Where is it written that we must believe in the Trinity to be saved?

Question

The doctrine of the Trinity is regarded as fundamental by many churches, although the word “trinity” nowhere appears in the Bible. In fact, the word did not even appear in Christian literature until the beginning of the third century. Tertullian, who introduced the word, used it in a very different way than it is used today.

Both Protestant and Catholic Bible scholars recognize that the doctrine of the Trinity did not become church dogma until the fourth century. The Jews, whom God dealt with exclusively during the Old Testament times, never believed in a triune God. The rabbinical writings (Talmud) which date from Old Testament times are voluminous, yet the concept of a trinity is not once mentioned in them. The New Catholic Encyclopedia concedes that the doctrine of the Trinity is not taught in the Old Testament.(NEW CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, 1967 edition, Vol. XIV, p. 306) Neither does the New Testament teach this doctrine.

Answer 1

You don't have to read it, it's simple. If you Believe in Jesus then you believe in God, if you believe in God then you belive in the Holy Spirit. They are all one in the same, like Clark Kent and Superman. Once you have accepted Jesus, you have accepted God in your life, and once you are baptized, you receive the Holy Spirit. Incase you don't know what the Holy Spirit a.k.a Holy Ghost is, it is your purified conscience telling you to do the right thing in a bad or wrong predicament. I can't assume you know these things, so I have to just say it, especially for those who don't know. May the Lord bless you with wisdom, knowledge, and revelation.

Answer 2

Not entirely true. At the very beginning of Genesis 1:26 implies a plurality. "Let us make man in our image..." Even the Jews have this translation implying a plurality in their scriptures but rationalize it somehow because The Ten Commandments make it clear there is ONE GOD. Christianity agrees. I have studied this aspect of how we are created in God's image for years and would like to publish my findings. Here is a sample to demonstrate the existence of the Holy Trinity.

We need to know how we are created in God's image to grasp the concept of the Holy Trinity and I think your question is a good one.

To understand this better, chart it out or use a diagram of two triangles of equal proportions like the Star of David. This allows an easier understanding of the relationship between the Essence and Existence of a thing. The following words should be distinguished in the following categories: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual. These three words encompass everything in the Universe and make up the CREATIVE PROCESS to help describe the Creator, creatures, and creation.

God is spirit. He cannot be seen. If you were to examine all the creatures, the CREATOR has made a pattern emerges: angels and demons are intellectual creatures without a body; plants and animals do not have an intellect but a body and mortal soul. IT IS ONLY LIVING, HUMAN, BEINGS, that have a MIND, BODY, and SOUL. Only human beings have all three. Now, living, human, being is the existence of man. Those words describe the essence of man's mind, body, and soul. The Body is living, the Mind makes us human and distinguishing us from animals, and our Soul makes us the being that we become (good or evil).

Now, even Muslims will agree Allah is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omnipresent (ever present). These words describe the existence of God. So, what is the essence of God? I will hold off answering this question till the end.

Now, if you think about the existence of a person they have a triple existence: physical (body), mental (mind), and spiritual (eternal soul). In fact, whenever we create something it has all three of these parts. When we cook we have a recipe (in our mind), we gather all the raw ingredients, and we cook (don't burn it, ha ha) what it is we are making. Cooking has the physical, mental, and spiritual parts. Same with engineering or technology it has three parts: the blueprints (to convey an idea), the raw materials (physical), and the workmanship (spiritual). If something goes wrong investigators will look for a design flaw, material flaw, or faulty workmanship. THIS DEMONSTRATES CREATION HAS THREE PARTS LIKE THE CREATOR.

Now, in the Bible it says Jesus is the visible likeness of the invisible God. (Colossians 1:15) The ESSENCE OF GOD IS: Father (mental), Son (physical), Holy Ghost (spiritual). ONE TRUE GOD IN THREE JUST LIKE A PERSON. THREE PARTS ONE PERSON. When you are sick you send for a doctor; when you are mentally troubled, a psychiatrist; when spiritually seeking you seek out a holy person.

Answer 3

I laugh every time I hear the argument about the term "Trinity" not being in the Bible. There are plenty of extrabiblical terms Christians use to explain various teachings in the Bible. Why must a theological term be found in the Bible in order to use it? Life and faith are too complex for silly arguments like this.

