The Trinity vs. Modalism - By Gary F. Zeolla

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The Trinity vs. Modalism

Which is the Historic Christian Doctrine?

Part One

By Gary F. Zeolla

This three-part article will begin with an interesting email exchange I recently engaged in.

The emailer’s comments are enclosed by greater than and lesser than sign. My responses then

follow.

>Subject: In regards to "JW"s and what they believe;

First of all, let me tell you that I studied with Mormons, Baptists, and Catholics directly. I

had debates with Pentacostles [sic], and, oh, pretty much all other religious groups in my

youth, because I didn't know better than to debate religion back then. I do know better now,

however, so this is not a debate. I have no interest in arguing and I do believe that when one

spends one time trying to prove other people wrong it wastes valuable time wherein one

could, instead, be seeking to learn the will of God.

The reason that I am writing to you is that you have some misinformation on your site, in

regards to what Jehovah's Witnesses believe. Also, in regards to what most other people

mean when they say that Jesus is God.

See, I know for a fact, that all the other Bible based religions did tell me, as what they

believed to be straight fact, that Jesus is God the Father; that he is our creator; and as Jesus he

was simply manifesting Himself in the flesh.

So, no, Jehovah's Witnesses do not fail to understand the distinction; and, if you really

understood their teachings, you would know that they do not fail to make the distinction.

http://www.dtl.org/books/



Because Jehovah's Witnesses do teach that Jesus is a deity, that he is a god, but not Jehovah

God, the Creator.

So, in fact, your site says that they are correct in their actual teachings; but, it denies what

their actual teachings are!

Please consider this and pray about it. I know that if you are sincere, God will lead you to the

truth.

Goodbye

Arletta

2/21/09<

Sorry, but if by “all the other Bible based religions” you mean those who believe in the

doctrine of the Trinity, then you are the one who does not understand what the doctrine of the

Trinity teaches. It does NOT teach “that Jesus is God the Father.” That belief system is

known as Modalism or “Oneness theology.” Only a very few groups teach that, such asOneness Pentecostals.

The doctrine of the Trinity is taught and believed by Catholics, Baptists and most any other

major Christian denomination. The Trinity teaches that the Father and Son are two distinct

yet equal Persons. It is the “equal” part that JWs deny.

God bless,

Gary Z.

>You said that they deny that he is a deity. They do not.

And, I got my understanding of the teachings of the Trinity from Catholic Priests and

Bishops, Mormon Bishops, Reverends, Rectors, etc. They were all very clear in that the

teachings of the Trinity means that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all equal, all

separate facets of one Godhead and it is that Godhead, the total, which is the Creator.

Also, it was not Jehovah's Witnesses who denied that Jesus was equal to God; it was the Holy

Scriptures that did that. They just read and believed them! You know, where it says that

equality with God was not something Jesus even conceived of as being possible? Surelyyou've read it.

Just like you read that I am not going to argue or debate with you, and I have no interest in

hearing from you.

Speak to God and seek His will. Not yours, not mine: His!

Goodbye. Do not contact me again!

Arletta

2/21/09<



Let’s see, you contact me first, but when I respond, you get angry at me and say not to

contact you again. But the fact is, you not only have misunderstood what the Trinity teaches,

but you have misunderstood my writings. If you actually read my writings, you would know

that I fully know that JWs teach Jesus is “a god” or divine, but they deny His equality with

the Father. You would also know that Mormons do not believe the doctrine of the Trinity and

generally misstate it as well. So they are not a good source for info on this subject.

I address what the Trinity teaches and does not teach in detail on my site and in my books. I

also respond in detail to JW arguments. If you wish to actually understand these issues, then

read my site more carefully, and check out my Scripture Workbook .

Good bye and God bless,

Gary

>I did not mention only the Mormons as a religious group that I studied with; nor, did Iexpress anger. You seek to debate, and debating religion shames both parties. I will not

participate in shaming either of us.

