In the Scripture we see "the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Col 1:9). Trinity Egg Analogy . This is perhaps the most common analogy for the Trinity. These things are referred to as the Economic Trinity. One popular and simple illustration of the Trinity is the egg. A Simple Way to Explain the Trinity - Keith Ferrin Light comes from God. The Father sends the Son, and both the Father and Son send 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. The mystery is in the "how" this is accomplished; something we will finally understand in heaven. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. While each person is distinct, they are never separate from one another. Do you know why I keep saying God is like an egg (or H2O) but God is not like an egg (or H2O)? Each person is fully the one God, but is also distinct. Arianism is named after the heretic Arius. - well, sort of. A good example would be an electrical cord. Each one is fully 100% God. You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. He has been a member of the Royal Australian Air Force since 2007, and is now training to be an Air Force Chaplain. Therefore, there is one God, who is eternally present in three persons. 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? Stars were made on the forth day. In other words, this view denies Gods oneness. RELATED: The Biblical Principle Of Baptism By Fire. What is wrong with what I said? Christians believe, then, that only one God exists but this God exists as a unity of three persons: a Trinity. As we examine the scriptural witness we see three truths that make up the doctrine of the trinity. On a whim, I looked up the lyrics at a later time. One of the more traditional analogies is to the states of water. 2:5-6; Col. 1:15-17, 2:9; Heb. As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God. This would make Jesus something less than fully God. 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. This description that all persons are fully God is called the Ontological Trinity. 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. In other words, God may manifest Himself as the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. Truly, it is a Mystery. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. H2O can only ever be one form at a time. He cares for his creation and his people. 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. 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.) All Rights Reserved. Others compare God to an egg, which is part shell, part white, part yolk. His motto was that "There was a time when the son did not exist". Father, Son, Holy Sprit : 3 persons, 1 great relationship, Copyright 2023 Fervr | Terms of Service. A, distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A. is the whole nature or essence of something. If you say, "water" then you are incorrect. In the same way is God being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. 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. MULTIPLICATION ANALOGY. 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. A good example would be an electrical cord. 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). God is like H2Olike water. 2. While an egg has a yolk, a white and a shell to make up the whole, each part is only ever . THE DISTINCTION AND UNITY of the Trinity is not for us to fully understand because it is a supernatural mystery. But if they give us a warped idea of what they are trying to explain, they arent helpful illustrations. What Is the Trinity | Holy Trinity in the Bible | Explore God The Trinity is distinct in their roles and individuality, but united in their attributes of love, mercy, holiness, knowledge, etc. My prayer is to infuse God's character into your everyday lives with short ( 4-5") devotions and Bible Studies every Monday morning. For example, we know that God didnt create humanity because He bored or lonely. Misunderstanding 1: The transforming trinity Unfortunately, Arianism is still around and can found within the Jehovah's Witnesses teachings. Have you wondered what is God like? This may be my favorite verse of them all. 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. Not just for explaining it to others, but to bolster our own faith and see how each One works in our lives. Unfortunately, an analogy from the limited realm of creation may not be sufficient in explaining Gods nature. The Cathedral - The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Quebec, Canada If youve been involved in ministries for children or young people, questions about the Trinity have most likely come up. Analogies that we present would always be insufficient as none of them would equate to the incomprehensible beauty of God. Since these bad analogies tend to lead to a heresy, we will examine the main three areas of heresy concerning the trinity. 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). Water Analogy God is like water, or H2O, which can exist in 3 forms. Water at room temperature is liquid. So much of what we know about what God does is wrapped up in who He is. 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! 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. Well the issue is, the water analogy is akin to the heresy of Modalism. Why is it wrong? As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God. Analogies of the Trinity. He was with God in the beginning. I think the analogy of the Sun works well. Water has three states: solid, liquid, and gas. To put it simply, "The problem with using analogies to explain the Holy Trinity is that you always end up confessing some ancient heresy." . Time Analogy God is like time. But its all water. Further, his dialectic is guided by the particular consideration of what true love is: a trinity of lover, beloved and the love that binds . Water can be ice and steam, yet they are the same element. If you looked at a single cloverleaf, you wouldnt call it a shamrock. 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. 