Why is it that EVERY major evangelical and catholic apologist has something to say about this group. Every major cult that deviates from Christianity starts with the Trinity. Why don't we just all become universalists and include the Mormon's and the Jehovah's in our big tent. After all they mention Jesus. I for one would like to play it safe and stick with Max Lucado or Chuck Swindoll or Charles Stanley a good Southern Baptist.
It's not like I am pointing something that is not well known. Word-Faith teachers deviate from orthodox christianity by denying the trinity. The belief is called modalism and this heresy is not new. and it goes like this: In the Old Testament, He revealed Himself as the FATHER. In the New Testament, He manifested Himself as the SON. Today, He manifests Himself as the HOLY SPIRIT.
Orthodox Christianity holds to a totally different concept of God. We believe that there is one God who has eternally existed as three separate and distinct personages; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
A perfect example of this is found in Matthew's account of the Baptism of Jesus. It was Jesus who went down into the water. There's one member of the Godhead. Then the Father spoke down from heaven, "This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased." There's the second member of the Godhead. Then the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ as a dove. That's the third member. Three persons; one God.
These are not hair splitting matters.