The three-ness and one-ness are two different features. One of the problems is that most of us myself included are tempted to move too quickly to analogies that only help explainaspectsof the Trinity. Specifically, distinguishing between Gods one essence and his three Persons. Gods essence is His being. As a mom to three kids under 8, an instructional coach, and a former classroom teacher, I know a thing or two about how public schools REALLY work and the challenges we face in the United States. After all, each of these illustrate the idea that God is made up of parts, and thats not really true. 2:511). It is one of the two ordinances of the Christian Church. I might end with sharing a few analogies from nature. 1. Yoto has lots of great stuff for, Read More 27 of the Best Yoto Cards for Kids (sorted by age group)Continue, If youre a Sunday School teacher or a mom hoping to instill a love of Bible learning in your children, Ive got some goodies for you! Monotheism. Youngblood, R. F., et al. What is Gods essence? The three members of the Trinity are Persons. Its a clear and concise explanation that works great for kids. How could we? Use Objects As Visual Aids. Then you will learn the distinction between personhood and essence or nature. Lets change that! understand the doctrine of the Trinity. Each member of the Trinity is . The Holy Trinity is 'the Center of Everything.'. And this illustration helps us understand the Trinity: This illustration shows how the doctrine of the Trinity does not divide God into three parts. Instead, it reveals that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit possess the same divine essence. 4:4; Col. 1:15), Eternal (John 1:1-3; 17:5; Col. 1:16-17; Jude 25), Omnipresent (Matt. Admittedly, the idea of three distinct persons/expressions that are each fully God is part of the mystery. In his second letter to the Corinthians, he bids farewell to them: "May the grace of the Lord Jesus, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the While there are some illustrations which are helpful, we should recognize that no illustration is perfect. One of the reasons Jonathan Edwards's vision of God has proved so helpful in my worship and ministry is that he does, and he doesn't, "explain" the Trinity. How can we pack more meaning and deeper, Read More Holy Week for Kids: How to Teach Beyond Easter SundayContinue, Not every child is born with tons of self esteem. For I am God, and there is no other (Isaiah 45:21-22; see also 44:6-8; Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 4:35; 6:4-5; 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:2; 1 Kings 8:60). 6:2122), Resuscitation of the dead (1 Kings 17:1724; 2 Kings 4:1837), The resurrection of Jesus (Acts 4:10; Acts 10:40), Sustains the universe (Col. 1:17; Heb. He is also referred to in third-person singular pronouns (John 14:26), He engages in actions only a person can do: He searches (1 Cor. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. Conclusion: Scripture teaches the Trinity. OrThe person were explaining it to will think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are only parts of God (egg and sun). Object Lessons on the Trinity for a Child or New Believer, The Difference Between Teaching the Trinity to a Child vs. a Teenager, Books that Explain the Trinity to a Child, Navigating Girl Drama: 20 Ways Schools and Parents Can Help Calm the Storm, Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? 18:20; Matt. However, the biblical doctrine of the Trinity does not rest on one verse of Scripture, but is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. He was sustaining and manifesting Gods immediate presence in his creation. 3:1617). "But if I [Jesus] cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.". Egg A single egg is made up of the yolk, the whites, and the shell. I think the major problem involves not distinguishing two different features of God. The oldest member of the unholy trinity. 45:5-6, New Testament: Mark 12:29; John 5:44; Eph. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. No, the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible. Omnipotence (Jer. Its probably the most classic Trinity object lesson, but its not my favorite. Most people, including many Christians, struggle trying to apprehend the Trinity. Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine, and Jerome mention it. The divine essence is thus not something that exists above or separate from the three Persons, but the divine essence is the being of the three Persons. Here are three I found to be really helpful. But all three must be present simultaneously for the geometric figure to be a triangle. God is the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. He is an extension of the sun and brings the sun directly to the world. We are dealing with fact. 40:18; Rom. Our kids are currently 2, 4, and 7, and its equally loved by all of them, so the Yoto age range is really wide! If God is three Persons, does this mean that each Person is one-third of God? Below is the easiest way that I have ever heard it explained: God the Father is the sun. Most Christians are puzzled by the Trinity, and therefore, cant explain it very well. Jesus dying on the Cross is one of the most important parts of His story. So all three members of the Trinity have unique personhood. 