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. Eggs are one, yet comprise yolk, shell and albumen. One thing that Ive found helpful is using the Trinity to illustrate truths we know about God. We came up with several practical implications of this doctrine. I bet I havent sung or heard this song in years! But if modalism is true, and the Trinity really is like water, then the story of Jesus (the Son) praying to the Father as recorded in the Bible seems like an awfully strange masquerade. The meme above discourages the use of analogies in explaining the Trinity. St. Augustine, one of the most important Fathers of the Church, wrote a great deal on the doctrine of the Trinity. (Describing God as LOVE is my favorite way of understanding the Trinity. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. Trinity Analogies that End Up as Heresies - Medium It is not existing as 3 different parts (persons) at the same time. 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. 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. . Yet others have thought that H20 (water) shows us the Trinity since H20 can be three things: solid (ice), liquid (running water) and vapor (steam). This is a bad analogy because it fails at the truth that all three persons comprise the fullness of God. The word Trinity comes from the Latin word trinitas which means tri-unity. The doctrine of the Trinity tells us that there's ONE GOD who is THREE distinct PERSONS existing as a community of self-giving and loving relationships with each other. A person distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A being is the whole nature or essence of something. A chicken egg consists of a shell, a yolk, and an egg white, yet it is altogether one egg. There is only one egg with three different parts. For them, a person is someone who could relate to another. In contrast to the Ontological Trinity, there is the Economic Trinity. Matthew 3:16-17- As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Let's use an egg to explain the Holy Trinity! The three parts create a unified whole. The trinity is a like a Three-Leaf Clover. They are three in one egg. 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. We believe that it is a revelation that comes from Christ Himself. At times God is Father, or Son, or Holy Spirit. What does the Bible teach about the Trinity? | GotQuestions.org "The Egg and i - A Simple Explanation of The Trinity" - cafe Logos The three-leaf clover analogy is OK. ), The Son Phil. Dont become discouraged if you cant answer the question to your liking. 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. The idea that the Trinity can be compared to a shamrock is largely attributed to St. Patrick. They are unified in one divine being. In the same way, there is a God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. 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. PART OF A WHOLE. There are many mysteries to our faith. 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. . In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. The best analogy for the Trinity (hold your stones) - The Project on Each part of the egg make up only one portion of the wholethe yolk is not the fullness of the egg. The Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. The word God in this sense is defined as a single being, having all divine attributes. Water Analogy - God is like water, or H2O, which can exist in 3 forms. Arianism denies the deity of each person in the trinity. 1A) Dave is a son of Graham and Lois Armstrong. God does not play three roles.. Sadly, theres something "rotten" about this egg analogy. The Unseen Father is in Christs mind. The divine persons are really DISTINCT from one another, and not merely different roles of God at different times. Jesus was standing in the Jordan River, His Father speaks from heaven above, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him as a dove. The Holy Spirit is the shell, Jesus is the egg white, and the Father is the egg yolk. He taught that the son was at one point created by God the father. If all you had were an eggshell, you wouldnt have a very exciting breakfast. 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. All three persons exist at the same moment in history. It leads to the heresy of MODALISM which teaches that God switches to different modes. History, lifestyle, family, music, theology, scripture, literature, the saints, church history, parenting, politics, prayer, the pope, and more. The Trinity is like waterand other bad analogies If water is inadequate, there are a wide array of alternative analogies we can turn to in modern theological parlance. So, I shot down a lot of images that seems to be pretty helpful. 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). How can we ever explain our Most High, exalted, powerful, uncontainable, and most glorious God? The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk . The Son was begotten by the Father IN ETERNITY, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. My intention is merely to address some common erroneous analogies, including water. His being is somewhat of a mystery to us. My interview: https://www.readlotswritelot.com/wp/podcast/episode-21-john-k-adams/, More from Catholicism for the Modern World, https://www.readlotswritelot.com/wp/podcast/episode-21-john-k-adams/. 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. 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. 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). There would be three thrones. These hand embroidered emblems are made with metallic gold-plated thread with silver content, printed on canvas. 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. Another wrong illustration is using ourselves: I am one person, but also a wife, mother, and writer. The Unseen Father keeps the Father that is seen, alive. He has one essenceone substance. Analogies often fall short. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three different parts or components of God, but the three are all equally one God. This analogy denies the distinction of the God-head. Similarly, light and heat are simply creations of the sun, yet it is the heresy of Arianism to claim that the Son or Spirit are mere creations of the Father. Paul explains our finite understanding of beliefs like the Trinity as looking into a poor-quality mirror- a distorted image; dim and unclear. God does not just change forms but exists as three persons in unity. Yeah its definitely a hard thing to understand, let alone explain to little ones ! These two analogies are the "water" analogy and the "egg" analogy. 