ways are not my ways! The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. My name is AnnMarie and I'm so glad you're here! Located in the heart of Quebec's historic district, it is a source of inspiration for visitors from around the world. There have been many attempts to explain the Trinity the relationship between God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. show me your glory. The beautiful depth of Gods eternal Triune nature is a sublime reality which should bring an end to our attempts to cognitively master Him. All three persons exist at the same moment in history. Is He Jesus side-kick? 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 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). Some people have suggested using an egg to explain how God can be both one and three. The Egg and I - Part Two in that while water can change into vapour or ice, Jesus cannot change into the Father or the Holy Spirit. Further, we can label each of the sides. 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). Studying the Trinity poses difficulty to us Catholics. This is one of the reasons we say that "God is LOVE". The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. Indeed, how can an infinite God be contained in a finite human womb! The Bible reveals that each person of the Trinity has unique roles, relationships, and functions which are distinct from one another. Blessings! 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. Discover the richness of the old yet living 2,000-year-old religion which built the West. As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God. Each PERSON is distinct from one another. And the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son. Tritheism denies the unity of the God-head by saying there is just three different gods. The Holy Spirit is like the heat that the sun produces, unseen yet powerful and effective in making the sun felt. 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. Surely this is a better understanding of the water analogy! 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. One popular and simple illustration of the Trinity is the egg. 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. 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. In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. In order to accomplish this union with God and man, He allowed His Shell to be broken with the weight of our sins to cleanse our souls so His holiness can approach, for God cannot look upon sin (Habakkuk 1:13). When discussing God, especially in regards to his nature, being and persons, a simple statement to articulate the Trinity is: God is 1, *. 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. copyright 2009 by H.D. The visual form of God seperated from Jesus on the cross.
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