Examples of these different roles would be: The Incarnation: Only the Son became incarnate, took on flesh. 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. When we view the egg in its entirety we have the Biblical Trinity, One that is Three. In this episode, Fred Sanders discusses what it really means to say that God is a Trinitythree persons in one God. The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, constructed between 1800 and 1804, is the first Anglican cathedral to have been built outside the British Isles. Each Person in the Trinity (or the Godhead) is fully God and fully a Person. The idea that the Trinity can be compared to a shamrock is largely attributed to St. Patrick. Others compare God to an egg, which is part shell, part white, part yolk. They say that three separate beings exist 2. God is like an egg in that He is 3-in-1 God the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity are three distinct persons who exist apart from each other. Light comes from God. The past is not the present and the present is not the future, yet all three together is what we call time. 1:8-12; 1 Pet. These images fall short, because these components arent enough to be considered a whole on their own. 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*. As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God. The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. Each one is fully 100% God. Some people have suggested using an egg to explain how God can be both one and three. 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. He has one essenceone substance. These hand embroidered emblems are made with metallic gold-plated thread with silver content, printed on canvas. Haydn Lea is an Ordained Minister, and is currently serving as an Air Force Chaplain in Adelaide. Therefore, there is one God, who is eternally present in three persons. RELATED: What Does The Bible Say About Ghosts? An explanation that is so common, and seemingly does elucidate how something can simultaneously be three and onecan it really be that bad? 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. But while this idea is central to the Christian faith, it is also incredibly mysterious to us. 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. Every kid in Sunday school thinks he knows all about God. It taught there is one nature in God, and that there are two processions, three persons, and four relations that constitute the Blessed Trinity. Arianism denies the deity of each person in the trinity. So whats one good way to explain what the Trinity is? Therefore the eternal brightness shines forth before Him, and co-exists with Him, in that, existing without a beginning, and always begotten, He always shines before Him; and He is that Wisdom which says, I was that wherein He delighted, and I was daily His delight before His face at all times.. Trinity Egg Analogy . 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. The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 but more like 1 x 1 x 1. There would be three thrones. In an attempt to explain the Trinity, there are some bad examples people use, and some better ones. 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. An essential factor lacking from those concepts is the relational quality of God. TO AVOID HERESIES, LET US LIVE BY WHAT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO US: 1. 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. So, the egg analogy doesnt work after all. It does not imply Jesus was created if you emphasize that the Sun existed from eternity past. I think the illustration that represents the Trinity most accurately is the egg example. Water is water, but exists in three different forms: liquid, frozen, or steam. 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). 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. We can touch the cord, but not the power it is insulating. Is He Jesus side-kick? Yet God lovingly chose to create and eventually redeem us anyway (both thoroughly Trinitarian acts), at great cost to Himself. God is NOT like H2O in that He does not need the right pressure and temperature to exist as three persons. Dont you know Jesus? Notice the distinction between persons and being. we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,neither blending their personsnor dividing their essence. I never thought about it in that way some of these examples Ive never heard of. The Holy Spirit is Christs spirit in us guiding us into all truth. This analogy denies the unity of the God-head. Similarly, in our aquatic analogy, water can appear in three different modes, depending on the environment, but the three are not co-existing. Many of these analogies have the best of intentions, but God cannot be described in a way we can fully comprehend or rationalize. If the sun exists, there is also day; if nothing of this be manifest, it is impossible that the sun should be there. What is H2O? In the Scripture we see "the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Col 1:9). This is the error of Arianism (not to be confused with Aryanism, which is also bad). . Our limited intellects are unable to comprehend its reality, yet, our Scriptures and scholarly Tradition makes it known to us. 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. Required fields are marked *. The Egg Analogy God is like an egg. The trinity is not a contradiction, but a paradox. The Son is not the Father or the 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. But theres one problem: the water analogy is not the biblical picture of God. Although the water changes forms it is still H2O. This is perhaps the most common analogy for the Trinity. You know, that bearded guy on the throne who looks something like Zeus, right? God is much bigger and much greater than we can understand, and to be honest, I'm ok with that. The Unseen Father keeps the Father that is seen, alive. There have been many attempts to explain the Trinity the relationship between God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. But they are one God. 2 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each God. So, I shot down a lot of images that seems to be pretty helpful. He has been relationally fulfilled within Himself since forever. But its all water. But thats not how they understood it. I and My Father are One (John 10:30). Jesus loves us so much that he did not obliterate people who died, with power that set stars in the universe. The mystery is in the "how" this is accomplished; something we will finally understand in heaven. So cool that God imparted that song in your mind and heart before you even wrote this blog post! These attributes are: omnipotence (all-powerful), omniscience (all-knowing), and omnipresence (exists in all places). My intention is merely to address some common erroneous analogies, including water. He differs from the Father, but was and still is God. The Holy Trinity: Egg Analogy The Holy Trinity is GOD in three divine persons GOD the FATHER GOD the HOLY SPIRIT GOD the SON But together they makeup and are still ONE GOD Like how an egg is made up of three things but is still ONE EGG. Adorn your liturgical vestments with classic images from the Monastery Icons collection. The Sun was created on the forth day. 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. Often these analogies explicitly teach heresy. 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. This book is now available in a published format for easy sharing and classroom use. They are three in one egg. So "son" = "Dave". Located in the heart of Quebec's historic district, it is a source of inspiration for visitors from around the world. - well, sort of. What makes it hard is that all of our analogies and metaphors fall short of capturing what the Trinity actually is. Dont grieve the Holy Spirit out of you. Ontological means the nature or essence of something. 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 visual form of God seperated from Jesus on the cross. 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. . He also knows how to perfectly love us. So when God created us and revealed Himself to us, what He did was to invite us into the perfect goodness He has always known within Himself. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. It is still H20, but just different forms. They that dont have the Holy Spirit in them will talk like the Adversary. Like modalism, the "three beings" view was rejected by the early church. History, lifestyle, family, music, theology, scripture, literature, the saints, church history, parenting, politics, prayer, the pope, and more. An egg is made up of shell, white and yolk. None of the 3 are less divine than the others. The scientific analogy that will be provided in a few moments is truly inadequate to describe the Holy Trinity. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength (1 Corinthians 1:25). The trinity is an essential doctrine to the Christian faith. According to modalism, God does not actually exist in three persons. 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. Unfortunately, an analogy from the limited realm of creation may not be sufficient in explaining Gods nature. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. 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.. So, in God, there are three distinct persons. 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). The unity or oneness of God is also found in the Bible. How can we ever explain our Most High, exalted, powerful, uncontainable, and most glorious God? RELATED: What Did Jesus Really Look Like? 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.). Each one is fully 100% God. It does not represent 3 persons existing simultaneously. But, when it's heated, it turns into a gas (steam) and, when it's frozen, it turns into a solid (ice). There have been many attempts to explain the Trinity the relationship between God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This little child cannot look at one without experiencing a profound sense of wonderment and awe. Jesus is the visual form of God. That is why Moses said. Haydn Lea is an Associate Pastor in Queensland, and is currently studying his Master of Arts (Theology). Again, this analogy doesnt work because God doesnt morph, change, or become different aspects of Himself. Arianism clearly denies the deity of the three persons. See the depths of Catholicism for yourself! 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. 3 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons. The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. HO may act as water, steam, or ice, but it is still HO. Its hard to explain! But the Trinity is our belief as Christians that God is one being who exists in three Persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. Each one is fully God. Unfortunately, most of them actually give us the wrong idea about what the Trinity is. H2O is a combination of two particles (atoms) of hydrogen and one particle of oxygen and this compound can exist as water (liquid), ice (solid) and vapour (gas). Arius was condemned by the council of Nicea in 325 AD. 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. Therefore, we would rightly say, within the Ontological Trinity, there is no variation or distinction made. In other words, this view denies Gods oneness. 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. Why is it wrong? Your email address will not be published. No analogy is perfect, but we want to be careful of using wrong ones that may confuse people. These two analogies are the "water" analogy and the "egg" analogy. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:13). In Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). So, part of understanding the Trinity is realizing that God is personal and relational. God controls that light. This is the one I used long ago when trying to explain the Trinity to a group of 1st-5th graders. This is why Jesus said, He who has seen Me, has seen the Father (John 14:9). 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. Each one is fully God. Celebrating Easter Is About so Much More Than One Hour on Sunday. How can God be Three in One? A, distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A. is the whole nature or essence of something. The problem with this analogy is that it denies the distinction of persons in the God-head. 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). 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. If you say, "Jesus Christ" then you MAY BE incorrect. His ways are higher than ours, but isnt that a comfort?! The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. To the other major monotheistic faiths (Islam and Judaism), it is rank heresyTrinitarianism is therefore definitional to Christianity. Sadly, theres something "rotten" about this egg analogy. They suggest that only one God exists but this God transforms or morphs into each of the different persons. A chicken egg consists of a shell, a yolk, and an egg white, yet it is altogether one egg. 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. But it cant be that way with God. RELATED: Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead? Matthew 3:16-17- As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. But this idea is central to the Christian faith. It is not existing as 3 different parts (persons) at the same time. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. 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. The Latin word for trinity (trinitas) combines two words- unitas (unity) and trias (three). As we examine the scriptural witness we see three truths that make up the doctrine of the trinity. Similarly, people have used the example of the apple in the same way- skin, flesh, and seeds. I go to prepare a place for you. There are some analogies that come close. Take a moment and give it a try. It is the Central Mystery of our Christian faith. Its impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God. 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. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. In one of his sermons, he wrestled with the passage in Scripture recounting Jesus' Baptism. 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). Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. This is a place to find encouragement and hope from God's Word as you move through your busy life. One popular and simple illustration of the Trinity is the egg. Jesus, visually seen, judges all, not the Unseen Father. Believing in the above 3 points leads all Christians to acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity. 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. This would make Jesus something less than fully God. It only has 1 person acting in three different roles.