Why Is The Trinity So Important to Christians?
It was such a memorable moment.
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. And, the topic this particular morning was, “The Trinity.”
How Do You Explain the Trinity?
Our professor asked if we had any great ways to explain the concept of the Trinity –word pictures we might use when teaching a class.
Someone tossed out the “water” example. You know, the Trinity is like water. 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. However, this example eventually breaks down. It’s not a perfect word picture and it doesn’t really explain the Trinity.
Then, another student threw out the “egg” example. This illustration explains that the Trinity is like an egg because of the three parts. Just as an egg has the shell, the white section, and the yolk, so also God is three parts: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, this example gets sort of messy as well. It’s hard to explain the Trinity using an egg.
In fact, it’s HARD to really explain the Trinity no matter what example, word picture, or illustration you might choose.
Louis Berkhof explains it this way:
“The Trinity is a mystery… 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. It is the incomprehensible glory of the Godhead.”
(Grudem, page 256)
So, @@if the Trinity is such a mystery, why study it and write about it?@@
For the rest of this post join me at my friend Melanie Redd's site today.
Read the rest HERE
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Join us as we take a clear and practical look at some of the most basic and essential tenants of the Christian life – the doctrines of the faith.
Each week, we will highlight and explain a core doctrine. Then, we will pose the question, “Why does this matter to you and me?”
You can catch all of this year’s “Delight in Doctrine” posts by clicking HERE.
For the purposes of the study, our main texts will be first, the Bible, of course, and Wayne Grudem’s classic, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine.
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.
“…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)
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