Against Modalism...

In this latest installment on the popular heresy known as Modalism, I am linking to a some resources and articles, as well as quoting a few theologians who have written against the heresy. It is my hope that more people will be alerted about this growing threat to Christian orthodoxy.

(Now, I realize some readers will see this as a heresy hunt or a witch trial. If that's the case, I can only reply that it's sort of a family tradition. Ironically, my 10th great-grandfather was the Rev. John Jones, a Puritan minister born in England who migrated to the American Colonies and was later involved in the 1654 witch trial of Goody Knapp in Connecticut!)

Below are a links and quotes that I hope will be helpful to understanding why the Doctrine of the Trinity is so important to a correct understanding of Theology Proper -as well as redemption:

• First off, I want to recommend a book by Dr. James R. White. It's called The Forgotten Trinity. I have not read it yet, but I understand that it's an excellent treatment of the subject. It's definitely on my short list of books to be read in the near future.


• In this article by Dr. Michael J. Svigel of Dallas Seminary, we learn that all too often, even those who claim to be Trinitarians pray, sing, and illustrate the Godhead in ways that are more Modalistic than Trinitarian.


• Reclaiming the Mind Ministries has some great theological video sessions concerning the Trinity and early heresies concerning the Triune nature of God. I encourage everyone to watch Part 1 & Part 2 of a session that deals with early heresies in the church concerning the Godhead. (See especially part 2 as it deals with the Modalistic heresy from the beginning)


• In this lengthy article, James R. White explains why he "loves the Trinity." He also deals with the theological fall-out and issues surrounding the denial of the Trinity. Christians in our day may not fully realize it, but Dr. White is correct when he writes, "without the Trinity, you have no gospel." If you don't read anything else I've posted, please read this!

Let us now consider a verse of Scripture written by the prophet Isaiah and the comments of the Baptist theologian John Gill concerning it:

"Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD and his Spirit, hath sent me." -Isaiah 48:16 KJV

"Here is a glorious testimony of a trinity of Persons in the Godhead; Christ the Son of God is sent in human nature, and as Mediator. Jehovah the Father and the Spirit are the senders of him; and so is a proof of the mission, commission, and authority of Christ, who came not of himself, but was sent of God, (John 8:42), it may be rendered, "and now the Lord God hath sent me and his Spirit"; both were sent of God, and in this order; first, Christ, to be the Redeemer and Saviour; and then the Spirit, to be the Convincer and Comforter; (see John 14:26). " (from John Gill's Commentary on the whole Bible)

Wayne Grudem also has some valuable incite that goes to the very heart of why I believe this heresy is so dangerous:

"The fatal shortcoming of modalism is the fact that it must deny the personal relationships within the Trinity that appear in so many places in Scripture (or it must affirm that these were simply an illusion and not real). Thus, it must deny three separate persons at the baptism of Jesus, where the Father speaks from heaven and the Spirit descends on Jesus like a dove. And it must say that all those instances where Jesus is praying to the Father are an illusion or a charade. The idea of the Son or the Spirit interceding for us before God the Father is lost. Finally, modalism ultimately loses the heart of the doctrine of the atonement - that is, the idea that God sent his Son in our place, and that the Son bore the wrath of the Father in our place, and that the Father, representing the interest of the Trinity, saw the suffering of Christ and was satisfied (Isa 53:11)." (from Grudem's Systematic Theology ch. 14)

John MacArthur has this to say concerning the Modalist heresy:

"...I think it’s very important for us today to be aware of the fact that we need to uphold the doctrine of the Trinity. I am amazed at how much the Unity Movement has moved into Christianity. It’s really shocking. For example, the largest Pentecostal organization in the world is called the United Pentecostal Church and they deny the Trinity. ...Now beloved to deny the existence of the Trinity is a very serious cardinal error in theology. You are either denying the existence of God the Father, denying the unique existence of the Son, or you are denying the unique existence of the Holy Spirit. And to deny any of those, in my mind, is the ultimate in heresy." (From Q&A session) SOURCE

Indeed in addition to being horrible theology, Modalism makes a mockery of the Bible. Robert Lewis Dabney summed it up well in this statement from his Systematic Theology:

"...if these personal names, of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, meant no more than three influences or energies, or three phases of action of the same person, or three forms of one substance, is it not incredible that all these properties of personality, choosing, loving, hating, sending and being sent, understanding, acting, should be asserted of them? It would be the wildest abuse of language ever dreamed of." (from ch. 16 of Dabney's Systematic Theology)

Once again, I wish to express that my intention in putting the spot light on the Modalist heresy is to alert my fellow Christians to the fact that it's a growing problem. The Doctrine of the Trinity is a central tenet of the Christian faith and must be taught and defended.

When I was a child, sometimes I would tell my (late) father that I needed a new bike (or something else) because the one I had was "old". His reply to me was always, "son, if you don't take care of what you have already, how can I believe you'll take care of a newer one if I get it for you?"

Likewise in our day, lots of Christians seem to be constantly seeking new light or new revelation from God. The sad reality is that the majority of modern evangelicals haven't tried to understand the revelation God has given them already; nor those truths in which our Christian forefathers contended for -often with their very lives.

Like greedy children, many Christians want something new from the Father, all the while neglecting (and in some cases despising) that in which He has entrusted to them already.

May God raise up a generation of Christians in our day who will contend for and teach the historic and orthodox understanding of the Godhead.

Post Tenebras, Lux!

(All pictures from and linked back to wikipedia)