How to deal with "christians" who deny the Trinity

[Roman_Catholic_1]

I open this question up to all Trinitarian Christians. My wife (a convert from a non-denominational church) has been receiving emails from her father and another member of his house church. They do not consider themselves “christian” as they feel that all of us (Catholics and Protestants) have corrupted the word and that it is used now to mock Christ. They simply go by “the anointed ones” or just “disciples”. They also believe that the term “Christian” was coined by pagans to mock the followers of Christ.

Anyways they adhere so strictly to the “Bible alone” belief (and this is along the lines of the, “if its not in the bible its not a true belief” belief and not along the lines of how the Lutherans and Anglicans view SS) that they reject the Trinity as an invention of Catholicism and promoted by our “partners in crime the Protestants”. Some reasons for denying the Trinity are as follows:
*

• Since the Trinity cannot be fully understood, this is in opposition to the Bible since it says that it was given to the disciples to understand the mysteries of God
• We were given the spirit of God to understand the things of God
• The Trinity was settled 300 years after Christ, anything settled that far after Christ should be questioned
• The Nature of God should not be hard to understand
• The Holy Spirit is not co-equal with the Father, the Son is not Co-Equal with the Father, the Father is the greater in terms of authority and responsibility.
• The Trinity is incomprehensible because it is not part of the revelation of God to His people.

This reads like a Mormon Apologetic dictate but they are not Mormon. Other than appearing to hold the same beliefs in the “God Head” as Mormons, they reject Mormonism as a cult…

Here is the link in case you are curious:

bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/CGG/ID/431/Trinity.htm

I am especially interested in hearing how non-Catholic Christians who adhere to the same Sola Scriptura belief that they hold would handle this? Since my wife going to Tradition and “out side sources” to support the Trinity is going to fall on deaf ears. I can go by the Bible to support the Trinity of course, but as you have probably guessed they will have an answer for the verses I use and will simply stick with, “show me the word trinity in the Bible”

Also they do not adhere to “faith alone” as they believe someone is saved by faith and keeping the commandments is required. They also reject OSAS as a Protestant invention.

Thanks and God bless

 

[Tezza]

Wow. Interesting “denomination”.

 

[Cluny]

Now, do they go by the “Bible alone”? Or do they go by their “anointed ones”?

Actually, it sounds like they are quite confused themselves.

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

Now, do they go by the “Bible alone”? Or do they go by their “anointed ones”?

Actually, it sounds like they are quite confused themselves.

Most definitely they are confused, but, as is the belief of most of these people; you and I are the confused and deceived… Along with all of Christendom.

God bless

 

[Orchanian]

Some relevant Bible verses:
Genesis 1:26: God speaks of himself in the plural form.
Matthew 28:18-19: Told to baptize in the name [not names] of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

As for the word Christians being a way to mock Christ, it sounds similar to our view of the cross. It had been an instrument of torture and shame. Now we see it as a symbol of faith. God took something that was bad and made it good. On the other hand, there are certainly many people who use the word “Christian” to mock - but those aren’t believers.

Many things were used by pagans and adopted by Christians (and Jews). That fact doesn’t make it wrong. Baptism was something done by many societies at the time of Christ, not just by John the Baptist. Circumcision was common among many non-jews in the OT, not just among the Israelites. Why can’t God use something pagan and make it His own?

We are given the Holy Spirit to understand, but that doesn’t mean we will understand everything while on this earth. We will understand it in God’s time. And we won’t fully understand until we move into the next world.

The date at which a specific doctrine was settled doesn’t indicate when it was “created”, but when a heresy arose that needed to be addressed. If there was no argument about a particular doctrine, there was no need to address it. The church councils met when something was challenging the faith and needed to be defined so that believers would not be led astray.

[Also they do not adhere to “faith alone” as they believe someone is saved by faith and keeping the commandments is required. They also reject OSAS as a Protestant invention.] Now I’m confused. Don’t we Catholics reject OSAS and faith alone?

Scripture says that people’s hearts can be hardened to the Truth. I encourage you to discuss what and why we believe as we do. But you may come to a point that you are just arguing and nothing positive is coming from it. Not only that, it may be a cause for sin on your part because the frustration from this can lead to anger, disrespect, and lack of love. When in the same position, I’ll share what I can, but when it becomes clear that it’s becoming argumentative, I let it go. When exchanging emails with a family member who’s anti-Catholic, I always end with a statement about how much I love them.

Colleen

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

[Also they do not adhere to “faith alone” as they believe someone is saved by faith and keeping the commandments is required. They also reject OSAS as a Protestant invention.] Now I’m confused. Don’t we Catholics reject OSAS and faith alone?

Yes, I should have been more clear. I put that in there for more background on who I am dealing with for the non-Catholic Christian posters who may believe those doctrines and are responding to my question.

God bless you