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. Tritheism denies that there is only one God. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Spirit are three different persons who are all equally one God. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. Arius was condemned by the council of Nicea in 325 AD. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. Love your blogs! A good follow up verse to help explain is the baptism of Jesus. The very definition of the heresy known as Modalism/Oneness is that there is one person existing in three different modes or manifestations. According to modalism, God does not actually exist in three persons. They suggest that only one God exists but this God transforms or morphs into each of the different persons. They suggest that only one God exists but this God transforms or morphs into each of the different persons Let's begin with the second view. 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. This is a general rule when we study this Mystery using our human weakness since it is absolutely impossible for our human minds to comprehend the Divine. Arianism clearly denies the deity of the three persons. In an attempt to explain the Trinity, there are some bad examples people use, and some better ones. But understanding the Trinity is important. But having lots 6 Bible Study Tools To Help You Dive Deeper. But they are one God. Copyright 2023 Christian Today. Its downright hard to understand. The past is not the present and the present is not the future, yet all three together is what we call time. The trinity is like water. The idea that the Trinity can be compared to a shamrock is largely attributed to St. Patrick. Just like an egg, none of the parts are co-equal, nor are all of the parts necessary for the egg to exist. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. God is like an egg in that He is 3-in-1 God the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. God is like H2O in that the Bible may refer to a specific person of the Trinity but that person is still God. When we view the egg in its entirety we have the Biblical Trinity, One that is Three. 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. One cannot remove the Holy Spirit and still have the God as taught in the Bible. The concept is literally unthinkable. The egg white represents Gods Spirit. They all exist as fully God, with none of them lacking in any attribute or aspect that defines God. 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. When you encounter a person or group who denies the Trinity, it is merely a matter of walking through these 3 points, to see where they diverge from Biblical teaching. Yet God lovingly chose to create and eventually redeem us anyway (both thoroughly Trinitarian acts), at great cost to Himself. 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*. God is not made up of 3 parts like the 3 parts of the egg. Like modalism, the "three beings" view was rejected by the early church. Jesus is the Holy Spirit that saves us. See the depths of Catholicism for yourself! show me your glory. To help you out, here is a comical and silly video that teaches about these bad analogies. This analogy is an invalid comparison to the Trinity and is a heresy called PARTIALISM. Again, this analogy doesnt work because God doesnt morph, change, or become different aspects of Himself. Yet there is only one God. So while its tough to make sense of the Trinity, the Trinity actually helps us make sense of so many things we believe. For those, like myself, who are not from a highly-liturgical denomination, it may come as a surprise that June 11 was Trinity Sunday. The Holy Trinity: Egg Analogy by Sharmaine Pagtakhan - Prezi Or water can be evaporated and called steam. Your email address will not be published. Analogies for the Trinity exist to explain the unexplainable. 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. ORDER from Barnes and NobleAmazon.com or wherever fine books are soldISBN-13: 978-1978167643Return to Cafe Logos Homepage | Bite-Sized Bible Bites. All Scripture is taken from the NIV version unless otherwise specified, Author Ignace Franz, translated by Clarence A. Walworth. An analogy illustrates that in a similar way, one shamrock can have three leaves on it, and the trinity has three persons that comprise one God. These are likewise erroneous or even heretical. And for a mere mortal to have dared invent it and be able t. Each of the persons is that supreme reality, viz., the divine substance, essence or nature. (Lateran Council IV), 4. This analogy denies the unity of the God-head. 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. So "son" = "Dave". 1:8-12; 1 Pet. TO AVOID HERESIES, LET US LIVE BY WHAT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO US: 1. 3 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. We have the creeds for just that reason. Our limited intellects are unable to comprehend its reality, yet, our Scriptures and scholarly Tradition makes it known to us. If you only had an apple core, you wouldnt pack it in your lunch. 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 trinity is a mystery that cannot be fully comprehended. This analogy actually falls prey to the same error of modalism. 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. To the other major monotheistic faiths (Islam and Judaism), it is rank heresyTrinitarianism is therefore definitional to Christianity. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. What portion is erroneous? 7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christs gift., , according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure., , But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.. Jonathon serves as a lay pastor at Gospel Life Church in New Braunfels, TX and currently works as the IT Manager for a non-profit ministry. Indeed, how can an infinite God be contained in a finite human womb! in that He is not made up of three parts one part () the Father, another part () Jesus Christ and a third part () the Holy Spirit.
