How do you explain the trinity?
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Asked November 13 2014
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Lori OKEEFE
Supporter
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Paul Bayne
Supporter
Trying to explain the Trinity is like trying to explain forever. This is one of those things that boggles our minds and confuses the most intellectually sharp ones in the group. There are three Persons to the godhead. Jesus Christ God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Each are separate entities yet are one in fellowship. They are all alone God yet together God at the same time. The best way I can describe the Trinity (yet it is alone a most pathetic attempt), is we are three faceted beings. We have a soul (God) We have a spirit (the Holy Spirit) We have a body (Jesus Christ) That's really the best we can do to explain it. We are three in one and yet each has a separate function. Perhaps someone can explain it better.
Thomas K M
Supporter
The Trinity is a concept that our finite minds cannot grasp easily, cannot comprehend. It does not work out mathematically. It is a mystery. Nonetheless, it is true. We serve/worship one God who is the only true God. He ministers to us in three persons, God the Father, the Son and the Holy spirit. Trinity is a scriptural fact. Scriptural proof of Trinity is given in Gen.1:26 (during creation of man), Matt.3:16-17: (during the baptism of Jesus), John.14:16 (during the talk between Jesus and disciples), Matt.28:19 (baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy spirit), 2Cor.13:14 (apostolic benediction), Rom.8:11 (resurrection of Christ). The idea is that there is only one God. God reveals himself in different ways and different forms, sometimes as Father, sometimes as Son, sometimes as Holy Spirit. Many teachings and different explanations are available about Trinity. We know that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are not three different Gods but one God who is expressed in three persons. There are many analogies and illustrations available to understand the concept of Trinity. One of the standard analogies for the Trinity is a good example of modalism: The Trinity is like water because water comes in three forms - ice, water, steam. This is modalism because these are three states or modes of the substance water. In a godly marriage, the wife submits to the husband because this is God's order, but this does not mean that the wife is inferior to the husband. Spiritually they share in the riches of Christ equally and they are ONE IN HIM (Gal. 3:28). In the Trinity, the Father is generally referred to as the First Person of the Trinity, the Son as the Second Person of the Trinity and the Holy Spirit as the Third Person of the Trinity. However, this ranking in no way indicates superiority or inferiority. The members of the Godhead are co-equal in power and glory and share all of the attributes of deity. There exist certain distinctions of priority and economy of the three Persons, but these concern their respective functions. These distinctions involve what they DO, not what they ARE. There is submission in the Godhead, but not inequality and not inferiority. The Son submits to the Father; the Spirit submits to the Father and Son. The Son glorifies the Father (John 17:1); the Spirit glorifies the Son (John 16:14). Our God is not only transcendent (divine)) but also immanent (inherent). He is primarily and originally transcendent, and secondarily and derivatively immanent. If we worship the Trinitarian God we should be able to grow into a sharing, classless, inspired and an empowered feeling. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are co-equal, co-eternal and co-essential. The Trinitarian paradigm is a self-emptying kenotic model of divine, love and fellowship.
Anne Mader
Supporter
I like to think of the Trinity as being like the three states of water. Water can be frozen as ice, hot to the point of being steam, and of course liquid. Three distinct states of existence, yet all are made from the same elements. God has three distinct persons, yet they are all made from the same spirit. I have also had it explained to me comparing the Trinity to an egg. The egg has the shell, the yolk and the white that surrounds the yolk. I prefer the analogy of the three states of water. I hope this helps.
Mark Snyder
Supporter
The best analogy that I've ever heard regarding the Trinity is to think about water. All water is made up of 2 Hydrogen atoms and one Oxygen atoms BUT water can take different forms. Water can be liquid, solid or gas and each form of water has specialized uses depending on the environment. The Trinity of God is much the same way, they are all God [Father, Son and Holy Spirit] with the same core and makeup, but take different forms with different roles or specialties in our life. The Father is creator, the Son is the payment for our sin and bridge to the Father and the Holy Spirit is our counselor. It's complicated but for me the water analogy helps to clarify.
Salem Markus Purba
Supporter
By believing and following Jesus Christ, I am living in the words of God wich are the Spirit who gives life (John 6: 63-65) and becoming children of God (John 1:12-13),. and I am choosen by Jesus to become one of his friends (John 15:14-25). So, trinity is an interaction among God the Father, Jesus the Son of God and the Holy Spirit given to and dwell in the believers and followers of Jesus (John 6: 63-65; 14:15-20).
Vincent Mercado
Supporter
God is One, but not solitary. Displayed in himself is the perfect image of Love (Lover, Beloved, and the essence of Love). The Father loves the Son, and the Son loves the Father, completely that the Love between them becomes a third person, the Spirit.
Lena Wms
Supporter
Come as a little child. As newborn babes Peter said. Little children have no difficulty seeing this simple picture in Sunday School: God is like this Big Red Apple The Peeling which holds everything together is like the Father. The good Stuff you eat and makes you grow is like the Son. The little Seeds inside is just like the Holy Spirit that can be replanted and multiply the Red Delicious Apple over and over again! Be Blessed, Lena
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