What is the Trinity?
Based on "How to Find a Courageous Church" - Pages 4, 7
Key Definition
The Trinity is the Christian doctrine that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, yet there is only one God.
Why the Trinity Matters
Belief in the Trinity is a closed-handed issue - something all Christians must agree on to be considered Christian. The book states that you should look for churches that "believe in one God in three persons, also called the Trinity."
Groups that deny the Trinity - like Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Unitarians - are explicitly identified in the book as "not Christian but are pretending to be Christian." They have "a different Jesus and a different gospel, and they need to be avoided."
The Three Persons of the Trinity
God the Father
The first person of the Trinity. Creator of all things. Source of the plan of salvation.
God the Son
Jesus Christ - fully God and fully man. Born of a virgin, lived without sin, died for our sins, rose from the dead.
God the Holy Spirit
The third person of the Trinity. Indwells believers, produces spiritual fruit, empowers for service.
What the Trinity IS and IS NOT
The Trinity IS:
- One God in three persons
- Three persons who are co-equal and co-eternal
- Each person is fully God (not 1/3 of God)
- Distinct persons with distinct roles
- A mystery revealed in Scripture
- Essential Christian doctrine since the early church
The Trinity IS NOT:
- Three separate gods (polytheism/tritheism)
- One God appearing in three modes (modalism)
- One God with three names
- Jesus as a created being (Arianism)
- The Holy Spirit as an impersonal force
- A mathematical contradiction (1+1+1=1)
Biblical Foundation
"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."
- Matthew 28:19 (ESV)
Key scriptures revealing the Trinity:
- Genesis 1:26: "Let us make man in our image" - plural language for God
- Matthew 3:16-17: Jesus' baptism - all three persons present and distinct
- John 1:1: "The Word was God" - Jesus' deity affirmed
- John 14:16-17: Jesus promises "another Helper" - the Holy Spirit
- 2 Corinthians 13:14: Trinitarian benediction
Groups That Deny the Trinity
The book explicitly warns against groups that deny the Trinity. These are "not Christian but are pretending to be Christian":
- Mormonism (Latter-day Saints): Teaches that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate gods. They believe God was once a man who became God.
- Jehovah's Witnesses: Denies the deity of Christ, teaching that Jesus is a created being (Michael the Archangel). The Holy Spirit is viewed as an impersonal force.
- Unitarianism: Denies the Trinity entirely, teaching that God is one person only. Jesus is viewed as merely a good teacher or prophet.
- Oneness Pentecostalism: Teaches modalism - that God is one person who manifests in three modes or forms.
Statement of Faith Indicators
When evaluating a church's statement of faith, look for these Trinitarian affirmations:
How We Use This
On Righteous Fellowship, we check each church's statement of faith for clear affirmation of the Trinity. This is one of the seven essential doctrines in our Statement of Faith Parser. Any church that denies the Trinity is marked as non-Christian regardless of other factors.
