Estimated reading time is 6 minutes.
The term "Trinity" is a non-biblical term that would be better eradicated from the Christian vocabulary. Not so much because I am against non-biblical terms as labels for biblical truths, because once we reject a term because it is not found in the particular Bible we use, we place ourselves on a slippery slope, but because I, personally, believe the term "Trinity" calls to mind the bad theology that has been attached to it. But if it cannot be discarded, we might try embracing it in a more biblical manner.
In this experiment of embracing the term "Trinity" the biblical Christian would first take the word in its generic meaning of "three in unity." Then he would acknowledge that the Bible does present the Godhead as being three "somethings." Persons, we are agreed, is a poor (if not totally unmanageable) descriptor for the three distinctions in the Godhead. Augustine says: "three somewhats"; Anselm, "three I know not what"; Karl Barth, "three ways of being" or "three modes"; Professor Moses Stuart and Sabellius say "distinctions." It was John Calvin that articulated it clearly, but it was Watts that brought it to America, where Stuart took up the phrase and made it a pillar of New England Trinitarianism: "A threefold distinction in the Godhead."
We may add to the lists of scholars Anglican priest and theologian Alister McGrath: "The word ‘person’ has changed its meaning since the third century when it began to be used in connection with the ‘threefoldness of God’. When we talk about God as a person, we naturally think of God as being one person. But theologians such as Tertullian, writing in the third century, used the word ‘person’ with a different meaning. The word ‘person’ originally derives from the Latin word persona, meaning an actor’s face-mask—and, by extension, the role which he takes in a play. By stating that there were three persons but only one God, Tertullian was asserting that all three major roles in the great drama of human redemption are played by the one and the same God. The three great roles in this drama are all played by the same actor: God. Each of these roles may reveal God in a somewhat different way, but it is the same God in every case. So when we talk about God as one person, we mean one person in the modern sense of the word, and when we talk about God as three persons, we mean three persons in the ancient sense of the word. ... Confusing these two senses of the word ‘person’ inevitably leads to the idea that God is actually a committee" (Alister McGrath in Understanding the Trinity pages 130-131).
The proposition of holy Scripture is that God is One, and this One Only God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Further, that although these three are the same one true God individual, they are not exactly each other. There are distinctions between them.
The mission of the true theologian is to harmonized the recognized distinctions that exists in the Godhead (taught in the New Testament) with the monotheism of the Shema (taught in the Old Testament). If we are going to call his Godhead Trinitarianism we must do so in a way that honors the integrity of Old Testament monotheism which presents God as one rational Being.
The reason Oneness proponents battle so strongly against Trinitarianism is because it is too often, though not always, couched in tritheism. When the distinctions of Father, Son and Holy Spirit are averred to be rational persons with separate centers of intellect, will and emotion, tritheism cannot be avoided. However, not all Trinitarians confess the Trinity so.
When the Trinity is professed in such a manner as to avoid distinct rational persons with separate centers of intellect, will and emotion it is unavoidably some form of modalism that is being affirmed. So, then, we may state truthfully: For the Trinity to be truly monothesitic it must be modalistic.
In this experiment of embracing the term "Trinity" the biblical Christian would first take the word in its generic meaning of "three in unity." Then he would acknowledge that the Bible does present the Godhead as being three "somethings." Persons, we are agreed, is a poor (if not totally unmanageable) descriptor for the three distinctions in the Godhead. Augustine says: "three somewhats"; Anselm, "three I know not what"; Karl Barth, "three ways of being" or "three modes"; Professor Moses Stuart and Sabellius say "distinctions." It was John Calvin that articulated it clearly, but it was Watts that brought it to America, where Stuart took up the phrase and made it a pillar of New England Trinitarianism: "A threefold distinction in the Godhead."
We may add to the lists of scholars Anglican priest and theologian Alister McGrath: "The word ‘person’ has changed its meaning since the third century when it began to be used in connection with the ‘threefoldness of God’. When we talk about God as a person, we naturally think of God as being one person. But theologians such as Tertullian, writing in the third century, used the word ‘person’ with a different meaning. The word ‘person’ originally derives from the Latin word persona, meaning an actor’s face-mask—and, by extension, the role which he takes in a play. By stating that there were three persons but only one God, Tertullian was asserting that all three major roles in the great drama of human redemption are played by the one and the same God. The three great roles in this drama are all played by the same actor: God. Each of these roles may reveal God in a somewhat different way, but it is the same God in every case. So when we talk about God as one person, we mean one person in the modern sense of the word, and when we talk about God as three persons, we mean three persons in the ancient sense of the word. ... Confusing these two senses of the word ‘person’ inevitably leads to the idea that God is actually a committee" (Alister McGrath in Understanding the Trinity pages 130-131).
The proposition of holy Scripture is that God is One, and this One Only God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Further, that although these three are the same one true God individual, they are not exactly each other. There are distinctions between them.
The mission of the true theologian is to harmonized the recognized distinctions that exists in the Godhead (taught in the New Testament) with the monotheism of the Shema (taught in the Old Testament). If we are going to call his Godhead Trinitarianism we must do so in a way that honors the integrity of Old Testament monotheism which presents God as one rational Being.