The truth is that you badly misrepresent both the teachings of the Trinity, as it is commonly

taught, and what Jehovah's Witnesses actually believe. It does not matter how many times

that you say otherwise, it is still a fact that you do.

And, as I said before, it is the Holy Scriptures that deny that Jesus is equal with God.

Therefore, anyone who believes that they are inspired of God and good for reproving and

setting one straight, should read that this is so, then be reproved and set themselves straight in

what they are teaching others.

I hope that happens for you, sooner rather than later.

I am blocking you now, though, as you seem a little too zealous to prove your own point,

rather than to look into the deeper things of God. And, of course, because I told you in two

emails, now, that I did not wish to debate or argue, and, so, I do not wish to hear from you.

Have a nice life!

Arletta

2/22/09<

Comments

The preceding was one of the strangest email exchanges I have ever had. I never had

someone “correct” me and then not expect me to not even respond to their claims. I guess the

emailer just expected me to accept that she was correct, that I was wrong, and then change all

of my site and books in accordance with her claims.

http://www.dtl.org/books/preview/swb2_1.htm






The problem with that is she is completely wrong in her claims about what the doctrine of the

Trinity teaches. She is misrepresenting the doctrine in the very same fashion that Jehovah

Witnesses (JWs) and others misrepresent it. But she is correct in one point — just me (or her)

repeating something does not make it so.

I should have taken more time in responding to her first email to document that she was infact expressing the doctrine of “Modalism” which is not the same as the doctrine of the

Trinity. But since this has come up before, I think it would be good to go into detail into the

difference between these two doctrines and document which in fact is the historic Christian

doctrine.

What made this email exchange particularly strange is I am the one who usually has to cut off

a “debate” as I generally do not have the time or energy for long-winded discussion. That was

the reason I did not bother to respond in detail in the first place.

However, I have found that when I do have time for an extended correspondence or

discussion that it is not “shameful” if it is done in a logical not emotional manner. It can infact be very beneficial. It is the best way to hash out the differences between opposing

positions and to see the support for each position.

But most of all, “debating” with someone can force you to really think through exactly what

you believe, what you do not believe, and the reasons therefore. It can also force you to get

even more exacting in expressing your beliefs in order to separate it from opposing

viewpoints.

In fact, this is what happened in the early centuries of the Christian Church. As different

heresies arose, Christians were forced to get more exacting in their language to delineate

exactly what they believed and did not believe. This will be addressed later in this article. But

first, it will be good to look at some definitions and the importance of this discussion.

Definitions and Importance of “Trinity” vs. “Modalism”

The most important points in the emails is the emailer saying the doctrine of the Trinity

teaches “that Jesus is God the Father” and “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all

equal, all separate facets of one Godhead.” To be clear, she is claiming that the doctrine of

the Trinity teaches Jesus and the Father are one and the same Person, but that they are

different “facets” of the one God.

Compare this to the third article in Darkness to Light’s Confession of Faith, “Within the one

Being or essence of God, there eternally exists three distinct yet equal Persons, God the

Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.”

The difference here is she is saying that the Trinity teaches the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

are all the same PERSON but are different “facets” or “modes” in which this one Person of

God operates. I am saying the doctrine teaches that the Father, Son, and Spirit are three

distinct Persons.

In other words, to her the doctrine of the Trinity would be similar to a man, let’s call him Jim,

who is a son to someone (obviously), but who is also a father, and who is a husband. So that

http://www.dtl.org/info/dtl/confession.htm






one person, Jim, is a son, a father, and a husband. He is just one person, but he functions in

three different facets, or roles, or modes.

Unfortunately, I have heard Christians use this very analogy as a description of the doctrine

of the Trinity. That could be the reason for the widespread confusion on this issue. But it is in

fact an analogy of the teaching of Modalism.

