#modalism

Thinking the Son is a created being? Arianism in the ancient world, Jehovah's Witnesses in modern America.

Thinking the Holy Trinity is one God playing three roles rather than one God in three persons? Modalism in the ancient world, Oneness Pentecostalism in modern America.

Thinking there are modern prophets with equal authority to the Apostles? Montanism in the ancient world, the New Apostolic Reformation in modern America.

Thinking that Christians are mandated to live like Jews? Judaising in the ancient world, the Hebrew Roots Movement in modern America.

Thinking that we have a divine spark trapped in the body that needs to be freed with secret knowledge? Gnosticism in the ancient world, Scientology in modern America.

🟥I believe that there is one God, who is our father. Hence God our Father.

🟨The son of god is the manifestion of god on earth, the revelation of god, the incarnation of god in human form. An avatar of God our father.

The Heresy of Modalistic Monarchianism is Alive and Well

By Author Eli Kittim

What is Modalistic Monarchianism?

Modalistic Monarchianism (aka "Oneness Theology" or Modalism) is a late 2nd and 3rd century theological doctrine that maintains the deity of Christ while emphasising the "oneness" of God. In contrast to Trinitarianism, which depicts the Godhead as three distinct persons coexisting in one being, modalistic monarchianism defines God as a single person. This theological position is related to “patripassianism” and “Sabellianism,” which hold similar views. It has been considered a doctrinal heresy since the early period of the Christian Church.

The term “Modalistic Monarchianism” means that God is not three but "one" person who operates under various “manifestations” or “modes,” such as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. According to this theological position, the complete Godhead dwells in Jesus insofar as his incarnation is concerned. This view therefore ascribes the actions of the "Father" and the "Son" to various modes, such as the differences that exist between God’s “transcendence” (which is completely independent of the material universe, beyond being and nonbeing) and God’s incarnation or immanence (i.e. his manifestation in the physical world). Accordingly, the Holy Spirit is not viewed as a distinct entity but rather as a mode of operation of the spirit of God.

It seems as if the Modalistic Monarchians were trying to reconcile the trinitarian concept of the New Testament (NT) with the monotheistic Shema creed in the Torah, which states that “God, the LORD is one" (Deut. 6.4). Modalistic Monarchians accept the inspiration of the Old Testament and therefore believe that Jesus is the manifestation of Yahweh on earth. But they do not worship the Father or the Holy Spirit; only Jesus Christ.

Three modern adherents of this view are Oneness Pentecostalism (aka Jesus Only movement or Apostolic Jesus' Name Pentecostalism), the World Mission Society Church of God (the relatively new South Korean religious movement), and T. D. Jakes, the bishop of The Potter's House Church (a non-denominational American megachurch).

Is Jesus really God the Father and God the Holy Spirit?

Given that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are considered to be titles of the one God, not depictions of distinct persons, "Oneness Pentecostals," for example, maintain that they fulfil Christ’s commandment in Mt. 28.19 to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit by doing so only in the name of Jesus. In their defence, they cite Acts 4.12 in which Jesus is the "only" name given in the NT “by which we must be saved.” Acts 4.11-12 reads:

"This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by

you, the builders; it has become the

cornerstone. There is salvation in no one

else, for there is no other name under

heaven given among mortals by which we

must be saved."

However, just because “there is no other name . . . by which we must be saved” does not mean that the Father and the Holy Spirit do not exist! That directly contradicts the grammatical “point of view” of the first person, second person, and third person personal pronouns in the NT text.

For example, Jesus is NOT the name of the Father or of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, Jesus repeatedly refers to the Holy Spirit not in the first person but in the 3rd person. He calls the Holy Spirit ἐκεῖνος——meaning “He” (Jn. 16.13-14)——as another person that is totally DISTINCT from himself. Jesus says:

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he

will guide you into all the truth" (John

16.13).

Obviously Jesus is not talking about himself but about a separate entity that is called the “Holy Spirit.”

Jesus also repeatedly speaks of the Father in the 3rd person as a separate and distinct person from himself. Jesus says:

"For I did not speak on my own, but the

Father who sent me commanded me to say

all that I have spoken" (John 12.49).

Obviously Jesus is NOT the Father, otherwise this modalistic theology would have us believe that Jesus sent himself, commands himself, prays to himself, and talks to himself, while baldly lying to his disciples about an imaginary father (whom he calls “Abba” [Mark 14.36]) who doesn’t really exist. According to this view, Jesus is psychotic or worse. In other words, Jesus is either a lunatic or a liar. So, Modalistic Monarchianism directly contradicts and distorts the NT authors' original language and intended meanings. Therefore, Oneness Theology is completely bogus and misinformed!

