Christian Life College-Stockton, Calif. Why is drinking poison not a criteria for salvation? By 1916, oneness views were being expounded by some ministers in the Assemblies of God (AOG) denomination. Granville Sharps grammaticalrule #6: Specifically, the repetition of the article tou (the) before each noun and the conjunction kai (and) that connects the nouns clearly denote a distinction between all three persons named.4 Note Matthew 28:19: in the name of the [tou] Father and of the [kai tou] Son and of the [kai tou] Holy Spirit. Further, Paul clearly presents the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, not as three modes of a unipersonal deity, but rather as three distinct persons. But standing by the cross [para t staur] of Jesus were His mother, and His mothers sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.. Imagine that you heard two people speaking in tongues. Matthew 28:19 includes the marching orders for Christians. When somebody is born again, they will show the evidence of speaking with new tongues. There is no indication that it, or any other spiritual gift, is required to receive Gods gift of salvation by grace or to be filled with His Holy Spirit (see Eph. Does the long ending of Mark vindicate the Oneness Pentecostal position about speaking in tongues? Pentecostalism is a Spirit-emphasizing movement that is characterized by several unique doctrines and practices, including baptism in the Spirit for Christians after conversion, speaking in tongues as evidence of that Spirit-baptism, and the exercise of all the spiritual gifts. Thus, the person of the Son of Man was in heaven prior to being sent. Salvation is eternally assured for those who have accepted Christ as personal Lord and Savior (see John 1:12; 5:24; 1 John 5:13). Baptism is not essential to ones reception of salvation. This Belief Bulletin presents basic Oneness Pentecostal history and doctrines and provides a biblical analysis and response. Please try your request again later. In John 1:18, John wrote, No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. Jesus is the only begotten God and he is at the Fathers side, and he explains him. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. 2:10). Pentecostals hold that believers do gain saving faith when they come to Christ. It is never used apart from God's incarnation, however; it never refers to deity Is that the case? How would anybody understand what he is saying? His will is one with the will of the Father. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2020. Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2016. Pentecostal Christianity has more than 700 denominations. And no time did He refer to my Son or anything of the sort as distinct from Himself! PAW: Aenon Bible School-Indianapolis, Ind. 14:7, 10, 16; etc.). 1:21-22; 13:14; 1 Pet. With thanks to Baker Academic for this review copy! Number eight is this: "The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking . Virtually all of the great biblical scholars, theologians, and Greek grammarians, historically have been and presently are Trinitarian, not Onenessfor obvious reasons. This is because in Acts 2:38, we see a manifestation of this command. Thanks! This new anti-trinitarian belief needs to be understood and addressed, and it must be done so differently than Unitarianism of a by-gone day. 2. How do you know that your family members or your friends do not merely possess the gift of tongues? They are just continuing that long tradition. The Global Witness (UPCI) Speaking in tongues is listed among several other practices, including casting out demons, resisting a snake bite and healing the sick. Why is snake-handling not a criteria for salvation? Moreover, significant Christian church councils affirmed the Trinity and explicitly rejected Oneness doctrine: e.g., Council of Nicaea (325); Chalcedon Creed (A.D. 451); Council of Constantinople (A.D. 381); etc. They believe that the name of the Lord Jesus is, under the new covenant . For God does not share His glory with no one (cf. Biblical Response: Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (see Rom. After all, he did not say, I am the Father, in this verse. the subject who is speaking or who is logically understood. (vv. Leave a comment. He also has a good section on . 