Modalism is defined by Christian theologian Millard J. Erickson in his Concise Dictionary of

Christian Theology as, “The view that the three members of the Trinity are different modes

of God’s activity rather than different persons. (p. 106). Meanwhile, he defines the Trinity as,

“A reference to the doctrine that God is one and yet exists eternally as three persons” (p.171).

It should be noted how closely Erickson’s definition of the Trinity parallels this ministry’s

Confession and that he contrasts Modalism with the teaching of the Trinity, indicating they

are two distinct doctrinal viewpoints.

Note that Dr. Erickson’s Christian Theology was one of the books that were assigned forusage at Denver Seminary when I studied theology there. So at least that seminary considered

his texts to accurately represent Christian theology.

Going back to the “Jim“ analogy, the important point is that Jim the son cannot have a

conversation with Jim the father. Jim the father cannot love Jim the husband. Jim the husband

cannot have a relationship with Jim the son. If this is what God is like, it means God is not

inherently love and that fellowship and communication are not eternal aspects of God. It

would also mean that God needed to create in order to have someone to love and fellowship

with. As such, God would be as dependant on us as we are on Him.

However, if in fact God exists as three Persons, then God the Father can love God the Son.

God the Son can have a relationship with God the Spirit. God the Spirit can communicate

with God the Father. As such, love, fellowship, and communication are eternal aspects of

God. Moreover, this means God did not need to create. He is complete in Himself. But he

created us in His image out of His pure grace. In doing so, He create us with an inherent need

for love and fellowship. But since we are created as uni-personal beings, then we need to be

in relationship with God and other people to be truly complete.

Additional Definitions

Now, the emailer and others like her who have emailed me cannot be faulted for not havingthe above quoted theological dictionary, but they do obviously have access to the internet and

thus Dictionary.com.

It defines Modalism as:

In Christianity, Sabellianism (also known as modalism, modalistic monarchianism, or

modal monarchism) is the nontrinitarian belief that the Heavenly Father, Resurrected

Son and Holy Spirit are different modes or aspects of one God, as perceived by the

believer, rather than three distinct persons in God Himself.

Note that Dictionary.com specifically says Modalism is “nontrinitarian” and contrasts it with

the Trinity teaching of “three distinct persons.”

http://www.qksrv.net/click-710296-42121?isbn=9781581342819







http://dictionary.reference.com/









Meanwhile, Dictionary.com gives the following various definitions of “Trinity” that are

applicable to this discussion.

Also called Blessed Trinity, Holy Trinity. the union of three persons (Father, Son, and

Holy Ghost) in one Godhead, or the threefold personality of the one Divine Being.

Trinity Theology In most Christian faiths, the union of three divine persons, the

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in one God. Also called Trine.

(Christian Theol.) The union of three persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy

Ghost) in one Godhead, so that all the three are one God as to substance, but three

persons as to individuality.

A doctrine of Christianity that there is one God and three divine persons in the one

God: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit.

Note how all of these definitions include the idea of “three PERSONS,” but there is nomention of three “modes” or “facets.” Note also that the belief of God being “three divine

persons” is said to be the belief of “most Christian faiths.”

Dictionary.com then gives the following fuller discussion (taken from Easton’s Bible

Dictionary):

Trinity - a word not found in Scripture, but used to express the doctrine of the unity of

God as subsisting in three distinct Persons. This word is derived from the Gr. trias,

first used by Theophilus (A.D. 168-183), or from the Lat. trinitas, first used by

Tertullian (A.D. 220), to express this doctrine. The propositions involved in the

doctrine are these: 1. That God is one, and that there is but one God (Deut. 6:4; 1

Kings 8:60; Isa. 44:6; Mark 12:29, 32; John 10:30). 2. That the Father is a distinct

divine Person (hypostasis, subsistentia, persona, suppositum intellectuale), distinct

from the Son and the Holy Spirit. 3. That Jesus Christ was truly God, and yet was a

Person distinct from the Father and the Holy Spirit. 4. That the Holy Spirit is also a

distinct divine Person.

