In our families, churches, neighborhoods, jobs, and organizations, God created us all very unique and different. The Trinity realizes a unity and plurality in God that makes sense of all the biblical data. And, these truths keep us humble and reminded of the fact that He is God and we are not. A group of 12 of us were seated around a large table in a conference room where we were spending the week in an intensive class on “Systematic Theology.”, I was the only woman in our little group. Without the Doctrine of the Trinity, There Is No Salvation from Sin There is a third reason as to why the doctrine of the Trinity is of the utmost importance for Christian belief. Melanie Redd is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Wow, Melanie, thank you so much for sharing this wisdom & insight. The Trinity is first of all important because God is important. Also, doctrine of the Trinity goes hand in hand with the doctrine of salvation (e.g., the many things that Jesus said and did have no meaning if He is not God). We know that God cannot be tempted and HE cannot sin. Jesus taught to pray to the Father, not himself. God in three Person, blessed Trinity. Judging by the honest answers likely given to the questions above, many modern Christians have lost the sense of why it’s so important, even if they’ve retained it in their doctrinal statements. However, this example gets sort of messy as well. You're almost done! Even though the word “Trinity” is not found in Scripture, the doctrine is clearly presented. If you claim Jesus was God, then you have to claim that Jesus is the son of Jesus, or God is the son of God, and neither of those statements make any sense. Melanie, Great description from a GREAT teacher ♥ Thanks for taking something so complex and making it relative to our lives. The only way for me to maintain my spiritual sobriety is to get away and stay away from TRINITARIAN CHRISTIANS. We were hosting a ladies’ dinner over the course of two evenings. All three speak with authority because God—the Creator of everything—is our ultimate authority is every area, and that is the major reason why the Holy Spirit can testify of Jesus: If the Holy Spirit is not God, then we cannot completely trust the truths to which He guides us, such as Jesus being the Messiah. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google You bless me~ Wonderful topic of which there are many, many layers to it’s meaning. It’s so central that one of the greatest theologians of the 20th century, Karl Barth, said, “Trinity is the Christian name for God.” God is a Trinity of three in one, co-equal and yet distinct, called the The Trinity is undoubtedly one of the most mysterious Christian doctrines. They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know? Saying Jesus is God completely destroys the gospel message! This is such a great post and series! Thank you Melanie. Tolerance of others. Blessings! Melanie, Your email address will not be published. That being TRUE, and IF Jesus is 100% God, that means Jesus could not have been tempted or sinned anyway! There are three persons (plurality) in one nature (unity). Christians believe that the individual persons of the Trinity helps them understand the different ways that God has shown his presence in the world. In fact, it’s HARD to really explain the Trinity no matter what example, word picture, or illustration you might choose. You can also sign up for our free print newsletter (US only). In the first two centuries of the Christian Era, however, a series of different answers to this question developed. I love that each one has a distinct and special purpose in my life and I’m so grateful. It is especially when we reflect on the relation of the three persons to the divine essence that all analogies fail us and we become deeply conscious of the fact that the Trinity is a mystery far beyond our comprehension. They place such store in the idea that they refer to it as a “mystery of faith”….. Blessed wife of Randy for over 25 years, mom to two great college students, blogger, women's ministry coach, speaker and author who is amazed by God's grace- The Bible describes the existence of one true God, yet also attributes the characteristics of this God to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit individually. When we interpret this passage, we should recognize that each member of the Trinity is God. I sure appreciate you & your ministry, my friend. This series from you and Dawn is fabulous! He is the SON of God. Being fully God and fully man, He died on the cross in your place and in mine. In my studies I’ve concluded that there is no trinity. Or like all the others are you going to cop-out? to the glory of God the Father.”. © Melanie Redd and Ministry of Hope, 2017. The Father is not the Spirit. The Bible teaches that we human beings have sinned against a … Jesus prayed alone in the Garden – why in the world would he go pray to himself? Thanks for sharing it with me. Two, the Trinity matters for evangelism and cultural engagement. Try downloading another browser like Chrome or Firefox. Islam emphasizes unity—unity of language, culture, and expression—without allowing much variance for diversity. On the contrary, the fact that it is difficult is an argument for its truth. You bless me~ So appreciate you and your sharing the post on social media. I really like your description. Just as an egg has the shell, the white section, and the yolk, so also God is three parts: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Bible says there is only one God. Studying these roles in light of the doctrine of the Trinity gives us a deeper understanding of God and His Word. eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'melanieredd_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_8',109,'0','0']));“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor Melanie. I’m so glad that my posts are easy to follow and that they make your think – all at the same time! that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Your email address will not be published. Thanks so much for explaining it so simply. Well, he didn’t pray to himself. In other words, to know God is to have fellowship with each person in the Godhead. To condemning Trinitarians I say,…Psalm 55:12, “It is not an enemy who taunts me— Thank you for sharing your story. It is our prayer that by the end of 2017, we will all find more delight in understanding what we believe and why we believe it. Before creation, the Trinity existed. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Understanding God as triune is a theology-driving, awe-inspiring, life-giving truth. However, this example eventually breaks down. However, we would miss the point if we left the Trinity as a mere doctrinal discussion. Thank you, Kristen! Your reasoning is easy to follow, making these truths easy to remember. Why is the Trinity so confusing? Sure do appreciate your encouragement and your kind words! The first instance is found in Genesis 1:26–during creation–where God uses the pronoun “US.”, “And God said, Let US make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— This made a lot of sense to me as a young child and it was how I explained it to my children and grandchildren. Because as Jesus said, “This is eternal life: that they know you the only God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” ( John 17:3 ). God, as a Trinity, exists in three Persons. Hi, I’ve been studying this topic for a while, and this article is well-written, and summarizes the Trinitarian belief of most Christians. But, everyone came together, fulfilled their roles, followed through on their parts, and worked together. It’s not a perfect word picture and it doesn’t really explain the Trinity. Even though the word “Trinity” is not found in Scripture, the doctrine is clearly presented. Further, we should allow the fact that God is triune to deepen our worship. Hence the Churchs constant concern to safeguard the revealed truth that God is One in nature and Three in Persons. Thank you for your blog, it encourages my heart more than you know! I have shared it on Facebook and Twitter as well. Well, Jesus was NOT 200%. We better understand God when we better understand the Trinity. Melanie. And, the topic this particular morning was, “The Trinity.”. And, I hope you will visit again. Trinity is not a salvation issue. Hey James, Sure do appreciate you stopping by to leave an encouraging word today! Will you post my previous reply? First, the Trinity matters because Jesus had to be fully God to save us. Using the multiplication model, we show that the three form a union, thus why people have moved to calling it the Tri-Unity. Appreciate your affirmations today! Melanie, I love that you and Dawn have been digging in deep and reminding us to ground our faith in truth. Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.”. About 4 years ago I burned every bible and every hard cover resource book I had – probably $2,000 worth of books because I was at the end of my rope with Trinitarians who condemn people. that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, But there are a few other reasons why the Trinity is important to those of us who call ourselves Christians: The Trinity Accounts for the Description of Evidence. It’s always my prayer that I will take the complex things and make them more simple and easy to grasp! I love thinking about these things. This is why CCC 240 teaches, “[The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity] is Son only in relation to his Father.” The Holy Spirit is passively spirated of the Father … Thank you, Clair! “That’s because Jesus was speaking from his ‘humanity’ – or that’s because Jesus was speaking from his divinity! These are two of my top goals every single time I write – make things easy to understand and encourage everyone to think! They are three distinct persons. I could have hidden from them. You bless me, Melanie! I’m so grateful for you and for your friendship! Jesus never said he was God, and he doesn’t HAVE to be God for his dying on the cross to be effective. These cookies do not store any personal information. Please follow the instructions we emailed you in order to finish subscribing. We believe that the Godhead exists eternally in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and that these three are one God. He would have just been another created being. Melanie. I hope you’ll join us again! Now I understand if other monotheists think it doesn’t count as monotheistic. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. Tozer said, “What you think of God is the most important thing about you.” Yeah, well, it's important to step up and say no, we don't believe in three gods. I appreciate you so much:-), Thank you, Shannon, for stopping by to leave a good word today. Please refresh the page and try again. Blessings, I would never become an Atheist, but right now, and for a while, I have to distance myself from Christians. Then, we will pose the question, “Why does this matter to you and me?”. For me, the trinity is perhaps the single most important doctrine for Christians to understand. I’m so grateful for your prayers. I'm so glad you are here, and I'm praying that God will greatly inspire you today! Melanie. Thank you, Diana! “…YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” LUKE 10:27 (ESV). Learn how your comment data is processed. The Trinity matters … It sounds like a really hard math problem. A “ substance ” or “ nature ” is what something is. Father, Son, and Spirit were interpersonally relating. Terms of Service apply. The Holy Spirit testifies that Jesus is the Christ—the Messiah and Savior. In this fellowship, one comes to understand the Trinity in a way that is far greater than someone who merely understands the Trinity in his mind, without it penetrating into the depths of his soul. Why is the Trinity so important to the Christian faith? You’ve blessed me today with your encouragement! Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? To know God savingly is to know him as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus can stand in the gap for us because of His deity. What to pray: ask God to help you rely on His wisdom rather than your own as you study His Word. It isn’t, except to certain Christian denominations… Most prominently the Catholics. And the Trinity is probably the most confusing doctrine as well. The doctrine of the Trinity is encapsulated in Matthew 28:19, where Jesus instructs the apostles: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”. eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'melanieredd_com-leader-2','ezslot_9',111,'0','0']));It was my joy to serve for several years on staff at a local church as the Director of Women’s Ministries. My description of the Trinity (as it was explained to me by my dad) is that as a man is a father, a son and a brother also like a man; a woman is a mother, a daughter, and a sister. It is perhaps the most important doctrine in all of Christianity. Stated differently, God is one in essence and three in person. To deny the Trinity is to deny the Gospel itself. Blessings to you, Many people are confused with this topic. Let me back this up by defining the Trinity, and then explaining why it is so important. In addition, you can catch all of this year’s “Delight in Doctrine” posts by clicking HERE. This illustration explains that the Trinity is like an egg because of the three parts. Someone tossed out the “water” example. I forgot to mention that when I was at the end of my rope I not only burned all of my books, I also took my website down. Just as water can be in the form of a solid, a liquid, and a gas, God is in three forms: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now, I understand WHY Christians are the number one cause of Atheism in the world. Trinitarianism is polytheism. The Son is not the Spirit. Why is the Trinity So Important to Christians? There is no inspiration, encouragement, or hope for me in Christianity. Though it certainly is a mystery we can never fully understand, it does allow us to connect with God on so many amazing levels, some of which, of course, we’ll never grasp in entirety, but I think that’s a good thing! Melanie. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 3. Blessings and smiles, In many places in the Bible, we are encouraged to bow down and worship the Lord Jesus. As we have discussed in the last three devotional series, each Person of the Trinity plays a role in salvation. If there is no Trinity, there is no Christianity. Melanie. For more on my disclosure policy, click HERE.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'melanieredd_com-leader-3','ezslot_11',125,'0','0'])); I occasionally link to these AMAZING SITES. These are great points Dawn. I appreciate your thorough and thoughtful approach to this deep topic. Later, He ascended to the Father’s right hand where He is the head of the church and intercedes for believers, and from whence He is coming again personally, bodily, and visibly to this earth to set up His millennial kingdom. What makes you think that I don’t have a relationship with Jesus? I also love to see others walk in their gifting and calling. How has God shown his presence in the world through each part of the Trinity. It can be intimidating to explain and we tip-toe carefully with our words so as not to slip into heresy. Dawn and I both are blessed by your comments! Whenever I debated ‘Trinity’ with others like on forums or blogs, I was either banned from forums for being non-Trinitarian, and and after 2-3 replies on blogs, when bloggers couldn’t ‘overcome’ they immediately began passing judgment saying I need to repent and accept Christ, or I’m in a heretical cult, (I’m not JW) and delete ‘most’ of my replies and then say goodbye. 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