Three persons is false. The word Trinity comes from the Latin word trinitas which means tri-unity. Believing in the above 3 points leads all Christians to acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity. It can also be a liquid and called water. 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. Tritheism denies the unity of the God-head by saying there is just three different gods. An essential factor lacking from those concepts is the relational quality of God. Yet we do not have three gods but ONE God. God is like H2Olike water. But common sense is intuition based on day-to-day experience. Should Women Really Keep Silent in Church? The Holy Spirit is Christs spirit in us guiding us into all truth. 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. (Which I just found out is in error). Modalism is a heresy because it denies the distinction of God. 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. A good follow up verse to help explain is the baptism of Jesus. The above picture is a famous work of art by Andrei Rubilev, the great medieval Russian painter of Orthodox icons and frescos. This analogy denies the unity of the God-head. The problem with this analogy is that an egg yoke is of a very different substance than a shell. Time Analogy God is like time. Bach, and has released two previous CDs, one . Jesus is the visual form of God. Your email address will not be published. God is much bigger and much greater than we can understand, and to be honest, I'm ok with that. As a result, this analogy actually teaches modalism. You are an egg! 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. In reality, I change my role depending on who I am interacting with. Analogies for the Trinity exist to explain the unexplainable. Haydn describes himself as a five-point Calvinist, but he recognises that many faithful Christians disagree. 5And there are varieties of ministries and the same Lord. I did read about the shamrock analogy! Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Further, we can label each of the sides. Each of the divine persons is GOD WHOLE AND ENTIRE, and there is one God. A person distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A being is the whole nature or essence of something. Moreover, the yoke and the whites are no longer as they used to be. 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. 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. Dont grieve the Holy Spirit out of you. If one of the persons were not there, then we would not have God. The egg (or apple) fails in that the shell, white, and yolk are parts of the egg, not the egg in themselves, just as the skin, flesh, and seeds of the apple are parts of it, not the apple itself. Some people think that H2O cannot exist in all three states simultaneously but that is not true. In the same way, there is a God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.. How can we ever explain our Most High, exalted, powerful, uncontainable, and most glorious God? This analogy actually teaches the heresy of modalism. An explanation that is so common, and seemingly does elucidate how something can simultaneously be three and onecan it really be that bad? No analogy is perfect, but we want to be careful of using wrong ones that may confuse people. The Holy Spirit prays for us. Therefore, there is one God, who is eternally present in three persons. Haydn Lea is an Ordained Minister, and is currently serving as an Air Force Chaplain in Adelaide. THE TRUTH IS: From the very beginning, the Blessed Trinity Father, Son, and Spirit was there. 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. When we view the egg in its entirety we have the Biblical Trinity, One that is Three. His ways are not my ways! Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is not His" (Romans 8:9). They have a common purpose in making harmonious music, but each note is its own separate entity. The problem with this analogy is that it also leads to the heresy of MODALISM. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the primary tenants of the Christian faith. 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). The unity or oneness of God is also found in the Bible. The Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. This would make Jesus something less than fully God. The Father hears their intercessory prayers. If you only had an apple core, you wouldnt pack it in your lunch. 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. 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. copyright 2009 by H.D. 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. So while its tough to make sense of the Trinity, the Trinity actually helps us make sense of so many things we believe. Heat it up, and it turns to vapor. Sure enough, one member answered Well Ive heard that the Trinity is like water: water can be liquid, gas (steam), or solid (ice), but its still the same water. Before I even began writing this post, I had an unusual song stuck in my head Holy God, we praise thy name. Each PERSON is distinct from one another. Arius was condemned by the council of Nicea in 325 AD. 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*. This view, also known as "modalism", was rejected by the early church. We can touch the cord, but not the power it is insulating. 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). The watermelon has a skin, pulp and seeds; the egg is shell, yolk and egg white. The Trinity is Like an Egg How the analogy goes: The Trinity is like an egg. They are equally eternal, powerful, sovereign, and worthy of worship. Yet it appears to be almost entirely misunderstood within contemporary evangelical circles. The idea of God as three-in-one is indeed a mysterious concept, one that is difficult to understand. There would be three thrones. That is why Moses said. In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. We Christians believe it on faith. He completed a doctorate in 1990, looking at the question of harmonic rhythm in the organ music of J.S. Love was not given to Jesus. But its all water. Jesus loves us so much that he did not obliterate people who died, with power that set stars in the universe. 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). The mystery is in the how this is accomplished; something we will finally understand in heaven. 2:5-6; Col. 1:15-17, 2:9; Heb. The problem with this analogy is it denies the unity of the God-head. The more I reflect on Easter, the more Ive realized how much its become a consumeristic holidayeven Did Jesus really rise from the dead? RELATED: What Does The Bible Say About Ghosts? Many of these analogies have the best of intentions, but God cannot be described in a way we can fully comprehend or rationalize. Again, this analogy doesnt work because God doesnt morph, change, or become different aspects of Himself. How so? This description that all persons are fully God is called the Ontological Trinity. When we use analogies, we need to indicate these things so as to not lead to heresies, A Catholic and Filipino writer interested in theology, philosophy, liturgy, politics, and law. The sun comprises the sun itself, its light and its heat. We worship one God who exists in three persons. Each person is fully God (Phil 2; Acts 5:3-4). Each one is fully God. