The trinity is like this man. The Unseen Father is in Christs mind. Yeah its definitely a hard thing to understand, let alone explain to little ones ! He differs from the Father, but was and still is 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. Therefore it behoves us to know what He has revealed (including the Trinity), and to lovingly worship Him accordingly. While it captures the idea that God is one, it doesnt do such a good job of showing how God is three and one at the same time. The teaching of the trinity is clearly taught in Scripture and must be preserved as such. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. The Holy Spirit is Christs spirit in us guiding us into all truth. But we can (and should) have a solid foundation to explain this core belief of our faith. Devils cannot grab ahold of them to cast them into Satans prison. The idea that the Trinity can be compared to a shamrock is largely attributed to St. Patrick. 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's impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God. Arianism is named after the heretic Arius. Each character of the trinity has in one another (cf. Many of these analogies have the best of intentions, but God cannot be described in a way we can fully comprehend or rationalize. MULTIPLICATION ANALOGY. Have you wondered what is God like? However, keep in mind that the one being. To put it simply, "The problem with using analogies to explain the Holy Trinity is that you always end up confessing some ancient heresy." . That is a holding pen for final judgment. You are an egg! We recommend you adhere these emblems to your vestments by mounting on the material with fabric glue and then stitching them . And the reason we know that is because the Persons of the Godhead have perfectly loved each other for all eternity. All of the above Bad Analogies would perhaps do more harm than good if used in explaining the Trinity. They have a common purpose in making harmonious music, but each note is its own separate entity. The Unseen Father keeps the Father that is seen, alive. ), The Son Phil. Our God is three in one. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. And the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son. The Father hears their intercessory prayers. Though I find the video to be hilarious and often . But having lots 6 Bible Study Tools To Help You Dive Deeper. Each side is co-equal with the others, yet, each side is necessary. There would be three thrones. Arius was condemned by the council of Nicea in 325 AD. Each of the divine persons is GOD WHOLE AND ENTIRE, and there is one God. Share your thoughts with us in the comments! The idea that the Trinity can be compared to a shamrock is largely attributed to St. Patrick. Eggs are one, yet comprise yolk, shell and albumen. The Father sends the Son, and both the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit. He cares for his creation and his people. Indeed, how can an infinite God be contained in a finite human womb! Your email address will not be published. My intention is merely to address some common erroneous analogies, including water. Believing in the above 3 points leads all Christians to acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity. 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. It should bring us to realise that we truly are finite creatures standing before a sovereign, transcendent, divine mystery. For example, I would say, "God is like an egg." I think the illustration that represents the Trinity most accurately is the egg example. 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). I and My Father are One (John 10:30). There would be three thrones. The egg has a shell, the whites and a yoke. To help you out, here is a comical and silly video that teaches about these bad analogies. The term Economic refers to the roles, functions, and relationships that exist within the Trinity. 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. The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. 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. 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. 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). 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. At the Cathedral, we recognize that there are responsibilities that come with . The problem with this analogy is that an egg yoke is of a very different substance than a shell. Father, Son, Holy Sprit : 3 persons, 1 great relationship, Copyright 2023 Fervr | Terms of Service. He taught that the son was at one point created by God the father. Adorn your liturgical vestments with classic images from the Monastery Icons collection. The Holy Spirit is the shell, Jesus is the egg white, and the Father is the egg yolk. Modalism teaches that the trinity is not three distinct persons, but just different modes that God reveals himself to human beings. The Holy Spirit is the shell, Jesus is the egg white, and the Father is the egg yolk. I did read about the shamrock analogy! Unfortunately, most of them actually give us the wrong idea about what the Trinity is. H2O can exist in three forms: liquid, gas and solid. Here are a couple "usefully flawed" analogies for the Trinity. Water Analogy God is like water, or H2O, which can exist in 3 forms. . Yet the orthodox view is that each person of the Trinity is fully divine. 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. The above picture is a famous work of art by Andrei Rubilev, the great medieval Russian painter of Orthodox icons and frescos. The problem with this analogy is that an egg yoke is of a very different substance than a shell. And we know that because the Persons of the Godhead have perfectly blessed and exalted each other for all eternity. For them, a person is someone who could relate to another. Required fields are marked *. 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. In an attempt to explain the Trinity, there are some bad examples people use, and some better ones. In other words, one stuffness. However, He exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Scripture however, doesnt depict God this way. 