Common excuses for false teachers 2

This is a second article and it focuses on a particular objection, pertaining to the subject of Modalism, both successive or synonymous.

Successive Modalism refers to God with 3 manifestations appearing at specific times. One time he is the Father, One time he is the Son and One time he is the Spirit

Synonymous Modalism refers to God with 3 manifestations exist at the same time and not at separate times.

Both are not Trinitarianism in any sense. The Trinity teaches that in the very being or essence of God, there exist Three Distinct persons, Not three beings in one being or three persons in one person. There are not three seperate Gods, but one Eternal God which the TANAKH and the NT make very clear.

Once we have correctly defined what these things are, the smokescreen disappears. What is my point? Some individuals have come to me in the past when defending Itzhak Shapira, and T.D Jakes has had a similar defense from his followers which I can safely presume.

The excuse when defending these Modalist heretics as biblical Christians or even suggesting they are Trinitarians is something along the lines of "No one can claim to be able to completely comprehend the enormity and complexity of our Creator" or let's say "He merely has small misunderstanding on a big doctrine."

In this particular context, these statements to be very blunt, are just a cop out.

To say we don't have complete understanding of God is accurate and thankfully 100% understanding of the Trinity is not a requirement for salvation. We don't understand the Trinity fully, but that DOESN'T mean we cannot understand it at all. A basic understanding of the Trinity that is very solid can be obtained and as such, there is no excuse to hold to Modalist teaching, or even excuse those who hold to said teaching.

The Trinity is vital for salvation and must be understood correctly to the best you can and we can seek clarification, not only from church fathers such as Tertullian, Ambrose and others, but also teachers today such as Sam Shamoun, James White, Robert Bowman, Edward Dalcour and other defenders of the Trinity like them who have done their best to clarify the issue of the Trinity and what it is to audiences. So while we cannot understand God perfectly, that doesn't mean we cannot understand him at all.

I can understand an individual who has some ignorance of the Trinity and need to be enlightened in their understanding and have an accurate of it. But when you have an individual who says "I have not stated that I am a Trinitarian" or says "I am not comfortable with the term persons, manifestation is something I am more comfortable with", or even after an exposition on the Trinity rejects it, that should raise alarms in your mind.

In those contexts, there is no excuse, Those are full blown heretics that need to be repudiated and refuted. Don't give me these cheap cop outs and excuses that "Oh they don't understand it as well as you" or "We cannot comprehend God". Such statements while that may be true in certain contexts, are just vacuous defenses for false teachers in other contexts.

To end this article I'll finish with a phrase often utilized by James White, Theology Matters.

Answering Judaism.