The word Trinity comes from the Latin word trinitas which means tri-unity. The problem with this analogy is that no one molecule of H2O can actually exist as solid, liquid, and gas at the same time. God has revealed some mysteries from the Old Testament in the New Testament (the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the coming of the Messiah, salvation by grace through faith, etc.) According to the first, just as water takes three forms (liquid, vapor, and ice), so too God takes the form of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 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. Or what? Celebrating Easter Is About so Much More Than One Hour on Sunday. Each one is fully 100% God. PART OF A WHOLE. This view, also known as "modalism", was rejected by the early church. No analogy is perfect, but we want to be careful of using wrong ones that may confuse people. When we separate them we can fall into the error of tritheism, which is the worship of three individual deities as one. Just as water changes forms so too is the trinity. But, when it's heated, it turns into a gas (steam) and, when it's frozen, it turns into a solid (ice). The Holy Trinity: Egg Analogy by Sharmaine Pagtakhan - Prezi The three parts create a unified whole. What makes it hard is that all of our analogies and metaphors fall short of capturing what the Trinity actually is. The Trinity is like an egg. A good example would be an electrical cord. Often these analogies explicitly teach heresy. 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. However, keep in mind that the one being who is God is a personal being. The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 but more like 1 x 1 x 1. Which ones have you heard? Relationship Analogy (Husband/Son/Father) God is like a person with different relationships just as a man can be a Dad, but also someones Son, and also someones Husband. This is a bad analogy because it fails at the truth that all three persons comprise the fullness of God. 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. That is why Moses said. You know, that bearded guy on the throne who looks something like Zeus, right? In Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). Thanks, Ann! We Christians believe it on faith. I did read about the shamrock analogy! If the Sun existed from eternity past then so were the light rays from the Sun. H2O can only ever be one form at a time. God does not morph from one person to another, nor does God exist as three separate beings. Born in England in 1961, Benjamin Waterhouse Benjamin Waterhouse has been the organist of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity since 2000. Youre right, theyre all good but not perfect because only God IS perfect. As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God. What portion is erroneous? In this episode, Fred Sanders discusses what it really means to say that God is a Trinitythree persons in one God. Understanding 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. Or water can be evaporated and called steam. And the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son. The unseen Father is in Christs mind. An explanation that is so common, and seemingly does elucidate how something can simultaneously be three and onecan it really be that bad? But you cannot be broken when your faith is in Jesus, for the Spirit of the Son that lives in us and gives us the voice through which we cry Abba, Father, (Galatians 4:6,) this Spirit of the Father that dwells within you is there to strengthen, protect and guard your person. The Cathedral - The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Quebec, Canada He has not yet revealed some mysteries (what did Jesus do in His childhood, when will He return, what does the word Selah mean in the Old Testament- and so many more.). Jesus was standing in the Jordan River, His Father speaks from heaven above, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him as a dove. It is a miraculous invention, the egg. The trinity is Like a man who is a father, husband, and son. 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. And we know that because the Persons of the Godhead have perfectly blessed and exalted each other for all eternity. Water is water, but exists in three different forms: liquid, frozen, or steam. He has been relationally fulfilled within Himself since forever. In scripture we see explicit trinitarian references, especially at Jesus' baptism where the Father speaks, the Spirit descends, and the Son is in the water. If one of the persons were not there, then we would not have God. 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. Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. 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. While an egg has a yolk, a white and a shell to make up the whole, each part is only ever . 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. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is not His" (Romans 8:9). So much of what we know about what God does is wrapped up in who He is. 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. If water is inadequate, there are a wide array of alternative analogies we can turn to in modern theological parlance. Studying the Trinity poses difficulty to us Catholics. Others compare God to an egg, which is part shell, part white, part yolk. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three different parts or components of God, but the . How do we make sense of the Trinity? Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. The Egg and I - Part Two There have been many attempts to explain the Trinity the relationship between God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 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. But its all the same person, operating in three roles or functions. 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. They say that three separate beings exist, 2. Common, yes. They've always led to error and have been rejected by the church. The word Trinity comes from the Latin word trinitas which means tri-unity. The divine persons are really DISTINCT from one another, and not merely different roles of God at different times. 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. These images fall short, because these components arent enough to be considered a whole on their own. Check out verse four: Holy Author, Holy Word, Holy Spirit, three we name thee; Still, one holy voice is heard; undivided God, we claim thee, and adoring bend the knee, while we own the mystery. . Each of the divine persons is GOD WHOLE AND ENTIRE, and there is one God. Devils see that Spirit as a tempestuious fire. "The Egg and i - A Simple Explanation of The Trinity" - cafe Logos To become the people we were always created to be. Each Person in the Trinity (or the Godhead) is fully God and fully a Person. A good example would be an electrical cord. 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* And let us once more come to illustrations. The analogy breaks down because the three cloves are overly distinct and cannot represent the unity of God. Yet, the trinity is mysterious. Explaining the Holy Trinity. H2O can exist as a solid, a liquid and a gas but they are all still H2O. Yeah its definitely a hard thing to understand, let alone explain to little ones ! Therefore, in this context, God is the what and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the who. The shortfall of this illustration, and others like it, is that God cannot be divided into "parts." Therefore, in this context, God is the what and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the who. is not). But you cannot be broken when your faith is in Jesus, for the Spirit of the Son that lives in us and gives us the voice through which we cry Abba, Father, (Galatians 4:6,) this Spirit of the Father that dwells within you is there to strengthen, protect and guard your person. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. This little child cannot look at one without experiencing a profound sense of wonderment and awe. 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. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. But God is the eternal Light, which has neither had a beginning, nor shall ever fail. There is one GOD in three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), 2. This is why Jesus said, He who has seen Me, has seen the Father (John 14:9). Although he is one he has different roles to different people. A man might be a father to his children, a husband to his wife, and son to his parents. All three persons exist at the same moment in history. He has been a member of the Royal Australian Air Force since 2007, and is now training to be an Air Force Chaplain. If you say, "Jesus Christ" then you MAY BE incorrect. 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. 2 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each God. Each person is fully God (Phil 2; Acts 5:3-4). The visual form of God seperated from Jesus on the cross. Arius was condemned by the council of Nicea in 325 AD. Matthew 3:16-17- As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. For those, like myself, who are not from a highly-liturgical denomination, it may come as a surprise that June 11 was Trinity Sunday. But they are one God. 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 problem with this analogy is that it teaches that God has three components: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 3. Another analogy that Tim remembers, being Irish Catholic, is the analogy of the shamrock with its three parts. Understanding the Trinity - Busy Blessed Women I think the analogy of the Sun works well. We all want to experience the good life. 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 Trinity is distinct in their roles and individuality, but united in their attributes of love, mercy, holiness, knowledge, etc. What is the Trinity? Living Theologically Being the brightness of the eternal Light, He Himself also is absolutely eternal. 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*. 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. 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.