15:3). And likewise with the Holy Spirit. This is absolutely true. 23:2324). " Here God is a plural noun, said is in the . Lets apply these concepts to the Trinity. The next time you (or I) are asked to explain the Trinity, you could start with a 1-sentence definition and then unpack that definition. Ask teenagers hard questions about the Trinity that will make them think, and dont bother trying to come equipped with the perfect answer to everything. But analogies cannot entirely explain the mystery of God. "The Trinity is the foundational Christian belief that God is one Being who exists in three Persons.. Being Gods child, we can worship the Father and Jesus through the Spirit (John 4:2324; Phil. . It is the revelation of who our Almighty Creator actually isnot just a god, but an infinite Being existing in eternity as three co-equal, infinite Persons, consubstantial yet distinct. The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. 32:17, 27; Matt. 23-26; Luke 7:11-17; Luke 11:1-45), Sends the Holy Spirit and his gifts (John 16:714), Put his words on a par with Gods (Matt. He wrote, What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.. However, within the nature of this one God are three persons, or three centers of consciousness - the Father, the Son, and the . Heres how the triangle analogy can help: Consider a triangle with me. 1:2), and empowers us for service (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. We hate SPAM. In regards to the Trinity, we use the term Person differently than we generally use it in everyday life. Christs resurrection is variously attributed to: Multiple verses distinguish each member of the Trinity. 19:26). He realized Scripture alone is the only way we know about the Trinity (1 Cor. But it is possible to go deeper. This would make each Person less than fully God and thus not God at all. God the Father sent God the Holy Spirit to conceive Jesus (God the Son) in the virgin Marys womb (Matt. But what exactly are essence or nature and personhood? Does the Holy Spirit look like Casper? John introduces us to the Trinity in John 1:1- "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God.". First of all I want to tell you that the Trinity is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The trouble with this one is that its a bit less visual. Answer. He is the only God that exists. My Starting Point for Trying to Explain the Trinity, The Simplest but Still Clear Explanation for the Trinity, The 3 Most Common Trinity Analogies (and their limitations). Second, we have the son of God, Jesus. This law states that A cannot be both A (what it is) and non-A (what it is not) at the same time and in the same relationship. Another serious error people have made is to think that the Father became the Son, who then became the Holy Spirit. Monotheism is foundational to Christianity. The answer is they are gray and hard. John says in the first verse of the book: "The Word was with God, and the Word was God.". Jesus (the Son) is God. Striving to see Christ-followers on every team, in every sport and in every nation. 2. The Bible speaks of the Father as God (Phil. But Scripture provides ample evidence of the existence of the Trinity. There is a clue that the Son is distinct from the Father, yet there is fellowship between them. For example, it says of Christ that "in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). Others seem to come by it naturally, and its just not fair! The Trinity is God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit. Since God is one in a different way than He is three, the Trinity is not a contradiction. Finally I would end with Deuteronomy 29:29 which helps us to realize that we cannot fully comprehend God. Because of Gods nature, several mysteries exist within our faith. Go ahead and start with one of the object lessons above. He is three in a different way than He is one. These three persons make up the one true God. How to Teach Kids the Trinity with an Apple Object Lesson Grab an apple and share these five truths with your kids: An apple has three parts: the seeds, the flesh, and the skin. He exists as a Trinity. Within a week,, Read More Is It Normal that My 4 Year Old Can Read? According to the American Heritage Dictionary the word That is why any discussion of the Trinity is based on Scripture (Ps. Whether an object is a rock or a triangle, we can classify it based on its objective characteristics. While this is in my mind the simplest, clearest explanation, I understand that even this breaks down when we go further and say I am a human and I am Keith Ferrin. Each Person of the Trinity is distinct, 8. We just covered Gods one divine essence. ). also 1:18). And the triangle can help us distinguish one essence from the three Persons. Thus, as Wayne Grudem writes, When we speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together we are not speaking of any greater being than when we speak of the Father alone, the Son alone, or the Holy Spirit alone.