What's the Point?

There are those who, while affirming the Deity of Jesus, deny the doctrine of the Trinity. They are called modalists, since they believe that the Father Son and Holy Spirit are mere modes of the unitarian God. They teach that Jesus is the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I have found in defending the biblical doctrine of the Trinity against this heresy, its adherents will not argue the point in dispute. They will accuse me either of tritheism or Arianism. But I affirm both monotheism and the Deity of Jesus Christ (as does the doctrine of the Trinity).

The real point to be argued is this, “Does the Bible teach that there are personal distinctions between the Father Son and Holy Spirit?” Since Trinitarians and modalist both affirm monotheism and the Deity of Christ, there is no reason to argue these points. But modalist almost universally want to argue these very points. This is because for them to argue the real point of difference (personal distinctions in the Deity) is a loosing battle.

So, they will argue, one God cannot be three gods. I agree! But that is not what the Bible teaches and it is not what Trinitarians believe. The Bible teaches that there is One God who is three Persons. If they want to say that One God cannot be three divine Persons, or, if there are three divine Persons that must mean that there are three gods, then they are arguing philosophically - not biblically.

For if the Bible teaches that there is only one God (and it does), and that there are three divine Persons (it does), then the three divine Persons must be the one God.

Therefore, the debate, to be of any use, must ask the question, “Does the Bible teach that there are Personal distinctions between the Father Son and Holy Spirit?”

Now tell me, doth this offend you?