Note here the emphasis on each Member of the Trinity being a “distinct Person” from the

other two Persons of the Trinity. This is in contrast to the emailer’s claim that it teaches “the

Son is the Father.”

Another source freely available to all on the Internet is Wikipedia. Its discussion on “Trinity” begins with the following paragraphs:

In Christian doctrine, the Trinity is the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three

persons in one Godhead. The doctrine states that God is the Triune God, existing as

three persons, or in the Greek hypostases, but one being. Each of the persons is

understood as having the one identical essence or nature, not merely similar natures.

Since the beginning of the third century the doctrine of the Trinity has been stated as

"the one God exists in three Persons and one substance, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."

Trinitarianism, belief in the Trinity, is a mark of Oriental and Eastern Orthodoxy,

Roman Catholicism and all the mainstream traditions arising from the Protestant

Reformation, such as Anglicanism, Lutheranism and Presbyterianism. The Oxford

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page






Dictionary of the Christian Church describes the Trinity as "the central dogma of

Christian theology".

This doctrine is in contrast to Nontrinitarian positions which include Binitarianism

(one deity/two persons), Unitarianism (one deity/one person), the Oneness belief held

by certain Pentecostal groups, Modalism, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' view of the Godhead as three separate beings who are one in purpose

rather than essence.

Doing a search on “Modalism” in Wikipedia brings up the page on Sabellianism. It begins:

In Christianity, Sabellianism (also known as modalism, modalistic monarchianism, or

modal monarchism) is the nontrinitarian belief that the Heavenly Father, Resurrected

Son and Holy Spirit are different modes or aspects of one God, as perceived by the

believer, rather than three distinct persons in God Himself.

Note again the emphases in Wikipedia on the Trinity teaching of “three PERSONS” and thestatements that Modalism is “Nontrinitarian.” Also note in the first paragraph that a belief in

the Trinity as being three Persons is said to be “a mark” of all major Christian denominations,

while ”Modalism” is said to be the “Oneness belief of certain Pentecostal groups,” just as I

said in my first response to the emailer.

Bibliography: Millard J. Erickson. Concise Dictionary of Christian Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Book

House, 1986.







The Trinity vs. Modalism

Which is the Historic Christian Doctrine?

Part Two

By Gary F. Zeolla

It was demonstrated in Part One of this three-part article that the doctrine of the Trinity

teaches, “Within the one Being or essence of God, there eternally exists three distinct yet

equal Persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.” Meanwhile,

Modalism teaches that Father, Son, and Sprit are just different “modes” in which the one

Person of God operates. It further teaches that “the Son is the Father.”

But which of these two views is reflected in the major Christian Creeds and Confessions of

Faiths that have been drawn up over the centuries? Below are excerpts from such creeds.

Early Christian Creeds

First to be looked at are the earliest creeds of the Christian faith.

Apostle’s Creed (c. 100 A.D.):

I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only son, our Lord …

I believe in the Holy Spirit…

The Apostle’s Creed is one of the oldest creeds of the Christian Church, outside of the Bible.

It mentions the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but it does not go into detail of the exact

relationship of the three. Most likely, initially, all Christians “just knew” what was meant by

these simple phrases. But later Creeds go into much greater detail.

The reason for this latter detail is probably due to a point mentioned in Part One. When you

“debate” doctrine with someone, it forces you to get more exacting in your language to

http://www.dtl.org/trinity/article/modalism/part_one.htm



http://www.dtl.org/books/




The Council of Trent was the Catholic reaction to the Protestant Reformation. As such, it was

mainly concerned with upholding Catholic doctrines that were being opposed by Protestants.

Since Protestants by and large agreed with the Catholic Church in its viewpoint of the Trinity,

it was not necessary for the council to go into great detail in this regard. But the decisions of

the Council were prefaced with this statement.