[2]. Faith is recognizing that we dont have all the answers and deciding that its okay to keep believing and growing. But it is not. The concept of the Trinity is that we have God in three forms - a union of three. The Trinity is like an egg or apple. The wordtrinitymeans tri-unity or three-in-oneness.. Even then, he was not alone, because he had his Logos within him. But secondly, Christians need to clarify that God is incomprehensible. 12:11), When the Holy Spirit speaks, he refers to himself in first person (Acts 13:2). But how can finite humans know anything about Gods infinite essence? God told Moses in the Torah to tell God's people these words: M. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." ( Deuteronomy 6:4) C. Yes, that's right. Yet he also proclaimed, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live (1 Cor. The Trinity doctrine developed over hundreds of years and was influenced by the teachings of pagan Greek philosophers. The word "trinity" is a term used to denote the Christian doctrine that God exists as a unity of three distinct, simultaneous persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Whats a Mama to say when the questions start flowing? Now lets dig into these imperfect yet better than nothing representations of the Trinity for kids. That is ok when it comes to rocks and triangles. Orthodox Christian theology has always affirmed that the one true God is triune in nature. Lets do a quick review of the topics we have covered. The seeds are like the Holy Spirit, because He helps us grow. In this blog post, we will discuss how schools and parents can help girls to, Read More Navigating Girl Drama: 20 Ways Schools and Parents Can Help Calm the StormContinue, Ill never forget the moment I watched in amazement as my newly-turned 4 year old sounded out her first few CVC words. There are two other major monotheistic world religions namely Judaism and Islam. 4. Learn to develop your skills, desire and ability to join others on their spiritual journeys and take them closer to Jesus. The Definition Of The Trinity. Live in another country building relationships and ministries with eternal impact. God the Father spoke the creative words to bring the universe into being (Gen. 1:1). I think it is because they lack at least two pieces of information: The main confusion is that many people dont get this distinction. They had to wait another 50 year for the 381 update. Other references to the Trinity in the New Testament include Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 12:4-5, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2, and more. However, let me highlight some of the most significant passages that confirm monotheism: Are you interested in learning more about the Godhead? The Holy Trinity - Explained. Famous pastor and authorA.W. Awareness of the distinct role that each Person of the Trinity has in our salvation can especially serve to give us greater comfort and appreciation for God in our prayers, as well as helping us to be specific in directing our prayers. Remember, the nature or essence of an entity is the property or attributes that make it what it is. Sproul cites as an example Dickens famous line, It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Obviously this is a contradiction if Dickens means that it was the best of times in the same way that it was the worst of times. Assign each group with one of the Godheads: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), or the Holy Spirit. What we believe about the gospel and our call to serve every nation. Anytime you see a geometric figure with these features, it is a triangle. But Keith Ferrin is noteveryhuman being.. We also see this evidenced in how the Son and Father sent the Spirit into the world (John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7). The answer is simple. And confusing ones. Sun The sun is a physical object, but also gives off light and heat. Here we will summarize some of the fruits of their labor. Modern theologians have created a distinction between the "economic Trinity" and the "immanent Trinity.". A Christian would still be expected to understand it. 19:714; Ps. The Trinity was present in the atonement at the cross. Dont despair. Ive been thinking about it a lot, doing some research to see how people smarter than I have explained the Trinity, and come to a better understanding of the Trinity andhow to explain the Trinity in simpler terms. God the Son. Baker Books, 1995, pp. 9:18; Matt. Often it is objected that If Jesus is God, then he must have prayed to himself while he was on earth. But the answer to this objection lies in simply applying what we have already seen. And God seeks people to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). And certainly not if it were a contradiction. Obviously we cannot, for Scripture is clear that there is only one God: There is no other God besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. The Holy Trinity is depicted in the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie in Gondar, Ethiopia. 