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. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. The more I reflect on Easter, the more Ive realized how much its become a consumeristic holidayeven Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Required fields are marked *. Although God is transcendent, sovereign, unapproachable light, He has condescended to reveal something of Himself to His creation. Love your blogs! 3 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons. You can also catch up with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok 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. 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. God controls that light. I write to see memory and language wrestle with reality. The egg analogy fails because it denies that each person of the Trinity is of the same eternal essence. See the depths of Catholicism for yourself! To help you out, here is a comical and silly video that teaches about these bad analogies. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength (1 Corinthians 1:25). Armstrong. Thought of Tim Its amazing to think that everything will be so clear when we het to Heaven! (Which I just found out is in error). 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.. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind lived the doctrinal truth about the Trinity. The Bible teaches three truths: 1 - there is one God. My intention is merely to address some common erroneous analogies, including water. All of the above Bad Analogies would perhaps do more harm than good if used in explaining the Trinity. Paul explains our finite understanding of beliefs like the Trinity as looking into a poor-quality mirror- a distorted image; dim and unclear. And we know that because the Persons of the Godhead have perfectly blessed and exalted each other for all eternity. Now were going to look at how some people often misunderstand the Trinity. That is heaven in a person. 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. The Egg and I - Part Two Infinite thy vast domain, everlasting is thy reign.. 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. Eggs are one, yet comprise yolk, shell and albumen. 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. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. Adorn your liturgical vestments with classic images from the Monastery Icons collection. This is a quick way to describe the doctrine of the Trinity namely, God is 1 being (the what is Gods nature, essence, being) and 3 whos (the whos being Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Three persons is false. I bet I havent sung or heard this song in years! If you looked at a single cloverleaf, you wouldnt call it a shamrock. The Unseen Father is in Christs mind. It is not existing as 3 different parts (persons) at the same time. The Holy Trinity, one of the five Dogmas of the Church, is an extraordinary and unfathomable mystery. Take a moment and give it a try. In contrast to the Ontological Trinity, there is the Economic Trinity. Youre right, theyre all good but not perfect because only God IS perfect. The word Trinity comes from the Latin word trinitas which means tri-unity. Water at room temperature is liquid. The trinity is an essential doctrine to the Christian faith. So if all of these explanations are heretical, what is a good analogy? Each one is fully 100% God. We can admit it is a mystery and accept that our incomplete knowledge cannot fully comprehend it. 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! The past is not the present and the present is not the future, yet all three together is what we call time. Arianism denies the deity of each person in the trinity. If the sun exists, there is also day; if nothing of this be manifest, it is impossible that the sun should be there. There is only one egg with three different parts. Here are a few common illustrations: The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk. The trinity is not a contradiction, but a paradox. The problem with this analogy is that it also leads to the heresy of MODALISM. History, lifestyle, family, music, theology, scripture, literature, the saints, church history, parenting, politics, prayer, the pope, and more. The idea that the Trinity can be compared to a shamrock is largely attributed to St. Patrick. All Rights Reserved. Water can exist in liquid at room temperature. One of the more traditional analogies is to the states of water. How can we explain what it means to have three persons in one being? Haydn Lea is an Ordained Minister, and is currently serving as an Air Force Chaplain in Adelaide. But they are one God. His being is somewhat of a mystery to us. Some people think that H2O cannot exist in all three states simultaneously but that is not true. A good follow up verse to help explain is the baptism of Jesus. We also know that God didnt create humanity out of loneliness or boredom. The word trinity is not in the Scriptures, but is a word used to describe the three in one God revealed in the Bible. So, I shot down a lot of images that seems to be pretty helpful. 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. This is one of the reasons we say that "God is LOVE". Another wrong illustration is using ourselves: I am one person, but also a wife, mother, and writer. As we examine the scriptural witness we see three truths that make up the doctrine of the trinity. Each PERSON is distinct from one another. Misunderstanding 1: The transforming trinity Do you know why I keep saying God is like an egg (or H2O) but God is not like an egg (or H2O)? Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. I have the good one. But we can (and should) have a solid foundation to explain this core belief of our faith. They suggest that only one God exists but this God transforms or morphs into each of the different persons. That helps explain the concept quite well- the oneness, unity of God with the distinct three persons of God- Father, Son, and Spirit. This would make Jesus something less than fully God. Is He Jesus side-kick? 