Being the brightness of the eternal Light, He Himself also is absolutely eternal. That is why Moses said. We define a person as one having a will and who is distinguishable from another person. 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. A chicken egg consists of a shell, a yolk, and an egg white, yet it is altogether one egg. So, the egg analogy doesnt work after all. Or what? In the same way, there is a God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. Montreal was home to two Trinity churches built in 1865 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. Well the issue is, the water analogy is akin to the heresy of Modalism. Both are one. Or water can be evaporated and called steam. So God performs 3 different roles/relationships but 1 God. Just as water changes forms so too is the trinity. If you're looking to dive deeper into God's word, here are 6 kinds of bible study tools and resources 9 Influential Female Leaders in the New Testament. Although the water changes forms it is still H2O. RELATED: The Biblical Principle Of Baptism By Fire. To become the people we were always created to be. Another wrong illustration is using ourselves: I am one person, but also a wife, mother, and writer. The Egg and I - Part Two The apple seed alone is not an apple. ), The Son Phil. As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God. The problem with this analogy is that it would imply that there is only one Divine Person, who eventually multiplied Himself. Stars were made on the forth day. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. Haydn Lea is an Ordained Minister, and is currently serving as an Air Force Chaplain in Adelaide. But Hes God too, right? The problem with this analogy is it denies the unity of the God-head. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. They say that three separate beings exist 2. 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. As John 1:18 says, Jesus is "the only begotten God, in the bosom of [God] the Father.". Water can be ice and steam, yet they are the same element. 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). There are three different cloves that represent the three different persons of the trinity. This analogy actually falls prey to the same error of modalism. The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. Armstrong. 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. I think the illustration that represents the Trinity most accurately is the egg example. This is a bad analogy because it fails at the truth that all three persons comprise the fullness of God. Though I find the video to be hilarious and often . 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. These three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - exist together in complete unity, with no separation, as one divine being. Each of the divine persons is GOD WHOLE AND ENTIRE, and there is one God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each called Jehovah (or Spirit of Jehovah), given divine attributes, and, (usually there is no argument that the Father is not God, since every place Jesus speaks to God, he is addressing the Father.). But understanding the Trinity is important. Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. Arianism denies the deity of each person in the trinity. The problem with this analogy is that an egg yoke is of a very different substance than a shell. "The Egg and i - A Simple Explanation of The Trinity" - cafe Logos Despite its potential obscurity, Trinity Sunday is a great occasion for me to revisit an old article on the Trinity. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. God Is Like An Egg - vtaide.com Well, the egg analogy, when applied to God, suggests that only one being exists but this being exists in three different parts. The word God in this sense is defined as a single being, having all divine attributes. PART OF A WHOLE. What portion of the analogy holds true with Church Teaching? Misunderstanding 1: The transforming trinity Yeah its definitely a hard thing to understand, let alone explain to little ones ! The military would like to have that power. 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. Trinity is like a Shamrock (or an Apple or an Egg). The Council's definitions concerning the Trinity are really as easy as one, two, three four. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. In other words, this view denies Gods oneness. Explaining the Trinity | Catholic Answers 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). This analogy sounds pretty good, but it is fatally flawed in that is describes the Son and Spirit as creations of the Father. 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. Jesus is in the form of the Holy Spirit. Like modalism, the "three beings" view was rejected by the early church. However, keep in mind that the one being. This means there is a sense in which all 3 persons may act or speak as one. Just like an egg, none of the parts are co-equal, nor are all of the parts necessary for the egg to exist. Time Analogy God is like time. Therefore, there is one God, who is eternally present in three persons. But we can (and should) have a solid foundation to explain this core belief of our faith. - well, sort of. Does that make sense? Have you wondered what is God like? 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! Why analogies of the Trinity fail Youthworks Analogies often fall short. Yet the orthodox view is that each person of the Trinity is fully divine. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. 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. 5And there are varieties of ministries and the same Lord. The Father hears their intercessory prayers. This is perhaps the most common analogy for the Trinity. HO may act as water, steam, or ice, but it is still HO. The Son "proceeds" from the Father, and the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son.". Jesus loves us so much that he did not obliterate people who died, with power that set stars in the universe. PDF UNDERSTANDING THE TRINITY - Andrew M. Bailey 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. 2. As a result, this analogy actually teaches modalism. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. The Bible reveals that each person of the Trinity has unique roles, relationships, and functions which are distinct from one another. Shively, This book is now available in a published format for easy sharing and classroom use. Every kid in Sunday school thinks he knows all about God. 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. What is the Trinity? Living Theologically La da dee dee dum dum (I couldnt remember the in-between parts). The trinity is like water. I can only shake my head when He does these things! One thing that Ive found helpful is using the Trinity to illustrate truths we know about God. But they are one God. Our limited intellects are unable to comprehend its reality, yet, our Scriptures and scholarly Tradition makes it known to us. He is married to Shamsa Lea, is the father of Amira, and loves running, boxing and studying history and theology. A good example would be an electrical cord. Lost will be ashes under the feet of the righteous. The Trinity is distinct in their roles and individuality, but united in their attributes of love, mercy, holiness, knowledge, etc. But if they give us a warped idea of what they are trying to explain, they arent helpful illustrations. Jesus, visually seen, judges all, not the Unseen Father. Jesus isn't a demigod or partially god. It is still H20, but just different forms. The Son was begotten by the Father IN ETERNITY, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. God is one. However, in some instances, the use of carefully chosen analogies may be of help for some of our brethren in learning the teachings of the Church. He has been relationally fulfilled within Himself since forever. The three parts create a unified whole. All Scripture is taken from the NIV version unless otherwise specified, Author Ignace Franz, translated by Clarence A. Walworth. If water is inadequate, there are a wide array of alternative analogies we can turn to in modern theological parlance. 