Jesus, visually seen, judges all, not the Unseen Father. To the other major monotheistic faiths (Islam and Judaism), it is rank heresyTrinitarianism is therefore definitional to Christianity. Although God is transcendent, sovereign, unapproachable light, He has condescended to reveal something of Himself to His creation. Modalism denies the distinction of person in the trinity. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQLfgaUoQCw. The word trinity is not in the Scriptures, but is a word used to describe the three in one God revealed in the Bible. Genesis 1:26- Let us make man in our image, in our likeness The plural us and our show more than one person was involved. It does not imply Jesus was created if you emphasize that the Sun existed from eternity past. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him to equip Him for His ministry. Here are a couple "usefully flawed" analogies for the Trinity. I dont know how our majestic God feels about being compared to watermelons and eggs, but He is also a loving Father, and like any father, I believe God would seek to provide simple explanations so His little children can understand. The Council's definitions concerning the Trinity are really as easy as one, two, three four. The shortfall of this illustration, and others like it, is that God cannot be divided into "parts." The problem with this analogy is that an egg yoke is of a very different substance than a shell. Water Analogy God is like water, or H2O, which can exist in 3 forms. Analogies that we present would always be insufficient as none of them would equate to the incomprehensible beauty of God. Each character of the trinity has in one another (cf. Bach, and has released two previous CDs, one . In the second instance, the truth of Gods Trinity reveals a further aspect of Gods love for His people. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. Also, the egg is made up of three distinct and unalike parts. Although he is one he has different roles to different people. 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). The Egg and I - Part Two 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. Now God can be in you by His Spirit! A person distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A being is the whole nature or essence of something. Yet, these persons are not separate from one another. Further, we can label each of the sides. My name is AnnMarie and I'm so glad you're here! 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. 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). 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). Devils see that Spirit as a tempestuious fire. But we can (and should) have a solid foundation to explain this core belief of our faith. When we view the egg in its entirety we have the Biblical Trinity, One that is Three. The Trinity is like an egg. None of the 3 are less divine than the others. 3 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons. The Holy Spirit is the shell, Jesus is the egg white, and the Father is the egg yolk. An egg has a shell, white, and yolk, but these three are part of an egg or Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao but the same Philippines. 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. St. Augustine, one of the most important Fathers of the Church, wrote a great deal on the doctrine of the Trinity. And then theres Jesus, Gods son. The egg white represents Gods Spirit. At the Cathedral, we recognize that there are responsibilities that come with . The past is not the present and the present is not the future, yet all three together is what we call time. God is much bigger and much greater than we can understand, and to be honest, I'm ok with that. The trinity is a like a Three-Leaf Clover. 1:8-12; 1 Pet. Why is it wrong? The problem with this analogy is that it teaches that God has three components: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 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). 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. This analogy is an invalid comparison to the Trinity and is a heresy called PARTIALISM. Some who deny the Trinity claim 1+1+1=3, and therefore claim we worship three Gods. Memory, Understanding, and Will. 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. At times God is Father, or Son, or Holy Spirit. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each called Jehovah (or Spirit of Jehovah), given divine attributes, and are distinguished from one another. 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. The trinity is an essential doctrine to the Christian faith. Pingback: 3 Reasons Why Jesus Humanity Really Matters Her & Hymn, Pingback: 3 Reasons Why Jesus' Humanity Really Matters, Pingback: How Jesus Teaches Us To Be Human Her & Hymn. The very definition of the heresy known as Modalism/Oneness is that there is one person existing in three different modes or manifestations. Few if any have every tried to teach the heresy of Tritheism, but it needs to be mentioned anyway. The Unseen Father is in Christs mind. Modalism teaches that the trinity is not three distinct persons, but just different modes that God reveals himself to human beings. How can we ever explain our Most High, exalted, powerful, uncontainable, and most glorious God? 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. Good and Bad Analogies of the Trinity - Answers . Can you think of some Bible verses to back up your explanation? However, it breaks down on the level of equality: No one keeps or eats the shell of an egg. It is not existing as 3 different parts (persons) at the same time. This analogy denies the unity of the God-head. I go to prepare a place for you. We Christians believe it on faith. The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, constructed between 1800 and 1804, is the first Anglican cathedral to have been built outside the British Isles. 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. But its all the same person, operating in three roles or functions. Cool it down, and itll eventually freeze into a solid. 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. Each side is co-equal with the others, yet, each side is necessary. The meme above discourages the use of analogies in explaining the Trinity. He cares for his creation and his people. We can touch the cord, but not the power it is insulating. The scientific analogy that will be provided in a few moments is truly inadequate to describe the Holy Trinity. show me your glory. 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). So, the egg analogy doesnt work after all. Love was not given to Jesus. 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. So, in God, there are three distinct persons. There are three different cloves that represent the three different persons of the trinity. God is not made up of 3 'parts' like the 3 parts of the egg. Water is water, but exists in three different forms: liquid, frozen, or steam. 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. These are likewise erroneous or even heretical. In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. It is still H20, but just different forms. Water has three states: solid, liquid, and gas. To help you out, here is a comical and silly video that teaches about these bad analogies. This book is now available in a published format for easy sharing and classroom use. It only has 1 person acting in three different roles. If youve been involved in ministries for children or young people, questions about the Trinity have most likely come up. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. TO AVOID HERESIES, LET US LIVE BY WHAT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO US: 1. 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. 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. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. Jesus is the Holy Spirit that saves us. In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. PART OF A WHOLE. 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. 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. When discussing God, especially in regards to his nature, being and persons, a simple statement to articulate the Trinity is: God is 1, *. So, I shot down a lot of images that seems to be pretty helpful. They say that three separate beings exist 2. Some people have suggested using an egg to explain how God can be both one and three. Haydn Lea is an Ordained Minister, and is currently serving as an Air Force Chaplain in Adelaide. If all you had were an eggshell, you wouldnt have a very exciting breakfast. Our limited intellects are unable to comprehend its reality, yet, our Scriptures and scholarly Tradition makes it known to us. Sending of another: The Father sends the Son, and both the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit. He has one essenceone substance. We worship one God who exists in three persons. In using analogies, we need to acknowledge the demerits and limitations of the said analogy. Indeed, how can an infinite God be contained in a finite human womb! What is the Trinity? 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). Space consists of three things: height, width, and depth. While an egg has a yolk, a white and a shell to make up the whole, each part is only ever . We might call one side A, another side B, and the other C. So, there is a distinction between each of the sides, yet, all three are the same. This is because the H20 is changing forms in representing each person. Revelation 4:3And 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. That fire keeps devils away from the saved. 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. We can touch the cord, but not the power it is insulating. This analogy sounds pretty good, but it is fatally flawed in that is describes the Son and Spirit as creations of the Father. Therefore it behoves us to know what He has revealed (including the Trinity), and to lovingly worship Him accordingly. 3. Afterall, we can get rid of a few of its parts - for instance the shell - and still scramble an egg. One day, however, the image will be clear. 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. He began to play the organ as a chorister in England, before continuing his studies in Qubec and France. In reality, I change my role depending on who I am interacting with. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. When we view the egg in its entirety we have the Biblical Trinity, One that is Three. 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. 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. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. 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 Holy Spirit is the shell, Jesus is the egg white, and the Father is the egg yolk. 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. Jesus is the visual form of God. Because God is utterly unique, all comparisons will fail at some point. But in the Godhead, each Person is fully and completely God unto Himself (even as they are all one God). The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 butmore like 1 x 1 x 1.You can throw away one part of an egg (e.g., shell) and still have essentially an egg. Jesus would have remained in the tomb, or hell, had Jesus sinned. However, keep in mind that the one being. I dont believe that God wishes us to be confused about the Three that are so apparent throughout the Old and New Testaments. 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). Before I even began writing this post, I had an unusual song stuck in my head Holy God, we praise thy name. Each one is fully God. 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. 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. I dont believe that God wishes us to be confused about the Three that are so apparent throughout the Old and New Testaments. It taught there is one nature in God, and that there are two processions, three persons, and four relations that constitute the Blessed Trinity. Tritheism denies the unity of the God-head by saying there is just three different gods. God is Great, I always try to figure out how to explain it to my Sunday school kids and they get confused which i get, how would you explain it to them? Again, this analogy doesnt work because God doesnt morph, change, or become different aspects of Himself. 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. Yet there is still only one God we serve. A single molecule cannot simultaneously exist in three different states. And let us once more come to illustrations. We can say that the first is egg the shell, the second is egg the albumen and the third is egg the yoke. I do not have the time or space to exhaustively demonstrate in scripture these truths, but the Biblical witness teaches these three truths consistently about God. But, when it's heated, it turns into a gas (steam) and, when it's frozen, it turns into a solid (ice). Share your thoughts with us in the comments! 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. You are an egg! But common sense is intuition based on day-to-day experience. Dont grieve the Holy Spirit out of you. He is married to Shamsa Lea, is the father of Amira, and loves boxing and studying Theology. The problem with this analogy is that it denies the distinction of persons in the God-head. Well, the egg analogy, when applied to God, suggests that only one being exists but this being exists in three different parts. The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 but more like 1 x 1 x 1. show me your glory. Try starting your explanation with a simple definition and then ask for further questions: No one can completely know or understand God. The problem with this analogy is that it would imply that there is only one Divine Person, who eventually multiplied Himself. 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). Yet there is only one God. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the primary tenants of the Christian faith. Just as water changes forms so too is the trinity. The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk . And the reason we know that is because the Persons of the Godhead have perfectly loved each other for all eternity. That is a holding pen for final judgment. Located in the heart of Quebec's historic district, it is a source of inspiration for visitors from around the world. Its downright hard to understand. THE TRUTH IS: From the very beginning, the Blessed Trinity Father, Son, and Spirit was there. There would be three thrones. This is the one I used long ago when trying to explain the Trinity to a group of 1st-5th graders. The idea of God as three-in-one is indeed a mysterious concept, one that is difficult to understand. It is not important merely for the sake of tradition, or because the word itself is taught in the Bible (. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. As a result, this analogy actually teaches modalism. Being the brightness of the eternal Light, He Himself also is absolutely eternal. 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 Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. However, keep in mind that the one being who is God is a personal being. They that dont have the Holy Spirit in them will talk like the Adversary. in which all 3 persons may act or speak as one. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not three different parts or components of God, but the . Lost will be ashes under the feet of the righteous. 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. She would explode!" This is perhaps the most common analogy for the Trinity. The concept is literally unthinkable. Father, Son, Holy Sprit : 3 persons, 1 great relationship, Copyright 2023 Fervr | Terms of Service. The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 but more like 1 x 1 x 1. Jesus was standing in the Jordan River, His Father speaks from heaven above, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him as a dove. Therefore, we would rightly say, within the Ontological Trinity, there is no variation or distinction made. Trinity Egg Analogy . These images fall short, because these components arent enough to be considered a whole on their own. Here are some common analogies that Christians have used about the Trinity: God is kind of like water which can be ice, liquid and steam. 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 is a miraculous invention, the egg. 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. Scripture however, doesnt depict God this way. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is not His" (Romans 8:9). Paul explains our finite understanding of beliefs like the Trinity as looking into a poor-quality mirror- a distorted image; dim and unclear. Unfortunately, most of them actually give us the wrong idea about what the Trinity is. Many of us would use analogies to explain the Trinity. 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. In the same way is God being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. This view teaches that three separate beings exist. I bet I havent sung or heard this song in years! Unfortunately, an analogy from the limited realm of creation may not be sufficient in explaining Gods nature. Under Arianism Jesus is less than fully God. The Latin word for trinity (trinitas) combines two words- unitas (unity) and trias (three). An explanation that is so common, and seemingly does elucidate how something can simultaneously be three and onecan it really be that bad? We came up with several practical implications of this doctrine. Many of these analogies have the best of intentions, but God cannot be described in a way we can fully comprehend or rationalize. - well, sort of. 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. Thanks, Ann! Each of the divine persons is GOD WHOLE AND ENTIRE, and there is one God. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:13). I can only shake my head when He does these things! He has been relationally fulfilled within Himself since forever. It is not important merely for the sake of tradition, or because the word itself is taught in the Bible (the word is not). All of the above Bad Analogies would perhaps do more harm than good if used in explaining the Trinity. Admittedly, the idea of three distinct persons/expressions that are each fully God is part of the mystery. And the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son. I never thought about it in that way some of these examples Ive never heard of. He is one God in three persons, all at the same time. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) It is the Central Mystery of our Christian faith. That is heaven in a person. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. - well, sort of. The Son is not the Father or the Spirit. But the Father is not the Son or the Spirit. As a doctrine (belief), the trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three separate and distinct persons united in one being- God. Jesus is fully God. Here are four. 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). God does not just change forms but exists as three persons in unity. This analogy actually teaches the heresy of tritheism. . The watermelon has a skin, pulp and seeds; the egg is shell, yolk and egg white. The Holy Spirit prays for us. Heat it up, and it turns to vapor. Jesus is the Holy Spirit. We also know that God didnt create humanity out of loneliness or boredom. What happens when an egg hatches? 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). Answer (1 of 25): Cynics assert that the idea of the Holy Trinity is a logical impossibility. If one of the persons were not there, then we would not have God. Trinity is like a Shamrock (or an Apple or an Egg). Perhaps youve heard the analogy that the Trinity is like H2O (the molecular symbol for water). 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 . To put it simply, "The problem with using analogies to explain the Holy Trinity is that you always end up confessing some ancient heresy." . 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.). That is why Moses said. This is the error of Arianism (not to be confused with Aryanism, which is also bad). 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. And whos the Holy Spirit? And in our efforts to grasp it, weve come up with a number of analogies. Unfortunately, there is a problem with this view of the Trinity. Arianism denies the deity of each person in the trinity. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. This view, also known as "modalism", was rejected by the early church. We believe that it is a revelation that comes from Christ Himself. Did I leave out any analogies? Rather, He created us in order to bless us. 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). They say that three separate beings exist, 2. The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. 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. Haydn describes himself as a five-point Calvinist, but he recognises that many faithful Christians disagree. Though I find the video to be hilarious and often . In the first place, if we truly claim to love God, then surely we should endeavour to know Him. Genisis 1:17, KJV. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. 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). As a result the water molecule must change forms. 1A) Dave is a son of Graham and Lois Armstrong. 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. There are, however, some that work better than others. It is still important that we have some understanding of the concept, however. 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. Each Person in the Trinity (or the Godhead) is fully God and fully a Person. Analogies for the Trinity exist to explain the unexplainable. When they used the word person, they didnt mean it in the same way that we do today. (Describing God as LOVE is my favorite way of understanding 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*