I’m 12 years old. I want to be a real Christian. But, I don’t understand the trinity. How can you be God in heaven and Jesus on earth at the same time? How are we saved? What does it mean? What are we saved from? (D.C., Oregon)
Answer:
What fascinating questions! I’ll bet even adults will read your question and the answer.
Analogy of a Puppy in Danger
Let me ask you something. Let’s say a fire is threatening to burn down your home. More than anything, you want to save your precious dog and her puppies from the fire. But, she is so scared that she keeps running away from you. If you could do anything you want, what could you do to gain her trust and get her and the puppies away from the fire and into the car?
Become a Puppy to Talk to Mommy Dog
If you had the power to do anything, I would bet that probably the quickest way you could gain her trust is to become one of her puppies who could lead her into the safe car. She would want to listen to and help her own puppy, wouldn’t she? A mommy dog wouldn’t be afraid of her own puppy.
Not a scary UFO but a little Baby
In the same way God did something similar for us. He became one of us to help us and talk to us. He knew we would be afraid of him if he showed up like a big fire in the sky whose voice sounds like thunder – kind of like a scary UFO.
So instead, he just became a little baby and grew up like a regular child. That way he could talk to us and we wouldn’t be afraid of him. When he did that, he limited some of his powers as God while he grew up like a regular child.
Incarnation
That is what we mean by the “trinity” and the word “incarnation.” Jesus is God who became a man to talk to us.
If you want to find this idea in the Bible it comes from several places. Two references are the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 18, verses 15-19, and the book of John, chapter 1, verses 1-2.
A famous literature professor, C.S. Lewis in his book The Problem of Pain, said it like this: “God became a creature who lived among his own creatures.”
Outside Time
Remember that God always exists outside of clocks (or “time”) on earth. The time we live here on our planet is just a tiny sliver of the whole universe’s time. So God can exist in forever-time (or “eternity”) while he becomes a human being for a short time on our planet. That’s how he can be God in heaven at the same time he is Jesus on earth.
This has to do with extra dimensions you will learn more about in astro physics classes or science books. Just be patient and learn as much as you can about science as you grow older.
Death is Sad
When Jesus became an adult then he explained to us what he wanted us to do and believe. He told us that just about our biggest problem in the universe is death. Everything is dying and it wasn’t supposed to be this way.
It makes us so sad to lose a Grandma or a Mom or Dad or brothers and sisters when they die. So Jesus wants us to be saved from dying forever. He promised us we could be made alive again even after we die if we believe in Him.
Dolly the Cloned Sheep
In a way our “resurrection” from death may be sort of like Dolly the cloned sheep you may have studied in your science class. The cloned Dolly was almost like the original Dolly. Scientists used Dolly’s DNA to “clone” her or make her all over again.
This may be sort of what happens to us. Only we will be the “real” thing when Jesus resurrects us to life again after we die. But, we will also have supernatural bodies that won’t get sick or die. Still, Jesus may use our DNA like a “pattern” to make us all over again, too, but with our new abilities and enhanced powers.
Wouldn’t that be terrific?
He took our Punishment
All we have to believe is that Jesus took our punishment for our sins instead of making us take any punishment for all the bad thoughts and things we do on earth. We wouldn’t want to be in heaven forever with bullies or bad people, would we?
So Jesus came to life again after he died for our sins. This proves to us He is Lord over all of creation and has the power to bring people back to life after they die. That’s what pastors mean when they say we must believe Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead.
Becoming Changed People
When Jesus brings us back to life we will all be changed people – really good, perfect human beings! We will be kind and loving to one another. People won’t die anymore. Who knows? Maybe we will even have forever pets in heaven! One famous bible teacher, Randy Alcorn, thinks so and says it in his textbook about Heaven.
Abba
Once you believe Jesus died for your sins and rose from the dead then you have a new family in heaven. Your family is all the Christians in the world who ever lived and who will live in the future. God is our Father or “Abba” (Daddy). We are all like extra special good brothers and sisters who will live together forever with our Father.
The Bible says it like this:
“You are members of God’s family.”
(Ephesians 2:19, NLT).
Welcome home to your new family!
__________________________________
References 4 Kids:
Alcorn, Randy. 2004. Heaven for kids. Carol Stream, ILL: Tyndale.
Strobel, Lee. 2004. The case for a creator. (student edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
—2001. The case for Christ. (student edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
—2008. The case for the real Jesus. (student edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Authors Valorie Emilio holds an MA in History from UCLA focusing on Christian origins. Ken earned his MA in Biblical Studies from Louisiana Baptist University. Between them they helped to raise 11 foster kids who had lots of questions about Christianity.