5:18). Some Pentecostal denominations, often referred to as Apostolic Pentecostals, Oneness Pentecostals or Jesus-Only Pentecostals, take the . Note that the emptying did not involve His deity, for Paul safeguards against such an assertion in verse 6: hos en morph theou huparchn (who [Christ] always and continually subsisting in the very nature and substance God; authors translation). He comes from a United Pentecostal, or Oneness Pentecostal, background. Both Oneness believers and Trinitarians agree that the Father is invisible and does not have a physical body. [5] Beisner, Jesus Only Churches, 34. . The Bible Way News Voice (Bible Way) First, it is not an assumption- For nowhere did Jesus ever state that He was the same person as the Father, nor did anyone in the NT ever call him Father. How would you be able to tell the difference? : One of the key verses to which they will appeal is Mark 16:17, which tells us that those who have believed will speak in tongues. Col. 1:15) who brings out, that is, exegetes the Father: He [Jesus] has made known or brought news of (the invisible God) (Bauer, 2000: 349). Of course, this is a mischaracterization. Rather the Son is biblically (exegetically) presented as the Creator of all things Himself. 27 Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.. However, to early Christians (and many today), the triquetra symbolized the Trinity (one God, three persons). 32, 33, 41, 42, 50, 51-ek tou ouranou;verse 38 apo tou ouranou;and verse 58 came downex ouranou). The above example is typical of Questions Oneness Pentecostals Don't ask. Just as they often say that God is one, Jesus also says that he and the Father are one. Pentecostals are Christians who believe that God is still doing the same things he did on the first Day of Pentecost after Jesus rose from his grave. Melton, J. Gordon. If you are going to claim that there is a pattern in the book of Acts wherein everybody who is filled with the Spirit also speaks in tongues, you have a problem, because that pattern is broken on two occasions. He was making claims that no mere human could make. John 14:18: I will not leave you as orphans. 7:9-14; John 1:1, 18; 6:37-39, 44; 14:23; 17:5; 2 John 1:3; 2:22; Heb. For this reason, many Christians have difficulty seeing anything wrong with the Oneness position. A better work to understand the balance between " oneness" and "trinitiarisism" is the works of Thomas Fudge. Dan. To avoid the plainness of the passage (namely, the preexistence of the Son and His personal distinction from His Father), Oneness teachers argue that the glory that Jesus (the Son) had with the Father, only signified the future glory or plan in the Fathers mind, thus anticipating the Sons coming at Bethlehem. AGAINST ONENESS PENTECOSTALISM. First and third person personal pronouns and verb references: Throughout John 14 and 16 Jesus clearly differentiates Himself from the Father. I do not think so. He says in verse 14 that he will ask the Father, and the Father will send the Holy Spirit. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Oneness author W. L. Vincent writes "The argument against the "Son being his own Father" is a red herring. Have a clear understanding of your faith and the Bible. They could also cite many of the various declarations of monotheism throughout the Old Testament, thus establishing that there is only one God. I wont give him this web page..too bad. Answering A Few Common Oneness Pentecostal Arguments. Further, the triquetra has been found on Indian heritage sites that are over 5,000 years old; found on carved stones in Northern Europe dating from A.D. 8th cent. To see our price, add these items to your cart. 4200 North Point Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30022, Employment Media & Public Relations NAMB Store. Jesus was claiming absolute unity with the Father. 50 This is the bread which comes down ek tou ouranou, so that one may eat of it and not die. Throughout time God manifested himself in three ways or "forms" (not persons), as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When Peter obeyed the command of Matthew 28:19, he recited the words, In the name of Jesus. From this cross-reference, it will follow that the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is Jesus. Oneness theology is the doctrine that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not distinct persons. Its headquarters and publishing firm, the Pentecostal Publishing House, is located at 8855 Dunn Road, Hazelwood, MO 63042. Biblically, only Jesus, God the Son, can rightfully represent the Father (because He is God a distinct person from the the Father), and represent man because He is fully man. This is the greatest weakness of the Oneness position: For if the Son created, then, He eternally existed with the Father. ' Note the first person plural verbs (eleusometha, We will come, and poisometha, We will make). Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique. So he broaches the subject from an intellectual concept. If he and the Father are one, does that necessarily mean that he is the Father? 