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. Which ones have you heard? Explaining the Holy Trinity. The analogy breaks down because the three cloves are overly distinct and cannot represent the unity of God. In using analogies, we need to acknowledge the demerits and limitations of the said analogy. God is like an egg in that He is 3-in-1 God the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit. Haydn describes himself as a five-point Calvinist, but he recognises that many faithful Christians disagree. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. It does not imply Jesus was created if you emphasize that the Sun existed from eternity past. This may be my favorite verse of them all. You know, that bearded guy on the throne who looks something like Zeus, right? You can also catch up with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok Unfortunately, Arianism is still around and can found within the Jehovah's Witnesses teachings. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. 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. . I'm always interested in ways to encourage you, so feel free to contact me and let me know what areas interest you! Thanks, Ann! His motto was that "There was a time when the son did not exist". As we examine the scriptural witness we see three truths that make up the doctrine of the trinity. The Holy Spirit is like the heat that the sun produces, unseen yet powerful and effective in making the sun felt. Many of us would use analogies to explain the Trinity. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. 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). We can say that the first is egg the shell, the second is egg the albumen and the third is egg the yoke. This is a worse analogy than the egg because it is more analogous to the heretical doctrine of Modalism/Oneness than for the Trinity. How can we ever explain our Most High, exalted, powerful, uncontainable, and most glorious God? In Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). Only the Son became incarnate, took on flesh. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Some people think that H2O cannot exist in all three states simultaneously but that is not true. Jesus isn't a demigod or partially god. However, keep in mind that the one being who is God is a personal being. He has the world and our individual lives within His supremely capable hands. One thing that Ive found helpful is using the Trinity to illustrate truths we know about God. Here are four. This is the one I used long ago when trying to explain the Trinity to a group of 1st-5th graders. As a result the water molecule must change forms. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. The Trinity is Like an Egg How the analogy goes: The Trinity is like an egg. It is not important merely for the sake of tradition, or because the word itself is taught in the Bible (the word is not). What we can understand and accept is that God exists eternally as one divine nature, substance, or essence, comprising three co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial personsthe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Studying the Trinity poses difficulty to us Catholics. 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. The egg white represents Gods Spirit. Truly, it is a Mystery. He is one God in three persons, all at the same time. We define a person as one having a will and who is distinguishable from another person. Jesus is in the form of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps we must be content to admit that we cannot fully understand Gods nature in our finitude. These hand embroidered emblems are made with metallic gold-plated thread with silver content, printed on canvas. 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? Matthew 3:16-17- As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. HO may act as water, steam, or ice, but it is still HO. Depth isnt the same thing as height and height isnt the same thing as width, yet all three together are what comprise space. and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). For since light is always in existence, it is manifest that its brightness also exists, because light is perceived to exist from the fact that it shines, and it is impossible that light should not shine. But in the Godhead, each Person is fully and completely God unto Himself (even as they are all one God). 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. . God created us for community, since God is communal and we were created in His image. Jesus was standing in the Jordan River, His Father speaks from heaven above, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him as a dove. History, lifestyle, family, music, theology, scripture, literature, the saints, church history, parenting, politics, prayer, the pope, and more. 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. 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. Despite its potential obscurity, Trinity Sunday is a great occasion for me to revisit an old article on the Trinity. Its impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God. Take a moment and give it a try. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the primary tenants of the Christian faith. Some think of God as H 2 O, which is sometimes a solid (ice), sometimes a liquid (water), and sometimes a gas (steam). 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. Jesus Person is joined to the Father by the Fathers Holy Spirit, because Gods Spirit is also Jesus Spirit - "But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. I never thought about it in that way some of these examples Ive never heard of. But common sense is intuition based on day-to-day experience. Try starting your explanation with a simple definition and then ask for further questions: No one can completely know or understand God. 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. 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). Each one is fully God. FOR CENTURIES, the Church had fought against heresies on the Trinity. Now God can be in you by His Spirit! This is the Christmas paradox. The angel answered (Mary), The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High (referring to the Father, italics mine) will overshadow you. 2:5-6; Col. 1:15-17, 2:9; Heb. He is married to Shamsa Lea, is the father of Amira, and loves running, boxing and studying history and theology. Here many of the creeds help us in clearly articulating the trinity. God does not play three roles.. I have the good one. This is a place to find encouragement and hope from God's Word as you move through your busy life. Instead, each person is co-equal, co-powerful and co-eternal. This view, also known as "modalism", was rejected by the early church. 