Faith plays an essential role in our worship, our way of thinking, our desires, and our behavior. Here are some examples:
We must distinguish between the Trinitarian monotheism of the Christian faith on the one hand, and the absolute monotheism that arose in response to polytheism on the other. It is possible that the belief in many gods who were constantly in conflict with each other arose as a projection of people’s sense of the internal conflict within themselves, within their own lives, and with others. In the Old Testament, the concept of monotheism was the remedy that prevented people from falling into the error of polytheism. But if monotheism is understood in isolation from Trinitarianism, God appears to be hard and fearful, and absolute in His character. Such a faith engenders a kind of “isolated individualism.” If a person looks to God as His ideal, he finds only One who is immovable, unapproachable, and inactive, dwelling in His unreachable heaven. On the other hand, Trinitarian monotheism offers the faithful the concept of God as “loving unity,” which inspires us to practice love ourselves, according to the pattern of the Holy Trinity, through God’s work in us.
In this mystery we learn of “Fatherhood and Sonship” in their ultimate sense. The Son is begotten of the Father as the light is born out of light, sharing His own essence with Him. This unique relationship is found nowhere except in God —the Father and the Son are one simple essence. Through this relationship, we are able to be adopted by God, and we receive the Father as our Father through our union with Him in His Only Begotten Son . This mystery makes our relationship with God not the narrow, restricted relationship of a master and slave; but the relationship of a Father embracing His children (Rom. 8:15–23; Eph. 5:1).
Through this new relationship, we enjoy a dynamic divine love that never ends. We do not ask God to give us the delights or benefits of this world, or even those of the age to come; rather, we yearn for God Himself, to inherit His bosom as our eternal dwelling. In other words, Trinitarian faith transforms the nature of our relationship with God from a transaction of self-interest into a communion of mutual love .
Trinitarian faith gives us a broader understanding of perfection. Some ask: How can the Father be perfect or self-sufficient in His attributes, yet also inseparable from the Son and the Holy Spirit (that is, that They share His attributes)? Likewise also of the Son and the Holy Spirit. We answer that true perfection is not defined by self-contained self-sufficiency, but by the eternal dynamic of love in God and His infinite mutual internal relationships.
A person does not attain perfection by glorifying himself or by being sufficient in himself, but through a loving unity with others. The perfect person is not the one who feeds the ego for the sake of acquiring vainglory and his own profit; it is the one who loves others and receives their love asking nothing in return.
Trinitarian faith permeates all human life, including worship:
In the Old Testament, the faithful were not yet able to receive a truly monotheistic Trinitarian faith. This inability influenced their worship; they saw God as an unapproachable Being, to be worshipped lest He be angry with them. In the New Testament, when the faithful received the Trinitarian faith, they became acquainted with the God who declares His love by embracing humanity and sweeping them up into His Fatherly embrace to enjoy His mysteries and partake of His glory. Now, humans no longer serve God mechanically like robots, but rather have become beloved children who enjoy His divine mysteries.
Trinitarian faith uproots all the seeds of selfishness. When we offer up our prayers, faith draws us to the Holy Trinity, to sublime love; and so we pray for the salvation of all humanity with a heart wide open.
Trinitarian faith has an effect even on our social life. If we choose marriage, we hope our family becomes an icon of Trinitarian love. The believer finds happiness in the happiness of others and behaves as a member of a body striving for the good of the family as a whole. Approached in this way, family becomes a communion of true love, in which every member yearns to give, not to take. On the other hand, if we choose the monastic life, we offer a heart wide open to the entire Church, and indeed, to the entire world. This is what we proclaim through our continuous worship and our constant prayers for all human beings.