Theology Thursday: The Trinity

"Come near to Me, listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit." Isaiah 48:16 

Background for Parents:

The trinity is a difficult concept for us as adults to comprehend. It is a doctrine clearly evident from the Scriptures, yet one we must accept on faith. So how do we make something we can’t explain to ourselves understandable to our children? The short answer is we don’t. Yet this does not mean we simply ignore the doctrine. We need to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide our children growing them in their faith and teaching them to believe this Scriptural doctrine of faith, just as we have. What we can do is point to the Biblical fact that God does exist in three persons and yet there is one God. This lesson will focus on the evidence of the trinity and what we can learn about our Triune God from the Scriptures. 

Memory Verse:  

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, Matthew 28:19

This verse spoken by Jesus to the disciples, just prior to the ascension, clearly identifies the three persons of the trinity. We are instructed to make disciples and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Look at this verse carefully. We are not told to baptize in the names of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit but the name. This phrase is important since it identifies the three persons of the trinity, but yet refers to them as having one name. It describes the unique personhood of each member, but then shows their unity in the Godhead as well. 

Introduction:

Today we are going to talk about the trinity. The word trinity does not appear in the Bible, but there are many verses that point to God existing as three persons. So if it’s not in the Bible where does this word come from? What does it mean? Trinity comes from the root word triune. You can think of “Tri” like tricycle meaning three and “une” comes from “unus” meaning one. Therefore, trinity means that God exists in three persons in one. The Father is not the Son. The Father is not the Holy Spirit. The Son is not the Holy Spirit. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all distinct persons yet they are also all God.

Yes, this can be confusing since there is nothing in the world like it. People sometimes think of a three leaf clover or the states of water, liquid, gas, and solid. However, none of these truly describe the trinity. What can we know about the trinity? Let’s see what we can discover from the Bible. 

Lesson:

"Come near to Me, listen to this: From the first I have not spoken in secret, From the time it took place, I was there. And now the Lord GOD has sent Me, and His Spirit." Isaiah 48:16 

As you read this verse who do you think it is talking? Yes, Jesus is the one speaking. This verse is Jesus speaking and He states that the Lord God sent Him and the Spirit. This verse then is one of many different verses that point to what we call the triune nature of God or trinity.

Today I have a total truth to share with you. Then we are going to talk about each part of this total truth. Today’s total truth is “God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God. There is one God.” 

The first part of this truth is that God eternally exists as three persons. This means that God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have always existed since before time began and they will always exist. It is difficult for us to understand God as eternal, but we must remember He exists outside of time. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made...The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. John 1:1-2, 14

The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." Genesis 1:26

How do these verses point to the eternality of the Godhead? John 1 clearly points to Christ, the Word, as being with God in the beginning before creation. Since it points to Jesus as the member of the Godhead responsible for creation we know Jesus has always existed with God. Genesis 1:2 describes the Spirit hovering over the face of the waters showing the Spirits presence at creation. As a result of these verses we can see all three members of the Godhead have eternally existed. 

We can know that the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all three fully God from several Scriptures. 

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” John 6:27

"...Anyone who has seen me (Jesus) has seen the Father...Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me..." John 14:9, 11

To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. Romans 9:5

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 

Finally, we know that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all persons of the Godhead, the one true God. 

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Deuteronomy 6:4 

So we know there is one God who exists in three persons, God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. 

During the next several weeks Theology Thursday will focus on what the Bible teaches us about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You will see as we study God and what He has revealed about himself in the scriptures that today’s truth will always hold true. “God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God. There is one God.” 

Total Truth:

I have a Total Truth for you today. Are you ready for the truth? Remember the world is full of big lies, but we can always learn the truth from the Bible! Today’s Total Truth is:

God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God. There is one God. 

Recommended Books:

Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers - The Trinity by Joel Allen

Big Truths for Little Kids by Susan & Richie Hunt

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.