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. Dr. Bruce Ware does an excellent job in his book Big Truths for Young Hearts. This analogy seems to make a lot of sense, but it actually reinforces a fatal misconception about the Trinity called modalism. That fire keeps devils away from the saved. The problem with this analogy is that it would imply that there is only one Divine Person, who eventually multiplied Himself. 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). in that while water can change into vapour or ice, Jesus cannot change into the Father or the Holy Spirit. Tritheism denies the unity of the God-head by saying there is just three different gods. 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). Who is God? There is only one egg with three different parts. It leads to the heresy of MODALISM which teaches that God switches to different modes. In Biblical Trinitarianism we can never have one without the other because they are one Spirit; each is the totality of the other which means we cannot have the Holy Spirit without the Father and the Son, We will come (into the believer through the Holy Spirit, John 14:23), and we cannot have the Son without The Father whose Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20). I go to prepare a place for you. It only has 1 person acting in three different roles. Yet God lovingly chose to create and eventually redeem us anyway (both thoroughly Trinitarian acts), at great cost to Himself. However, Christians through the ages believe in the Trinity because the truths it represents are taught in the Bible. Often these analogies explicitly teach heresy. The Trinity is distinct in their roles and individuality, but united in their attributes of love, mercy, holiness, knowledge, etc. 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. The Church should not forget that these heresies still exist in the present day and is even being taught by some priests and catechists. A certain YouTube page created a famous video titled "St. Patrick's Bad Analogies" (which can be found here), in which the historic St. Patrick meets charming villagers who deride him based on the analogies which he uses in the process of explaining the Holy Trinity. The Egg Analogy God is like an egg. The more I reflect on Easter, the more Ive realized how much its become a consumeristic holidayeven Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Water at room temperature is liquid. (Which I just found out is in error). There are many mysteries to our faith. Others compare God to an egg, which is part shell, part white, part yolk. God does not just change forms but exists as three persons in unity. A single molecule cannot simultaneously exist in three different states. If you only had an apple core, you wouldnt pack it in your lunch. Proof texting is when we cite a bunch of bible verses to support a theological stance. Moreover, the yoke and the whites are no longer as they used to be. It is a miraculous invention, the egg. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. 3:15; John 17:1-4, The Holy Spirit Acts 5:3-4; John 14:16-17, 26; John 16:7-13. The egg example, while not perfect or complete by any means, will still give us a basic understanding of the primary principle of Biblical Trinitarianism. This is one of the reasons we say that "God is LOVE". These are likewise erroneous or even heretical. 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. The unity or oneness of God is also found in the Bible. , 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you., For further reading on the Trinity, I would recommend James Whites, Lastly, below is a helpful graphical chart explaining the doctrine of the Trinity I found from the Christian blog by Tim Challies. Love was not given to Jesus. Lost will be ashes under the feet of the righteous. So God performs 3 different roles/relationships but 1 God. For example, we know that God didnt create humanity because He bored or lonely. Now, as youve probably guessed, this analogy also breaks down. 2. 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. As a result, this analogy actually teaches modalism. If water is inadequate, there are a wide array of alternative analogies we can turn to in modern theological parlance. 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. Unfortunately, there is a problem with this view of the Trinity. 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. All three persons exist at the same moment in history. Water can be frozen and is called ice. 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. We believe that it is a revelation that comes from Christ Himself. But if they give us a warped idea of what they are trying to explain, they arent helpful illustrations. Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. The trinity is Like a man who is a father, husband, and son. None of the 3 are less divine than the others. But its all water. Can you think of some Bible verses to back up your explanation? Learn how your comment data is processed. This analogy actually teaches the heresy of modalism. The egg analogy is very simple but it is OK to show something as simple as an egg can be one and yet three. They are unified in one divine being. The military would end up destroying themselves. Some people have suggested using an egg to explain how God can be both one and three. 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. 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 very definition of the heresy known as Modalism/Oneness is that there is one person existing in three different modes or manifestations. But its all the same person, operating in three roles or functions. God is much bigger and much greater than we can understand, and to be honest, I'm ok with that. The beautiful depth of Gods eternal Triune nature is a sublime reality which should bring an end to our attempts to cognitively master Him. The problem with this analogy is that it teaches that God has three components: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God.