84% of Christians REJECT this Key Biblical Truth
This is mind-blowing…
An astonishing research report from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University reveals that only 16% of all self-identified Christians believe in the Trinity as defined in the Bible.
It gets worse… According to the survey, only 53% of self-identified Christians believe that the supreme deity portrayed in the Bible (i.e., God or Yahweh) exists and affects people’s lives. Only 78% of those individuals believe in the existence and influence of Jesus Christ. And less than half as many (30%) believe in the living presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The bottom line is that only 16% of self-identified Christians believe in the existence and influence of all three persons of the Trinity.
You read that correctly… a stomach-turning 84% of people who call themselves Christians in America do not believe in the foundational doctrine of the Triune God… that of the Trinity.
This is only slightly more than all adults (including non-Christians) surveyed, among whom 89% don’t believe in the existence and influence of the Trinity. Shockingly, among those who identified as Catholics a stunning 91% stated they do not believe in the doctrine of the Trinity… far worse than that of the general population. One has to wonder if the Catholic religion’s over-emphasis on Mary is at the root of this disturbing statistic…
Although the specific word “Trinity” is not found in the Bible, it is a central doctrine of the Christian faith. It holds that the God of the Bible is three distinct but inseparable and equal persons in one.
The Trinity is referenced in the first sentence of the first chapter of Genesis, the first book of the Bible…
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
The Hebrew word used here for “God” is Elohim… Elohim is a plural noun… not one, but more than one in one. Again… three distinct but inseparable and equal persons in one God.
Other Bible passages also refer to the Trinity…
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:16-17)
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)
Why then, are so many people rejecting this fundamental biblical teaching or are at least totally ignorant of it?
They seldom attend church services.
They don’t make a regular practice of studying the Word of God.
They go to a church that does not teach correct Biblical doctrine from the pulpit. Instead, many get “feel good” messages that are aimed at increasing attendance and growing the building fund.
Sadly, even among self-identified Christians who claim to possess a biblical worldview, only 62% believe in the existence and influence of all three persons of the Trinity…
So, What is the Trinity?
The three persons of the Trinity are God the Father who is the creator of all things; Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, the redeemer of humanity; and the Holy Spirit, who is an advocate and helper. The three persons are equal… one God in essence but distinct in their roles.
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14: 16-17)
Let me point out that the doctrine of the Trinity might be accepted by an individual, but it is not fully understood by them… as it is certainly one of the “mysteries of the faith.” However, there is a difference between believing in and totally understanding the Trinity and rejecting it.
But the problem runs even deeper… Survey director George Barna warns, “We know from our national worldview tracking studies that most Americans are uninformed about the many essential biblical teachings, ranging from the Ten Commandments and the Trinity to matters related to repentance, salvation, the chief purpose of life, and divine measures of success.”
Why?
With all the smoke machines, skits, light shows, hip-hop music, and staged drone camera flights over their buildings… too many “pastors” don’t seem to have any time left to teach the truth of the Trinity or the Gospel. Sadly, this has become commonplace in an increasing number of Christian churches that promote social justice, acceptance of same-sex marriages, and “unity” over biblical doctrine.
Avoid such so-called churches…
Wow! Nominalists is what I called them growing up. I knew there was a difference even as a child. My dad and mom were in the Word every day. Dad taught against false doctrine. I would see others, elders even, who didn’t seem to do that. Now with social media we see intimate details of their lives that confirms they don’t live what may be preached in church. Many years ago, my word for the year was promoting Bible reading every day for Christians. Roman Catholics don’t believe that, especially when I was a child sixty years ago, but that started to change. We need repentance, revival and reformation.
As a former JW I know they believe Jesus was just a prophet and a good teacher. I don't remember much on the Holy Spirit if they believe in this because in all honesty I pretty much just watched the clock and let me tell you those seconds moved like they were minutes. I believe in the trinity because the bible says it is so but it was a bit confusing.