Is T.D. Jakes Still A Modalist Heretic?

This is part of the Doctrine Statement from T.D. Jakes' church The Potters House:

"God

There is one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three manifestations: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross, the complete and final sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest and Advocate. 

The Holy Spirit

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and during this age, to convict men of sin, regenerate the believing sinner, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service. Man - Man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost, and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained."

(source: http://www.thepottershouse.org/Local/About-Us/Belief-Statement.aspx - 2015)

This is the definition of the heresy called Modalism:

"Modalism, also called Sabellianism, is the unorthodox belief that God is one person who has revealed himself in three forms or modes in contrast to the Trinitarian doctrine where God is one being eternally existing in three persons. According to Modalism, during the incarnation, Jesus was simply God acting in one mode or role, and the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was God acting in a different mode. Thus, God does not exist as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the same time. Rather, He is one person and has merely manifested himself in these three modes at various times. Modalism thus denies the basic distinctiveness and coexistence of the three persons of the Trinity."

(source: http://www.theopedia.com/modalism - 2015)

This will be a short post about the ministry and heresy of modalism that T.D. Jakes teaches and believes.  I have recently come across people who think that in 2012, Jakes changed his opinion and belief on the doctrine of the Trinity and now accepts a traditional Trinitarian view.  However, if you look at the doctrine statement from Jakes’ church, you can see a few things that should set off alarm bells that there is a problem with his theology.  

First, in the description of God, he says that God exists in three manifestations.  This is a huge problem, as the word manifestations immediately tells us that God isn’t actually existing as three individual persons simultaneously, but as three different manifestations that are not all necessarily at the same time.  It is very important that we see that God does not exist merely as three different manifestations, but as three persons.  Three individuals who make up one God.

Second, in the description of Jesus, you see that at the end it says “He is now our High Priest and Advocate.” The problem with this statement, is that Jesus is eternally our ultimate High Priest, there has never been a time where Jesus was not High Priest, he is a High Priest forever.  I will demonstrate this through three passages from scripture:

First, Hebrews 7:15-28

[15] This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, [16] who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. [17] For it is witnessed of him,

“You are a priest forever,

after the order of Melchizedek.”

[18] For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness [19] (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

[20] And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, [21] but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him:

“The Lord has sworn

and will not change his mind,

‘You are a priest forever.’”

[22] This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

[23] The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, [24] but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. [25] Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

[26] For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. [27] He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. [28] For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

(Hebrews 7:15-28 ESV)

As you can see in verse 17, and also in verse 21, that Jesus is a priest forever.  Now you probably also notice that Jesus was made a priest, I want to point out that there are many points of evidence in scripture that He was “made” a High Priest before the foundations of the world.  We look at Revelation 13:5-10:

[5] And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. [6] It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. [7] Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, [8] and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. [9] If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

[10] If anyone is to be taken captive,

to captivity he goes;

if anyone is to be slain with the sword,

with the sword must he be slain.

Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

(Revelation 13:5-10 ESV)

In verse 8 we see that the book of life of the Lamb who was slain was written before the foundation of the world.  I point this out because the High Priestly work of Jesus was that He offered the superior sacrifice of Himself, the Lamb who was slain.  This is seen most clearly in Hebrews chapter 10:

[8] When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), [9] then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. [10] And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

[11] And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. [12] But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, [13] waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. [14] For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

(Hebrews 10:8-14 ESV)

Verse 12 shows us that Christ offered the single sacrifice for sins.  That sacrifice that we saw in Revelation 13.  I believe that this shows that the human language of ‘made’ is simply anthropomorphic, because we can’t fathom a time where time didn’t exist.  So Jesus was ‘made’ High Priest at the same time as He offered the superior sacrifice for sins, the Lamb who was slain, Himself.  Therefore, Jesus has always been the High Priest and to say, as Jakes has said here that He is now High Priest is another sign of the heresy of Modalism, that somehow things have changed now, and that God is now manifested as High Priest. 

T.D. Jakes is not an idiot.  He knows that we who hold to an orthodox Trinitarian view of God, are going to fight against this heresy of Modalism.  He knows the issues, and he knows how to be subtle in placing it in his doctrine statement.  However, when you look at what he is saying and compare it to scripture you see that there are inconsistencies.  This man is a modalist, you don’t use the word manifestations when speaking of the three Persons of God, unless that’s what you believe.  If he really had changed his position on this doctrine then he wouldn’t use words that show that he believes just the same as before.  This man is dangerous and is not someone that an orthodox Christian should be listening to or associating with.