Why Trinitarian Belief is Essential to Christianity

Andrei Rublev’s Trinity, representing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in a similar manner. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today is “Trinity Sunday” on the Liturgical Calendar. There have no doubt been literally thousands of arguments, both for and against, this central doctrine over nearly two millenia, ranging from “where is that in the Bible” to “non-Trinitarians are going to hell,” and every range in between.

I have known lovely and loving people who accepted Christ as Lord and God, but did not accept the concept of “three persons in one God.” So are they Christians? And what about those who believe Jesus was God’s “first-born” (in other words created by Him) such as Jehovah’s Witnesses teach, and the Arians as well hundreds of years earlier? Are they “real” Christians?  Or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who believe in a Triune God of sorts but that He is one of many, and that we too have the potential to one day rule and reign in our own universes?  Are they Christians?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianism

Scary isn’t it?  So many love Jesus but cannot agree about who He is. Each of the above groups who deviate from traditional Trinitarian thinking also believe that Jesus is the Son of God, lived a perfect and sinless life, died for our sins, and is forever in heaven with His Father. It is very hard to then say “they do not believe like I do so hell awaits.”  And I do not believe so. But I will get back to that thought in a moment.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) clearly indicates that belief in this doctrine is indeed the bedrock of any true form of Christianity. While not in the Sacred Scriptures expressly, the concept exists and was in fact universally approved by the Church before that same Church approved which books even belonged in Sacred Scripture.  Protestant friends please understand I am not referring to any Old Testament books but rather the New Testament, which virtually every Christian denomination (and the splinter groups listed above as well) agree upon.  The teaching of the Trinity came first.

Says the CCC in 232:

Christians are baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Before receiving the sacrament, they respond to a three-part question when asked to confess the Father, the Son, and the Spirit: “I do.” “The faith of all Christians rests on the Trinity.”⁵⁴ (189, 1223)

In 189:

The first “profession of faith” is made during Baptism. The symbol of faith is first and foremost the baptismal creed. Since Baptism is given “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” the truths of faith professed during Baptism are articulated in terms of their reference to the three persons of the Holy Trinity. (1237, 232)

And in 1223:

All the Old Covenant prefigurations find their fulfillment in Christ Jesus. He begins his public life after having himself baptized by St. John the Baptist in the Jordan. After his resurrection Christ gives this mission to his apostles: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28: 19) ¹⁸ (232)

It is important to note that the teachings of the Catechism are based upon early Traditions which go back to the earliest Church Fathers and even the Apostles themselves. Sacred Scripture as well, not mentioning the word “Trinity,” makes multiple other references besides the above, such as the following quote both from Holy Writ and with commentary from St Athanasius, an early Church Father who lived in the third and fourth centuries AD and who in fact was the first to identify the 27 books of the New Testament as universally recognized today.  Here is what he says:

This is also Paul’s teaching in his second letter to the Corinthians (13:13): The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. For grace and the gift of the Trinity are given by the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit. Just as grace is given from the Father through the Son, so there could be no communication of the gift to us except in the Holy Spirit. But when we share in the Spirit, we posses the love of the Father, the grace of the Son and the fellowship of the Spirit himself.   St. Athanasius

And the following:

We acknowledge the Trinity, holy and perfect, to consist of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In this Trinity there is no intrusion of any alien element or of anything from outside, nor is the Trinity a blend of creative and created being. It is a wholly creative and energizing reality, self-consistent and undivided in its active power, for the Father makes all things through the Word and i…n the Holy Spirit, and in this way the unity of the holy Trinity is preserved. Accordingly, in the Church, one God is preached, one God who is above all things and through all things and in all things. God is above all things as Father, for he is principle and source; he is through all things through the Word; and he is in all things in the Holy Spirit.- St. Athanasius

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Last, in a more modern context, a modern Catholic theologian, Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio states the following:

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“Happy Feast Day of the Holy Trinity.    We are Christians because we are followers of Christ. But besides this, we are also Trinitarians, because we believe in one God in three Divine Persons,  The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If we are truly to “know” our God, we must know this.  But if we are ever to understand ourselves, we must also know this.  For we were made in the image and like…ness of God, and God is a community of self-donating love.  That means that we can never be happy isolated from others, protecting ourselves from others, holding ourselves back selfishly from others.  Unless we give ourselves in love, we can never be fully human.  And unless we participate in the life of God’s people, we can never be truly Christian either.  Because Christianity is about building up the community of divine love which is called the Church.  If God is Trinity, then there really is no place for free-lance, lone-ranger Christians.”

