The past is not the present and the present is not the future, yet all three together is what we call time. God is like H2Olike water. Im giving God the credit for stirring this memory, and am extremely grateful. There are three different cloves that represent the three different persons of the trinity. Each of the divine persons is GOD WHOLE AND ENTIRE, and there is one God. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. Some people think that H2O cannot exist in all three states simultaneously but that is not true. Space Analogy God is like space. An explanation that is so common, and seemingly does elucidate how something can simultaneously be three and onecan it really be that bad? 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.. If all you had were an eggshell, you wouldnt have a very exciting breakfast. The idea of God as three-in-one is indeed a mysterious concept, one that is difficult to understand. The Egg Analogy God is like an egg. Each PERSON is distinct from one another. But if modalism is true, and the Trinity really is like water, then the story of Jesus (the Son) praying to the Father as recorded in the Bible seems like an awfully strange masquerade. Indeed, how can an infinite God be contained in a finite human womb! It is not important merely for the sake of tradition, or because the word itself is taught in the Bible (the word is not). 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. These things are referred to as the Economic Trinity. The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. He also knows how to perfectly love us. 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. Arianism is named after the heretic Arius. Jesus isn't a demigod or partially god. The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. 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). This is perhaps the most common analogy for the Trinity. It may not appear to agree with common sense. Modalism is a heresy because it denies the distinction of God. So, the egg analogy doesnt work after all. The Unseen Father keeps the Father that is seen, alive. For the Trinity, instead of using the formula 1+1+1, we use 1x1x1. CafeLogos.orgThe Egg and i -A Simple Explanation of The Trinity Our words should dissipate and be replaced instead with an awestruck adoration and wonder, as we realise the only appropriate response is to fall to our knees and humbly worship the one truly perfect, unified divine essence, comprising three diverse, co-equal and co-eternal divine persons. But theres one problem: the water analogy is not the biblical picture of God. He differs from the Father, but was and still is God. 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. God is one. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. For them, a person is someone who could relate to another. So cool that God imparted that song in your mind and heart before you even wrote this blog post! One is a musical chord with three notes. It is still H20, but just different forms. The Unseen Father would have been put into Satans prison. Light comes from God. However, keep in mind that the one being who is God is a personal being. The Trinity is not 1 + 1 + 1 but more like 1 x 1 x 1. The divine persons are really DISTINCT from one another, and not merely different roles of God at different times. How do we make sense of the Trinity? The Holy Spirit is Christs spirit in us guiding us into all truth. Here are a few common illustrations: The Egg- One egg has three parts: shell, whites, and yolk. Afterall, we can get rid of a few of its parts - for instance the shell - and still scramble an egg. The teaching of the trinity is clearly taught in Scripture and must be preserved as such. - well, sort of. Its all one person, simply functioning in three different roles. Here are four. show me your glory. This analogy actually falls prey to the same error of modalism. When we think about influential New Testament leaders, most names are male. When we separate them we can fall into the error of tritheism, which is the worship of three individual deities as one. We can touch the cord, but not the power it is insulating. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQLfgaUoQCw. The Holy Spirit and Son do not send the Father. H2O can only ever be one form at a time. Vestment Emblems. One sits on the throne looking like Sardine and Jasper stone. 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. 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. Or, we can quote Daniel Webster; a strong Christian- I do not pretend fully to understand the arithmetic of heaven now. . Here's a look at six explanations for why so many people truly believe 3 Ways to Experience The Good Life in Jesus. This is the one I used long ago when trying to explain the Trinity to a group of 1st-5th graders. Although God is transcendent, sovereign, unapproachable light, He has condescended to reveal something of Himself to His creation. The Father is fully God; Jesus is fully God and the Holy Spirit is fully God. The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. 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. Proof texting is when we cite a bunch of bible verses to support a theological stance. Do you know why I keep saying God is like an egg (or H2O) but God is not like an egg (or H2O)? Dont become discouraged if you cant answer the question to your liking. As we examine the scriptural witness we see three truths that make up the doctrine of the trinity. God is NOT like H2O in that He does not need the right pressure and temperature to exist as three persons. 