In Defense of the Trinity

In nomine patris et filli et spiritus Sancti-Catholic Invocation of the Trinity

Invoking the Trinity has been a part of Christianity since the days of the Apostles. The idea of a triune God, three in one, “Father, Son, Holy Ghost,” would seem to be an important doctrine. Indeed, since the days of the Church father Athenaseus, belief in the Trinity has been a pivotal enough doctrine that those who do not believe in it are oft-considered outside salvation. Today, in this age of unitarianism and compromise, Christians are even now being driven to this point of compromise, citing “unity” as their great goal. Indeed, even in the Pentecostal church, which I like to refer to as “New Rome,” the idea of the Triune God is no longer considered necessary, as “There is no clear scriptural proof for it.” To challenge the Holy Trinity has, historically, resulted in expulsion from the Christian faith. While true, the trinity is not EXPRESSLY put forth in the Bible, the idea is. Nonbelief in the Holy Trinity puts one into the realm of apostasy, and therefore outside salvation.

“Hear O Israel, the Lord Our God is one.” That verse, from Deuteronomy, has been used to attack the idea of a Trinity since the days of the apostle. Now, Pentecostal apostates are using it again to attack the idea of the 3 in 1 God. However alien the idea may be to them, the Bible is only completely authoritative in Hebrew. In the Hebrew, Deuteronomy 6:4 reads “Shema Israel Adonai Elohainu, Adonai Echad.” Echad is Hebrew for one, true enough, but it does not mean “one and only one.” It is, in fact, the same word used to denote married couples, when they “become one” in sexual union. Obviously, crass jokes and urban legends aside, a man and a woman in the act of sex are not one body. Therefore, the “Shema” is NOT the ironclad defense against the trinity that some would hope. Nor would any proper defender of the Trinity claim that it is false. The great “Shema” is true and ironclad. There is only one God. However, our God exists in three persons. Tertullian, a very early Church Father, constructed the doctrine that the more famous Augustine made concrete that “The son is begotten of the Father, and the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son from All Eternity.” Third-century Church Father Athanasius, the writer of the first concrete creed of the Christian faith and a defender of it against Arianism, a doctrine which denies the Trinity in a similar way that modern Jehovah’s witnesses do, wrote the following in his creed. “Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic (true, not Romish) Faith. Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic (true) Faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity. Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all One, the Glory Equal, the Majesty Co-Eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father Uncreate, the Son Uncreate, and the Holy Ghost Uncreate. The Father Incomprehensible, the Son Incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost Incomprehensible. The Father Eternal, the Son Eternal, and the Holy Ghost Etneral and yet they are not Three Eternals but One Eternal. As also there are not Three Uncreated, nor Three Incomprehensibles, but One Uncreated, and One Uncomprehensible. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not Three Almighties but One Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not Three Gods, but One God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not Three Lords but One Lord. For, like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion to say, there be Three Gods or Three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father, and of the Son neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.
So there is One Father, not Three Fathers; one Son, not Three Sons; One Holy Ghost, not Three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is afore or after Other, None is greater or less than Another, but the whole Three Persons are Co-eternal together, and Co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity is Trinity, and the Trinity is Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.”
Athanasius was perhaps the greatest of the early church fathers, and his creed was designed for the purpose of defending the Trinity and the divinity of Christ. From the early third century, the trinity was being challenged. The idea of attacking the trinity is hardly new or original. Unfortunately, in Christianity today, it is chique to believe in the a pseudo post-modernism that allows for Christians to believe in “different things” for the sake of “unity.” This heretical, pussy-footing spirit, put forth by men unworthy of their metal or the y-chromosome their DNA carries, has lead to the heresies (shock! I dare to use the term heresy! That might OFFEND someone) I state again for emphasis, heresies of framework, direct revelation, and theistic evolution. There is, thank the Triune God, absolute truth, and no amount of false truth, no amount of false grace, no amount of whining about “unity” can change that–Christianity is built and founded upon the rock of the Triune God. It is vain and sinful to allow apostates like this the floor in Christianity. The faith of our fathers is NOT up for grabs, nor for deliberation, nor for dispute. The presence of God in the sacrament, the baptism of infant’s verses professor’s baptism, even the idea of who is to receive communion are all debatable within the sphere of salvation and semi-orthodox Christianity. The idea of Christ’s divinity and the Holy Trinity are most definitely not.
Let us look at some of the “alternate theories” to the Orthodox Holy Trinity. One of the ones that attacks the faith at its heart is the idea that the Jehovah’s Witless, er, Witnesses put forward. The idea that God is the Father, Jesus is Michael (for the sake of generality we will insert “created being”) and that the Spirit is somehow God’s “force” that he uses. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” John 14: 16-17 KJV Jesus does not seem to be talking about a “force” but rather a person, a literal person. Christ also talks about baptizing in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Why would you baptize in the name of two people who don’t exist? The popular counterargument to this is that the Bible is wrong, but if you believe that, then you have no argument against any thing in the Bible, because you have no absolute truth.
There is no “ironclad” defense of the Trinity, per se. Evil will always think of another way to attack the truth. However, if Christians who consider them such have any true love for God, they will not pussyfoot around issues like the Trinity. We must defends ourselves. We must defend the Lord’s name, and therefore the name of every single member of the Trinity. If one does not defend the Trinity, then one has not only failed oneself, but the God one serves.