@ Topic

a good way to describe the Trinity and show that it is very possible for one thing to exist while being 3 or doing 3 at the same time.
My favourite is the shamrock used by St. Patrick in explaining the Trinity to the Irish. There are 3 leafs in a shamrock and yet it is still 1 leaf.

Also someone used a flame and a circle to explain it.

Draw a circle

You see the line, the interior and the exterior. Not one of those existed before the other and neither exists without the other.

Light a candle

The flame consumes, gives light and gives heat. All three happen while the flame exists. None of them exists without the other.

I really like the flame consuming, giving light, and giving heat at the same time.

For those who consider the doctrine of the Godhead as a mathematical impossibity should consider this simple mathematical calculation:

1 x 1 x 1 = 1 

QED

This is more clearer, you as a personality, you are made up of three parts, they are The body, Soul, and Spirit, cos you are made in the image of God just like he said in the bible "Let us make man in our own image", and since we are the image of God, we are his carbon copy,replicate of his personality. This is a simple logic and should and would be understood by those who have the spirit of God

jumoke 90:

@ topic
my pastor described Holy Trinity like a father whose children bear his surname.for example i bear my daddy's surname and so do the other children of my daddy. That is how i understand. Anyother opinions?

That's a good analogy. Even though it may not be a perfect one but I get the idea that a son bears the name of the father just as the Father is God and Jesus is God, that is, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. God bless you.

~Lady~:

@ Topic

a good way to describe the Trinity and show that it is very possible for one thing to exist while being 3 or doing 3 at the same time.
My favourite is the shamrock used by St. Patrick in explaining the Trinity to the Irish. There are 3 leafs in a shamrock and yet it is still 1 leaf.

Also someone used a flame and a circle to explain it.

Draw a circle

You see the line, the interior and the exterior. Not one of those existed before the other and neither exists without the other.

Light a candle

The flame consumes, gives light and gives heat. All three happen while the flame exists. None of them exists without the other.

I really like the flame consuming, giving light, and giving heat at the same time.

Good analogies up there. We can agree on the truth that has biblical backing without going into our church traditions. Kudos.

Another basic analogy is the British Union Jack that is made up of the combination of the flags of St George, St Andrew and St Patrick.

OLAADEGBU:

For those who consider the doctrine of the Godhead as a mathematical impossibity should consider this simple mathematical calculation:

1 x 1 x 1 = 1

QED

We can see how the calculation of the Godhead does not make the three divine personalities three Gods but One.

The Father x The Son x Holy Spirit = God QED

dankol:

This is more clearer, you as a personality, you are made up of three parts, they are The body, Soul, and Spirit, cos you are made in the image of God just like he said in the bible "Let us make man in our own image", and since we are the image of God, we are his carbon copy,replicate of his personality. This is a simple logic and should and would be understood by those who have the spirit of God

Absolutely. The Bible also records His Godhead in the book of the beginning that, at the beginning (time), God(Elohim; Father, The Word and The Holy Spirit) created the heavens (space) and the earth (matter). Genesis 1:1; John.1:1; 1John.5:7.

This universal truth is a three in one orderly way reflecting its Ruler and Maker who created the universe and sustains it by the Word of His Power (Hebrews 1:3)

This can be derived from the One Universe that comprises of Matter (Mass/energy), Space and Time

well >>>> like in man u have >>>
* spirit
* soul
& body

the Godhead to could be seen that way >>>> i'd rather not bother myself thinking about the Godhead
>>>>> instead i think of how to better my relationship with God thru the Holy Spirit

@@ Olaadegbu

totally agree with the matter, space, time concept. truth is we go on & on >>> to infinity
describing the Godhead

jumoke 90:

@ topic
my pastor described Holy Trinity like a father whose children bear his surname.for example i bear my daddy's surname and so do the other children of my daddy. That is how i understand. Anyother opinions?

This is the only explanation that makes sense or is true as far as the trinity concept is corcerned. As per the rest of you that are bent on trying to force your unscriptural hallucinations into the scriptures i leave you to youur delusions.

KunleOshob:

This is the only explanation that makes sense or is true as far as the trinity concept is corcerned. As per the rest of you that are bent on trying to force your unscriptural hallucinations into the scriptures i leave you to youur delusions.

Thank God that the illustration above now makes sense to you.  The fact that other analogies doesn't make sense to you does not mean that they will not make sense to others, it all depends on where you are coming from.  One man's meat as they say, is another man's poison.

Uyi Iredia:

well >>>> like in man u have >>>
* spirit
* soul
& body

the Godhead to could be seen that way >>>> i'd rather not bother myself thinking about the Godhead
>>>>> instead i think of how to better my relationship with God thru the Holy Spirit

Just as many of us don't bother about the details of exactly how our computers or mobile phones work, we just use them and they work. We believe and trust that they will work even though we don't know the intricacies involved in manufacturing them, but if you are technically minded you may want to know.

Uyi Iredia:

@@ Olaadegbu

totally agree with the matter, space, time concept. truth is we go on & on >>> to infinity
describing the Godhead

To the scientifically minded, you will appreciate how the universe speaks of the tri-une nature of God, and yes, we can go on describing the Godhead because the universe has its own way of illustrating the divine nature of God:

Universe = Space + Matter + Time

We can further break it down to:

Space = height + length + width or

Directions in space = (Up and down) + (left and right) + (forward and backward)

Matter = Protons + Neutrons + Electrons. (with the exception of hydrogen) 

Subdivision in the atomic particles

[list]
[li]Protons = 3 quarks

Neutrons = 3 quarks[/li]
[/list]

Time = Past + Present + Future

All these to remind us of God's triune nature, which is three in One.

God has revealed to us His eternal power and Godhead by the natural things He has created so we have no excuse.  Romans. 1:20

OLAADEGBU:

To the scientifically minded, you will appreciate how the universe speaks of the tri-une nature of God, and yes, we can go on describing the Godhead because the universe has its own way of illustrating the divine nature of God:

Universe = Space + Matter + Time

We can further break it down to:

Space = height + length + width or

Directions in space = (Up and down) + (left and right) + (forward and backward)

Matter = Protons + Neutrons + Electrons. (with the exception of hydrogen) 

Subdivision in the atomic particles

[list]
[li]Protons = 3 quarks

Neutrons = 3 quarks[/li]
[/list]

Time = Past + Present + Future

All these to remind us of God's triune nature, which is three in One.

God has revealed to us His eternal power and Godhead by the natural things He has created so we have no excuse.  Romans. 1:20

This delusion is worse than i thought, imagine comparing God to quarks, neutron and protons. What is the biblical basis of all this baseless analogies? remember it is a very grievious sin to add or remove from the word of God.

KunleOshob:

This delusion is worse than i thought, imagine comparing God to quarks, neutron and protons. What is the biblical basis of all this baseless analogies? remember it is a very grievious sin to add or remove from the word of God.

I had earlier warned you that the analogy above was for those who are scientifically inclined. You would do yourself a favour if you just keep to the illustration that you understand and can relate to rather than trying to understand the unknown through terms that are strange to you, as this may do you a lot of harm, mentally.

OLAADEGBU:

I had earlier warned you that the analogy above was for those who are scientifically inclined. You would do yourself a favour if you just keep to the illustration that you understand and can relate to rather than trying to understand the unknown through terms that are strange to you, as this may do you a lot of harm, mentally.

There is nothing strange about the terms you used as i happen to have a relatively good understanding of quantum physics/mechanics. However that those not take away the fact that your allusions are baseless and contrary to the written word of God in the bible which describes Jesus as the son of God and NOT part of the so-called triune God.

KunleOshob:

There is nothing strange about the terms you used as i happen to have a relatively good understanding of quantum physics/mechanics. However that those not take away the fact that your allusions are baseless and contrary to the written word of God in the bible which describes Jesus as the son of God and NOT part of the so-called triune God.

