Trinity

My dad has three names: he is Dad, he is granddaddy and he’s also Mike. He’s one person, but he has 3 names. To me, he is my Dad. To my kids, he is granddaddy. And to other friends or family members, he is Mike. No matter what name you call him, he’s still the same person.

Maybe you have different names too. Maybe you have a name that they call you on the first day of school and then you have the name that you actually want to be called. You might also have a nickname that your friends call you. 

This is the easiest example that can help us start to understand what it means when the Bible says that God is 3 in 1. Now, I can’t go any further without telling you that it’s NOT nearly a perfect example. It’s actually a mystery to us humans as to how God can be 3 separate persons while also being just one person. But God in His great power and creativity somehow has the ability to be 3 in 1. I don’t have to understand all the details of HOW that works, but I need to know and trust that God’s word is true when it tells us that God is 3 in 1. 

The 3 persons that I’m talking about are 1. God the Father 2. God the Son (who is Jesus) and 3. The Holy Spirit. 

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But actually the first story in the Bible, Genesis chapter 1, shows us that since the beginning of time, before the world even existed, all 3 have existed together. Isn’t that cool?! And all 3, God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, are all equal. No ONE is more powerful than the other because they are really all the same person, not different people trying to be more in charge or more powerful than the other.

When we talk about the 3: God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit this is also called the trinity. So when you hear people talk about the trinity you will know that they are talking about how God is one God with 3 different persons.

It’s kinda confusing. It’s not like anyone else that we know, right?! Because God isn’t like anyone else! He is God! So if He says He’s 3 in 1 then we can trust that He IS 3 in 1. He is God and we are not and so His ways sometimes blow our mind. Actually, His ways USUALLY blow my mind!

In John 10:30, Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.” And then a few chapters later in John 15:26 He says, “I will send the Helper to you from the Father. He is the Spirit of truth, who comes out from the Father.” So Jesus is telling us all 3 are actually 1. Remember, we can trust this truth even if we don’t’ fully understand how it works!

Here are some questions to talk about. You can pause after each question and discuss or just generally review together when it’s over. Oh, and there’s no wrong answer to these! The point is to get conversation flowing. So don’t overthink it!

1.     Who are the 3 in the trinity?

2.     What does it mean that God is 3 in 1?

3.     Why do you think God made Himself like this? Why would He make Himself 3 in 1?

One last time before we sign off, let’s practice our two short verses together. You can repeat after me. “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30. And the next verse: “I will send the Helper to you – from the Father. – He is the Spirit of truth – who comes from the Father.” John 15:26

*Music: "Forest" by Vlad Gluschenko