**We believe in one God that eternally exists and reveals Himself in three persons**
Um, problem there.
He doesn’t reveal himself in three persons.
God IS three persons.
This is a text book example of the heresy of modalism.
depends on what the definition of is, is
depends on what the definition of is, is
Gamecock is right here. The AWANA statement smacks - perhaps unintentionally - of Modalism.
http://jamedders.com/modalism/
Yep this is an issue.. AWAN's are basically Baptist I think... so I m guessing this is not intentional..
Full discloser here ..I took 2 of my granddaughters to Awana for years..
This is a text book example of the heresy of modalism.
Or, more likely, just sloppiness in articulating their SOF..
I wonder if it's heresy or simply sloppy doctrine. It's one in the same but the first is deliberate and the second shows little caring of precision. The second leads to the first.
There’s only so many ways of expressing the concept of the Trinity and how God has reveals Himself to be.
Considering that they appear to be dead on with everything else, I can cut them some slack when it comes to wording.
I’d hazard a guess that the average person on the street is not going to get that, considering that I doubt any of them have ever heard of modalism.
If they’re bringing people to Christ, God can straighten out their theology.
Not really...I think it's a matter of semantics...
Modalism, also called Sabellianism, is the unorthodox belief that God is one person who has revealed himself in three forms or modes in contrast to the Trinitarian doctrine where God is one being eternally existing as three persons. According to Modalism, during the incarnation, Jesus was simply God acting in one mode or role, and the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was God acting in a different mode. Thus, God does not exist as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the same time. Rather, He is one person and has merely manifested himself in these three modes at various times. Modalism thus denies the basic distinctiveness and coexistence of the three persons of the Trinity.
Mentioned is the Trinitarian forumula which says God existed in 3 persons...I thinks that's wrong...God didn't exist in 3 persons, God IS 3 persons...However, God is not recogizable in 3 persons...We will never see God the Father nor will we see the Holy Spirit...
And yet while there are 3 persons, there is only 1 person, God...And that 1 person, God, will only be recognizable as Jesus...
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
I think this Modelism accusation thing is a farce...God DOES appear in 3 forms...He appears as having a body...He appears (not really) as the Holy Spirit and he appears (again not really) as the Father...
These 'forms' that God is revealed in we call persons...
The Baptist position as far as I know is God is 3 persons, yet 1 Person...
This Trinity thing is more mysterious than we all know...To call someone a heretic when there is not enough scripture to have a definitive understanding is to me, unwise...
They use the following phrases, which are found NOWHERE in the scriptures:
“God the Son”
“God the Holy Spirit”
I thought you were one of those sola scriptura proponents. Why no criticism of those phrases? Neither Jesus Christ, nor his apostles, EVER used those phrases.
If you cling to those phrases, you are clinging to the RCC and don’t even know it, and are leaving yourself open to having to accept their ‘mother of God’ nonsense.
How was this fact revealed to you?
;^)