I don't want you to confuse yourself and others, that is if you are not already bewildered as it is.  Let us use this simple analogy of the Godhead.  God is like a triangle that is one figure yet has three different sides (or corners) at the same time.  So there is a simultaneous threeness and oneness.  Of course, no analogy is perfect since in every analogy there is a similarity and a difference.  The difference here is that “sides” or “corners” are not persons.  Nonetheless, the triangle does illustrate how there can be threeness and oneness at the same time.  While there is one God, there are  three persons within the One God.  Ko ba a ka ba?

This is an effort to expantiate on how the universe declares the divine nature of God

Matter is primarily composed of three types of particles (atoms) with the exception of hydrogen.

Atomic particles speak of God's triune nature. They have a three in one nature comprising of Protons, Neutrons and Electrons.

Protons and Neutrons each contains three smaller particles called quarks

Therefore, the universe itself is a three in one orderly way reflecting its Ruler and Maker who is the Alpha and Omega who created it and sustains it by the Word of His Power (Hebrews 1:3)

Another illustration is when God created time in Genesis 1:1.

Even though time has one dimension it is perceived in three divisions: Past, Present and Future. Time reminds us of God's triune nature, which is three in One.

God lives outside time, called eternity which is the life time of the never dying God, He has given us this gift through the second Person in trinity. Whoever receives the Son receives eternal life. Romans 6:23; 1John.5:11-13.

God made space in 3 dimensions probably to remind us of the Godhead;

Height, Length and Width;
(Up and down, left and right, forward and backward);
Other movements are combinations of these directions in space.

God in three persons and still one in nature, space is also in three dimensions and one in nature.

KunleOshob:

There is nothing strange about the terms you used as i happen to have a relatively good understanding of quantum physics/mechanics. However that those not take away the fact that your allusions are baseless and contrary to the written word of God in the bible which describes Jesus as the son of God and NOT part of the so-called triune God.

Since you claim to have a good understanding of quantum physics the following paradox should not be difficult for you to understand.

This is from the world of science by a scientist and theologian named Alister McGrath:

"An example of this from the world of science concerns the nature of light.  By the first decade of the twentieth century, it was clear that light behaved in a very strange way - sometimes it seemed to behave as if it was a wave, and sometimes as if it was a particle.  It couldn't be both at once, and so the cry 'contradiction!' was raised.  How could it be two totally different things?  But eventually, through the development of the Quantum Theory, it was found that this contradiction expressed a fundamental difficulty in grasping what the nature of light really was.  In other words, the contradiction did not arise on account of light, but on account of our difficulties in conceiving it."

McGrath went on to show that the nature of light was such that two contradictory models had to be used to account for its behaviour but with God we require three contradictory models.

"Most of us know what light is without needing to think about waves, particles or Quantum Theory.  Light is what we need in order to see, to do our everyday business, to read and write.  It is what comes out of the sun, and to a lesser extent from the moon.  It is what we get when we switch on electric light bulbs or strip lighting.  If we were physicsts, we might want to think about light in much more detail and go into the full complexities of it - and so we might start talking about waves, particles and Quantum Theory.  But we don't need to do this in order to make use of light or to recognise it when we see it."

I believe you can understand how three contradictory models on the Divine level now make sense in the concept of the trinity of the Godhead.  Even though we cannot fully comprehend it does not negate the fact that it does make sense.  When I switch on the computer and interact with you on nairaland I do not know how they work, but there is an explanation beyond the limits of my understanding and which does make sense.

Here is an analogy of a House:

[list]
[li]The architect = God the Father, can say 'It is my house'[/li]
[/list]

[list]
[li]The purchaser = God the Son, can say 'It is my house'[/li]
[/list]

[list]
[li]The tenant = God the Spirit, can say 'It is my house'[/li]
[/list]

@ Oladegbu,
may God bless u real good 4 d wonderful work u've been doing on ds thread. & all others who av throwin in more light on d topic, God bless u,too.
As a Christian, i ad a misunderstanding of wot d trinity is too until God opened d heart of my understanding as i discussed wt older Christians & read more into d Bible.
& now i can boldly explain wot d word trinity stands 4.

1. the three “members” of the Trinity are different, but have the same purpose (and they are all God).

The explanation of the Trinity is so simple that most people miss it.