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. Each person is fully the one God, but is also distinct. The beautiful depth of Gods eternal Triune nature is a sublime reality which should bring an end to our attempts to cognitively master Him. H2O can only ever be one form at a time. CafeLogos.orgThe Egg and i -A Simple Explanation of The Trinity I know in the past Ive used analogies that werent the best (more on those later.) The Sun was created on the forth day. Truly, it is a Mystery. God is not made up of 3 parts like the 3 parts of the egg. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. The Unseen Father is in Christs mind. 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. Under Arianism Jesus is less than fully God. Some think of God as H 2 O, which is sometimes a solid (ice), sometimes a liquid (water), and sometimes a gas (steam). 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. Can you think of some Bible verses to back up your explanation? When discussing God, especially in regards to his nature, being and persons, a simple statement to articulate the Trinity is: God is 1, *. He completed a doctorate in 1990, looking at the question of harmonic rhythm in the organ music of J.S. The term Economic refers to the roles, functions, and relationships that exist within the Trinity. 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. 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). Who is God? I'm always interested in ways to encourage you, so feel free to contact me and let me know what areas interest you! Sadly, theres something "rotten" about this egg analogy. He got married there in 1965, and his four . When we speak of someone as being a "person", we often mean an individual who is separate from other people, or we simply mean a human being. This is why Jesus said, He who has seen Me, has seen the Father (John 14:9). Here are some of them: The problem with this is that it leads to the view that God is a Trinity simply because He relates differently to us at different times. Because God is utterly unique, all comparisons will fail at some point. Jesus is the Holy Spirit that saves us. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. I and My Father are One (John 10:30). And let us once more come to illustrations. 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. Here are four. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) Each one is fully 100% God. Celebrating Easter Is About so Much More Than One Hour on Sunday. A, distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A. is the whole nature or essence of something. If water is inadequate, there are a wide array of alternative analogies we can turn to in modern theological parlance. When we think about influential New Testament leaders, most names are male. His motto was that "There was a time when the son did not exist". The analogy breaks down because the three cloves are overly distinct and cannot represent the unity of God. One day, however, the image will be clear. All three persons exist at the same moment in history. For sure, our everyday experience does not include using our finite minds to understand the infinite! - well, sort of. Or have you ever tried to teach kids about the Trinity? The sun comprises the sun itself, its light and its heat. A good example would be an electrical cord. 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. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. Often these analogies explicitly teach heresy. 3:15; John 17:1-4, The Holy Spirit Acts 5:3-4; John 14:16-17, 26; John 16:7-13. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14). 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). If you say, "Jesus Christ" then you MAY BE incorrect. God is not made up of 3 'parts' like the 3 parts of the egg. I think the analogy of the Sun works well. Our limited intellects are unable to comprehend its reality, yet, our Scriptures and scholarly Tradition makes it known to us. God is much bigger than what we can understand yet He is close enough to us so that we can know some things about Him, though not completely and not everything. Some who deny the Trinity claim 1+1+1=3, and therefore claim we worship three Gods. It taught there is one nature in God, and that there are two processions, three persons, and four relations that constitute the Blessed Trinity. I can only shake my head when He does these things! Haydn Lea is an Associate Pastor in Queensland, and is currently studying his Master of Arts (Theology). 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. But if they give us a warped idea of what they are trying to explain, they arent helpful illustrations. Trinity Egg Analogy . This is just as bad as the Water analogy and leads to the same error. One thing that Ive found helpful is using the Trinity to illustrate truths we know about God. 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 is not important merely for the sake of tradition, or because the word itself is taught in the Bible (the word is not). Each one is fully God. How do we make sense of the Trinity? It does not imply Jesus was created if you emphasize that the Sun existed from eternity past. For instance, we know that God is perfectly loving. And whos the Holy Spirit? What we can understand and accept is that God exists eternally as one divine nature, substance, or essence, comprising three co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial personsthe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 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). Lastly, below is a helpful graphical chart explaining the doctrine of the Trinity I found from the Christian blog by Tim Challies found at Challies.com. Try starting your explanation with a simple definition and then ask for further questions: No one can completely know or understand God. This is the one I used long ago when trying to explain the Trinity to a group of 1st-5th graders. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. Yet there is only one God. A single molecule cannot simultaneously exist in three different states. FOR CENTURIES, the Church had fought against heresies on the Trinity. This is the Christmas paradox. From time to time, Doctors of the Church used analogies, but with care. In part one, we looked at what the Bible has to say about the Trinity. God is kind of like a man who is a father, a son and an uncle God is kind of like a three-leaf clover, or a triangle; one object, but three different, identifiable leaves, or sides* There would be three thrones. Unfortunately, no analogy is perfect. 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. . Further, his dialectic is guided by the particular consideration of what true love is: a trinity of lover, beloved and the love that binds . In the same way, water is all the same molecular structure, expressing itself in three different modes. He began to play the organ as a chorister in England, before continuing his studies in Qubec and France. The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. Modalism denies the distinction of person in the trinity. Stars were made on the froth day. These things are referred to as the Economic Trinity. Did I leave out any analogies? However, Christians through the ages believe in the Trinity because the truths it represents are taught in the Bible. These two analogies are the "water" analogy and the "egg" analogy. As a result the water molecule must change forms. Shively 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. The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. The Unseen Father keeps the Father that is seen, alive. 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. H2O can exist in three forms: liquid, gas and solid. The Son "proceeds" from the Father, and the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son.". The Biblical Principle Of Baptism By Fire, The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything, 3 Reasons Why Jesus Humanity Really Matters Her & Hymn, 3 Reasons Why Jesus' Humanity Really Matters, How Jesus Teaches Us To Be Human Her & Hymn. The egg white represents Gods Spirit. Indeed, how can an infinite God be contained in a finite human womb! The Church should not forget that these heresies still exist in the present day and is even being taught by some priests and catechists. The meme above discourages the use of analogies in explaining the Trinity. And then theres Jesus, Gods son. The Trinity is not real in my life because of superior knowledge or insight. 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. The Unseen Father would have been put into Satans prison. The idea that the Trinity can be compared to a shamrock is largely attributed to St. Patrick. Blessings! The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. The very definition of the heresy known as Modalism/Oneness is that there is one person existing in three different modes or manifestations. We Christians believe it on faith. 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. Not just for explaining it to others, but to bolster our own faith and see how each One works in our lives. Space Analogy God is like space. In Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 but more like 1 x 1 x 1. How so? We came up with several practical implications of this doctrine. Over the course of church history there have been several heresies that have cropped up that deny one of these three truths. If youre interested into diving deeper into the topic of the Trinity, here are some valuable resources that could help. How can we ever explain our Most High, exalted, powerful, uncontainable, and most glorious God? The Egg Analogy God is like an egg. 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? Well, the egg analogy, when applied to God, suggests that only one being exists but this being exists in three different parts. Now God can be in you by His Spirit! So whats one good way to explain what the Trinity is? Answer (1 of 25): Cynics assert that the idea of the Holy Trinity is a logical impossibility. Space consists of three things: height, width, and depth. The problem with this analogy is that it denies the distinction of persons in the God-head. John introduces us to the Trinity in John 1:1- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God. Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. In other words, this view denies Gods oneness. We wont find the word Trinity in the Bible, but the concept is shown in many verses. How would you explain the Trinity if someone asked you right now? Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,, , Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 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*. Devils see that Spirit as a tempestuious fire. The problem with this analogy is that it would imply that there is only one Divine Person, who eventually multiplied Himself. It is a miraculous invention, the egg. The Trinity is like an egg. In the second instance, the truth of Gods Trinity reveals a further aspect of Gods love for His people. 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. Lost will be ashes under the feet of the righteous. Therefore, we would rightly say, within the Ontological Trinity, there is no variation or distinction made. This is a worse analogy than the egg because it is more analogous to the heretical doctrine of Modalism/Oneness than for the Trinity. God is one. 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. The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. RELATED: The Biblical Principle Of Baptism By Fire. Analogies for the Trinity exist to explain the unexplainable. This analogy is an invalid comparison to the Trinity and is a heresy called PARTIALISM. The Council's definitions concerning the Trinity are really as easy as one, two, three four. This description that all persons are fully God is called the Ontological Trinity. HO may act as water, steam, or ice, but it is still HO. