Kathy,

I appears that you put no stock in anything that any man has ever said concerning the teachings of Scripture. In short, you elevate yourself above all others in that you are able to discern the truth of God where they have failed. But this is a rather arrogant position to take, don't you think? Has the promise of Christ to send His Holy Spirit to the Church and to indwell all those whom He has brought to spiritual life and reconciled with God failed? If not, then how is it that no one but yourself is reliable in discerning God's truth from the Scriptures? Has the promise of the Holy Spirit of Christ that He "gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ:" never actually happened?

There is, of course, a much more fundamental question that needs to be asked here: Do you believe in "true truth . . . propositional truth . . . absolute truth"? And do you believe that God has made known this true truth in His inspired, infallible and inerrant Word; the Scriptures? And do you believe that God makes known this truth to those who He has called, justified and adopted as His sons by giving them His Holy Spirit to dwell within them, giving them ears to hear, eyes to see and minds to comprehend the marvelous things of God revealed in the Scriptures?

The doctrine of the Trinity isn't some philosophical whim that men have fabricated out of their own imaginations. It isn't, as is the case of so many today, an idea that some man conceived in his own mind and then gathered together some biblical texts, twisted them out of context which he then presented allegedly as "proof" of that idea.

One who professes to believe in God, even in general terms needs to know, "Who is God?, What is He/She/It like? Does/has God communicated to man? If so, how has God done this? And can that communication be comprehended by man? etc." These questions are answered in the Bible. And the answer to the question as to Who is God? is that He is one being Who exists in three persons. Should someone reject this truth, on what grounds is it rejected? and on a more practical level, why should I believe your view more than my own or anyone else's who are far more knowledgeable of the Scriptures and the history of how the Spirit has guided His people for over 5 millennia? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/scratchchin.gif" alt="" />

Perhaps this article: Creeds and Standards: Their Significance and Functions, by G.H. Hospers will help you understand the legitimacy of the subordinate confessions of the Church.

In His Grace,