'''WHAT GOD IS ''NOT'':''' God is ''not'' an impersonal essence nor merely a "higher power." Neither are ''God'' and ''Trinity'' simply singular names for what would otherwise be seen as considered three gods (i.e. terms which would hide polytheism).

Though the Trinity is a mystery beyond comprehension, two analogies are often used to help us glimpse explain what ''Trinity'' means. The first is references the sun, and the second is references man himself.

'''Man:''' It is said that each human has been made in the image of God; and, and as such , each human bears similarities to our Trinitarian Lord and God:(1) Man's ''nous'' (i.e. complete mind and heart (; including intellect, creativity, feelings, morality, intuition, etc.) is like the Father.(2) Man's flesh, (both tangible and a temple of the Holy Spirit), is akin to the Son who became incarnate and was filled with the Holy Spirit.(3) Man's life (or breath ) is akin the Holy Spirit.

Man (any human) is all three. One cannot be human without all three. There is never a time that man has existed (or could exist) without all three. A mind or life For a human nous cannot exist without a bodyand life, and the a human body does not exist (--at least at the start) --without a mind nous and life, and a human life cannot exist without a nous and body.

'''In each The benefit and limitation of analogies:''' Each of these analogies there is good at expressing a three-ness and one-ness but with no polytheism.''' According However, according to Saint [[Gregory the Theologian]], trying to go further to comprehend ''unbegotten-ness'' (Father), ''begotten-ness'' (Son), or ''procession'' (Holy Spirit) leads to insanity. Therefore the Church traditionally approaches God in divine mystery (and [[apophatic theology|apophatically]]), content to encounter Him rather than comprehend Him (for it is impossible for the created to comprehend the ineffable Creator).

==Image & Likeness distinguishedDistinguished==It should be noted that while each human being is in the ''image'' of God, humans were also created to be in His ''likeness''. This St. Ephrem the Syrian often writes of mankind initially being "robed in glory, however, is where " referring to bearing the fall is evident; for, ''His likeness'' refers of God.<ref>St. Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns On Paradise, St. Vladimir Seminary Press, Crestwood, NY (1997).</ref> God is good; and, to be ''His goodnesslike'', and to be like HimGod, a person would need needs to be ''good '' as well.  This, however, is where ''the Fall'' is evident; for, as St. Ephrem points out, when Adam and Eve looked to themselves to determine right and wrong (daring to become as God without God<ref>Clark Carlton, The Life, Obviously Regina Orthodox Press, Salisbury, MA (2000), p. 22.</ref> choosing their own leadership rather than God's by not waiting to know all have sinned things through and fall from with Him) they became naked--no longer bearing His likeness... no longer "robed in glory." From this aimpoint on, we know the tale... in God's mercy, they departed Eden. (For giving them access to the Tree of Life--immortality--when not in God's likeness--would indeed have been a living hell.)