* If God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit were the same, they would not have different names.
* If they were the same, they would not appear separately as they do in Matthew 3:16,17.
* In spite of being different, they are “one.” (John 10:30)

2. God is one.
God is described as “one” in Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Kings 8:60, Isaiah 44:8 and numerous other passages. For example, Deuteronomy 6:4 says “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!” The word for “one” is the Hebrew word ‘echad. (This Old Testament text was originally written in Hebrew).

This is the same Hebrew word that is used for “one” in Genesis 2:24—Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
In case you haven’t noticed when a man and woman are married they do not melt into one human being, becoming some sort of hybrid. Yet, they do become “one.”

In d same way,God, Jesus & d Holy Spirit do not av 2 fuse into one hybrid 2 be one!

In summary,The word "trinity" is a term used to denote the existence of God as a unity of three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each of the persons is distinct from the other, yet identical in essence
QED

the good, the bad, and the urgly.

tutus:

the good, the bad, and the urgly.

hello there.dont make any meaning frm ds(ur post,i mean)

@ JISOLA MAR , Is a good way to describe the Trinity and show that it is very possible for one thing to exist while being 3 or doing 3 at the same time.
so tell me wht dnt you understand?
the Good? (Kind; benevolent; humane; merciful
the bad? (Evil; sinful.) OR
the urgly? (Offensive to the sight; contrary to beauty

tutus:

@ JISOLA MAR , Is a good way to describe the Trinity and show that it is very possible for one thing to exist while being 3 or doing 3 at the same time.
so tell me wht dnt you understand?
the Good? (Kind; benevolent; humane; merciful
the bad? (Evil; sinful.) OR
the urgly? (Offensive to the sight; contrary to beauty

Sir,u do av a perversed sense of humour, dont u? . good way,u said?
so sorry that wot u just posted is certainly not d [b]Trinity of the Godhead [/b]that we r dscussing here.
Kindly do start anoda thread 4 ds ur special kind of trinity.
10Q

tutus:

@ JISOLA MAR , Is a good way to describe the Trinity and show that it is very possible for one thing to exist while being 3 or doing 3 at the same time.
so tell me wht dnt you understand?
the Good? (Kind; benevolent; humane; merciful
the bad? (Evil; sinful.) OR
the urgly? (Offensive to the sight; contrary to beauty

d last time i checked we were dscussin d Holy Trinity.
Sir, do u mind posting d meaning of Holy frm ur dictionary so i can understand ur angle better?

Jisola Mar:

@ Oladegbu,
may God bless u real good 4 wonderful work u've been doing on ds thread. & all others who av throwin in more light on d topic, God bless u,too.
As a Christian, i ad a misunderstanding of d trinity is too until God opened d heart of my understanding as i discussed wt older Christians & read more into d Bible.
& now i cannot boldly explain wot d word trinity stands 4.

I thank the Lord for your life and may the Lord continue to bless you with His reveletion knowledge.  I also pray that the Lord will open the eyes of all those that the prince of darkness has blinded to see the light of the glorious gospel and that the daystar in their heart may appear.

Here is another analogy of a book. A book exists in three different and distinct ways at once:

[list]
[li]In the mind of the author[/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]On the shelf in the library[/li]
[/list]
[list]
[li]In the imagination of the reader[/li]
[/list]

Ireally have to appreciate the efforts you all have being putting to the understanding of the term 'trinity`1John4:1'Do not believe every word Test and See whether they originate from God because many False Prophets have forth into the World'.Please the word trinity nor its idea cannot be found in the Bible.For us to understand the context of John1:1 let up look at 18 of that Bible book-No man has seen God;the only begotten god who is in bosom position with the father is the one that has explained him.However considering John1:14,how then could the son be part of Almighty God?John also states that the word "was with God".How can an individual be with someone and at the same time be that person?Moreover,as recorded at John17:3,Jesus made a clear distinction between him and his heavenly Father"the only true God".And toward the end of his Gospel,John sums up matters by saying 'These have being written down that you may believe that Jesus is the son of God(John20:31)Notice that Jesus is notcalledGod bt Gods son