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. The problem with this analogy is that an egg yoke is of a very different substance than a shell. This is not an exhaustive list: For further reading on the Trinity, I would recommend James Whites The Forgotten Trinity, Wayne Grudems Systematic Theology and online articles by CARM.org. 1:8-12; 1 Pet. show me your glory. 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. He completed a doctorate in 1990, looking at the question of harmonic rhythm in the organ music of J.S. . For sure, our everyday experience does not include using our finite minds to understand the infinite! The shell, while important, is no longer needed. The Son "proceeds" from the Father, and the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son.". God controls that light. St. Augustine, one of the most important Fathers of the Church, wrote a great deal on the doctrine of the Trinity. In other words, this view denies Gods oneness. Also, the egg is made up of three distinct and unalike parts. It only has 1 person acting in three different roles. Now were going to look at how some people often misunderstand the Trinity. The yolk represents Gods Person, His Being, and His Holiness which generates Light that no man can approach (I Timothy 6:16). The white of an egg is the connection between the yolk and the shell. Now, as youve probably guessed, this analogy also breaks down. La da dee dee dum dum (I couldnt remember the in-between parts). When we separate them we can fall into the error of tritheism, which is the worship of three individual deities as one. The more I reflect on Easter, the more Ive realized how much its become a consumeristic holidayeven Did Jesus really rise from the dead? The Council's definitions concerning the Trinity are really as easy as one, two, three four. THE TRUTH IS: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not simply names designating modalities of the divine being, for they are really DISTINCT from one another: He is not the Father who is the Son, nor is the Son he who is the Father, nor is the Holy Spirit he who is the Father or the Son. (CCC 254), 3. It should bring us to realise that we truly are finite creatures standing before a sovereign, transcendent, divine mystery. But having lots 6 Bible Study Tools To Help You Dive Deeper. That is why Moses said. ), The Son Phil. These hand embroidered emblems are made with metallic gold-plated thread with silver content, printed on canvas. Despite its potential obscurity, Trinity Sunday is a great occasion for me to revisit an old article on the Trinity. Analogies of the Trinity. In using analogies, we need to acknowledge the demerits and limitations of the said analogy. 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. Thanks, Ann! This is the Christmas paradox. So comparing God to water isnt really as helpful as it seems on the surface. Further, his dialectic is guided by the particular consideration of what true love is: a trinity of lover, beloved and the love that binds . There's a simple reason they don't work: The Trinity, as such, isn't like anything in creation. While each person is distinct, they are never separate from one another. Studying the Trinity poses difficulty to us Catholics. Each one is fully 100% God. A person distinguishes himself from others by saying me, mine, you, yours, etc. A being is the whole nature or essence of something. Only the Son became incarnate, took on flesh. Each person is fully the one God, but is also distinct. 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. Yet it appears to be almost entirely misunderstood within contemporary evangelical circles. This analogy is an invalid comparison to the Trinity and is a heresy called PARTIALISM. 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. Born in England in 1961, Benjamin Waterhouse Benjamin Waterhouse has been the organist of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity since 2000. And let us once more come to illustrations. Infinite thy vast domain, everlasting is thy reign.. That helps explain the concept quite well- the oneness, unity of God with the distinct three persons of God- Father, Son, and Spirit. 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.). If water is inadequate, there are a wide array of alternative analogies we can turn to in modern theological parlance. RELATED: Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead? Understanding 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. The Father hears their intercessory prayers. This analogy sounds pretty good, but it is fatally flawed in that is describes the Son and Spirit as creations of the Father. . Well the issue is, the water analogy is akin to the heresy of Modalism. The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. Yeah its definitely a hard thing to understand, let alone explain to little ones ! Therefore, in this context, God is the what and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the who. When they used the word person, they didnt mean it in the same way that we do today. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Common, yes. Light comes from God. Often these analogies explicitly teach heresy. The idea that the Trinity can be compared to a shamrock is largely attributed to St. Patrick. Modalism denies the distinction of person in the trinity. When we look at the egg as an example of the Trinity, we must view it in its entirety. 