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. (Describing God as LOVE is my favorite way of understanding the Trinity. 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. Unfortunately, an analogy from the limited realm of creation may not be sufficient in explaining Gods nature. It does not represent 3 persons existing simultaneously. Or water can be evaporated and called steam. ANALOGY OF CHARACTERS. The shortfall of this illustration, and others like it, is that God cannot be divided into "parts." Explaining the Holy Trinity. We believe that it is a revelation that comes from Christ Himself. 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. And for a mere mortal to have dared invent it and be able t. THE TRUTH IS: From the very beginning, the Blessed Trinity Father, Son, and Spirit was there. Tritheism denies the unity of the God-head by saying there is just three different gods. . In one of his sermons, he wrestled with the passage in Scripture recounting Jesus' Baptism. He taught that the son was at one point created by God the father. The divine persons are really DISTINCT from one another, and not merely different roles of God at different times. 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). This analogy explains that the Father is like the sun. The Trinity is pretty weird: the Father (or Mother), Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are in some sense distinct from one another, but are all unified in another sense. So under modalism, God acts as the Father in the Old Testament, the son in the Gospels, and the Spirit in Acts and the Epistles. Despite its potential obscurity, Trinity Sunday is a great occasion for me to revisit an old article on the Trinity. But God is the eternal Light, which has neither had a beginning, nor shall ever fail. As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God. To the other major monotheistic faiths (Islam and Judaism), it is rank heresyTrinitarianism is therefore definitional to Christianity. 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. Both are one. They've always led to error and have been rejected by the church. Others compare God to an egg, which is part shell, part white, part yolk. The unity or oneness of God is also found in the Bible. I dont believe that God wishes us to be confused about the Three that are so apparent throughout the Old and New Testaments. 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. However, many of our faithful, and even priests, attempted to simplify the Mystery of the Trinity and made it easier to understand by using MODELS AND ANALOGIES, giving birth to modern-day heresies/fallacies about the Trinity. It falls into the heresy of tri-theism. This analogy denies the unity of the God-head. He differs from the Father, but was and still is God. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. Theyve transformed. 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. We can say that the first is egg the shell, the second is egg the albumen and the third is egg the yoke. They are three in one egg. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. Yet, the trinity is mysterious. To the other major monotheistic faiths (Islam and Judaism), it is rank heresyTrinitarianism is therefore definitional to Christianity. The Gospel is theperson, work, and message of Jesus Christ that provides salvation to all repentant believers. The Holy Spirit is Christs spirit in us guiding us into all truth. A certain YouTube page created a famous video titled "St. Patrick's Bad Analogies" (which can be found here), in which the historic St. Patrick meets charming villagers who deride him based on the analogies which he uses in the process of explaining the Holy Trinity. Each of the divine persons is GOD WHOLE AND ENTIRE, and there is one God. When we separate them we can fall into the error of tritheism, which is the worship of three individual deities as one. Time Analogy God is like time. is not). Its hard to explain! Water can be ice and steam, yet they are the same element. Or what? For example, an equilateral triangle (a triangle with three equal sides) has three sides. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. I dont believe that God wishes us to be confused about the Three that are so apparent throughout the Old and New Testaments. Born in England in 1961, Benjamin Waterhouse Benjamin Waterhouse has been the organist of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity since 2000. 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). Well the issue is, the water analogy is akin to the heresy of Modalism. 1 Corinthians 8:6: Yet for us there is but one God.. The three-leaf clover analogy is OK. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. John 17). Yet God lovingly chose to create and eventually redeem us anyway (both thoroughly Trinitarian acts), at great cost to Himself. Unfortunately, there is a problem with this view of the Trinity. The trinity is Like a man who is a father, husband, and son. The unseen Father is in Christs mind. 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. When they used the word person, they didnt mean it in the same way that we do today. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Father, Son, Holy Sprit : 3 persons, 1 great relationship, Copyright 2023 Fervr | Terms of Service. Its impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God. Each character of the trinity has in one another (cf. They are equally eternal, powerful, sovereign, and worthy of worship. Jesus isn't a demigod or partially god. Examples of these different roles would be: The Incarnation: Only the Son became incarnate, took on flesh. 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.
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