How Do I Explain the Trinity to My Kids?

This new episode of core Christianity was prerecorded, will explain the Trinity for my kids – is one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity will hi, I'm Bill Miro along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answered your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 and you can feel free to leave a voicemail there as well. You can also post your question on one of our social media sites and you're always welcome to email us your questions at questions at core, Christianity.com will first up today let's go to Eric in Iowa Falls, Iowa. Eric what your question for pastor atrial will hi Eric, are you doing well. Thank you for calling and what your question how churches and Watson electric church pastor. There were what the Bible is a insight on whether good or not quite so ideal that along faster. Before I just curious what the Bible you will thank you for that question Eric and it's one that we have received on the broadcast before. I'm glad to hear that you you looking for a church to get plugged into. I think that's really important and you want to find a church that values the teachings of the Bible. First and foremost we often times Eric will talk about you know what what makes a true church. What should you be looking for as you're trying to determine where to worship by yourself or with your family. Will the first thing is the faithful preaching of the word of God and then you have just the right administration of the ordinances that Jesus gave to the church baptism and the Lord's supper discipline, but the word of God is central because the word of God. It creates and sustains the church.

And so wherever you go, you want to go somewhere that is, you know, steeped in the teachings of the Bible and faithful to the Scriptures. Now, with regard to this question about you know going to church where there's a woman pastor. Personally, I believe, based on first Timothy three Titus chapter 1 where it talks about the ordination of elders in particular teaching in the church and in other places in the pastoral epistles that the office of pastor or elder is reserved for men within the church. There are that you know various reasons for that, but I think that that's something that the Bible teaches.

And I know that there are other people who I would say are still Christians you know it's not that they're not Christians who disagree with my interpretation there and so that I don't think that this is one of those issues that you know somebody disagreed with us on that interpretation that they were in a wood automatic would mean that they're not a Christian. And so might my my concern though is in a good I do think this is something the Bible speaks to them that it speaks to clearly that if if this is an area in in that church where you there there there not saying that clearly in Scripture. I what are some of the other things may be that they're missing any that would that would be my my concern is the word of God going to be faithfully taught, here is Christ going to be proclaimed as he should be. And so I would have some reservations brother and and that that's what I would say I did. I do think you asked for it for me to what the Bible teaches that I do think the Bible does teach at the office of pastor is reserved for called qualified competence. Men who are to serve it to us are called by the church in into that office. And so, so I would look for a church where you could find that thank you for your question rather thanks much for calling Eric, thank you for listening to your core Christianity by the way, we get email questions every day.

You can feel free to email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com. One of the things we often receive questions about his homosexuality is such a controversial topic in our society right and I really want those hot button topics and we have a great resource that's available to you. It's a free resource that if you like to get that would love to offer that to you. Yeah you bill people in different situations and with varying perspectives have asked us about the Bible's teaching on homosexuality and so that's why we created this resource over core, Christianity.com called 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality. It's free when you sign up for our weekly newsletter and in the world that we live images everything is highly politicized. Important matters are oftentimes reduced to soundbites we get in the shouting matches with each other. It's so important for customers were having these kinds of discussions that were dealing with people and we were not to talk about issues were dealing with people and so head over core, Christianity.com/offers to download 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality is a be great if you're in discussions with someone that has a different view on the homosexuality issue. Again, go to core Christianity.com/offers to look for that very unique resource. Let's get back to the phones we have Josh on the line from Spirit Lake, Iowa Josh what your question for pastor atrial record all my family about once a week or try to fully and the topic of the Trinity involved in the discussion. There I wholeheartedly believe Jesus of God will put himself in human form and sacrifice, and sulfur our sins, and that when my children asked me in all their 50s as is God. Why does he call him father light is a megaphone like there's two separate individuals. There was a fornicator could explain that a little bit better. Maybe I could or did I use water as an example. Conforms the water felt liquid.

