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Chapter 5
 WHAT MUST I KNOW
TO BE SAVED?
by Daniel LeEarl Hall
If I don't understand the trinity, am I doomed?
A small group in counter-cult ministry claim we must immediately believe in the
deity of Christ and His bodily resurrection or we are not saved. Those who make
these claims get themselves into some predicaments. For one, if a person accepts
the deity of Christ but not the tri-unity of God, the person would be guilty of
polytheism, and in a worse scenario than the person who receives Jesus Christ in
faith, allowing the Holy Spirit to teach them who Jesus is.
We should be concerned when men add things to salvation. Receiving Jesus as Lord
involves accepting His death, burial, and resurrection, for that is the gospel
of Christ which saves.(1Cor.15:1-4)
But, if we require that converts immediately believe the trinity or certain
aspects of the resurrection, we make salvation dependent upon correct doctrines
and we take the job of the Holy Spirit, the only one who teaches us anything
spiritual!
Don Nelson clearly showed in a written expose' on the gospel of Christ, "The
deity of Christ, His death, burial, and resuffection are basic tenets of the
Christian faith, and acknowledged by all believers. " But Don asked, "Did the
man on the cross next to Jesus or the jailer and his household grasp that Jesus
was God? (Acts16: 31) Were the converted multitudes of Acts 2, instantaneously
and miraculously granted an understanding of the true deity of Christ? Making
such demands of converts nullifies the words of Jesus to the evil-doer, Paul to
the jailer, Peter to the Jews at Pentecost, Philip to the Eunuch, Peter to
Cornielius, and so on. Did it not even take the early Church, guided by the Holy
Spirit, years to come to the full realization that Jesus was fully God and fully
man?"
God is infinite. If we had to comprehend or apprehend God to be saved, then
everyone is "dead in the water."
Demanding that new Christians immediately comprehend deep doctrinal issues would
place the burden of salvation back on each person, and be comparable to giving a
calculus test to Kindergartners and kicking out those who failed. We are not
tested as to what we know, but whether Christ is in us! (2Cor. 13:5)
Most people who receive Jesus Christ struggle initially with many spiritual
truths, but, there is a substantial difference between rejecting the deity of
Christ or the trinity and not understanding these truths. We are all deeply
concerned about anyone who rejects the deity of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. (John 8:24)
If you are struggling with issues, be patient and keep praying for God by His
Holy Spirit to reveal His truth to you. (Luke 11 :13)
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