1 Jn. 2.22 condemns modalism as an aberration:

"This is the antichrist, the one who denies

  List of Heresies                                                

Adoptionism The belief Jesus is not eternally God but became God sometime after His birth

Antinomianism The belief that Christians are not bound by God’s law and are free to sin as they please; That Jesus' rescues from the guilt of sin but not its power..

Anti-Paulism The belief that the Apostle Paul was a heretic and that the books he wrote are not a part of Biblical Canon

Arianism The belief that Jesus and the Holy Spirit were lesser, created beings and  not persons of the Godhead .

Christian Deism The belief that God does not intervene in or interact with the world.

Docetism - The belief that Jesus was divine but only seemed to be human.

Donatism - The belief that the efficacy of the sacraments depends on character of the minister.

Dual Covenant Theology The belief that Jews can still be saved without believing in Jesus

Eutychianism - The belief that Jesus' finite human nature is swallowed up in His infinite divine nature.

Gay Theology - The belief that homosexuality is not a sin. Consequently, the full gospel of rescue from sin's tyranny is witheld from those who self-identify as "gay"

Gnosticism - Holds to a radical dualism of good and evil and believes secret knowledge is necessary for salvation. This contrasts sharply with Christianity which affirms the good of creation. Gnostics think matter is evil.

Inclusivism The belief that faith is not necessary for salvation and that God’s mercy is so wide that it embraces all non-Christian peoples on the earth

Kenosis The belief that Jesus ceased to be divine while on Earth

Kinism The belief that people are only to consort, worship, and marry people of their same race.  

Legalism - Trusting in one's own righteousness (or anything) aside from Jesus to win acceptance with God

Liberalism The belief that Scripture is not inerrant or infallible (Not to be confused with the political system of the same name)

Limited Theism The belief that God’s powers are or can be limited and He is not All-Powerful

Marcionism - The belief that the God of the O.T. is evil and the God of the N.T. is good. Affirms 11 books in the Canon

Macedonianism The belief that God the Holy Spirit is not a member of the Godhead but merely a creation of God.

Manichaeism The belief that good and evil are both equally powerful in ability and/or authority.

Modalism The belief that the members of the Trinity are not three distinct persons but three different aspects of the same person.

Monarchianism - The belief that God is one person.

Monophysitism - The belief that Jesus had only one nature: divine.

Montanism The belief that the Bible is either insufficient or incomplete, and that new revelation from God is being regularly given.

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism - the new American Religion.

Neo-Orthodoxy The belief that the Bible is not the Inspired Word of God unless it is being read by a believer.

Neoplatonism The belief that all existence consists of emanations from the One with whom the soul may be reunited

Nestorianism - The belief that Jesus was two persons.

Open Theism The belief that God is not omniscient and doesn’t know the future.

Papal Primacy The belief that the Pope is the head of the Church while it is on Earth as well as the vicar of Christ.

Partialism The belief that each member of the Trinity is 1/3 of God rather than being fully God.

Pelagianism The belief that human nature is untainted by the Fall of Man and is not corrupted with Original Sin.

Pluralism The belief that two or more religions can be true at one time.

Positive Thinking The belief that your thoughts have the God-like ability to create your reality.

Prosperity Gospel The belief that the promises of the Gospel include good physical health and Earthly wealth.

Progressive Christianity - a post-modern theological approach, a revisionist view of the Scriptures, with a strong focus on social justice and an over-emphasis on politics. Rooted in Liberal Christianity of the modern-era.

Rauschenbuschism (the social gospel) The belief that the main purpose of the Gospel is to be the cure for social issues rather than the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God.

Roman Catholicism - Roman Catholicism violates scripture in its doctrine of salvation, its claims about its authority, its apostolic succession, its priesthood, and its claim to have the sole right to interpret Scripture.

Semi-Pelagianism - The belief that man and God cooperate to achieve man's salvation.(with man initiating)

Socinianism - A Denial of the Trinity. The belief that Jesus is a deified man

Subordinationism - The belief that the Son is lesser than the Father in essence and or attributes.

Trinitarian Heresies Here is list of major heresies which deny the biblical teaching on the Trinity

Tritheism The belief that the Godhead is actually three separate gods

Universalism The belief that everyone will go to Heaven

Word of Faith The belief that human words have the God-like power to create or destroy.

Jesus Christ is Lord. Hallelujah!

Amen.