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The God Who Is
Sabellianism
The third great heresy to trouble the early church was known as "Sabellianism." It appeared about the same time as Arianism. It taught that the Father and the Son are one and the same. The apostle John, as we have already noted, left out the article "the" to show they are not the same.
Some of the Sabellianists taught the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are successive manifestations of God. People who follow the teachings of William Branham, or of the Apostolic church, are modern-day Sabellianists. The Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D.)
In 451 A.D. Christian churches were again asked to send representatives to settle the question what the Scriptures taught concerning the nature of Christ. In that year, they met in the city of Chalcedon and affirmed that in Jesus Christ there dwells one person with two natures: one Divine, and one human, "unconfounded, unchanged, undivided, and inseparable." It also reaffirmed the Nicene Creed which stated that Jesus Christ was perfect God and perfect man. Nevertheless, heresies continued to abound.
Heresies Involving The Nature of Christ
Monophysitism and Monotheletism
In the sixth century, "Monophysitism" appeared. It taught that Jesus Christ had only one nature.
Then in the seventh century, "Monotheletism" appeared, and taught that Christ had only one will.
Centuries passed; and in the latter part of the sixteenth century, "Socinianism" appeared.
Socinianism
The name "Socinianism" was derived from Faustus and Laelius Socinus, an uncle and his nephew. Today Socinianism continues as "Unitarianism."
Socinianism denies the Deity of Christ, and denigrates the Son of God into being only a man.
Modern Bible Versions
Many modern Bible versions are the result of fraudulent scholarship, and are not to be trusted. One passage that can be used to test the reliability of a version is John chapter 3, and verse 13. Beginning in verse 12, Jesus said to Nicodemus, "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven."
Many modern Bible versions will corrupt the text by deleting the last phrase. This phrase, "...even the Son of man which is in heaven" teaches that while Jesus, the Son of man, was talking to men, He was yet in heaven. The name "Son of man" was the name by which Jesus preferred to be called. He loved to be identified with man.