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). True, we humans are image bearers but nothing in creation serves as an analogy for the Trinity because the Trinity is a doctrine of special (biblical) revelation not nature or reason. Bach, and has released two previous CDs, one . They that dont have the Holy Spirit in them will talk like the Adversary. 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. The Trinity for Kids - Part 2 - Prepared to Answer Here are four. Yet there is only one God. God is like an egg - VTAide Few topics of discussion in the Christian faith are more confusing than the idea of the Trinity. His motto was that "There was a time when the son did not exist". 2A) Dave is a father of four children: three boys and a . The meme above discourages the use of analogies in explaining the Trinity. Since these bad analogies tend to lead to a heresy, we will examine the main three areas of heresy concerning the trinity. I have the good one. 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. Each one is fully 100% 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). It is not important merely for the sake of tradition, or because the word itself is taught in the Bible (. Yet God lovingly chose to create and eventually redeem us anyway (both thoroughly Trinitarian acts), at great cost to Himself. 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. Arius was condemned by the council of Nicea in 325 AD. 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. 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. Proof texting is when we cite a bunch of bible verses to support a theological stance. The very definition of the heresy known as Modalism/Oneness is that there is one person existing in three different modes or manifestations. For those, like myself, who are not from a highly-liturgical denomination, it may come as a surprise that June 11 was Trinity Sunday. It's impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God. To return to my Life Group anecdote, after our discussion I asked why does it even matter?. 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. 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. And then theres Jesus, Gods son. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) It can also be a liquid and called water. So while its tough to make sense of the Trinity, the Trinity actually helps us make sense of so many things we believe. The word Trinity comes from the Latin word trinitas which means tri-unity. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Similarly, people have used the example of the apple in the same way- skin, flesh, and seeds. The problem with this analogy is that an egg yoke is of a very different substance than a shell. For sure, our everyday experience does not include using our finite minds to understand the infinite! We can think of it this way: the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. This view, also known as "modalism", was rejected by the early church. We all want to experience the good life. 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). Vestment Emblems. Each person is fully God (Phil 2; Acts 5:3-4). The Trinity is foundational and at the heart of our Christian faith. An egg is made up of shell, white and yolk. If God has existed for all eternity in a perfectly loving Triune relationship, then it shows He is completely self-sufficient and requires no further relationship in order to complete or satisfy Himself. The Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. So, in God, there are three distinct persons. 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. 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. Here are a few common illustrations: The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk. The water analogy of the Trinity follows this line of reasoning: water can be a solid (ice/frozen water), liquid, and gas (water vapor), and yet all three forms are still water (H 2 O), and likewise, God manifests Himself in 3 different ways in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. To help you out, here is a comical and silly video that teaches about these bad analogies. 2 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each God. 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. From time to time, Doctors of the Church used analogies, but with care. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit also exist eternally and concurrently. There are some analogies that come close. THE DISTINCTION AND UNITY of the Trinity is not for us to fully understand because it is a supernatural mystery. What happens when an egg hatches? Devils see that Spirit as a tempestuious fire. Take a moment and give it a try. Jesus was standing in the Jordan River, His Father speaks from heaven above, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him as a dove. It falls into the heresy of tri-theism. The Egg Analogy God is like an egg. There is only one egg with three different parts. But God is the eternal Light, which has neither had a beginning, nor shall ever fail. He completed a doctorate in 1990, looking at the question of harmonic rhythm in the organ music of J.S. The watermelon has a skin, pulp and seeds; the egg is shell, yolk and egg white. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the primary tenants of the Christian faith. 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). The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. Water Analogy - God is like water, or H2O, which can exist in 3 forms. And we know that because Hes been experiencing perfect love within Himself forever. 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. To the other major monotheistic faiths (Islam and Judaism), it is rank heresyTrinitarianism is therefore definitional to Christianity. Many of us would use analogies to explain the Trinity. The military would end up destroying themselves. So, I shot down a lot of images that seems to be pretty helpful. Furthermore, this trinity is related to a shamrock, an apple, or an egg. The trinity is not a contradiction, but a paradox. Some think of God as H 2 O, which is sometimes a solid (ice), sometimes a liquid (water), and sometimes a gas (steam). Located in the heart of Quebec's historic district, it is a source of inspiration for visitors from around the world. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength (1 Corinthians 1:25). You can also catch up with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok If you only had an apple core, you wouldnt pack it in your lunch. In part one, we looked at what the Bible has to say about the Trinity. Jesus, visually seen, judges all, not the Unseen Father. 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). Paul explains our finite understanding of beliefs like the Trinity as looking into a poor-quality mirror- a distorted image; dim and unclear. 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.