I then embedded reforms then it's all the same material but maybe there's a better way to explain yeah just think God bless you brother in in just seeking to raise your children right in the nurture and admonition of the Lord in teaching them who God is and boy I've had this exact same question for my kids. I still get the question. But my our kids are our oldest is 10. Our youngest is five months. As I'm sure many continue to get questions about the trade. I remember one day we were sitting around the dinner table and my daughter. I think she was probably four or five at the time she that you can copy if God is one, but he lives in your heart and in mom's heart and in my heart that how can God still be one. If you mediate evenly divided rightly within each of our hearts. It doesn't make any sense at kids.

Just ask the best questions I feel like theologically and sometimes again we just need to recognize that were talking about who God is, how he's revealed himself that were organ have a hard time. You know, if we if we were trying to use creaturely analogies like water or an egg. I've heard the analogy of an egg or or the three leaf clover whatever for trying to use creaturely analogies to describe the uncreated God always going to fall short. And so it's okay if you're struggling to come up with. You know how to how to explain who or what God is to your children because were talking about the Lord of heaven and earth. There is this great transcendence. We can't even begin to wrap our minds around God as he is in his essence. But here's what we do have we do have how God has revealed himself to us in creation and in his word in the Bible makes it very clear as you say that Jesus is God that the Holy Spirit is God that the father's God, but that there is one God is a what I like to focus on with with my family is just giving them the sort of grammar of the faith we talk about worshiping God of the holy Trinity, one God, three different persons and if they say will. Doesn't that that you know how can he be one and three will we say he's one in essence, substance) were thinking about God's power. God's glory. There are differentiations between you and of the father and the son oneness. There were talking about persons were were thinking about the three persons of the holy Trinity undivided persons and yet distinct in in in how they relate to each other personally as well that the father is unbegotten. The son is eternally begotten of the father to get this this is all musing.

You note technical that theological terminology, but it just empty. Just I think highlights the fact that really what we want to do is just give them that the terminology that the glossary if you will, of the faith and pray that the Lord would grant them the grace to understand and to accept by faith, the teaching of Scripture as I say, rather than in an I've heard this before, rather than than trying to explain the Trinity. We want we want to adore the Trinity scene with your family to the father to the son into the Holy Spirit songs that are Trinitarian pray to the father in the name of the sign and by the grace of the Holy Spirit incorporate as your is your studying the Bible together as you're leaving your family and devotions, and in prayers. Do it in that in that Trinitarian way. That's how we begin to understand insight, I think, to the degree that it's possible how God has revealed himself. It's through worship.

It's not through speculation but adoration and and ultimately that you know that the real understanding is a gift that God gives even to little children. I love what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 11 verse 25 versus I thank you father, Lord of heaven and earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children. Yes father, for such was your gracious will pray we should all be praying brothers and sisters that God by the grace of his spirit would reveal the truth of the gospel that the reality of who he is to us and to our children because it's not something that we can just figure out what we need the help and grace and illumination of the Holy Spirit. So pray that for your family and I would just I would just again conclude by saying it's it's good to just say God is one. Deuteronomy 64 but he's revealed himself as three distinct persons. The father the son and the Holy Spirit. The father is God the son is God the Holy Spirit is God, but there are not three gods is one God, one in essence, undivided, and we worship the father the son and the Holy Spirit and lead your family and worshiping God. The holy Trinity, Josh, thanks you know your advice about not finding no metaphors or ways to explain the. The Trinity is good advice. When I was in college I was a camp counselor and a member. The pastor at this particular Said the Trinity is like an apple and you have the skin in the flesh and the core. I don't think that was really that helpful yeah and what if you don't like apples, you know I'm not a fan of Apple's so I just wait. We do say that often times I like that those analogies and I know we sort of resort to that unit. Like all we want to just try to explain God. Figure got out the Trinity is like an apple is like you know water ice and liquid for whatever an egg yeah but again we have to remember. Like I said were talking about the uncreated God. So our car creaturely you know illustrations.

Analogies are never going to do justice to that. We just want to stick with how God has revealed himself in his word and worship him by faith I meant great advice.

This is for Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question for us about the Bible of the Christian life. You can always leave us a voicemail.

Here's our phone number it's 833 the core, you might want to jot that down. You can call us anytime, 833 the core or 1-833-843-2673. You can also send us a message a question through our YouTube channel and Karen had this one for you Israel. She said someone told me that a helpmate was only for husbands is that true, it seems to me if you take Genesis 2, literally. It's okay for women to be alone yeah okay the myth of the couple of things there in the obviously testament to say some people are called to singleness and there's a gift that God gives there. Not everybody is, but there are some people for whom it's perfectly fine to be on God uses them in that situation affect the apostle Paul himself when he's exhorting the Corinthians he says look, look, you note I I would encourage you guys to consider singleness Makino focus focusing on your devotion to the Lord because when you get married you know your ear devoted to and concern for the needs of your spouse. But if you're not married, you can be totally focused on the pursuit of the Lord, and serving the Lord in your life.

And so we don't want to minimize I think the blessing that singleness can be, and also the fact that some people are called to being single and called to being being alone in their service to the Lord.

But with regard to being a helper and that language does come from Genesis chapter 2 the Lord God said it is not good that man should be alone I will make him a helper fit for him know what what's interesting about that word helper is like you will know this but when you when you look at that word. Throughout the Old Testament. It's most often used of God. God is identified as the great helper of his people.

The great helper of Israel, the one who delivers them, who saves them to so innocent as people able to see that word and they think of it just doesn't seem like a like a great position to have. It doesn't seem like the kind of thing I would want, but it's actually a very high calling. It's one that God himself assumes throughout the Old Testament asked the helper of his people and so here you know, in the context of Genesis 2, when you're thinking about marriage in God bringing Adam and Eve together. He's made her he's made for Adam this this helper compatible with him equal with him, and in terms of dignity in terms of, you know nature human nature. If you will but but call to complement one another. The man and the woman in their service to the Lord and I think that's what our marriages should look like today as well. You know were serving each other were serving the Lord were using the gifts that God has has given to us in the in the callings that God is placed upon our lives for the good of each other and for the good of our of our families and so that's what you see there early in in Genesis and and it's a beautiful thing but it doesn't necessarily mean that that there aren't some people who are called to being alone are called to singleness and that requires wisdom and discernment and prayer Inc. in order to determine that. And so thank you for for that you to question Karen God bless you your listing to record Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, we do receive voicemails.

We try to review her voicemails. Once each day. There's one that came in from one of our listeners named Paul I drill. I have a dilemma at work. There is a person described as trans female transitioning to male and they worked at my workplace for around a year now, but I've never seen her in the men's bathroom and apparently it is just happened recently and it's not had a good reaction among some of my coworkers and for me I just decided if anyone can use the men's and I'm going to use the women's and by that I do have to clarify the women's is a private bathroom one stall a locked door so it's not like I'm walking in on anybody, and my boss has been okay with that but as a Christian, how do I approach the situation. Thanks for your guidance. Let Michelle fight hey Paul, thanks for the question yeah I II know this is something that's becoming more and more of an issue in in the workplace. I don't know the right approach would be like okay will if you're going to go to the men's restroom. I'm just can use the women's restroom I II think they're probably better wasted to go about this meeting.

Not trying to be abrasive or tipster to make it a statement in that way. Frankly, I think. I think it's it's still something that you should be able to talk to the people you work with a bow and in particular the that the people were making these kinds of policies and in administration and express your concern and not just for yourself but maybe for some of the other people who who are there.

Another thing that I would. I would just say maybe consider is I don't know what your relationship is like with this individual, but man praying that MEI to editing as a Christian I think, praying that God would give you an open door to talk with this individual about Jesus about the gospel about the of the important things in life me obviously.

Maybe it's a conversation about gender and sexuality.