It can be seen that the Confession specifics that the Son “sits at the right hand of the Father”

which would be difficult to do if the Father and Son are the same Person. It is also difficult to

see how the Holy Spirit could be “adored and glorified” together with the Father and Son, if

the Three were one and the same Person. As such, although not specifically delineating the

distinction between the Father, Son, and Spirit, it is clear that the Council of Trent put forth

such a belief.

Catechism of the Catholic Church (English translation, 1994):

202 … We firmly believe and confess without reservation that there is only

one true God, eternal infinite (immensus) and unchangeable,

incomprehensible, almighty and ineffable, the Father and the Son and the Holy

Spirit; three persons indeed, but one essence, substance or nature entirely

simple.

252 The Church uses (I) the term "substance" (rendered also at times by

"essence" or "nature") to designate the divine being in its unity, (II) the term

"person" or "hypostasis" to designate the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the

real distinction among them, and (III) the term "relation" to designate the fact

that their distinction lies in the relationship of each to the others.

254 The divine persons are really distinct from one another. "God is one but

not solitary." "Father", "Son", "Holy Spirit" are not simply names designating

modalities of the divine being, for they are really distinct from one another:

"He is not the Father who is the Son, nor is the Son he who is the Father, nor is

the Holy Spirit he who is the Father or the Son." They are distinct from one

another in their relations of origin: "It is the Father who generates, the Son

who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds." The divine Unity is

Triune.

Being quoted is the most recent official Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church. The

excerpts show beyond any doubt that the Catholic Church officially believes in the doctrineof the Trinity, by which is meant that the One “essence” of God exists as three “Persons” and

that there is “a real distinction among them.” It further specifically denies any idea of this

distinction being just of “modalities.” It further specifically denies that the Son is the Father,

that the Holy Spirits is the Father or Son.

This is in direct contradiction to the claim by “Arletta” in the email exchange that opened

Part One of this article. She claimed, “I got my understanding of the teachings of the Trinity

from Catholic Priests and Bishops.” She then said that understanding was, “Trinity means

that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all equal, all separate facets of one Godhead.”

She further claimed this understanding included the idea that “The Son is the Father.”



I have no way of knowing if Arletta misunderstood the priests and bishops she supposedly

talked to, or if those priest and bishops were simply not skilled at articulating Catholic

doctrine. But one thing I am sure of, officially the Catholic Church would repudiate the idea

that the distinction between the Father, Son, and Spirit is that they are just “facets” of God.

Such a word is never used in official Catholic Creeds and Confessions. The Catholic Church

also specifically repudiates the idea that “the Son is the Father.”

Eastern Orthodox Creeds

The Eastern Orthodox Church is sometimes called “the Church of the Seven Creeds” as it

accepts the first seven, and only first seven “Ecumenical” councils as infallible. As such, it

ascribes to the aforementioned Apostle’s, Nicene, and Athanasius creeds. But in reaction to

the Protestant Reformation, it drew up the following Confession:

Confession of Dositheus (1672):

We believe in one God, true, almighty, and infinite, the Father, the Son, and

the Holy Spirit; the Father unbegotten; the Son begotten of the Father before

the ages, and consubstantial with Him; and the Holy Spirit proceeding from

the Father, and consubstantial with the Father and the Son. These three

Persons in one essence we call the All-holy Trinity, — by all creation to be

ever blessed, glorified, and adored.

Between its ascription to the early creeds and this confession, the position of the Eastern

Orthodox Church is clear — it affirms belief in the one God existing as three Persons.

Major Protestant Confessions

After the Protestant Reformation, the various emerging Protestant denominations began

drawing up their own Confessions of Faith. These will be looked at next.

Augsburg Confession (1530):

1] Our Churches, with common consent, do teach that the decree of the

Council of Nicaea concerning the Unity of the Divine Essence and concerning

the Three Persons, is true and to be believed without any doubting; 2] that is to

say, there is one Divine Essence which is called and which is God: eternal,without body, without parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, the

Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible; and 3] yet there are

three Persons, of the same essence and power, who also are coeternal, the

Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And the term "person" 4] they use as the

Fathers have used it, to signify, not a part or quality in another, but that which

subsists of itself.