3:1417). The doctrine of the Trinity, simply stated, is as follows: The Bible teaches that there is one eternal God who is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Heres the problem (and why we shouldntstartwith these analogies):If these analogies are the only way someone thinks of the Trinity, it will lead to one of two errors. 1:12). To confess that the Father, Son, and Spirit are equal in power of course means that one does not rule over the other in any way. God is truth, so the unity that He is effecting between believers is a unity grounded in truth. And in John 16:13-15 we see that although there is a close unity between them all, the Holy Spirit is also distinct from the Father and the Son. Ive already done your research at my local library. If youd like to get away from simple object lessons and move your child toward a deeper understanding of Gods nature, check out The Attributes of God for Kids. How do they relate? He said, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29). 1:18; Luke 1:2635). "After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him.". The Trinity expresses the belief that God is one being made up of three distinct persons who exist in co-equal essence and co-eternal communion as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit . God is spirit (John 4:24). passage also demonstrates Jesus' early declaration of the Trinity. Use the links below to jump to a specific section: The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When you cut an apple in half, you can see that each of these three parts are different (at this point, you can cut the apple open for your kids! Essenceis the objective set of attributes necessary to the thing being described. That isGod is three Persons in onethe Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Ask the teenager this question: Where does this fall short? Tertullian coined the term Trinity during the second century. We Reflect God's Personhood and Relations. God is infinite. It is crucial for properly understanding what God is like, how He relates to us, and how we should relate to Him. 8:1417). The all powerful one who lives up in Heaven and either judges us mercilessly or loves us endlessly, depending on who you ask. God is not one person who plays three different roles, as this illustration suggests. And yet, we run into the same problem again, because God isnt made up of parts. The important difference between complexity and incomprehension: If Christianity was something we were making up, of course, we could make it easier. ), "If God was small enough for my brain to fully understand, He wouldnt be big enough to save me!, The authors of the Bible understood this. Jesus carried out these creative decrees (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). 12:711), The Father is not the Son (Matt. The concept of the Trinity. Yet most Christians have difficulty explaining the Trinity clearly and Biblically. The Trinity Is Unique Among Monotheistic Religions Christianity is a "monotheistic" religion. The Trinity is like an egg. Divide your group into three teams and give each group a sheet of butcher paper or poster. Just like anything else, some kids have to work hard for what comes easily to, Read More 15 Powerful Self Esteem Activities for Kids to Do at Home and in SchoolContinue. This is one possibility of explaining it. (Heavy sigh.) The New Testament lists all three Persons of the Trinity simultaneously, 6. 5:2), Miracles (Ex. You can help us reach children and their families to know Jesus. Explore answers to life's biggest questions. All three Persons of the Trinity are God. Three separate beings, all rolled into one entity. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion about the Trinity. These three persons are of the same substance, equal in power and glory. While Jesus and the Father are both God, they are different Persons. Principle #3: Order. Do you need to devote yourself to unselfish religious deeds? As Benjamin Needler preached: This doctrine should establish us in the truth of the gospel For my part, I would not worship that God that I could comprehend Bless God for the clear discovery of this truth under the gospel! 