Madness Of Modalism: Refuting Modalism From A Biblical Trinitarian Position

To begin, as a Biblical and Historical Trinitarian- I believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons who are "one" (in perfect agreement) in the essence of God. I believe God is one in "essence" (what He is) and plural in "persons." (Who he is). God does indeed "manifest" (make himself known) himself through the "persons" of God. During the third century, a heresy arose which is called Modalism or Sabellianism. The Modalist believes that God is one (numerical) person made known (manifested) in three modes. In the Old Testament, God manifested Himself in the mode of the Father. With the incarnation, God manifested Himself in the mode of the Son. Following Jesus's ascension, God made Himself known through the mode of the Holy Spirit. Problematically, Modalism attempts to dismiss that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist simultaneously, which means that Modalists deny the distinctiveness of the three persons in the Trinity. They suggest that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit exist simultaneously as "modes." However, if these three "modes" can exist simultaneously, how would that differ from a Trinity? Modalists suggest that (The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit) are "manifestations" of God but not distinct persons of the one God. The Bible clearly teaches that God is one in "essence" and plural in "persons." The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons. In the following pages we will study the Scriptures exhaustively and look at their contexts extensively. This debate concerns (primarily) the identity of Jesus Christ prior to His incarnation and after His ascension. If we can prove by the Scriptures that Christ existed as a distinct person from the Father prior to the incarnation (and we will), that alone will totally refute and reveal the MADNESS OF MODALISM.