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*. 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). 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. 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? Christians believe, then, that only one God exists but this God exists as a unity of three persons: a Trinity. The Holy Spirit is the shell, Jesus is the egg white, and the Father is the egg yolk. The problem with this analogy is that an egg yoke is of a very different substance than a shell. We can admit it is a mystery and accept that our incomplete knowledge cannot fully comprehend it. Haydn Lea is an Associate Pastor in Queensland, and is currently studying his Master of Arts (Theology). The God of the Bible is one God. The shortfall of this illustration, and others like it, is that God cannot be divided into "parts." At the Cathedral, we recognize that there are responsibilities that come with . None of the 3 are less divine than the others. This description that all persons are fully God is called the Ontological Trinity. 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. But God is the eternal Light, which has neither had a beginning, nor shall ever fail. is not). But they are one God. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:13). The Latin word for trinity (trinitas) combines two words- unitas (unity) and trias (three). So, I shot down a lot of images that seems to be pretty helpful. And in our efforts to grasp it, weve come up with a number of analogies. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. Yet the orthodox view is that each person of the Trinity is fully divine. Before I even began writing this post, I had an unusual song stuck in my head Holy God, we praise thy name. 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. - well, sort of. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind lived the doctrinal truth about the Trinity. These attributes are: omnipotence (all-powerful), omniscience (all-knowing), and omnipresence (exists in all places). Water can exist in liquid at room temperature. 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. 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. Love was not given to Jesus. So, part of understanding the Trinity is realizing that God is personal and relational. These are likewise erroneous or even heretical. Its impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God. 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.). 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. The problem with this analogy is that it would imply that there is only one Divine Person, who eventually multiplied Himself. He has been relationally fulfilled within Himself since forever. In other words, one stuffness. However, He exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 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. . 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. This analogy is an invalid comparison to the Trinity and is a heresy called PARTIALISM. Another analogy that Tim remembers, being Irish Catholic, is the analogy of the shamrock with its three parts. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. Water Analogy - God is like water, or H2O, which can exist in 3 forms. Surely this is a better understanding of the water analogy! What makes it hard is that all of our analogies and metaphors fall short of capturing what the Trinity actually is. 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. 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. They are three in one egg. Its downright hard to understand. The trinity is an essential doctrine to the Christian faith. When we tend to make an analogy about the trinity we are forced to diminish one of the three trinitarian truths in order to make the analogy work. But the Bible is CLEAR in its teaching. His ways are not my ways! Dont you know Jesus? There are two basic ways that people misunderstand the Trinity: 1. 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). 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. This analogy denies the unity of the God-head. (Which I just found out is in error). 1B) This son of Graham and Lois Armstrong is Dave. 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. The beautiful depth of Gods eternal Triune nature is a sublime reality which should bring an end to our attempts to cognitively master Him. Son and Holy Ghost are each fully God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each called Jehovah (or Spirit of Jehovah), given divine attributes, and are distinguished from one another. 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. I write to see memory and language wrestle with reality. And then theres Jesus, Gods son. Learn how your comment data is processed. PART OF A WHOLE. Just like an egg, none of the parts are co-equal, nor are all of the parts necessary for the egg to exist. All Rights Reserved. It is a miraculous invention, the egg. He cares for his creation and his people. Analogies that we present would always be insufficient as none of them would equate to the incomprehensible beauty of God. Since these bad analogies tend to lead to a heresy, we will examine the main three areas of heresy concerning the trinity. 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. For example, an equilateral triangle (a triangle with three equal sides) has three sides. This book is now available in a published format for easy sharing and classroom use. 