Sabellianism has been rejected by the majority of Christian churches in favor of Trinitarianism . This was done through the Athanasian Creed , which says that God is three distinct persons . Sabellianism has been rejected by the majority of Christian churches in favor of Trinitarianism , which was eventually defined as three distinct , co-equal , co-eternal persons by the Athanasian Creed late in the fourth century .