Why is the Doctrine of the Trinity Important? It is vitally important because the Bible teaches it. Moreover, the three persons of the One Triune God are involved in our salvation. There are other reasons. I’m not a teacher or a theologian, so I’m providing some resources on the doctrine below.
We have posted articles on the Trinity before. Why bring it up again.
The reason I’m revisiting this issue is “because it is important” – but also because of a quip made by a Reformed Amillennial Apologist. From the outset I want to affirm that I’ve benefited form many of this apologist’s insights. A times, however, I find him somewhat biased in some areas.
During one of his presentations he quipped that he personally knew of fundamentalists who could readily provide numerous reasons for the pretrib rapture, but would struggle to defend the doctrine of the Trinity. I don’t doubt this is the case!
Here’s the thing, though – while he chose to single out this group (bias?), I’m pretty sure the malady applies far more broadly than his example. I wonder how many people in Reformed churches or non-pretribulationists can give a good impromptu account of why they believe in the doctrine of the Trinity. How confident am I? – Not very! How about you?
The problem with Prophecy
It is common to hear that prophecy forms 25% (or more) of the Bible, yet many ignore it. This may be true. However, the problem with studying prophecy isn’t with prophecy; it is in the inordinate obsession with it to the detriment of other doctrines. If we think we can give a good account of various personal prophetic beliefs, yet sometimes struggle to defend basic Christian doctrines, we fall into the category noted by the apologist.
One of the ways we can understand the Trinity is to study each Person of the God-Head, note their attributes and how they relate to each other. John Chapters 14 to 17 are a great place to start seeing the co-inherence of the Trinity. For example, the Holy Spirit is there referred to as “He” multiple times. See Also Heb 9:14.
Previous Zeteo 3:16 articles on the Trinity
Michael Reeves on Christianity’s Triune God
Did God the Father Create the Son?
Further Resources
How the Trinity Impacts Everything
Some helpful books on the Trinity
The Forgotten Trinity – James White
Delighting in the Trinity – Michael Reeves
The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything – Fred Sanders
The Essential Trinity – Edited by Brandon Crowe and Carl Trueman
The Mystery of the Trinity: A Trinitarian Approach to the Attributes of God – Vern Poythress
You should also own at least one good Systematic Theology set. All good ones discuss the reasoning behind the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity.
In his book The Faith-Shaped Life, Ian Hamilton affirms that the truth of the Holy Trinity should vastly delight us. He writes:
The Christian faith rests upon and centres in the Triune God: ‘For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen’.
Maranatha!
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