Patripassionism: Did the Father suffer with Jesus?

[cyberjosh]

I had previously never heard of this doctrine before but I think it calls for some observation and study.

Read the short Wikipedia synopsis of it here.

Here are some highpoints of what it is and says:

"Its adherents believe that God the Father was incarnate and suffered on the cross."

"Patripassionism states that there is only one person, instead of three in the Godhead. God reveals himself in three modes, the father as the creator and lawgiver, the Son as the redeemer, and the Holy Spirit as the giver of grace and the regenerator. The word Patripassionism means (patri) Father (pasion) suffers."

"Today Oneness Pentacostalism shares the same beliefs as Patripassionism. Sabelliunism gains attractiveness from its emphasis on there being one and only one God."

(Side note: Only just now when I posted this did I notice what it said about "Oneness Pentecostalism", which I also have never heard of before)

There are two main topics to be brought up in this: The Impassibility of God and the doctrine of the Trinity.

I actually stumbled on this doctrine when studying on "www.ses.edu/journal/articles/1.1Culver.pdf+Robert+Duncan+Culver+theological&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=11&gl=us]The Impassibility of God[/url]". Click the link to get a background on that topic as well. I believe this should make for some interesting discussion. So what does everyone have to say about this doctrine/belief?

 

[Michael A Disciple]

It must be true. Why? There is only one God in this universe. He is the Father.

10: Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? Mal. 2:10

If God was manifest in the flesh as per:

16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
1 Tim. 3:16

It must have been HE who was manifest.

His WORD became flesh and dwelt among us as his Son. So certainly not ALL OF GOD came from Heaven but that Word (Logos) that was with him in the beginning came. The rest of him remained in Heaven.

So as man the Son was distinct from God. The Son was subject to and prayed to him. Yet that Son was HIM in another mode of being.

The Father came in flesh as the Son. The Son died not the Father.

 

[Imagican]

While it's OBVIOUS that the Father of ANY child will SUFFER along with that child when it experiences PAIN, we have the Gospel which PLAINLY offers Christ SUFFERING the PHYSICAL pain ALONE. For at one point, Christ speaks out and says, "My Father, why hath THOU forsaken me?" There will be those that INSIST that it was God upon the cross instead of His Son, but ALL this does is 'take away' the EFFORT and LOVE that Christ offered on that day.

Yes, there IS only ONE God. And, my friends, there WAS ONLY ONE SON of God. One bearing witness of the other and fulfilling the will of that which IS God.

As Abraham was commanded to sacrifice HIS SON, so did God ACTUALLY go through with it. How could a 'righteous God' offer ANY LESS than He demands. While Abraham was spared his son, God ALLOWED His Son to suffer and ACTUALLY DIE upon the cross. The ONLY difference is that God KNEW, and so did Christ, that upon completion of this task, Christ would be risen and once again sit at the Father's side.

And folks, DEATH is not all that it's built up to BE. Permanent death would be a 'shame' for them that must suffer it. But death itself is compared to SLEEP. I don't know many people that are AFRAID to 'sleep'. So, for those that are confident in their Salvation, there SHOULD be NO FEAR in the death of this vessel.

If God IS 'all knowing', then there was NO reason for Him to 'take on the flesh'. He would be WELL aware of PAIN, SORROW, etc....... He needed NOT do such a thing that He was WELL able to send His Son to DO. And OBVIOUSLY His Son succeeded in fulfilling His will. God is NOT His OWN sacrificial lamb, but the Son is the lamb without blemish. Offered up ONCE and for all so that we are NO LONGER separated from the Father by sin. And what a PROUD Father God must be of His OBEDIENT Son. So TOO can God be PLEASED with US when we trust in Him and follow HIS WILL.

MEC