I think it can be thus established that belief in the Trinity is foundational to the fullness of salvation and our understanding of it. So how about those “Christians” who do not believe in this doctrine?

In both Sacred Scripture and in the early Church, the concept, if not the word, of “Catechumen” was used of those who were beginning to follow Christ but had not been baptized or who had yet to comprehend the full teachings of Christ. For example, in the New Testament a convert named Apollos was preaching Christ but missing some very important details due to poor or lack of instruction (catechesis).  A couple by the names of Aquila and Priscilla took him aside and explained the plan of Christ to him more clearly, and then he went on his way. Also, St Paul, when first meeting the Ephesians, finds that they were not properly baptized, and had no concept of the Holy Spirit. They were then re-baptized and received the Spirit of God. See passages below:

Ephesians 18: 24-28 (ESV)  24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.  25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.  26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.  27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed,  28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

Ac 19:1  (also ESV)  And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.  2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”  4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”  5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.  7 There were about twelve men in all.

Quadruple combination opened to the Book of Isaiah – note the cross references between Biblical and Latter-day Saint scripture in the footnotes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So what does the Church teach about those who are following Christ as best they understand Him?  Are they headed for heaven or hell?  To answer that I think it depends first of all on the hearts of the people involved.  But again we turn to the Catechism (CCC) for an answer. People who are attempting to follow Christ in the New Testament are referred to by the Church as  catechumens. They may be mistaken on many points, ignorant on others, but still are part of the family of God if they truly believe according to their best understanding.

1257 (CCC):

 The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation. He also commands his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them.⁶¹ Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament. The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are “reborn of water and the Spirit.” God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments. (1129; 161, 846)

1258:

The Church has always held the firm conviction that those who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having received Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ. This Baptism of blood, like the desire for Baptism, brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament. (2473)

1259:

For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament. (1249)

1260:

“Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery.” Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity. (848)

The only conclusion I can come to on this wonderful Trinity Sunday is that Trinitarian baptism is the normal means of entrance into the Kingdom of God. It both issues from faith and brings faith–it is the Sacrament of Faith. But for those who believe in an incomplete way, or misguided way, there would appear to be provision through what the Church clearly calls the “baptism of desire.”  That is how generous the Trinity truly is.

Holy Trinity by Fridolin Leiber (1853–1912) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Honor Your Father and Your Mother

Reblogged from Life of a Sinner:

According to the Bible:

Exodus 20:12

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Deuteronomy 5:16

“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Read more… 773 more words

INTRODUCING JOSHUA...AND FRIEND

If you want a treat, I absolutely recommend wholeheartedly this blog to you...Joshua Huffman is a 20-year-old college student who has decided to tackle the 10 commandments as part of his Lenten journey this year. I find that amazing, especially in a world where even very devout Christians many years his senior cannot sometimes name even 3 of them.

And this young man not only knows them, but wants his friends (online and otherwise) and family to understand and follow them as well. Okay he can't spell...but hopefully he won't be too upset with me saying so hehe. Then again some of the best authors are not exactly grammatical experts either! Right, Chris Padgett? (Chris, incidentally, was one of my Confirmation sponsors and a dear friend--as well as a talented and gifted singer, song writer, author, and works extensively with youth). His site too is well worth exploring, as is his music:

http://www.chris-padgett.com/

So now back to Joshua...

In any case at his age I was in Bible College studying theology, thinking I knew so much, and I do not think I would have even thought of writing a series on this difficult and in-depth topic. His story is amazing (if you check out his site you can read it here--http://communionwithjesus.wordpress.com/favorite-books/, as is his walk with our Lord Jesus. He even takes online prayer requests.  I had not thought of that either but now plan to add such a link to my site too. Thanks Joshua!