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. Another analogy that Tim remembers, being Irish Catholic, is the analogy of the shamrock with its three parts. In other words, God may manifest Himself as the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. Cool it down, and itll eventually freeze into a solid. Since these bad analogies tend to lead to a heresy, we will examine the main three areas of heresy concerning the trinity. Arianism clearly denies the deity of the three persons. RELATED: Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead? They that dont have the Holy Spirit in them will talk like the Adversary. But we cannot do that (assuming we can) with God. How can we explain what it means to have three persons in one being? In part one, we looked at what the Bible has to say about the Trinity. Three Gods or one? Eggs are one, yet comprise yolk, shell and albumen. He began to play the organ as a chorister in England, before continuing his studies in Qubec and France. Unfortunately, an analogy from the limited realm of creation may not be sufficient in explaining Gods nature. The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, constructed between 1800 and 1804, is the first Anglican cathedral to have been built outside the British Isles. The yolk represents Gods Person, His Being, and His Holiness which generates Light that no man can approach (I Timothy 6:16). This analogy denies the distinction of the God-head. St. Augustine, one of the most important Fathers of the Church, wrote a great deal on the doctrine of the Trinity. But if they give us a warped idea of what they are trying to explain, they arent helpful illustrations. On a whim, I looked up the lyrics at a later time. How would you explain the Trinity if someone asked you right now? and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). In other words, one stuffness. However, He exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 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. We all want to experience the good life. However, keep in mind that the one being. However, in some instances, the use of carefully chosen analogies may be of help for some of our brethren in learning the teachings of the Church. The yolk represents Gods Person, His Being, and His Holiness which generates Light that no man can approach (I Timothy 6:16). Jesus is the Holy Spirit that saves us. Each one is fully 100% God. 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). How can God be Three in One? Let's use an egg to explain the Holy Trinity! Also, the egg is made up of three distinct and unalike parts. The apple seed alone is not an apple. My name is AnnMarie and I'm so glad you're here! We believe in only one true God in all existence, in all places, at all times. Armstrong. Yet the orthodox view is that each person of the Trinity is fully divine. Truly, it is a Mystery. The shortfall of this illustration, and others like it, is that God cannot be divided into "parts." However, Christians through the ages believe in the Trinity because the truths it represents are taught in the Bible. God is NOT like H2O in that He does not need the right pressure and temperature to exist as three persons. The egg has a shell, the whites and a yoke. If the Sun existed from eternity past then so were the light rays from the Sun. Some people have suggested using an egg to explain how God can be both one and three. One day, however, the image will be clear. Now, as youve probably guessed, this analogy also breaks down. Analogies of the Trinity. All three persons exist at the same moment in history. Because God is utterly unique, all comparisons will fail at some point. The egg white represents Gods Spirit. This little child cannot look at one without experiencing a profound sense of wonderment and awe. She would explode!" The trinity is like this man. According to modalism, God does not actually exist in three persons. In the second instance, the truth of Gods Trinity reveals a further aspect of Gods love for His people. 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. As a result, this analogy can easily lead to tritheism in which there are three different gods which might share some like substance. A chicken egg consists of a shell, a yolk, and an egg white, yet it is altogether one egg. And whos the Holy Spirit? Memory, Understanding, and Will. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. But thats not how they understood it. The Unseen Father is in Christs mind. What happens when an egg hatches? Blessings! Jesus then becomes a created being and thus less than fully God. How do we make sense of the Trinity? Deuteronomy 6:4- Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. This verse is also the beginning of the Jewish Shema prayer; their confession of faith. 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. The Trinity are three distinct persons who exist apart from each other. Well, the egg analogy, when applied to God, suggests that only one being exists but this being exists in three different parts. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) Water has three states: solid, liquid, and gas. When discussing God, especially in regards to his nature, being and persons, a simple statement to articulate the Trinity is: God is 1, *. In Arianism, the Son is not eternally equal with the Father, but was the Fathers first and best creation. They are three in one egg. Now that we know the doctrine of the trinity and its corresponding major heresies, now we are ready to look at some bad analogies for the trinity. Every kid in Sunday school thinks he knows all about God. Time exists as 3 things: past, present, and future. Unfortunately, there is a problem with this view of 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. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. We can think of it this way: the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. If you looked at a single cloverleaf, you wouldnt call it a shamrock. Theyve transformed. The Unseen Father keeps the Father that is seen, alive. The trinity is a mystery that cannot be fully comprehended. 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. In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. copyright 2009 by H.D. Water can be ice and steam, yet they are the same element. The Trinity is like an egg. The 3 Most Common "Trinity Analogies" (and their limitations) The three most common go-to analogies for explaining the Trinity are water, an egg, and the sun. This is the error of Arianism (not to be confused with Aryanism, which is also bad). We can touch the cord, but not the power it is insulating. 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. Modalism teaches that one God just changes forms or modes over the course of scripture. These images fall short, because these components arent enough to be considered a whole on their own. 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. Here many of the creeds help us in clearly articulating the trinity. 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). Although he is one he has different roles to different people. To put it simply, "The problem with using analogies to explain the Holy Trinity is that you always end up confessing some ancient heresy." . An egg has a shell, white, and yolk, but these three are part of an egg or Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao but the same Philippines. He is married to Shamsa Lea, is the father of Amira, and loves running, boxing and studying history and theology. God is like H2O in that the Bible may refer to a specific person of the Trinity but that person is still God. The Holy Trinity, one of the five Dogmas of the Church, is an extraordinary and unfathomable mystery. Genisis 1:17, KJV. In the Scripture we see "the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Col 1:9). May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14). Or what? 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.).