The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum The Trinity - Essential Doctrine # 1

I never wrote that you should tell your friend that he wasn't saved! What I wrote was in regard to your "dumbed down" version of the seriousness of the matter and your pandering to this man for what you wrote to him so as "to keep the communication open". In reply I first wrote here the following:

Personally, I would not hesitate to make clear that to deny the Trinity is to put oneself outside of historic Christianity, regardless of what else one may believe.

And I later wrote in reply here the following:

That issue is, to deny the Trinity is to deny biblical Christianity and thus any profession made upon that basis is spurious and thus the one making such a profession is liable to judgment and has not been genuinely converted. (cf. The Athanasian Creed: "This is the catholic faith, which except a man shall have believed faithfully and firmly he cannot be in a state of salvation.")

Again, it was and remains my suggestion that it be told openly and clearly to those who deny the doctrine of the Trinity that to do so is potentially fatal, i.e., their denial of the Trinity puts them outside the historic Church and is a denial of biblical Christianity. And thus, to not embrace the doctrine of the Trinity with sincerity and wholly, it is impossible to be saved.

This is NOT the same thing as telling someone directly that THEY are not saved. However, if after a reasonable amount of time spent in dialog with such an individual, giving evidence for this doctrine from the Scriptures and other sources, they continue to deny the doctrine of the Trinity it would not be unreasonable to conclude that they are not saved.

From what you wrote here: happy to report

it would seem that your friend is lacking in either comprehension or basic teaching concerning the doctrines of Christianity and/or someone has a serious problem communicating and has caused this man to be confused.

In His grace,