13:14), the term Trinity does not appear. The doctrine is critical, even if not easily comprehended. Volunteer abroad this year on a short term global missions trip offered by one of the best, most-reliable Christian missions organizations in the world. How can one explain the Trinity simply to a new believer? To help us do that, here are two reasons why the Trinity matters. Within Gods one, undivided being is an unfolding into three personal distinctions. God addressed in the second person singular (you): 2 Sam. . Hes the one who walked the Earth blamelessly, performing miracles, and extending mercy and love. Sometimes the Personhood of the Father and Son is appreciated, but the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is neglected. There was never a time when one of the Persons of the Godhead did not exist. The doctrine or concept of the Trinity is central to most Christian denominations and faith groups, although not all. 42. In other words, you have contradicted yourself if you affirm and deny the same statement. In Hinduism, the trinity (Trimrti, or The Three Forms) is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Well, we can know because God has given us his special revelation: the Bible. Each person of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) really IS God. The Trinity is more than just a vital doctrine. I work hard to produce evidence-based information about school for both teachers and parents, and to produce and share resources that can help at home and in the classroom. No, the wordTrinitydoes not appear in the Bible. 3:19; Eph. 2:11), and performs miracles (Matt. How to Support Gifted ReadersContinue, OurYotoplayer,Yoto Mini, and set of Yoto cards is the number one favorite toy in our household, and it has been for two years now. In all transparency, I feel like I did a pretty mediocre job of explaining the Trinity to them in a way they could grasp. This command lists all three persons of the Trinity. Ignore the urge to tie everything up with a nice little bow. 32:39), Has personal traits, such as the ability to communicate (John 14:31), He has intellect (John 2:25), emotions (John 11:35), and a will (John 6:38), Has intellect (John 14:26; 1 Cor. Jesus, the Word, was present in Genesis 1. The different roles refer to a functional order or functional subordination.. 28:18-20; 2 Cor. How to EXPLAIN The Trinity to a New Believer - Introduction to the Godhead In this video I will introduce the godhead or the trinity in one of the easiest te. We can never completely understand the Trinities one essence and three Persons. Answer. At Jesus baptism, when Christ came up out of the water, the Spirit descended in the appearance of a dove. How is God different? The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. Help others in their faith journey through discipleship and mentoring. Many non-Christians and new Christians often struggle with the idea of the Holy Trinity, where we break up God into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Fortunately, the most popular analogy of the Trinity is the triangle. The Trinity Matters because the Gospel Matters. 2:10), knows (1 Cor. Unfortunately, there are many illustrations which are not simply imperfect, but in error. Then, ask them to write words on the poster that make up the character of God. We all have a story. This formulation can show us why there are not three Gods, and why the Trinity is not a contradiction. But the Holy Spirit is not an it, but a He (see John 14:26; 16:7-15; Acts 8:16). As I said earlier, it means the same thing as being. What a challenge! The wordTrinitymeansthree-in-one. ONLY the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are God. Second, notice that each Person must be deity because they are all placed on the same level. At his death on the cross, sinless Jesus chose to substitute himself in our place (Heb. It is understandable that our finite minds cannot grasp an infinite God. They are higher than the heavenswhat can you do?, "For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.. Looking for a great childrens Bible? What we do mean by Person is something that regards himself as I and others as You. So the Father, for example, is a different Person from the Son because He regards the Son as a You, even though He regards Himself as I. Thus, in regards to the Trinity, we can say that Person means a distinct subject which regards Himself as an I and the other two as a You. These distinct subjects are not a division within the being of God, but a form of personal existence other than a difference in being.[3]. Gods attributes are not parts of his singular divine essence. Geisler, N. L., and R. E MacKenzie, R. E. Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: agreements and differences. Its a mystery the Bible teaches. In order for something to be contradictory, it must violate the law of noncontradiction. And these three Persons are the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, the Trinity is incomprehensible. If someone already has an understanding based on the definition and explanation above, then these analogiesmighthelp them grasp aspects of the Trinity. These questions arealwaysasked by someone who is exploring faith in Jesus. Why? 2:34; Heb. First, we have God. How is God one? You can't explain the Trinity to anyone who reasons because: 1) The Bible does not support it. But Jesus did not become less than the Father during his incarnation. Deut. But a common question arises: How do the members of the Trinity differ from one another?. I am fully human. It's a great reminder of the three parts of the Holy Trinity! The Trinity consists of one being revealed in three distinct persons. Read Books About The