John 1:1-2 (NET) - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning.
The Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is a difficult concept for some to understand.
For those who are not Christian, we appear to be worshiping three separate gods instead of one.
To put this in mathematical terms, they see it as 1 + 1 + 1 = 3.
But such is not the case.
C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity used the concept of dimensions to give us some insight.
In a world of one dimension, one could conceive of nothing more complex than a line.
In a two dimensional world, one of length and width, one could conceive of something more complex.
Lewis used a square for his example which is formed with four lines.
Extending this concept to a third dimension, that of depth, Lewis used a cube for his illustration.
The cube has six sides, each being a square, with each square being composed of four lines.
The idea being that as dimensions are added, new and far more complex figures can exist that still retains something of those preceding it.
If a being existed in a world with a single dimension, he could not fully grasp the concept of a two dimensional figure, but he could get a glimpse of it.
In the same way, a being that existed in a two dimensional world could not fully grasp the concept of a being that existed in three dimensions, but he too could get a glimpse of such a being.
You and I live in a world of three dimensions (four if you incorporate time) and scientists speculate that there could be additional dimensions.
Being confined to a limited set of dimensions, we cannot fully comprehend the magnificence of God.
We are fortunate in the fact that He does provide us with glimpses of Himself.
The Persons of the Trinity, namely, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are distinct.
Yet, they are one.
As Christians, each Person provides us with what we need.
The Father created us and wants us to be saved.
The Son saves us and acts as a bridge to the Father.
The Holy Spirit guides us on our journey and teaches us that which we need to understand.
The most elegant explanation I have ever come across was from Billy Graham.
According to Dr. Graham, it is not 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, rather it is 1 x 1 x 1 = 1.
The book of John tells us that the Word was with God and was fully God.
The account of the creation in Genesis bears this out.
Genesis 1:26 (NET) - Then God said, "Let Us make humankind in Our image, after Our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth."
John confirms this in his continued discussion of the Word.
John 1:3-4 (NET) - All things were created by Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.
The Three are One and the One are Three.
That is the way it has always been.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
The Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit is a difficult concept for some to understand.
For those who are not Christian, we appear to be worshiping three separate gods instead of one.
To put this in mathematical terms, they see it as 1 + 1 + 1 = 3.
But such is not the case.
C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity used the concept of dimensions to give us some insight.
In a world of one dimension, one could conceive of nothing more complex than a line.
In a two dimensional world, one of length and width, one could conceive of something more complex.
Lewis used a square for his example which is formed with four lines.
Extending this concept to a third dimension, that of depth, Lewis used a cube for his illustration.
The cube has six sides, each being a square, with each square being composed of four lines.
The idea being that as dimensions are added, new and far more complex figures can exist that still retains something of those preceding it.
If a being existed in a world with a single dimension, he could not fully grasp the concept of a two dimensional figure, but he could get a glimpse of it.
In the same way, a being that existed in a two dimensional world could not fully grasp the concept of a being that existed in three dimensions, but he too could get a glimpse of such a being.
You and I live in a world of three dimensions (four if you incorporate time) and scientists speculate that there could be additional dimensions.
Being confined to a limited set of dimensions, we cannot fully comprehend the magnificence of God.
We are fortunate in the fact that He does provide us with glimpses of Himself.
The Persons of the Trinity, namely, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are distinct.
Yet, they are one.
As Christians, each Person provides us with what we need.
The Father created us and wants us to be saved.
The Son saves us and acts as a bridge to the Father.
The Holy Spirit guides us on our journey and teaches us that which we need to understand.
The most elegant explanation I have ever come across was from Billy Graham.
According to Dr. Graham, it is not 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, rather it is 1 x 1 x 1 = 1.
The book of John tells us that the Word was with God and was fully God.
The account of the creation in Genesis bears this out.
Genesis 1:26 (NET) - Then God said, "Let Us make humankind in Our image, after Our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth."
John confirms this in his continued discussion of the Word.
John 1:3-4 (NET) - All things were created by Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.
The Three are One and the One are Three.
That is the way it has always been.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
