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Trinity
How would explain the trinity to a new Christian or to a small child? Are they all God but individual entities? Does one God encompass all Three?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on -
For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18
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Permalink Reply by Kjv WordofGodBeliever on
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Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on
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This link was pretty cool KJV. Thanks. I loved the 1X1X1 still equals 1 & 1+1+1 equals three. Really neat.
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Permalink Reply by John G. Roberts on -
Cherry pie, you can cut it into three pieces and it's all the same pie. God divided himself Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Because we couldn't take him in one bite if we had to. God didn't make it that difficult, he made it as simple as cherry pie. John
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Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on
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Thanks John & Joy
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Permalink Reply by Colby Chase on
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I don't know of an analogy or example that works perfectly to convey the idea of the Trinity to those with a child-like faith. They are all flawed in some sense. Most convey the false doctrine of modalism.
One that I think works reasonably well is to use yourself up as an example. Tammy Henson is one person, but she is 1) daughter, 2) mother and 3) grandmother. Or she is one person, but 1) mother, 2) daughter and 3) wife at the same time. In other words, one in essence, but with three distinct roles. This conveys the three-in-one or trinitarian concept in very simple yet understandable terms.
This example isn't as good. Think of a burning candle. God the Father is the flame, Jesus is the light emitted, and the Holy Spirit is the heat.
I like to use the baptism of Jesus to illustrate the Trinity because at this very moment we see the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit manifested and working together.
-- "And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven [the Father] said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3.16-17, ESV. See also Mark 1.10-11.)
-- Compare this to Isaiah 42.1: "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations" (ESV).
-- "I and the Father are one" (John 10.30).
-- "No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also" (1 John 2.23).
The reality is that God is incomprehensible and incredible in every respect--vastly beyond the limited ability of our intellects to comprehend. We can apprehend or know God, to be sure, but we have only a limited understanding of the triune Godhead comprised of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Three separate and distinct persons, co-equal and co-eternal, but one in being or essence. The triune God is a incredibly difficult concept to grasp. We can apprehend the doctrine of the Trinity from Scripture even though the term is not found in the Bible and we cannot fully understand it.
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Permalink Reply by Sean Terrell on -
I think that if we are going use an analogy to express the trinity, Water works best. The trinity is hard to explain because there is nothing that can even compare. How can one God be three, yet still only one?
Water has 3 separate but equal properties. Liquid, Solid, and Vapor. Liquid cannot be solid, solid cannot be vapor, and vapor cannot be liquid. Each property has the same chemical formula, 2 hydrogens and 1 oxygen. Each property is equally water.
In the same way, God is three separate but equal persons. Father, Son, and Spirit. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. Each have the same nature (see Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:15 and Phillipians 2:6 for Jesus, 1 Corinthians 2:10 for Spirit) and are equally one. In John 10:30 the greek word here for "one" is hen. Not the same person, but the same essence. One in nature.
So as liquid water, ice, and vapor are all one in nature, so are Father, Son, and Spirit.
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Permalink Reply by Alain M. Paguntalan on -
The best way to educate the child about trinity is through basic learning and start in identifying the the meaning of the letter as small and capital letter and meaning of the word.
Example: the word God.
Through these word they can identify the meaning of Trinity if it is plural or singular.
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Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on
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Thank you Alain
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Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on
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Hmmm. Never heard this analogy before Sean. This one is pretty cool.
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Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on
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The reality is that God is incomprehensible and incredible in every respect--vastly beyond the limited ability of our intellects to comprehend. - AMEN
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Permalink Reply by Kjv WordofGodBeliever on
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