The Holy Trinity - Object Lesson

Today is Trinity Sunday.  Our priest, Fr. Bill, has always said that sharing or preaching on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is one of the most difficult for him. 

It IS sometimes difficult to grasp the concept of the Three in One... Father, Son and Holy Spirit... God the Father, is fully, completely God. God the Son (Jesus) is fully, completely God. And God the Holy Spirit is fully, completely God. Yet there is only one God. 

And if you REALLY want to ponder more of the doctrine of the Trinity, try reading the Creed of Saint Athanasius (one of the Historical Documents of the Church), it can be found in the Book of Common Prayer on page 864.  Or, it is also printed at the Christ Church website here

Here's just a small part of it...

"....we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.

 For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.  Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.

The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate.
The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.
The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal.
And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.
As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible."

No wonder it's so hard a concept to grasp, eh?   Today, during our Sunday School class we talked about the Holy Trinity, especially the three in one aspect of it with the following object lesson...



1st Person of the Trinity - God the Father.
A cup of flour to symbolize God the Father.
White is a symbol of purity,
God is purest of the pure.









2nd Person of the Trinity - God the Son, Jesus.
Half cup of salt to symbolize God the Son.
Jesus told us, “You are the salt of the earth”
Matt. 5:13, meaning Christians “flavor”
 the earth by sharing God’s word.
Jesus was the original salt.



3rd Person of the Trinity - God the Holy Spirit.
Half cup of water to symbolize the Holy Spirit.
Water is associated with “spirit”. In John 3:5,
Jesus says “no one can enter the kingdom of God
without being born of water and the spirit.”

Mixing the three ingredients together.
 (Flour symbolizing God the Father,
Salt - God the Son (Jesus), and
Water - God the Holy Spirit)
The three have become one ...
when smooshing it together
it has become homemade playdough.



Three ingredients became One...
making their creations with the playdough.
Good job girls!!

 



A fun object lesson ... and hopefully helped in understanding the aspect of The Holy Trinity more.