Trinity and Damnable Heresy

[Repre5entYHWH]

so, i understand the clearness of the doctrine of the Trinity in Scripture and i know that Jesus said unless you believe that I AM than you will die in your sins. but as far as subordinationism and Modalism, are these DAMNABLE Heresies? if so does it apply to an ignorance of the issue? if so how does this apply to the thief on the cross?

the only thing i can think of is that they are worshipping a different God and he does not hear them. in a sense Arminians and watered down Christians also have the wrong God, they create a god in their own image.

thanks

???

 

[Whitefield]

in a sense Arminians and watered down Christians also have the wrong God, they create a god in their own image.

I think there is a difference between
having a theology of an incorrect god (modalism), and
having an incorrect theology of God (Arminianism).

 

[wturri78]

Anyone who holds to a different understanding of anything than I do, holds to a damnable heresy! This includes politics and football.

Now then...

My understanding of the Trinity was very much like modalism for about the first 25 years of life. I never really had it explained to me, and when I did, I heard explanations from others who probably didn't really understand it either. I've read much more about it and found that some of the philosophy that forms a full-orbed understanding of the issue is not exactly simple to follow, and it is not at all hard to be ignorant of the fine points even when you go out of your way to read about them. I would say that anyone who has it explained and understands it, then self-consciously embraces something else, is certainly in heresy. But I think it's quite possible to affirm the basic idea that the Father, Son, and Spirit are all God, but there is only one God in three persons--basically to confess the Nicene Creed and mean it--and yet stumble over the particulars.

So anything that quite obviously denies the threeness of God, the eternality and divinity of the Son, the personhood and divinity of the Spirit, etc. is "damnable heresy." Something like Modalism, if held in ignorance, could still be held while confessing the Trinity. Rather than condemn someone who has an improper understanding, the task of those who know better should be to show others "a better way."



-----Added 5/1/2009 at 03:48:16 EST-----

in a sense Arminians and watered down Christians also have the wrong God, they create a god in their own image.

I think there is a difference between
having a theology of an incorrect god (modalism), and
having an incorrect theology of God (Arminianism).

Good way to put it!