The doctrine of the Trinity is one of several doctrines that provide a framework of the Christian faith. Doctrines are authoritative and used in many ways to teach, put into statements of faith, and provide specific parameters on what is inside and outside the Christian faith. Erickson states, “The doctrine of the Trinity is crucial for Christianity. It is concerned with who God is, what he is like, how he works, and how he is to be approached” (Erickson 2013, 292). The Trinity is not something that can be fully understood as God has not revealed Himself enough for us to understand it. “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” (Deut. 29:29, NIV)

God’s Three-in-Oneness

Essential Elements of the Doctrine of the Trinity

Each doctrine has essential elements that are considered the core beliefs of the doctrine. A person’s faith is then increased through various methods such as Bible study as that person gains a better understanding of the Trinity since it is an important ingredient in the Christian faith. The doctrine of the Trinity has six essential elements that help define what the Trinity is and is not.

1. The first element states that the unity of God is basic and considered one essence or being.
2. The second element declares that each person is qualitatively similar and equally divine.
3. The third is centered on the understanding that there is no contradiction between the threeness and the oneness of God. This is what separates Christianity from some of the other religions that falsely believe in modalism where there is one God in different forms at different times.
4. The fourth element declares that the Trinity is eternal as each person has always been in existence and divine.
5. The fifth element explains that one of the members of the Trinity may submit to another but only for a short time and it does not indicate any inferiority to another. There are many examples in the Bible where one person of the Trinity will submit to another but there are other places in the Bible where they are mentioned as equal.
6. The sixth element admits that the Trinity is incomprehensible. This does not mean people can not understand God, it simply means that people can not fully understand God as people are humans and have limitations on the comprehension of God. Erickson states, “Those aspects of God that we will never fully comprehend should be regarded as mysteries exceeding our reason rather than as paradoxes that conflict with reason.” (Erickson 2013, 310).

Analogies and Theological Errors

Analogies are comparisons between two things that are partially similar but not exactly. The human brain is drawn to analogies to help in learning and understanding something new. People use analogies to help explain a concept or provide clarification. There are also problems with analogies as they can be misleading or oversimplify complex concepts. Erickson explains, “Most analogies drawn from the physical realm tend to be either tritheistic or modalistic in their implications.” (Erickson 2013, 310). The best analogy to date is around the human organs and how they are all needed and connected, but this still needs another analogy to help explain all of it. The Trinity is difficult to provide analogies for as no person has arrived at one analogy that accurately explains it completely.

There are a lot of analogies that attempt to depict the Trinity and there is no one analogy that completely works. Erickson states, “We will need to use several, some of which emphasize the oneness and others the threeness.” (Erickson 2013, 312). There are several failed attempts with analogies that have stirred up controversy over the years and are not aligned with the Trinity but other unintentional beliefs.

• One analogy is where God changes forms to be different people with an analogy of God being water with different “modes” like liquid, solid, and steam while remaining H2O. This is an analogy of Modalism and not the Trinity.
• Another analogy is where God is like the Sun as it is comprised of a body, light, and heat. This is Subordinationism as it claims the Son and Holy Spirit are subordinate to the Father which is the body of the Sun and supplies light and heat and they can’t be without the body.
• Another theological error is Tritheism which denies that there is only one God but three different beings. Those false analogies include the egg where it has three parts – egg, yolk, and shell. This is problematic as it does not illustrate the three persons as separate in one being. The clover analogy was also used by St. Patrick but does not illustrate the fullness of God for each leaf as each Person is fully God. This is the same for the chain analogy where there are three links together as one chain but do not illustrate the fullness of God for each link. A musical cord is another analogy where a cord has three distinct notes but it still falls short of being understood easily and fully describe the Trinity.

The different theological errors with bad illustrations. Modalism (water analogy) is where you deny that there are three divine persons, Tri-Theism (egg, clover, chain) is where you deny that there is only one God, and Subordinationism (Sun) is where you deny that the three persons are coequal and coeternal. Erickson right ends part 3 with, “Try to explain it, and you’ll lose your mind; But try to deny it, and you’ll lose your soul.” (Erickson 2013, 313).

It is difficult sometimes to keep all three persons equal as none of them should be emphasized over another. Erickson states Ricardo de Sousa’s feelings, “that those who emphasize the Father are often from the Reformed tradition, while Pietists tend to relate especially to the Son, and Pentecostals and charismatics make much of the Holy Spirit.” (Erickson 2013, 293) This assessment can be observed when going to different churches of different denominations. Some churches do not emphasize deliverances and some do. 

** Note from Professor – An excellent job, Shawn! Keep up. – Dr. Jonathan Waita 

Bibliography

Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013.