As to your final claim that the New Testament does not teach the doctrine of the Trinity, are you at least aware of the typical ways Christians demonstrate the Trinity from the New Testament? I don't want to waste your time reminding you if you already know.

One line of demonstration is from the triune name of God Jesus mentioned in the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20). Christians are required to be baptized in the "name" (singular) "of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." The more convincing arguments, however, are more methodically put together by demonstrating first the deity of Jesus and second the personality of the Holy Spirit.

The theologians of the early church respected the uniqueness/holiness of Jesus by not trying to spell out the particulars of trinitarianism. They spoke up to guard the church's teaching from heresy, but they made no positive contributions to trinitarian vocabulary. They continued to treat Jesus as fully God and the Spirit as distinct from the Father, but they did not insist on the specific language necessitated by the Christological debates of the fourth century.

The debates of the fourth century were so intense that the leading church theologians were unable to avoid the inevitable. That which was beautiful and mysterious would finally need to be described in specified and agreed-upon language. The trinitarian language of the Nicene and Constantinoplian councils wasn't debated by any significant portion of the church after the fourth century because it correctly took into account the many verses of the New Testament, which contributed to our finite understanding of the infinite God.

Oh, if only doctrine were as simple as locating a single word somewhere in the Bible! My friend, don't fall prey to the spirit of oversimplification so prevalent in today's society. God revealed Himself in some wonderful ways in the Bible and in creation. One of them was as a being Who is Three in certain ways and One in others. Blessings,

Answer 4

You Only have to Believe Who Jesus Said HE Was.
Thats It.
To be Saved.
And After your Saved you can fuss and fight with All of your Bro.'s and Sis.'s in Christ over all of the Rest of the Bible, like weve been Doing for Years.
Devil has Divided us using the Winds of Doctrine, which have Blown us Apart as a Family. Sad.

Answer 5

It is written that there is no way to God the Father except through the Son. Jesus said this himself.

It is written that after Jesus ascended into Heaven, he sent the Paraclete, or the Holy Spirit. Jesus said this himself.

Nowhere are the words written, "You have to believe in the Trinity to be saved." But it is written that in order to know the Father, you must know the Son, and it is also written that the Son sends the Paraclete to those who accept his gift of salvation.

Answer 6

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the Scriptures alone quite plainly demonstrate that Jesus and the Almighty are separate distinct persons, and the Almighty created Jesus as His firstborn son.

(Colossians 1:15) the firstborn of all creation

(Mark 10:18) Jesus said to him: 'Why do you call me good? Nobody is good, except one, God.

(Revelation 3:14) the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God

(Philippians 2:5-6) Christ Jesus, who, although he was existing in God's form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God

(John 8:42) Neither have I come of my own initiative at all, but that One sent me forth

(John 12:49) I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak

(John 14:28) I am going my way to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am

(1 Corinthians 15:28) But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him

(Matthew 20:23) this sitting down at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father

(1 Corinthians 11:3) I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ; ...in turn the head of the Christ is God

(John 20:17) I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.

(Deuteronomy 6:4) Jehovah our God is one Jehovah

(1 Corinthians 8:4-6) There is no God but one. For even though there are those who are called "gods," whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many "gods" and many "lords," there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him

Learn more!
http://watchtower.org/library/ti/index.htm

Answer 7

how refreshing to see you think independantly for yourself. I know it is not my role but I highly suggest Islam which denounces the trinity but promotes God's uniqueness and ONEness. "He begets not, nor is he begotten, and there is non like unto Him." Either that or you could take up a sect of Christianity that believes in God and Jesus as seperate entities and NO trinity (Unitarianism maybe?). Anyway I pray that you are lead to the right path with ease and success. Peace.

Answer 8

http://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html
Jesus Christ is not a mere creation, He is God incarnate. As flesh He is the Son and subjugates the flesh to the will of the Father. Once Jesus rose from the dead Jesus sent the Comforter the Holy Spirit. Please check out the above link for a detailed answer to your question.

Answer 9

You believe in God, and His son, Jesus.
When you ask Jesus into your heart, you THEN receive--by God's grace-, the Holy Spirit, inside of you.
You need to have the faith in Christ that He will do exactly as the Bible says.
Which is why I fear the Lord, at the same time I am in AWE of Him. He is SO GOOD!!

Answer 10

According to the bible, Jesus says that you can only be saved through him, there is no other way.