The Importance of the Doctrine of the Trinity

My thanks up front to Dr. Wayne Grudem for the excellent exposition of this that you can find in his Systematic Theology or Bible Doctrine. The difference between the two is that Bible Doctrine was more written for the serious lay person as opposed to student or scholar. Both are excellent, either is worth reading and studying.

Grudem makes very impactful points on the importance of the Trinity:

• Essential for the atonement - If Jesus is not fully God, it would be hard to see how His death was sufficient to cover our sins.
• Essential for justification by faith - If Jesus is not fully God, hard to see how one could place total faith in Him.
• Essential for worship - If Jesus is not fully God, hard to see why we would pray to Him and offer Him worship.
• Essential for divine salvation - If Jesus is a created being, salvation would be based on the works of a created being, not God alone.
• Essential for a personal God - With no Trinity, there are no interpersonal relationships within the being of God to model His relationship with us upon.
• Essential for unity - If there is no perfect plurality and unity within the Triune Godhead, hard to accept that there is a perfect unity within a diverse universe.

Grudem caps it with the statement that the doctrine of the Trinity is at the heart of the Christian faith.

Do you disagree with any of the six points above?

Do you feel more strongly about some rather than others?

Why do you think Grudem focuses more on Jesus than the Father or the Holy Spirit in laying out his argument?

Any additional points you would like to add?

I would love to know!