Trinity A Pagan Idea?

Without any exception, it’s a known fact, the cults and pseudo-“Christian” religions today are attempting to replace TRIE CHRISTIAN belief with concepts of God. One Christian teaching that cults often pervert regards God’s true identity. Let’s face it head on without fear of ridicule! In order to be saved, a person must trust 100% in the same Triune God that Christianity has known since its beginning. The cults typically try to redefine the Trinity so that their God is really not the same, or they reject any belief that even hints at trinitarianism, lableling the Trinity as “paganism.” For instance, the Jehovah’s Witnesses declare that the origin of the trinity doctrine is traced back to the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians and otherancient mythologists …it follows then, that God was not author of this doctrine. ( Booklet, of the Watchtower “Let God Be True”, 1952, edition, page 101).

Cults commonly say the Trinity is not an original Christian doctrine, but was sdded by pagans centuries after the apostles died. Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of the World Wide Church of God, repeats this error. But the theologians and “Higher Critics” have blindly accepted the heretical and false doctrine introduced by pagan false prophets who crept in that the Holy Spirit is a third person – the heresy of the “Trinity”This limits God to “three Persons”(Quoted from “Just What Do You Mean – Born Again? Page 19). Armstrong seemed confused about just how paganism crept in, though. On page 3 of a May 18, 1981. Letter to Plain Truth subscribers, he gave a different story from the above.

What to say to a Cultist About the Trinity

Here are some suggestions on what to say to a cultist when the topic of the Trinity arises. First, talk about the word “Trinity” Admit that the word is not in Scripture. However, must the word be there in order for the idea to be biblical truth? Even the cults have to admit that not all of their terminology can be found in Scripture. For instance, The Way’s often-used phrase “law of believing”cannot be found in Scripture, nor can the Witness’ term “Theocracy” or “New World Society”. While the word “Trinity” is not in the Bible, it remains the best word to describe this revealed truth. “Triune” simply means “Three” {tri, as in tri-cycle} and “one” (une, as in un-ity) which sufficiently states the reality that God is three in one. Stress that Trinity does not mean three gods, but rather three persons (or three centers of self-consciousness) within the one God.

Remember, also, that Jesus Christ is not God-only. He is also completely man as well as fully God. It is as wrong to say that He is not fully man as it is to say that He is not fully God. We must not mislead cultists into believing that Jesus has no human nature. Theology, ( Let’s face it), is not Doctrine!

It is extremely important to explain to a member of a pseudo-Christian group the difference between theology and doctrine. Theology sorts scriptural teaching into topics and expounds on the Bible in order to teach Christianity in an organized, thorough and understandable manner. Whenever a person writes a book or article on a biblical topic, he is writing theology. “Theologians” label broader scriptural teachings in order to identify them. One such label is “Trinity”.

Do not be afraid to admit that the theology on the Trinity developed slowly and accumulated over a few centuries. Doctrine, on the other hand is the basic elements of the faith some of which are only sketched in Scripture. For instance,. All Christian bodies baptize with water, in the Name singular (not names) of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Ask the cultists, “If there are no three persons in One God, why do they baptize in the Name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit?