Page 93 - Countering Trinitarian Arguments With Historical Reference

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. “In Christianity, Sabellianism (also known as modalism) is the second-century [actually a First Century] belief that the three persons of the Trinity are merely different modes or aspects of God, rather than three distinct persons. It is attributed to Sabellius, who taught a form of this doctrine in Rome in the second century. Hippolytus knew Sabellius personally and mentioned him in the Philosophumena. He knew Sabellius disliked Trinitarian theology, yet he called Modal Monarchism the heresy of Noetos, not that of Sabellius. Hippolytus thought he had very nearly reconciled Sabellius to the mainstream [Catholic] church. However, during the controversy surrounding Paul of Samosata, the patriarch of Antioch who was deposed in 268 for his Christology, Sabellius’ name was mentioned. No one in Antioch had heard of him, but his name was associated with Rome. So they wrote to Rome about him. Pope Dionysius replied in a letter of which only a small fragment has been preserved, but this letter was enough to make Sabellius famous among the Greek theologians.
Sabellianism was also embraced by Christians in Cyrenaica, to whom Demetrius, Patriarch of Antioch, wrote letters arguing against this belief.
Another name for this doctrine is Patripassianism from the Latin words patris for “father”, and passus for “to suffer”. This name was given because the doctrine implies that God the Father came to earth and suffered in the form of God the Son. Some Trinitarians argue that Sabellianism logically leads to Netorianism.
Today, Sabellianism is rejected by most types of Christianity. It is accepted primarily by some Pentecostal groups, sometimes referred to as Oneness or “Jesus Only” Pentecostals.
Historic Sabellianism taught that God the Father was the only person of the Godhead, [Wow! A belief in only one God and not in three or more that is Sabellianism!] as do Oneness Pentecostals today. This teaching proports that the identity of God the Father and Jesus is the same. According to this belief, the terms “Father” and “Holy Spirit” both describe the one God who dwelt in Jesus. Some Oneness detractors call this the “ Jesus-Only Doctrine”.
Trinitarians hated Sabellius for his one God Jesus name beliefs. Many, like Catholic Rome, call Sabellius a “Patripassionists” like this is something really bad and unscriptural. Do they believe and think like the Trinitarians or Arians that one God sent another God to come to the Earth for the redemption of humanity? If they believe this, then they must believe in at least Two Gods. Many are more “twoness” or Arian than “oneness!” What kind of heartless God would sit up in Glory upon a Throne and do nothing to intervene for humanity Himself but rather send someone else to do the redemptive work and fight His archenemy Satan? The Scriptures teach that God Himself came in a human body and gave Himself for us at Calvary. Read Genesis 3:15, Genesis 22:7-8, Psalms 69:5; 20-21, Psalms 110:20-21, Psalms 132:11, Isaiah 12:2, Isaiah 25:9, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 43:10-13, Isaiah 44:6-8, Isaiah 45:21-23, Isaiah 50:6, Isaiah 53:1-6, Zechariah 12:9-10, Matthew 1:23, John 2:19, John 8:23-24, John 10:30-33, John 11:25, John 12:44-45, John 14:6-9, John 20:26-29, Romans 9:5, Acts 20:28, 1 Timothy 3:16, 1 Timothy 6:14-16, Revelations 1:8, 18.
92