5] They condemn all heresies which have sprung up against this article, as the

Manichaeans, who assumed two principles, one Good and the other Evil: also

the Valentinians, Arians, Eunomians, Mohammedans, and all such. 6] They

condemn also the Samosatenes, old and new, who, contending that there is butone Person, sophistically and impiously argue that the Word and the Holy



Ghost are not distinct Persons, but that "Word" signifies a spoken word, and

"Spirit" signifies motion created in things.

The Augsburg Confession is the original confession of Lutheran Churches. It is included in

the Book of Concord , the official collection of approved creeds and catechisms. This book

also includes the previously quoted Apostle’s, Nicene, and Athanasius Creeds. As such, thereis no doubt that the Lutheran Church official affirms the doctrine of the Trinity and

repudiates any idea of Modalism.

Westminster Confession of Faith (1646):

We believe … In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one

substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the

Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is

eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the

Father and the Son.

The Westminster Confession is the official confession of Reformed and Presbyterian

churches. It clearly affirms that God exists in three Persons, with each Person being God.

And it clearly delineates distinctions between these three Persons.

Thirty-Nine Articles (1563, American Revision in 1801):

Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.

There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or

passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker, and Preserverof all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there be

three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and

the Holy Ghost.

The Thirty-Nine Articles are the official statement of faith of the Anglican Church. Again,

there is a clear statement belief in there being three Persons in the Godhead.

New Hampshire Confession (1833):

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite,

intelligent Spirit, whose name is JEHOVAH, the Maker and Supreme Ruler ofHeaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all

possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there

are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; equal in every

divine perfection, and executing distinct and harmonious offices in the great

work of redemption.

Abstract of Principles (1859)/ Statement of Baptist Faith and

Message (1925):

God is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being.



The New Hampshire Confession is an early American, Baptist confession. The Abstract of

Principles is the statement of faith of various Southern Baptist seminaries. It was affirmed by

the Southern Baptist Convention in 1925 as an official statement of faith.

These confessions are not as exact in their language as some previous confessions. But it is

still clear that Baptists affirm a belief in the Godhead consisting in three distinct Persons.This is in contradiction to Arletta, who claimed her studies with Baptist showed her

otherwise.

Articles of Religion (1784):

Of Faith in the Holy Trinity

There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of

infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things,

both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three

persons, of one substance, power, and eternity — the Father, the Son, and the

Holy Ghost.

Free Methodist Articles of Religion (1808):

The Holy Trinity

There is but one living and true God, the maker and preserver of all things.

And in the unity of this Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son,

and the Holy Spirit. These three are one in eternity, deity, and purpose;

everlasting, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness.

The above two are variations of the official statement of faith of Methodist churches. Both

affirm “there are three persons” in the one God.

Bibliography:

Catechism of the Catholic Church. Liguori, MO: Liguori Publications, 1994.

Erickson, Millard J. Concise Dictionary of Christian Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker

Book House, 1986.

Leith, John ed. Creeds of the Churches. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1982.

Moyer, Elgin. rev. by Earle Cairns. The Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church.

Chicago: Moody Press, 1982.

Schaff, Philip. The Creeds of Christendom, sixth ed., 3 vols. Baker Books, 1996.


















There is one God, eternally existing and manifesting Himself in three

Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (The Story of the Mennonite Brethren

Church. I attended a MBC while living in Denver).

We believe … In one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and

eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (This is the Evangelical Free Church. Darkness to Light began in 1991 as a ministry of

Christ Community Fellowship, a member of the EFCA).

We believe that the Godhead exists in three persons — Father, Son, and Holy

Spirit — and that these three are one God. Man is created to know and to enjoy

Him forever ( Maranatha Bible Church. I attended this independent church on

occasion in the early 1990s).

The following are confessions of faiths of various seminaries I looked at before deciding on

Denver Seminary. They are listed in alphabetical order of the name of the seminary. I have

omitted the Scripture references that some of these contain.

We believe … in the Trinity of the Godhead: one God eternally existing in

three equal Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Baptist Bible College and

Seminary).

The Trinity: We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally

existing in three persons: that these are equal in every divine perfection and

that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation,

providence, and redemption (Bethel theological Seminary, following An

Affirmation of Our Faith for the Baptist General Conference).

I believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy

Spirit (Capital Seminary).

God is One God, Who reveals Himself in three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy

Spirit. Jesus Christ as the Scriptures affirm, is the Son of God and Son of Man,

who was born of a virgin and is Himself very God. The Scriptures also declare

the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit (Columbia Bible College and

Seminary).

2. We believe in God the Father … 3. We believe in God the Son … 4. We believe in God the Holy Spirit … (Conservative Baptist Seminary of the East).

We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons — the Father, the

Son, and the Holy Spirit — and that these three are one God, having precisely

the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and worthy of precisely the same

homage, confidence, and obedience (Dallas Theological Seminary).

We believe in the One Triune God … self -existent and self-revealing in three

distinct Persons — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each of whom is to

be honored and worshiped equally as true God (Grace Theological Seminary).



Trinity. The term designating one God in three persons. Although not itself a

biblical term, “the Trinity” has been found a convenient designation for the

one God self-revealed in Scripture as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It signifies

that within the one essence of the Godhead we have to distinguish three

“persona” who are neither three gods on the one side, nor three parts or modes

of God on the other, but coequally and coeternally God…

More pregnant is the suggestion by Augustine that without the Trinity there

could be no fellowship or love in God, the divine Trinity involving an

interrelationship in which the divine perfections find eternal exercise and

expression independent of the creation of the world and man (p.1112).

Note how Bromiley specifically denies that the term “modes” is an adequate way to express

the distinction of Persons within the Godhead. Note also how he refers to Augustine’s

statement about the conception of the Trinity is vital for God to be truly love and to be

independent of His creation. This was exactly my point in Part One on the importance of the

Trinity.

Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion :

Chapter XVI:

2. But there is another special mark by which he designates himself, for the

purpose of giving a more intimate knowledge of his nature. While he

proclaims his unity, he distinctly sets it before us as existing in three persons.

These we must hold, unless the bare and empty name of Deity merely is to

flutter in our brain without any genuine knowledge. Moreover, lest any one

should dream of a threefold God, or think that the simple essence is divided by

the three Persons, we must here seek a brief and easy definition which may

effectually guard us from error.

17. On the other hand, the Scriptures demonstrate that there is some distinction

between the Father and the Word, the Word and the Spirit; but the magnitude

of the mystery reminds us of the great reverence and soberness which ought to

he employed in discussing it. It seems to me, that nothing can be more

admirable than the words of Gregory Nanzianzen … "I cannot think of the

unity without being irradiated by the Trinity: I cannot distinguish between the

Trinity without being carried up to the unity."

Therefore, let us beware of imagining such a Trinity of persons as will distract

our thoughts, instead of bringing them instantly back to the unity. The words

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, certainly indicate a real distinction, not allowing

us to suppose that they are merely epithets by which God is variously

designated from his works. Still they indicate distinction only, not division.

Note how Calvin says there is a “real distinction” between the Father, Son, and Spirit. But the

emphasis on the “threeness” of God in this article must not be construed to mean there are

three gods. As Calvin says, there is a “distinction only, not division.”

Morton H. Smith, in The Classic Bible Dictionary:





A study of Scripture reveals there are three separate Persons in the Godhead.

This fact has led to the use of the term “trinity” to describe this doctrine. This

is not itself a Biblical term, but was a term coined by Tertullian to refer to this

whole concept under one word. In so far as it is used to describe a Biblical

doctrine, it is perfectly valid to use it in a Christian theological vocabulary (p.