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). Adorn your liturgical vestments with classic images from the Monastery Icons collection. The Trinity is a tri-unity, a unity of Three, - God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. The trinity is a like a Three-Leaf Clover. The above picture is a famous work of art by Andrei Rubilev, the great medieval Russian painter of Orthodox icons and frescos. This is the error of Arianism (not to be confused with Aryanism, which is also bad). He can even be all three at the same time. 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). It's impossible to be an Orthodox Christian without professing belief in the Triune nature of God. This analogy seems to make a lot of sense, but it actually reinforces a fatal misconception about the Trinity called modalism. Furthermore, this trinity is related to a shamrock, an apple, or an egg. Therefore, in this context, God is the what and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the who. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the primary tenants of the Christian faith. Examples of these different roles would be: The Incarnation: Only the Son became incarnate, took on flesh. Therefore, there is one God, who is eternally present in three persons. However, Christians through the ages believe in the Trinity because the truths it represents are taught in the Bible. . 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. 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 scientific analogy that will be provided in a few moments is truly inadequate to describe the Holy Trinity. The military would end up destroying themselves. Shively Truly, it is a Mystery. 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. 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. That fire keeps devils away from the saved. It is the Fathers desire to join His Spirit with all of us as well for He has said They shall be My sons and daughters (II Corinthians 6:18). The Trinity is one of the most foundational doctrines of Christianity. The problem with this analogy is that it also leads to the heresy of MODALISM. They are equally eternal, powerful, sovereign, and worthy of worship. Copyright 2023 Christian Today. Many of us would use analogies to explain the Trinity. Further, we can label each of the sides. 2. This error denies something central to God that makes Him God. 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). This view teaches that three separate beings exist. Can you think of some Bible verses to back up your explanation? In one egg you have the white, the yoke, and the shell composing one full egg. In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9) Unfortunately, there is a problem with this view of the Trinity. If one of the persons were not there, then we would not have God. The trinity is like water. The Sun was created on the forth day. And the reason we know that is because the Persons of the Godhead have perfectly loved each other for all eternity. No analogy is perfect, but we want to be careful of using wrong ones that may confuse people. The sun comprises the sun itself, its light and its heat. But we can (and should) have a solid foundation to explain this core belief of our faith. 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. 3. 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. If you only had an apple core, you wouldnt pack it in your lunch. Moreover, the yoke and the whites are no longer as they used to be. Located in the heart of Quebec's historic district, it is a source of inspiration for visitors from around the world. In the same way, water is all the same molecular structure, expressing itself in three different modes. Few topics of discussion in the Christian faith are more confusing than the idea of the Trinity. The unseen Father is in Christs mind. These two analogies are the "water" analogy and the "egg" analogy. Some people falsely claim the Trinity is a form of . It taught there is one nature in God, and that there are two processions, three persons, and four relations that constitute the Blessed Trinity. To return to my Life Group anecdote, after our discussion I asked why does it even matter?. . But in the Godhead, each Person is fully and completely God unto Himself (even as they are all one God). He is one God in three persons, all at the same time. The Son intercedes as our High Priest before the Father. Genisis 1:17, KJV. The egg shell is the image of the yolk and the white. 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. A good follow up verse to help explain is the baptism of Jesus. God controls that light. What portion of the analogy holds true with Church Teaching? The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the primary tenants of the Christian faith. How can we ever explain our Most High, exalted, powerful, uncontainable, and most glorious God? Notice the distinction between persons and being. 2 - The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each God. She would explode!" Matthew 3:16-17- As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. This would make Jesus something less than fully God. His ways are higher than ours, but isnt that a comfort?! Or have you ever tried to teach kids about the Trinity? ANALOGY OF CHARACTERS. He got married there in 1965, and his four . We define a person as one having a will and who is distinguishable from another person.