Modalism
Introduction The Trinity is a tough subject. One can err on many sides when approaching this delicate topic, but it is critically important to our faith. Anyone who has a false view of the Trinity completely undermines the Gospel. This is important stuff!
History
Modalism was first propagated in the third century by a guy named Sabellius. The roots of Modalism came from Sabellianism. Obviously the third century was a long, long time ago. So, none of Sabellius writing still exists ( Also most, if not all of it, was burned when it was deemed heresy). All we know of Sabellius we have from his critics. Rightfully, no matter what kind of fruitful things this man did in his life, none of it will be remembered because of the heresy he spread. This is a secondary but good reason not to be a heretic. Nineteen year old punks will be writing about how bad a dude you are seventeen centuries after you die.
Dionysius officially named Modalism a heresy in 263 A.D. All of this information is eerily similar to Arianism because it is really just the opposite extreme on the spectrum of Trinitarian theology. The Orthodox theologians reacted in the same way and did their best to remove the ideas of Modalism from the church like they did Arianism. The difference between the two systems is that Modalism has stuck.
Theology
Modalism teaches that…
· God is one person
· God has three modes or masks
· God does not exist as the three persons at the same time
Orthodoxy teaches that…
· There is one God and only one God
· The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God
· God eternally exists in three persons
Application
The differences might seem like small nuances, but these differences are anything but small. Consider…who was Jesus praying to in the Garden (Mark 14:32-42)? What descended on Jesus as he was being baptized (Luke 3:22)? Who died on the cross (John 3:16)? (the Father?) Who is Jesus mediating too (1 Timothy 2:5)? All of these questions are paradoxical for the Modalistic person. Belief in Modalism leaves the Gospel completely out of whack and distorts the Bible.
The biggest concern I have with modalism is that it is the most common error concerning the Trinity. Oneness_Pentecostalism, "The Shack", T.D. Jakes…to name a few of the recent big name items propagating Modalism. Also the amount of practical Modalists is staggering. It does not take long to remember the last time you heard someone say “God died on the cross.” In our Biblically illiterate day in age, people do not understand the Trinity. The Trinity is important. So, get it right!
The biggest concern I have with modalism is that it is the most common error concerning the Trinity. Oneness_Pentecostalism, "The Shack", T.D. Jakes…to name a few of the recent big name items propagating Modalism. Also the amount of practical Modalists is staggering. It does not take long to remember the last time you heard someone say “God died on the cross.” In our Biblically illiterate day in age, people do not understand the Trinity. The Trinity is important. So, get it right! 
Greetings Shane
ReplyDeleteYes. In many ways, Modalism/Oneness doctrine is indeed wrong.
But sadly, the trinity doctrine is also equally wrong in this regard:
that both modalism and trinity doctrines try to make
Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah our Lord,
into Almighty GOD!!
And both doctrines state that you must believe that the Lord Jesus
is Almighty GOD to be saved!
In this regard, both doctrines do err and are scripturally wrong.
IMHO!
Both doctrines appeared hundreds of years after the ascension of Christ.
Both doctrines try to explain how Jesus can be both God and man at the same time!! The Godman!!
But the original faith which was once delivered unto the saints [Jude 3] did not suffer from this problem.
The original faith has always been:
That there is solely ONE GOD,
the Father.
And Jesus of Nazareth, is the one man, the one human being, whom Almighty GOD raised from the dead, made him, both Lord and Christ, and exalted him to His own right hand.
Hence, Jesus of Nazareth is
the Lord Jesus Christ,
a man approved of Almighty GOD,
who is currently at the right of the ONE GOD in the heavens. Whom we await for his return.
(1 Cor 8:4) ... there is none other God but one.
(1 Cor 8:6) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him;
and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
(1 Tim 2:5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
(1 Th 1:9-10) For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Hundreds of years after the pure, true, apostolic faith was propagated;
Greek, Hellenistic and pagan philosophy/doctrines changed the human Jesus into a demigod then into a godman.
And in response, both the doctrines of the trinity and modalism tried to solve this self-inflicted problem.
The solution then, is to return to the pure faith and doctrine as taught in the Scriptures:
That there is solely ONE GOD, the Father.
And there is solely one man, one human, whom the ONE GOD has made
"Lord of all", the man Messiah Jesus.
(1 Tim 2:5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus;
And indeed the day is coming where ...
(Phil 2:11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
May I suggest that one can prayerfully begin this journey of recovery by viewing a helpful video at
The Human Jesus
Yours In Messiah
Adam Pastor