Modern Denominational Statements on the Trinity There are many differences in doctrine between various mainstream Christian denominations,

but the doctrine of the Trinity is not one of them. The mystery of the most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life. - Roman Catholicism The fundamental truth of the Orthodox Church is the faith revealed in the True God: the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America We teach that the one true God. is the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, three distinct persons, but of one and the same divine essence, equal in power, equal in eternity, equal in majesty, because each person possesses the one divine essence .- Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) We trust in the one triune God. - Presbyterian Church (USA) The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being. - Southern Baptist Convention There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. - United Methodist Church Facts on the Trinity 1) The word "Trinity" does not appear in the Scriptures. 2) The word "Trinity" was first used by Tertullian. (155-230 AD) 3) The doctrine of the Trinity is commonly expressed as: "One God, three Persons." The doctrine is formally adopted in the Nicene Creed of 325 AD. The doctrine of the Trinity took centuries to develop. The word "Trinity" is not found in the New Testament, nor is the doctrine explicitly taught in the Scriptures. However, many Trinitarian beliefs can also be seen in the teachings of extra-biblical writers in the end of the second century. The clearest early expression of the concept came with Tertullian, a Latin theologian who wrote in the early third century. Tertullian coined the words "Trinity" and "person" and explained that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit were "one in essence (yet) not one in Person." Today, though he would be considered a heretic by modern trinitarians. Tertullian "God can in no way be described." - Plato (The father of the pagan Trinity.) Who was Tertullian? He's considered the father of Western Christian literature, Tertullian was among the most influential of the early Latin theologians. A moralist and polemicist

who began his literary career as an eloquent defender of Christianity. Tertullian later abandoned Catholicism in favor of the fervent, puritanical faith known as Montanism. Despite this fact, he is generally recognized as a steadfast proponent of Trinity in the Christian doctrine. Where did he obtain His belief system? The trinity was invented. (L. Paine, pages 86,287). It was derived from Plato's celestial arithmetic. (L. Hogben, p.266). Tertullian twisted Plato's Timaeus into his "Trinitas." Here started the Trinity. The Critics In the preface to Edward Gibbon's History of Christianity, we read: "If Paganism was conquered by Christianity, it is equally true that Christianity was corrupted by Paganism. The pure Deism of the first Christians was changed, by the Church of Rome, into the incomprehensible dogma of the trinity. Many of the pagan tenets, invented by the Egyptians and idealized by Plato, were retained as being worthy of belief." "Christendom has done away with Christianity without being quite aware of it" (Soren Kierkegaard, cited in Time magazine, Dec. 16, 1946, p. 64). The Trinity "is a corruption borrowed from the heathen religions, and ingrafted on the Christian faith." (Dictionary of Religious Knowledge) "Christianity did not destroy paganism - it adopted it. From Egypt came the idea of a divine trinity." (Historian Will Durant) The Apostasy - "that fatal period when the Emperor Constantine called himself a Christian; from this time onward - the Christians had no more of the Spirit of Christ than the heathens." - John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church. (Wesley's Works, volume 7, Sermon 89, pages 26-27) "The [pagan] trinities had all the prestige of a vast antiquity. The pagan converts therefore eagerly accepted the Trinity compromise, and the Apostate Church baptized it. Now at length we know its origin." - John Newton (Origin of Triads and Trinities) "The doctrine that Jesus Christ the Son of God was God the son, was decreed by worldly and ecclesiastical powers. Men were forced to accept it at the point of the sword or else. Thus, the error of the trinity was propounded to the end that ultimately people believed it to be the truth. Thus Christianity became in essence like 'Babylonian' heathenism, with only a veneer of Christian names." (Forgers of the Word,1983: Victor Paul Wierwille) "So we see the earliest forms of various pagan religions were really deliberaterejections - of the One God, Jehovah. Their pagan doctrines were obviously lacking specific truths as they had departed from the true faith. The more that people crept away from faith in Jehovah God the more elaborate their concoctions became regarding their view of God, until a "trinity" of three persons was invented." (The Pagan Influence Upon the Development of the Doctrine of the Trinity - Michael F Blume)

"The Papacy has in some of its churches, an image of the Triune God, with three heads on one body. The Babylonians had something of the same. So utterly idolatrous was the Babylonian recognition of the Triune Divine unity, that Jehovah - the Living God, had severely condemned his own people for giving any countenance to it." (Alexander Hislop: The Two Babylons, pages 16-19). "From ancient times - Mystery Babylon has tried to make God what he is not - a Trinity."Jesus Messieh Fellowship (The Trinity Doctrine Is Pagan By Cohen G. Reckart, Pastor) What Did Jesus Say? (WDJS) The fact is Jesus said this. "But he (Jesus) answered (Satan) and said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) The fact is Jesus told the Pharisees, who also loved to add unto God's word traditions that often detracted or took away the meaning of it by their traditions - these things. He (Jesus) answered (the Pharisees and scribes) and said unto them, "Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." (Mark 7:6-9) The Apostle Paul He wrote that anyone who preached another Gospel (than the one of Jesus Christ) such as the Trinity, would be accursed. "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:6-12) He further warns us all this. "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Colossians 2:8) Lastly, Paul warned of the spirit of error that was already working in his day to uproot true Christianity. "For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way." (2 Thessalonians 2:7) This man who was baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, never taught a Trinity because it's not truth. This is his conversion record. Ananias instructed him how to become a Christian. "And now why tarry you? arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16) Jesus is Lord of all. (Acts 10:36) Paul got baptized into Jesus' name. Therefore he wrote that all things must be done in His name.

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Colossians 3:17) Contrary to some modern teachings, he also baptized others into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then said Paul, "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:4-5) Also to the Corinthians he explains to those who were baptized by him in Acts 18:8 of the fact that Paul was sent primarily to preach, but only secondarily to baptize. Let's look at his words in 1 Corinthians 1:14-17. " I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." Yet he baptized others in Acts 16:15 and 16:33 as well. The Conclusion There is nothing wrong with traditions if they based entirely on the word of God. The fact is that everybody who hears the Gospel of Christ is required to repent of the their ways, accepting the one way and name of Jesus in their baptism. (Acts 2:38) Peter commanded this under the authority and name of Jesus. (Matthew 16:16-18; Mark 16:15-17; John 14:15; Acts 10:48) We must hold to this basic early Christian foundational belief. (Ephesians 2:20) If not, then why claim Christ is yours? (Matthew 7:21-23; John 14:6) King Solomon said this and in the end, it's all that matters. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14) Down to the River to Pray This song is inspiring. It speaks about water baptism, and comes from the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Here are the lyrics. "As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way. And who shall wear the starry crown, good Lord, show me the way. O sisters let's go down, let's go down, come on down, o sisters let's go down. Down in the river to pray, as I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way, and who shall wear the robe and crown. Good Lord, show me the way. O brothers let's go down, let's go down, come on down. Come on brothers let's go down, down in the river to pray. As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way. And who shall wear the starry crown, good Lord, show me the way. O fathers let's go down, let's go down, come on down, o fathers let's go down, down in the river to pray. As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way, and who shall wear the robe and crown, good Lord, show me the way. O mothers let's go down, come on down. Don't you want to go down, come on mothers let's go down, down in the river to pray. As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way, And who shall wear the starry crown, good Lord, show me the way. O sinners let's go down, let's go down, come on down. O sinners let's go down, down in the river to pray. As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way, and who shall wear the robe and crown. Good Lord, show me the way."