Trinity. And all three members of the Trinity were involved. But first, lets cover the basics. In John 1:1 it is affirmed that Jesus is God and, at the same time, that He was with God- thereby indicating that Jesus is a distinct Person from God the Father (cf. We need you. If each Person of the Trinity is distinct and yet fully God, then should we conclude that there is more than one God? 4; 14; Jon. But that doesnt mean the concept isnt clearly taught. Conclusion: Scripture supports the Trinity. It included Jesus miraculous conception in the virgin Mary (John 3:16)an act that we call the incarnation.. God the Fathers plan of redeeming humankind involved sending his Son into the world (John 3:16), The Son accomplished redemption for us on the cross (Heb. From the 1950s to the 2000s, people wanted to see if they could make computers exhibit intelligence indistinguishable from humans. The Trinity is important to Christians because it reminds us that God is all-powerful, walked this Earth as a perfect human who can relate to our pain, and also lives on today in our hearts. While we cannot fully understand everything about the Trinity (or anything else), it is possible to answer questions like these and come to a solid grasp of what it means for God to be three in one. However, Matthew 28:19 is frequently used in attempts to prove that the Trinity is a biblical teaching. But they are eternally subordinate in their roles to him (1 Cor. The easiest way to explain the Trinity is with an object lesson, and thats true no matter how old someone might be. In addition to these texts, the others we mentioned above make clear that the Personhood of the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Personhood of the Son and the Father. 20:3; cf. 3 in 1: A Picture of God This one is for anyone interested in using the apple object lesson. Its three things, but all are complete on their own. 2:6), The image of God (John 12:45; 2 Cor. That is why understanding what the Trinity is and is not asserting. In fact, it is precisely the continuing dialogue between the Father and the Son (Matthew 3:17; 17:5; John 5:19; 11:41-42; 17:1ff ) which furnishes the best evidence that they are distinct Persons with distinct centers of consciousness. The doctrine of the Trinity is considered to be one of the central Christian affirmations about God. be explained away. Is referred to in the second person (you; Ps. All of this information is a lot to take in at once. Here are the best childrens Bibles, sorted by age. The idea that God is somehow three and one starts onPage 1and never changes. Thats where the confusion comes from. In the early 2000s, people began using a new approach called "deep . Why is the Trinity important to Christianity? The doctrine of the Trinity is the belief that there is one God who has revealed Himself in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! Those centuries were t Begin and end with your object lesson, and be comfortable with the imperfect teaching. Grace is the promise that you stand forgiven before God if you know Jesus. You arent alone! There are two men in their 20s who came to faith in Christ in recent weeks through the ministry of our church. Likewise, after the Son returned to the Father (John 16:10), the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit into the world (John 14:26; Acts 2:33). And we can delight in praying to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit (John 14:1314; Eph. AboutPressCopyrightContact. The word "scripture " graphe 1:20-21), In salutations and benedictions (2 Cor. 12:32; 28:19; Luke 3:22), There is one God and three Gods (a contradiction), God is one person and three persons (a contradiction), God has one nature and three natures (a contradiction), There is a functional order within the Trinity, Bowman, R Jr. The Biblical Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity. Blue Letter Bible, https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/bowman_robert/trinity/trinity.cfm#trin_1 Accessed: 1/20/2022. From our understanding of the Trinity (a social being), we recognize that a person is a relational being, not just someone with a mind, a will, and . Through accepting the undeserved gift of salvation (Eph. Only older children will grasp the in one concept of H20. In sum, the essence or nature of anything is what it is. Therefore, we must always endeavor to deepen our worship of God in truth as well as in our hearts. Satan. 2:5), The Father is not the Spirit (John 14:26; John 15:26), The Son is not the Spirit (Matt. They are not merely modes or manifestations of the same person (as Oneness theology incorrectly asserts) who sometimes acts as Father, sometimes as Son, and sometimes as Spirit. Learn the basics of what Christians believe. There will always be some level of mystery to this, but when you talk about the being/nature/essence as God and the persons/expressions as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit I think we get at least a little bit closer to beginning to comprehend something we can never fully comprehend.