We know that there is so much confusion out there in the world may know related to those related to those topics, but I think you know that as believers, our desire should be. We want to see people's hearts change and we know that only comes to the work of the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the gospel sought. I think that as a Christian. The approach should be one. I think it's totally fair and find it to express your concern and frustration. Dissatisfaction with whatever the policy is a think about your your prerogative as as an employee there and I think that you should and I and obviously III you and I think it's strange that the kinds of things that businesses and companies are doing right now, but to I think you should want to think about this individual as someone who Jesus pursues me think about Jesus in the Gospels in his pursuit of sinners right in pursuit of people that you we would expect him to pursue. This is one of the things the scribes and Pharisees were so often frustrated about Jesus. I grumble about him because of this and so I would say man you know.

Consider the fact that Jesus pursues centers that he pursues this individual that he might be using you to extend the truth of his word. The truth of the gospel to this person and pray that the Lord would open open those doors you know for for for that to happen to me. That's ultimately what we want to see is we want to see people transformed by the gospel, by the grace of God. And certainly we know that's possible because the God that we serve is great and so pray with confidence and asked the Lord to give you an opportunity to be able to strike up a conversation about these these very important matters. Thank you for your question there so much confusion about gender roles and sexuality and gender identity in our culture today. One of the resources that we have that would really be helpful to you, especially if you're a mom or dad talking to your kids about one of these issues is a new resource. It's absolute free. It's called 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality.

You can find that by going to core Christianity.com/offers again 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality@corechristianity.com/offers as an email question we received from one of our listeners named Chad his man-made world.

Just as I listen to core Christianity every day at work. My question is this what exactly should a Christian's relationship with Jesus look like.

I know we pray to him in thanksgiving and in repentance. But a lot of people talk about Jesus as a friend. Should we also talk to him in that way as a friend talking about any random thing like we do with our friends yeah yeah you probably seen it there. There is a T-shirt that was actually popular for a while at least.

It was here in Southern California where I met and it was an image of Jesus in it at the top it said Jesus is my homeboy. Let me it is sort of like yeah he's my buddy he's he's my guy. That kind of thing you think me a thump as people talk about God.

To me, and though will reference you know the big man upstairs and it just a sort of. I would say low view of of God is he's revealed himself in his word. So while the answer in one sense, is yes, we want to have an intimate communion with God, with Jesus of personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus is not my body. He's not my my home but were not Pierce, he's the Lord he's my Savior, he's the God man, the, the eternal word of the father who assumed humanity for my redemption. He's the one at whose feet John the apostle fell down as a dead man in the book of Revelation me think about this room for a moment John knew Jesus reclined you know on his on his chest there in the upper room that there there's this closeness. But when he sees Jesus knee is his vision of Jesus in in heaven, and the book of Revelation, he falls down like a dead man, the life, it seems, is drained from him and God raises him, but I think we can have two low overview of Jesus, of his holiness of his greatness, and so the balance is right.

Having that personal intimate relationship with Christ whereby we can pray to him and speak to him about the concerns we have about the longings of our hearts but but were not approaching him as as though we were approaching a peer. As he says it as though he's just kind of like you know that the body that II hang out with.

Know this is this is the Lord and and so I think also you take a cue from from the prayers that we find in Scripture from the from the examples that we have in Scripture.

In terms of how people have approached Christ falling down at his feet in repentance, clinging to him in in love in the hope and in humility, and so I think one of the big problems in the church today. I'm frankly it's something that we see all over the place is a minimizing of God and his holiness, his greatness, we want to make God in our image. I want somebody who looks like me who thinks like me, you struggled like I do with the same things that I struggle with that.

That's what I'm comfortable with and too often in churches new pastors the way they portray God is as just your body. Just like you. You know well know he's the uncreated Lord who assumed humanity so that he might empathize with this, and yet was without sin, so that he could forgive all your sins. That's the Jesus we serve.

Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together