SPECIAL TOPIC: ADOPTIONISM (early heresy)

This was one of the early views of Jesus' relation to YHWH as truly God yet truly man (i.e., Jesus' Incarnation where His two natures were combined into one man, cf. 1 John 4:1-3). It basically asserted that Jesus was a normal human in every way and was "adopted" or "begotten" in a special sense by God (see Shepherd of Hermas)

1. at his baptism (cf. Matt. 3:17; Mark 1:11; Heb. 1:5; 5:5)
2. at His resurrection ("declared," cf. Rom. 1:4)

Jesus lived such an exemplary life that God, at some point (baptism, resurrection)

1. adopted Him as His "son" (cf. Rom. 1:4; Phil. 2:9)
2. "begotten," cf. Ps. 2:7, quoted in Heb. 1:5; 5:5, as referring to Jesus

This was an early church heresy, so labeled by the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325. It was an attempt to explain OT monotheism in light of NT revelation of the doctrine of the Trinity (i.e., Deity of Jesus, Personhood of the Holy Spirit). Two forms of this "Monarchianism" were

1. modalsim ‒ YHWH became Jesus; Jesus became the Holy Spirit (later called Sabellianism)
2. adoptionism (also known as "Dynamic Modalism) ‒ the man Jesus was "adopted" by God after living an obedient life (i.e., Jesus became Deity)

Instead of God becoming a man (the Incarnation), the heresy reverses this and now man becomes God! It denies the pre-existent Deity of Jesus (cf. John 1:1-2; 8:56-59; 16:28; 17:5; 2 Cor. 8:9; Phil. 2:6-7; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3; 10:5-8).

It is difficult to verbalize how Jesus—the God, the Son, pre-existent Deity—was rewarded or extolled for an exemplary life. If He was already God, how could He be rewarded? If He had pre-existent divine glory (i.e., John 1:1-2; Phil. 2:6) how could He be honored more? Although it is hard for us to comprehend, the Father somehow honored Jesus in a special sense for His perfect fulfillment of the Father's will (cf. Acts 2:33; Phil. 2:9; Heb. 2:9).

SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY