Did you know that modalism is being thought in the Cave Quest VBS cirrculim?
My buddy Pastor Justin Breeden, who writes The Word of the Week pointed it out to me. Since then it was led on my heart to research it.
Modalism Taught in the Cave Quest VBS
What is modalism?
In Christianity, Sabellianism in the Eastern church or Patripassianism in the Western church (also known as modalism, modalistic monarchianism, or modal monarchism) is the nontrinitarian or anti-trinitarian belief that the Heavenly Father, Resurrected Son, and Holy Spirit are three different modes or aspects of one monadic God, as perceived by the believer, rather than three distinct persons within the Godhead—that there are no real or substantial differences among the three, such that there is no substantial identity for the Spirit or the Son.[1]
If you see what’s written … Notice the keyword “form”. It should say person. Using the word “Form” implies modes.
I do believe modalism goes against what the Bible Teaches that they are modes or forms of God. The Bible teaches the Triune God or the Trinity that there is only one God, but in three persons of co-equal deity. Modalism they teach that there not co-equal thus making each deity a God in this form.
Check out this from the Cave Quest VBS curriculum …
It says … The Holy Spirit is another form of God, just like Jesus is a form of God. Kind of hard to understand right?[5]
Sure it is hard to understand, that is because you have it wrong and teaching it wrong to our child and adults in this VBS study.
What is Triune God or the Trinity?
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (Latin: Trinitas, lit. ‘triad’, from trinus, “threefold”)holds that God is three consubstantial persons or hypostases —the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit—as “one God in three Divine Persons”. The three persons are distinct, yet are one “substance, essence or nature”. In this context, a “nature” is what one is, whereas a “person” is who one is.[2]
But the Bible also emphatically and unambiguously declares that there is only one God (Isaiah 44:8; Isaiah 45:18; Deuteronomy 6:4; Malachi 2:10, James 2:19; Mark 12:29 ). Hence, taking all the Scriptures into account, orthodox Christian theology has always affirmed that the one true God is triune in nature—three co-equal and co-eternal persons in the Godhead.[3]
That the Three of the Godhead are eternal implies that They coexist from eternity past through eternity future. Many verses demonstrate the coexistence among the Three of the Triune God. In one of the most graphic, Matthew’s account of Christ’s baptism, as Jesus the Son went up from the water, the Spirit of God descended upon Him as a dove and the Father testified from the heavens of His beloved Son (John 3:16-17). This scene clearly portrays the simultaneous existence of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Further, in John 14:16-17 the Son promised to ask the Father to send the Spirit of reality as the second Comforter; the Father answered the Son’s prayer by sending the Spirit (John 14:26).[4]
Let’s look at this graphic I saw on Facebook that explains The Godhead (Trinity) Three In Person, One in Essence. I do believe this poster can sum it up. I am not sure who made this poster, if someone knows let me know so I can give credit for that. See below.[6]
- Father is Not Jesus Christ
- Jesus Christ is not the Holy Spirit
- Holy Spirit is not the Father
- God is the Holy Spirit
- God is Jesus
- God is the Father
The Father choose who will be saved. Ephesians 1:4
The Son redeems them. Ephesians 1:7
Jesus, the Son, is one person with two natures. Fully Divine & Fully Human. This called the Hypostatic Union. You should check out the song and The Hypostatic Union. Click here to here the song and read the lyrics.
The Holy Spirit seals them. Ephesians 1:7
God is a trinity of persons, the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father is not the same person as the Son; they Son is not the same person as the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is not the same person as the Father. They are not three gods and not three beings. They are three distinct persons, yet they are all the one God. Each has a will, can speak, can love, etc and these are demonstrations of personhood. They are in absolute perfect harmony consisting of one substance. They are coeternal, coequal, and copowerful. If any one of the three removed, there would be no God. (carm.org)
| FATHER | SON | HOLY SPIRIT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Called God | Philippians 1:2 | John 1:1 John 1:14 |
Acts 5:3-4 |
| Creator | Isaiah 64:8 | John 1:3 | Job 33:4 |
| Resurrects | 1 Thessalonians 1:10 | John 2:19 | Romans 8:11 |
| Indwells | 2 Corinthians 6:18 | Colossians 1:27 | John 14:17 |
| Everywhere | 1 Kings 8:27 | Matthew 28:20 | Psalm 139:7-10 |
| All Knowing | 1 John 3:20 | John 16:30 | 1 Corinthians 2:10 |
| Sanctifies | 1 Thessalonians 5:23 | Hebrews 2:11 | 1 Peter 1:2 |
| Life Giver | Genesis 2:7 | John 1:3
John 5:21 |
2 Corinthians 3:6
2 Corinthians 3:8 |
| Fellowship | 1 John 1:3 | 1 Corinthians 1:9 | 2 Corinthians 13:14 |
| Eternal | Psalm 90:2 | Micah 5:1-2 | Romans 8:11 |
| A Will | Luke 22:42 | Luke 22:42 | 1 Corinthians 12:11 |
| Speaks | Matthew 3:17 | Luke 5:20 | Acts 8:29 |
So remember Father God, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit are not modes nor forms. They are three persons in one, the Trinity.
Sources
- WikiPedia
- WikiPedia
- Answers in Genesis
- TriuneGod.org
- Cave Quest VBS Book
- GodHead Poster by Carm.org
About the Author
Amen!
Frankie Bull Jr.
Regina Smith Edge when you get a chance take a look at this article and see what you and the preacher think.
Please do and feel free to share your input in it
Christopher Sanchez
So Steve, you are saying three forms or modes(modalism) of God means 3 gods but 3 persons means one God? That doesnt even make sense. Modalism means one God in 3 different modes. The scripture is clear that the only way we’ve ever seen God is through the person Jesus Christ. God is a spirit(The Holy Spirit) and yet Jesus was God in the flesh. And He said ” I and my Father are one” and “when you see Me you’ve seen the Father”. He also said He is I AM yet God in the Old Testament was I AM. It is clear that Jehovah of the Old Testament is Jesus of the New Testament. Jehovah means Jesus our Saviour. A person can be seen and touched because they have a body. The only body in the Godhead is Jesus Christ. If the Father is a spirit and the Holy Spirit is clearly a Sprit then its plain to see that they are the same. When Jesus was baptized John heard a voice from heaven…. It didn’t say he saw God the Father in person. And he saw the Holy Ghost descending like a dove.But the only physical person visible was Jesus. And if you check the history of the catholic doctrine of trinity you will see that they created the doctrine at Nicene council in 324 A.D. And it was based off a pagan belief of three gods. Their original description of Trinity was a drawing of a 3 headed man because they didn’t know how else to describe it. Nearly every false teaching is due to the catholic church mixing paganism with Christianity. The Bible is clear that there is only One Lord and One God. Now if there are 3 distinct persons of one God then which one is the one Lord and God? The answer is simple. All 3 are manifestations of the one true God. Jesus Christ is the name of the one true God.
This is bad history AND bad theology. The word “Jehovah” isn’t in the Hebrew OT at all (or in the Greek NT), and it certainly does not mean “Jesus our Saviour”. The doctrine of the Trinity was NOT invented at Nicea, although Nicea certainly confirmed what was already accepted as Apostolic teaching.
Anyway, thanks for pointing out the Trinitarian heresy in Group’s VBS curriculum. I came across it last week while observing Cave Quest locally. As far as the chart of the Trinity, it is at least similar to the one John Bunyan used (it may BE Bunyan’s chart, but there was another one floating around at that time very similar to Bunyan’s, so hard to say).
A good read on that is http://www.gotquestions.org/Jehovah.html