33. Why was the Athanasian Creed and its statements about a trinity of persons particularly responsible for leading to the idea of three gods? Because the word “person” leads to that idea, and also because the following words in that creed sow this notion: “The Father is one person, the Son another, and the Holy Spirit another.” Also the statement a little further on: “The Father is God and Lord, the Son is God and Lord, and the Holy Spirit is God and Lord.” The statement mainly responsible, however, is the following: “Just as Christian truth compels us to confess each person individually as God and Lord, so the catholic religion forbids us to say that there are three gods or three lords.” The thrust of these words is that because of Christian truth we should confess and acknowledge three gods or lords, but because of the catholic religion we are not allowed to say or name three gods or lords. Therefore we should have the idea of three gods or lords but not confess them orally.

Nevertheless, the trinity as taught in the Athanasian Creed is in harmony with the truth, provided that in place of a trinity of persons you substitute a trinity in one person — the trinity that exists within God the Savior Jesus Christ (see Teachings for the New Jerusalem on the Lord, published in Amsterdam in 1763, §§55– 61).

8. Faith comes to us through hearing, when we believe that the teachings divinely revealed to us are true and when we trust in God’s promises. Faith is the beginning of human salvation, and the foundation and root of all justification. Without faith, it is impossible to please God and to come into the company of his children. Our justification takes place through faith, hope, and goodwill. Unless hope and goodwill are added to faith, it is dead rather than living and does not unite us to Christ.

We need to cooperate in this process. We have the power to move either closer to or farther away from [Christ]; if we did not, nothing could be granted to us, because we would be like a lifeless body.

Our openness to being justified renews us; this renewal takes place as Christ’s merit is applied to us, as the result of our own cooperation. Therefore we get credit for the works that we do; yet because they are done as a result of grace and through the Holy Spirit, and because Christ alone has earned merit, the rewards God gives us are his own gifts within us. Therefore none of us can attribute anything of merit to ourselves.