Our Triune God
Before we move to cover other attributes of God, I thought it would be helpful to look at some of the various analogies, or illustrations, for the Trinity. We will describe them and then list the pros and cons of each. But keep in mind, all analogies for God are very limited. We are trying to use what we know to describe what we don’t understand, to use the limited, finite created world to explain the infinite, transcendent God, Creator of the universe, who is Holy and totally other from us (see The No ). Analogies are used to describe a specific aspect of God rather than the whole of the who and what is God. This is where many times, analogies are taken too far and we look past the original intent.
The Church has been faced with four main heresies related to the Trinity since the very beginning. The first is unitarianism. Unitarianism is a doctrine that rejects the Trinity. This is usually done by rejecting the divinity of Jesus Christ and/or the Holy Spirit. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Unitarian Universalist Association, and others hold to this position. This lack of a trinitarian doctrine is one of the reasons most other Christian groups do not hold these unitarian groups to be true Christian denominations or fellowships.
Tritheism is the belief that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are separate beings, thus three different Gods. While there are three Persons in the Godhead, there is only one God. Monotheism, as we covered in our post, The One , is key to understanding our God.
Modalism promotes, while there is one God, He is composed of three manifestations rather than three distinct Persons. It is the opposite of tritheism. Instead of three Persons, with each being a god, therefore, three gods, with modalism there is only one person who is the only god. They are not distinct persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Instead, the one god manifests or reveals himself as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as the need arises. Not the One True God in three distinct persons, but the one god in three distinct modes. (see our post, The Always Three).
Partialism teaches us that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, while fully God, are only part of the whole God. Therefore, each is said to be “100% God” but not “100% of God.” Those who support partialism would use the oceans as an example. While each ocean contains 100% water, they are not 100% of all the water that exists. This means there is a part of God which the Father is not and the same with the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is very close to tritheism as they are separate “oceans,” therefore pointing to separate Gods. Partialists come in many flavors and can be quite confusing, with some taking the position that God is God only when all three Persons are ”together” and then claiming they are never apart, so it is not an issue. Like I said, confusing. (see our post, The Three)
Some of these heresies can mix and blend with each other. They have many expressions and it can sometimes be hard to see them clearly. We need to be very watchful these beliefs do not creep into our teaching about God.
I cannot overemphasize there is no perfect illustration or analogy for our transcendent God. He is so far above us and so different from the created universe, yet all we have to go on are the things we know to describe Him. They are all inadequate to the task. This being said, analogies and illustrations can still be helpful as long as we give careful explanations of their short comings. We must take them with a very limited scope or we move into heretical thinking.
The Illustration:
Pros: This may be the best illustration of the Trinity. It shows the three members of the Godhead. It Clearly states that they are not the same but also that each is God.
Cons: The shortcoming is that care must be given to explain that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not separate gods, making for tritheism.
The Analogy: H2O
The Trinity is like water, which can be in a solid form (ice), liquid form (water), or a gaseous form (steam). In the same way, God exists as three distinct persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, yet all are the one God.
Pros: At one time, this was a popular analogy for the Trinity. It shows the same essence of each member of the Trinity (H2O), while at the same time seeking to see them as distinct (steam, water, and ice).
Cons: The trouble with this analogy is that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit all co-exist at the same time. The Father did not cease to exist in heaven while Jesus the Son was active on Earth. This analogy has been used, unintentionally, to support modalism. While the God of the Bible is a single being, He is not a single person who manifests Himself in various forms based on needs. He was, is, and will always be three Persons.
This could also be used to support partialism in that the Father, for example, could be 100% water but not 100% of all the water. The doctrine of the Trinity holds that each member is fully God and fully all that God is. This is part of the mystery that is our God. We can’t explain how this is, but by faith we hold to the fact that it is.
The Analogy: A Person
God is kind of like a man who is a father, a son, and an uncle or a woman who is a wife, a businesswoman, and a mother. A man can be a father, a son, and an uncle. However, he is only one being.
Pros: There is little to praise with this analogy other than seeking to show the oneness of God.
Cons: The Bible is clear that God the Father is distinct from God the Son, and both are distinct from God the Holy Spirit. Therefore, this also falls into the heresy of modalism.
The Analogy: The Oceans
The Trinity is like oceans; each contains 100% God, in the same way as an ocean contains 100% water.
Pros: The analogy does show that each member of the Trinity is of the same essence or nature.
Cons: The problem is that this leads to partialism, for while each ocean contains 100% water, they are not 100% of the water that exists. This analogy is actually used by partialists to illustrate their false belief. It can also lead to tritheism, for the oceans are separate bodies of water, resulting in having 3 Gods.
The Analogy: A three-leaf clover
God is like a three-leaf clover; one object, but three different, identifiable leaves.
Pros: The analogy does express the single nature of God in the one plant and also shows the three persons in the three leaves.
Cons: The issue is each leaf is not a complete expression of the one. One leaf of the clover is just that, one leaf. The leaf is not a full clover. However, the Bible tells us that God the Father is fully God and not just a part of God. Of course, the same is true for the Son and the Spirit. This heresy leads to partialism.
The Analogy: A Triangle, Egg, Pretzel, and Apple
God is like a triangle; one object, but three different, identifiable sides. God is like an egg: yolk, whites, and shell. Three parts, one egg. God is like a pretzel with three holes, each distinct but tied together by the same essence (the dough). Finally, God is like an apple, with its skin, flesh, and seeds, yet one fruit.
Pros: These analogies, and others, do get the oneness of God in the one object, and the three persons in three sides, parts of an egg, apple, or holes in the pretzel.
Cons: The problem with these is the same as with the clover. We have the three within the one. However, each part is not a full expression of the one. One side of the triangle is just that, one side. The side is not a full triangle. Parts of the egg are not the full egg, the same with the apple. The holes are separate from the essence of the pretzel. However, the Bible tells us that God the Father is fully God, not just a part of God. Of course, the same is true for the Son and the Spirit. This heresy is fittingly called partialism.
So if all of these analogies can be taken in heretical manners, what is a good analogy, the right analogy? Unfortunately, there may not be an analogy from the limited realm of creation that can be sufficient in explaining God’s nature. Don’t throw out all the illustrations, just use them with care and within their limitations. Be sure to explain the limitation as you use them to teach of our God.
Perhaps we must be content to admit that we cannot fully understand God’s nature in our finitude. What we can understand and accept is God exists eternally as one divine nature, substance, or essence, comprising three co-equal, co-eternal, and consubstantial persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, while each is also distinct.
Until the next time we see you here at CultivatingFaith.org, God Bless! #CultivatingFaithOrg