The reason Oneness proponents battle so strongly against Trinitarianism is because it is too often, though not always, couched in tritheism. When the distinctions of Father, Son and Holy Spirit are averred to be rational persons with separate centers of intellect, will and emotion, tritheism cannot be avoided. However, not all Trinitarians confess the Trinity so.
When the Trinity is professed in such a manner as to avoid distinct rational persons with separate centers of intellect, will and emotion it is unavoidably some form of modalism that is being affirmed. So, then, we may state truthfully: For the Trinity to be truly monothesitic it must be modalistic.
Modalism teaches God to be one rational Being that has manifested Himself in three different "modes" or "ways of being." In this sense the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are different from each other (with different functions) but all three are the same one God in different "ways of being." In Modalistic Trinitarianism God has but one mind, will and emotion. The "modes" of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) are not relational to each other because they are not separate rational persons.
How, then, does one explain the relationship demonstrated in the New Testament between the Father and the Son?
Jesus has existence on two planes: Son of God and Son of Man. (Jesus has two wills and two minds, yet is one person.) Modalism teaches the Dual Nature of Christ: God (Son of God), and Man (Son of Man). The Son of Man and the Father have relationship because of the human nature of Christ which possesses a human mind and will. The "relationship" between the Son and the Father is between the Father and the Humanity of Christ. Fully God and fully Man is a creedal statement that is accepted as truth by Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, and Apostolic alike. It is arrived at by accepting the demonstrated proposition of Holy Scripture that Jesus is fully God Almighty, and the equally demonstrated proposition of Holy Scripture that Jesus is completely human.
Modalistic Trinitarianism honors the distinctions of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit without violating the Shema: "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord." Thus, the monotheism of Modalistic Trinitarianism is the belief in One Only God Being Who is rational, in three "modes", or "ways of being."
Modalistic Trinitarianism does the following things that should impress us:
1. Modalism recognizes the distinctions within the Godhead;
2. Modalism acknowledges the full deity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, while avoiding, completely, any charge of tritheism;
3. Modalism allows for the two natures (God and Man) in the one person of Jesus;
4. Modalism allows for Jesus to be the mediator, in His human nature;
5. Modalism avoids the charge that the Father was crucified by its teaching of the Dual Nature;
6. Modalism avoids the charge that Jesus prayed to Himself by the teaching of the Dual Nature and the teaching that God dwelled outside the Incarnation as an eternal omnipresent Spirit Being;
7. Modalism maintains the monotheism of the Old Testament and the integrity of the Shema.
Modalistic Trinitarianism does the following things that should impress us:
1. Modalism recognizes the distinctions within the Godhead;
2. Modalism acknowledges the full deity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, while avoiding, completely, any charge of tritheism;
3. Modalism allows for the two natures (God and Man) in the one person of Jesus;
4. Modalism allows for Jesus to be the mediator, in His human nature;
5. Modalism avoids the charge that the Father was crucified by its teaching of the Dual Nature;
6. Modalism avoids the charge that Jesus prayed to Himself by the teaching of the Dual Nature and the teaching that God dwelled outside the Incarnation as an eternal omnipresent Spirit Being;
7. Modalism maintains the monotheism of the Old Testament and the integrity of the Shema.
Counter-wise, the God of the Trithesitic Trinity (Athanasian Creed) is not one rational Being, but one non-rational Nature possessed by three rational persons, each with his own center of intellect (mind), will and emotion. Thus, the monotheism of the Tritheistic Trinity (Athanasian Creed) is one What and three Whoes. Therefore, this view of God does not believe in, nor worship, one God Person that is rational, but one non-rational God Nature. The worship of One What and Three Whos is a worship of plural god-persons, which is not monotheism, but tritheism with a sprinkling of polytheism and pantheism thrown in for good measure. Such worship is detrimental to one's eternal salvation because it is a violation of the Shema - the greatest of all commandments
The first commandment of all is the Shema (Deut. 6:4):
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:28-30
Whether we call our faith Oneness, Modalism or Trinitarianism, to be biblical it cannot, must not, violate the Shema.
Whether we call our faith Oneness, Modalism or Trinitarianism, to be biblical it cannot, must not, violate the Shema.
THE SHEMA IS THE GATEKEEPER OF THE FAITH !
Apostolically Speaking
☩☩ Jerry L Hayes
Read Other Epistles From The Bishop On The Subject Of How The Bridge May be Built From the Oneness To The Trinity:
Proper Biblical Understanding of the Word "Person"
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2017/04/proper-biblical-understanding-of-word.html
Can The Deity Of Jesus Be Called The "Son Of God"?
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2015/04/can-deity-of-jesus-be-called-son-of-god.html
Read Other Epistles From The Bishop On The Subject Of How The Bridge May be Built From the Oneness To The Trinity:
Proper Biblical Understanding of the Word "Person"
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2017/04/proper-biblical-understanding-of-word.html
Can The Deity Of Jesus Be Called The "Son Of God"?
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2015/04/can-deity-of-jesus-be-called-son-of-god.html
Creed of Nicæa (Creed of the 318 Bishops) Affirmed
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2015/09/creed-of-nica-creed-of-318-affirmed.html
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