Don Stewart :: Does It Really Matter Whether or Not One Believes in the Trinity?

After having looked at all the arguments for and against the Trinity does it really matter whether or not a person believes in this doctrine? Isn't the doctrine of the Trinity something that should be the subject of theological discussions and not everyday life?

The doctrine of the Trinity is not something that is irrelevant to Christianity. While some people may ignore the Trinity doctrine it does not mean that it is irrelevant. Their failure to appreciate the truths regarding the Trinity should not stop others from understanding the doctrine. There are a number of reasons why the Trinity is extremely relevant to the believer.

It is important that people have a correct understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity since it is an explanation of the nature of God. The Christian needs to know exactly who God is in order to have a proper understanding of the one they serve.

There is the practical matter of worship. Christians worship one God in Trinity. It is important to have a correct idea of the God who deserves our worship. Since the doctrine of the Trinity acknowledges the Son and the Holy Spirit as God, they too are included in our worship when we worship God.

Without a correct understanding of what the Bible says about the nature of God other errors can result. When a person is wrong on their view of the Trinity there is a good chance they will be wrong about other important beliefs. An incorrect view of the Person of Jesus Christ can lead someone into an improper view of the biblical doctrine of salvation.

When a person understands the basic truths about the Trinity they understand that the salvation of sinners was entirely a work of God. God the Father sent God the Son to take upon Himself the punishment for the sins of the world. For those who are saved God the Father has sent God the Holy Spirit to lead and guide the believer. Consequently humankind cannot take any credit for any part of the salvation process. It was, and is, totally a work of God from beginning to end.

Realizing this should cause the believer to better appreciate and love God for what He has done. He gave Himself for you salvation - He did not sacrifice one of His created beings whether is be humans or angels. God became a human being and was sacrificed for our sins.

We must emphasize that it is not necessary that a person understand the Trinity in order to be saved. Salvation consists in believing on the Person of Jesus Christ and His work on Calvary's cross - not on ones view of the Trinity. However those who have trusted Christ as Savior should readily accept the doctrine of the Trinity once it is explained to them.

The truths of the Christian faith need to be precisely defined to keep people from error. The historic creeds of the churches were formulated to respond to false doctrine that came into the church. The biblical truths must be upheld and defended.

The doctrine of the Trinity is important to the Christian for a number of reasons. Although it is often neglected, a proper understanding of the nature of God can have a many practical benefits for the believer. First, it gives us a proper understanding of the God whom Christians obey and worship. This will keep one from worshipping false gods - something the Bible strongly condemns. A correct understanding of the Trinity is also a safeguard against error. Those who have a wrong conception of the Trinity will likely be wrong in other areas of their belief system. When the Trinity is properly understood then the believer can appreciate the participation of all three Persons in the salvation process.

While the understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity is not necessary for a person to be saved it should be readily believed once explained to a Christian. Finally, it is important to precisely define the truths of the Christian faith. Once defined, these truths should be upheld and proclaimed by all believers. This is particularly true of the doctrine of the Trinity.