Week #3: Trinitarian Heresies
Blog Series Intention Recap
Water in three forms? A four-leaf clover? A mystery? The Trinity defies easy explanation, but its beauty is no less real. This four-week series explores the doctrine of the Trinity and reveals how a greater appreciation of the Trinity sheds light on what we understand about the Father’s love, the Son’s gift of salvation, and the Spirit’s invitation to community.
This post is part of the series “Trinity.” Click here to see the rest of the posts.
Let’s jump into Week #3:
Common heresies in Christianity misunderstand the true nature of God, especially the Trinity, leading to false beliefs about Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and salvation.
Why it matters:
Heresies often stem from attempts to simplify or explain the mystery of the Trinity.
Some common heresies include Arianism, Modalism, and Adoptionism.
Saint Patrick’s analogies of water and the shamrock illustrate both attempts and pitfalls in explaining the Trinity.
Recognizing and rejecting heresies helps us uphold our Christian faith.
Go Deeper
Christianity teaches that God is one in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. This belief is called the Trinity. However, some people have misunderstood this and created false teachings, called heresies. Understanding these heresies can help us better appreciate and defend our faith.
What Are Heresies?
Heresies are false beliefs that go against the accepted teachings of the Christian faith. They often try to make the complex ideas of Christianity simpler but end up distorting the truth. From water to the three-leaf clover, people have tried everything. I love this video from Lutheran Satire. It makes me last every time I watch it.
Get with the program, Patrick. Analogies all fail at some point. Do they help or hurt? Let’s recap a few of the heresies.
Arianism: Denying Jesus' Divinity
Arianism is a heresy that teaches Jesus is not fully God. Arius, a priest from the 4th century, said that Jesus was a created being and not eternal like the Father. He believed that Jesus was a special creature but not equal to God.
Why It's Wrong:
The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is fully God. In John 1:1, it says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Jesus Himself said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). If Jesus were not fully God, He could not save us from our sins.
Modalism: Confusing the Persons of the Trinity
Modalism (also known as Sabellianism) is a heresy that says God is one person who appears in different forms or modes. Sometimes He is the Father, sometimes He is the Son, and sometimes He is the Holy Spirit. But these are just different modes of one person.
Why It's Wrong:
The Bible shows that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct persons who interact with each other. At Jesus' baptism, the Father speaks from heaven, the Son is baptized, and the Holy Spirit descends like a dove (Matthew 3:16-17). This scene shows all three persons of the Trinity at the same time, not just one person in different modes.
Adoptionism: Misunderstanding Jesus' Sonship
Adoptionism is a heresy that teaches Jesus was a regular human who God adopted at His baptism or resurrection. It suggests that Jesus became God's Son because of His good life and special mission.
Why It's Wrong:
The Bible teaches that Jesus is the Son of God from all eternity. In John 1:14, it says, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." This means that Jesus, who is the eternal Word, became human. He did not become the Son of God; He has always been the Son of God.
Saint Patrick’s Analogies: Helpful or Harmful?
Saint Patrick, the missionary to Ireland, used simple examples to explain the Trinity. Two famous analogies are water and the shamrock. While these can be helpful, they also have limitations and can unintentionally support heresies.
The Water Analogy
Saint Patrick explained the Trinity using the example of water. Water can exist in three forms: solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (steam). This analogy is meant to show that God is one but exists in three persons.
Limitation:
This analogy can lead to Modalism, as it suggests that God is one substance appearing in different forms. It does not adequately show the distinct persons of the Trinity who exist simultaneously.
The Shamrock Analogy
Another example Saint Patrick used is the shamrock, a three-leaf clover. He explained that just as the shamrock has three leaves on one stem, the Trinity has three persons in one God.
Limitation:
This analogy can suggest Partialism, a heresy that says the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are parts of God rather than each being fully God. The Trinity is not like a divided shamrock but three persons who each fully share the one divine nature.
How does this help me understand “Trinity?”
Well, why didn’t you just say so, Patrick? If you haven’t watched the above video from Luthern Satire, do it now. If you have, then the following statement will make sense.
“The Trinity is a mystery that cannot be comprehended by human reason but is understood by faith and is best confessed in the words of the Athanasian Creed which states that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the Substance. That we are compelled by the Christian faith to confess that each distinct person is God and Lord and that the deity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one equal in glory, coequal in majesty.”
The mystery of the Trinity refers to the Christian belief that God exists as three distinct persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—yet remains one essence. This concept is beyond our human comprehension. We should contemplate how this divine mystery transcends our logical understanding of personhood and unity. Each person of the Trinity is fully God, co-equal and co-eternal, participating in the same divine nature. This mystery emphasizes the depth and complexity of God's nature, inviting believers to approach with reverence and faith, acknowledging that some aspects of God's existence are beyond human explanation.
So why is this important to me? Understanding and rejecting heresies is important because it helps us maintain our Christian faith and heritage. Here are some key reasons:
Protect Belief (Orthodoxy): Knowing the truth about God helps us worship Him rightly and live according to His will.
Strengthen Faith: When we understand why heresies are wrong, our faith becomes stronger and more resilient.
Share the Gospel (Orthopraxis): Clear knowledge of the Trinity helps us explain our faith to others accurately and effectively.
Heresies often arise from attempts to simplify or explain the mystery of the Trinity. However, these false teachings distort the true nature of God. By studying common heresies like Arianism, Modalism, and Adoptionism, and recognizing the limitations of analogies like those of Saint Patrick, we can better understand and defend our faith. The Trinity is a complex but essential doctrine that shows us our God's unique and wonderful nature. By rejecting heresies and embracing the true teachings of the Bible, we grow closer to God and live out our faith more fully.
