Grace Evangelical Society

P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202
  • About
    • Home
    • Beliefs
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
  • Resources
    • Grace in Focus Blog
    • Grace in Focus International Blogs
    • Grace in Focus Radio
    • Grace in Focus Magazine
    • Free eBooks
    • Journal of the GES
    • Book Reviews
    • Partners in Grace Newsletter
    • Audio Messages
    • Videos
    • Email Subscription
    • Bookstore
    • Online Tracts
  • Store
    • Main Page
    • On Sale
    • Return Policy
    • Your Cart
    • Your Account
  • Events
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • Free Grace Church and Bible Study Tracker
    • Free Grace Jobs
    • Ministry Links
  • Donate
    • One Time Donation
    • Monthly Donation
    • Your Account
  • Search
Home
→
Blog
→
No Trinity, No Salvation?

No Trinity, No Salvation?

August 16, 2019 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Salvation, Trinity

Question: Are “Christians” who don’t understand or believe the traditional doctrine of the Trinity really Christians?

Answer: That’s a good question. I take it you’re asking whether they have eternal life. The traditional answer would be “No.” I believe the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and historic Protestant Churches would say you have to believe the Trinity to get final salvation. For example, the Athanasian Creed says, “Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally.” That creed includes several doctrines, but chiefly, the Trinity. It is saying that if you don’t believe the Trinity as defined by the creeds, then you’ll go to hell. So, traditionally, people would say that if you don’t believe the Trinity, then you aren’t really a “Christian” in the sense of being saved.

However, I would not give the traditional answer. Instead, I’d be careful to make a distinction between what you must know to be born again, and the more advanced truths you need to grow to spiritual maturity.

The only condition I see in Scripture to be born-again is to believe in Jesus for everlasting life (John 3:16, 36; 5:24; 6:47, etc). Although I believe in the Trinity as traditionally formulated, I don’t see anywhere in Scripture that says believing in the Trinity is necessary to be born again. (Technically, there is no passage that directly teaches the Trinity at all!)

However, I would take it as an “advanced” truth that’s important (I don’t want to say it is necessary) for discipleship and maturing in the faith. Eventually, the more you study Scripture, and the more you meditate on Jesus’ life and actions, you’ll begin to see that Jesus was more than a man. As you start to compare verses like John 1:3-4 and Col 1:16, you’ll realize that Jesus created the world. And who does that? Not merely a man. Then you’ll look at other verses, such as John 1:1 and John 20:28 that explicitly say Jesus is God. You’ll start to wonder about the theophanies in the Old Testament. Maybe it will start to dawn on you that the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are more intimately connected than you realized before.

I will say that I think that some level of recognition of Jesus’ deity is necessary to become spiritually mature. But I’m not willing to say you must believe in the Trinity as defined by Nicaea and Chalcedon for that to happen, because there is no Scripture that says so. I don’t want to add to Scripture. However, I do think the traditional definition of the Trinity best explains the Biblical evidence about Christ’s deity and His relationship to the Father and the Spirit (e.g., that God is tres personae, una substantia in the Latin West, or mia ousia, treis hypostaseis in the Greek East—i.e., that God is three Persons in one Substance). Typically, if you depart from the traditional theology of the Trinity, you will have some very odd and aberrant views of Christ’s deity. And that may lead you astray in your spiritual life.

But getting to that traditional understanding of the Trinity is not obvious and it’s not easy. And Biblically speaking, I don’t think it’s necessary to have eternal life.

Subscribe by Email

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
Shawn_L

by Shawn Lazar

Shawn Lazar (BTh, McGill; MA, VU Amsterdam) was the Editor of Grace in Focus magazine and Director of Publications for Grace Evangelical Society from May 2012 through June 2022. He and his wife Abby have three children. He has written several books including: Beyond Doubt: How to Be Sure of Your Salvation and Chosen to Serve: Why Divine Election Is to Service, Not to Eternal Life.

If you wish to ask a question about a given blog, email us your question at ges@faithalone.org.

Cart

Recently Added

January 27, 2023

Who Are the Elect in 1 Peter 1:1-2 and in Romans 8:28-30? Are We to Understand the “Elect” in 1 Peter the Same as the “Predestined” in Romans 8?

Welcome to Grace in Focus radio. Today, Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates take up a question about election and predestination. What does the Bible say...
January 27, 2023

A Novel Argument Against Inerrancy 

Kathryn Wright shared with me an interesting argument against inerrancy: I heard something today and thought it might make a good blog topic for you....
January 26, 2023

Will There Be Poor People in Heaven?

Welcome to Grace in Focus radio. Today, Ken Yates and Bob Wilkin answer an interesting question about our status in Heaven or the quality of...

Grace in Focus Radio

All Episodes

Listen to Stitcher

Listen on Spotify

Grace In Focus Magazine

Grace In Focus is sent to subscribers in the United States free of charge.

Subscribe for Free

The primary source of Grace Evangelical Society's funding is through charitable contributions. GES uses all contributions and proceeds from the sales of our resources to further the gospel of grace in the United States and abroad.

Donate

Bookstore Specials

  • Grudem Against Grace: A Defense of Free Grace Theology $15.00 $10.00
  • Here Walks My Enemy: The Story of Luis (Hardcover) $13.95 $5.00
  • The Journey of Faith $15.00 $9.00
  • Inerrancy for Dummies $7.95 $5.00
  • Here Walks My Enemy: The Story of Luis (Paperback) $6.95 $3.00
Grace Evangelical Society

(940) 270-8827 / ges@faithalone.org

4851 S I-35E Suite 203, Corinth, TX 76210
P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube