There are many non-Trinitarian groups today that object to the doctrine of the Trinity because it was officially formulated late in the fourth century by men that were less than perfect. The lateness of the doctrine, and the sometimes less than exemplary lives of some of the men who grappled with the issues surrounding it, are often brought up in an attempt to discredit the doctrine. The arguments run something like this:

1. - “How can the Trinity be true if the Church put the doctrine together so late on in the fourth century?”

Or

2. - “How can we trust the Trinity as being of God when some of the men who promoted it, believed it, and formulated it, acted ungodly?”

In answer to the first objection see the other article on this site: Should The Trinity be Rejected Because it is a Late Doctrine?

And to briefly answer the second objection, we need to remember that God's people have, at times, done wrong. This is the same with God's orginal people of Israel. Many times did they disobey Him and let Him down but they have always been His people. Similarly, when one looks at the New Testament record of the early Christians we see that many believers were most certainly less than perfect. Even a cursory glance through the books of 1&2 Corinthians clearly demonstrates this.

It is also worth remembering that just because someone does something under the banner of Trinitarianism doesn't make them Christians anyway. There have been many dark periods throughout Church history where the mainstream Church has been infultrated by ungodly and evil men who have killed others who were not part of their group...even killing other Trinitarians. Of course, this doesn't mean that such killers were true Christians. Jesus Himself prophetically saw such a day when He said: "...a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God." (John 16:2).

Despite these charges by non-Trinitarians, many of them fail to realise that it was Trinitarians who were also responsible for organising the New Testament Canon of Scripture. Around the same time that Church leaders were grappling with issues concerning the Trinity, in the fourth century, they were also in the process of formulating the New Testament Canon of Scripture. God used Trinitarians, such as Athanasius, to formulate the 27 books of the New Testament as we have it today.* So the very Bible’s that Bible confessing anti-Trinitarian groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses, Unitarians, Mormons, Christadelphians, the Way International, and Oneness groups, use and refer to, contains a Canon that was formulated by the same people who formulated the Trinity in the fourth century! If Jehovah’s Witnesses have the true doctrine of God, then why did God use Trinitarians for the job of formulating the canon rather than others who were closer in doctrine to Jehovah's Witnesses, such as Arius of Alexandria? If Oneness Pentecostals have the true doctrine of God then why did God use Trinitarians for the job of formulating the Canon rather than others who were closer in doctrine to Oneness believers, such as those who held to the teaching of Sabellius?

Non-Trinitarians such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Oneness Pentecostals, Christadelphians, and many others, have to face up to the fact that God saw fit to use Trinitarians to organise His holy Word. If, as non-Trinitarian groups often charge, Trinitarians are in error for believing in the doctrine of the Trinity, then why did God use them for such a high and holy task as handling and organizing His Word? Who else would God entrust with organizing and handling His Word in this way other than His own people?




*   Athanasius of Alexandria (born 293 CE, died May 2 373 CE) - Prominent Trinitarian defender in the early Church.

The 39th Festal Letter of Athanasius (367 CE):

"Continuing, I must without hesitation mention the scriptures of the New Testament; they are the following: the four Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, after them the Acts of the Apostles and the seven so-called catholic epistles of the apostles -- namely, one of James, two of Peter, then three of John and after these one of Jude. In addition there are fourteen epistles of the apostle Paul written in the following order: the first to the Romans, then two to the Corinthians and then after these the one to the Galatians, following it the one to the Ephesians, thereafter the one to the Philippians and the one to the Colossians and two to the Thessalonians and the epistle to the Hebrews and then immediately two to Timothy , one to Titus and lastly the one to Philemon. Yet further the Revelation of John These are the springs of salvation, in order that he who is thirsty may fully refresh himself with the words contained in them. In them alone is the doctrine of piety proclaimed. Let no one add anything to them or take anything away from them..."