483).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia:

The term "Trinity" is not a Biblical term, and we are not using Biblical

language when we define what is expressed by it as the doctrine that there is

one only and true God, but in the unity of the Godhead there are three

coeternal and coequal Persons, the same in substance but distinct in

subsistence … The doctrine of the Trinity is given to us in Scripture, not in

formulated definition, but in fragmentary allusions; when we assemble the

disjecta membra into their organic unity, we are not passing from Scripture,

but entering more thoroughly into the meaning of Scripture. We may state thedoctrine in technical terms, supplied by philosophical reflection; but the

doctrine stated is a genuinely Scriptural doctrine (copied from BibleWorks for

Windows).

Conclusion to Historical Overview

When I was developing the Confession of Faith for Darkness to Light, I studied all of the

quoted and many other creeds, confessions of faiths, theologies, and dictionaries. I was

looking for the commonalities between them and thus what were the most important

teachings agreed upon by most facets of the Christian faith. These are what I call the“essentials of the faith.”

It can be seen that a statement to the effect that “God exists in three Persons” appears in them

all. As such, I included such a statement in my confession as it is clear that the doctrine of the

Trinity is an essential doctrine of the Christian faith.

I also firmly believe the way I worded the clause for my confession accurately expressed the

main thoughts of these various creeds and confessions. With this background, it is hard for

me to take it seriously when someone emails me and tells me I have not accurately

understood the doctrine of the Trinity. That is why I did not initially spend much time

responding to the email quoted in Part One. But this article serves as a demonstration of all ofthe study that went into drafting this ministry’s confession.

Teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses

The email in Part One also claimed I misrepresented the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses in

regards to the Person of Jesus Christ and the Trinity in general. Posted on the site is my four

part article Trinity in Two Watchtower Publications. In it I quote extensively from

Watchtower literature to document their actual teachings and claims. As such, I also cannot

take it seriously when someone makes such an accusation.



http://www.dtl.org/trinity/article/watchtower/pt-1.htm







Altogether, those three chapters reference over 850 passages of Scripture. I had to look up

and consider every single one of those verses in developing those studies. So again, I cannot

take it seriously when someone insinuates I have not sufficiently studied what the Bible

teaches on this subject.

Conclusion

The email quoted at the beginning of Part One is only one of many such emails I have

received over the years. But this article shows how all such claims are absolutely false. As

such, I stand by my writings and my presentation and defense of the doctrine of the Trinity. It

is perfectly expressed in this ministry’s Confession of Faith and well-defended in my

Scripture Workbook .

“Within the one Being or essence of God, there eternally exists three distinct

yet equal Persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.”

Bibliography:

BibleWorks™ for Windows™ . Copyright © 1992-2003 BibleWorks, L.C.C. Big Fork, MT:

Hermeneutika. Programmed by Michael S. Bushell and Michael D. Tan.

Bromiley, G.W. in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. Walter a. Elwell: Grand Rapids,

MI: Baker Book House, 1984.

Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion: A New Translation, by Henry Beveridge, Esq.

As found on quoted from Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics. (I have the first

linked to version in hardcopy, but for ease of copying I took the quoted text from the Website)

Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1986.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (I have and quoted this source form BibleWorks,

but the link is to the hardcopy version).

Smith. Morton H. “God, Persons of” in Green, Jay P. editor. Classic Bible Dictionary.

LaFayette, IN: Sovereign Grace Trust Fund, 1988.

The Trinity vs. Modalism. Copyright © 2009 by Gary F. Zeolla of Darkness to Light ministry

(www.dtl.org).

The above article first appeared in Darkness to Light newsletter .

It was posted on this site June 27, 2009.







http://www.reformed.org/master/index.html?mainframe=/books/institutes








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The Trinity vs. Modalism - By Gary F. Zeolla

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