He is Lutheran by background but is kindly sharing references from the Catechism of the Catholic Church as well as Luther, and obviously of course Sacred Scripture, to enhance these teachings. You are definitely in for a treat. And he is a young man who is going places for Jesus our Lord!!! That I guarantee. I am so very honored to have made his online acquaintance and one day hope to meet him in person if God so wills it. I hope He does.

Images cOURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA

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Revisiting Jefferson Bethke And Our Concept of “Religion”

Corcovado jesus (Photo credit: @Doug88888)

Image via Wikipedia

I must say this is the absolute last thing I planned to post today again, or ever for that matter. But I think it is time, now that the earthquake is over and the volcanic ashes settled over his use of the word “religion,” which seemed to be the main point of contention for most of my liturgical brothers and sisters in Christ, to hear with more clarity what he was attempting to say here.

At the outset, I will say that there are points of theology I probably disagree on with Bethke. I am not a Calvinist. I would believe in and defend the Roman Catholic position on doctrine anytime, not just “because I am Catholic” but more to the point I am Catholic because I fully believe in and follow, as best I know how, the authority of the Word of God through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, which of course is not “every tradition” but the ones which have their basis in the early Church and Church Fathers, and have thus stood firm through the Councils and over the many centuries of the Faith.

Having said that, the official and clear Catholic position is that there are Christians, meaning potential “saints” who are headed for heaven, in all Christian denominations who teach the basic creeds of historical Christianity (such as the Apostle’s and Nicene Creeds).  Our Catechism of the Catholic Church could not be clearer on this point.

CCC# 818:

“However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers . . . . All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church.”

I do not believe the point can be any clearer than that. This is our brother in Christ.  He is 22 years young. He has turned from the world and, as the old song goes, has “decided to follow Jesus, no turning back.”  No parent in their right mind would be ashamed of having this man date their daughter or be their son for that matter. And, as strongly as I believe in the concept that Christianity flows from Catholicism, and I do accept this, I also would daresay that I would rather have a hot-blooded evangelical Christian in my family than a near-dead Catholic Christian who puts in for Mass twice a year.

We can argue the theology of “his church versus ours” all day. But the first and foremost issue is bringing souls to Christ. And that can happen through the Sacraments or beyond them. See CCC reference below:

CCC# 1257:

The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation. He also commands his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them. Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament. The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are “reborn of water and the Spirit.” God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.). 

It however won’t happen by calling people such as he or Tim Tebow or others who are at least attempting to share the Lord who they love so very much such things as “idiots” or “heretics” when they are neither.

As I shared to him in a personal note, when I was in my Protestant years I never bought into the anti-Catholicism I saw around me. What I was shocked to find after my return to the Church was that many of those who had indeed had their lives totally changed through a committed relationship (yes, I said it!) with Jesus Christ now had no problem ripping to shreds those who found Him outside of Catholic circles. And I have seen more examples of this in regard to both Bethke and Tebow than at any time since my return to Rome.  Maybe we should just revive burning at the stake or something else equally Christ-like…

Image via Wikipedia

Rubbish, folks.  And that is the nicer word for it.

Real “religion” always respects the other, even when we disagree on points, even important ones. Anything else simply kills dialogue (another word some who read this no doubt just cringe when even seeing it in print, no doubt). But dialogue we must.

Here is a very positive example of Jefferson Bethke and a Roman Catholic priest in that very dialogue on the secular CBS This Morning…with deep and obvious respect on both sides clearly shown.  We can all learn from it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505266_162-57363805/priest-gives-video-star-holler-from-the-collar/?tag=morningFlexGridLeft;flexGridModule

So may I now challenge you to once again watch the video, and then read what our brother in Jesus Jeff Bethke says about it in the link below?  You might be surprised at what you missed the first time around.  In fact, read his thoughts first, and then watch the video again.  As we always teach and say we believe, context is everything.

My Thoughts After Writing ‘Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus’–http://jeffbethke.com

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