Christian Classics
‹ Summa Theologica

Thomas Aquinas · 1383 of 3516

Article. 8 - Whether it is necessary for salvation to believe explicitly in the Trinity?

Objection 1: It would seem that it was not necessary for salvation to believe explicitly in the . For the Apostle says (Heb. 11:6): "He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and is a rewarder to them that seek Him." Now one can believe this without believing in the . Therefore it was not necessary to believe explicitly in the .

Objection 2: Further our Lord said (Jn. 17:5,6): "Father, I have manifested Thy name to men," which words Augustine expounds (Tract. cvi) as follows: "Not the name by which Thou art called God, but the name whereby Thou art called My Father," and further on he adds: "In that He made this world, God is known to all nations; in that He is not to be worshipped together with false gods, 'God is known in Judea'; but, in that He is the Father of this Christ, through Whom He takes away the sin of the world, He now makes known to men this name of His, which they knew not." Therefore before the coming of Christ it was not known that Paternity and Filiation were in the Godhead: and so the was not believed explicitly.

Objection 3: Further, that which we are bound to believe explicitly of God is the object of heavenly happiness. Now the object of heavenly happiness is the good, which can be understood to be in God, without any distinction of Persons. Therefore it was not necessary to believe explicitly in the .

On the contrary, In the Old Testament the of Persons is expressed in many ways; thus at the very outset of Genesis it is written in manifestation of the : "Let us make man to Our image and likeness" (Gn. 1:26). Therefore from the very beginning it was necessary for salvation to believe in the .

I answer that, It is impossible to believe explicitly in the mystery of Christ, without faith in the , since the mystery of Christ includes that the Son of God took flesh; that He renewed the world through the of the ; and again, that He was conceived by the . just as, before Christ, the mystery of Christ was believed explicitly by the learned, but implicitly and under a veil, so to speak, by the simple, so too was it with the mystery of the . And consequently, when once had been revealed, all were bound to explicit faith in the mystery of the : and all who are born again in Christ, have this bestowed on them by the invocation of the , according to Mat. 28:19: "Going therefore teach ye all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the ."

Reply to Objection 1: Explicit faith in those two things was necessary at all times and for all people: but it was not sufficient at all times and for all people.

Reply to Objection 2: Before Christ's coming, faith in the lay hidden in the faith of the learned, but through Christ and the apostles it was shown to the world.

Reply to Objection 3: God's goodness as we understand it now through its effects, can be understood without the of Persons: but as understood in itself, and as seen by the Blessed, it cannot be understood without the of Persons. Moreover the mission of the Divine Persons brings us to heavenly happiness.