1:2). But what good reasons are there to think that? What arguments do they use to support this proposition? This view of the Trinity is connected with Oneness Pentecostals' Christology. 2:18). Modalism is the belief that one God existed in time in three distinct modes of being: first as the Father in heaven; second, bodily as the Son on earth; and finally as the Holy Spirit. Nearly twenty years ago a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed Greg Boyd wrote a book defending the doctrine of the Trinity against the objections of Oneness Pentecostals. also John 4:40; 14:17, 25). "Michael Burgos has produced a brilliant blend of systematic theology and biblical exegesis with a detailed and thorough discussion of the main passages at the center of the dispute between. Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW)-1,000,000 reported The Son is and has been eternally subsisting as the perfect and exact representation (charaktr) of the very nature (hupostases) of Him (autou, of Him, not as Him; Heb. Paul said these things are spiritually discerned. ISBN-13: 9780692644065. He had never heard anything of being born of water. These false doctrines can affect teachings about justification, sanctification, the role and work of the cross and an understanding of the nature of God. I always say at the onset to one like yourself, who make the incorrect uninformed assertion regarding the triquetra symbol being derived from Wicca, paganism, etc. If you have a friend who is trying to understand the Trinity, first the worst thing you can you is to confuse him with unclear and erroneous information. Of course, this is a mischaracterization. While pastors generally understand apologetics, we often misunderstand the apologist. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998. 2021 North American Mission Board, SBC. More than 160 oneness ministers who were expelled from the AOG quickly formed their own alliances to promote their doctrines. They will see that because he lives (he was raised from the dead), they too will live (be raised from the dead). The Trinitarians won the majority and a "Statement of Fundamental Truths" was adopted that affirmed the Trinity. I am going to [pros] the Father (v. 12; cf. PO Box 2128 Winnetka, CA 91396 | 818-377-5272 | edward@christiandefense.org, Site Prepared and Built by ChurchWebPresence. 3:11; 1 John 1:3; 2:22-23; Rev. Modalism rips the heart out of Christianityit denies Christ by misrepresenting Him. If Oneness doctrine (or Modalism) is the so-called doctrine of the apostles, then, why was it universally condemned as *heretical* by the early church Fathers (some of who were disciples of the original apostles) and condemned by all the important church councils and creeds? Seek to build a personal and respectful relationship with the Oneness Pentecostal. These are great questions and wonderful references. In response, Oneness Pentecostals will tell us that there are different kinds of tongues. Publish Date: Jul 20, 2016. . Please try again. Oneness Pentecostals honestly believe that their view of the Godhead is the true doctrine . This movement denies the Trinity, arguing instead that Jesus is himself the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One could be baptized in the name of Jesus without actually reciting the words In the name of Jesus. For the Oneness Pentecostal to read a deep concern of baptismal formulas into the text is to retroject their situation onto the apostles. And over two hundred times, Scripture speaks of the Holy Spirit and Jesus as distinct persons- and Never once does Scripture call Jesus the Father or the Holy Spirit.. In this episode I interact with " A Solution to Dale Tuggy's Argument against Oneness Pentecostal Christology " - a blog post by Skylar McManus. One possessed the gift of tongues and the other possessed tongues for edification. In Revelation 5:13, the Lamb and the Father are presented as two distinct objects of divine worship, as they are clearly differentiated by the repetition of the article t: To Him who sits (t kathmen [lit. That God the Father and Jesus are inseperably the same person/being/entity/substance/everything. Try again. Also, only that the Son was God can He God make this request/command to the Father, not mere man. Biblical Response: The Oneness Pentecostal view of God is similar to the ancient heresy of Modalism. After that time, a number of oneness sects formed, most of which were predominately African-American. Witnessing to Oneness Pentecostals: 1. If you were to join a Oneness Pentecostal church, what would your experience be? For example, many in UPCI consider the writings of Frank Ewart and John G. Scheppe as authoritative. . With scholarly precision, Michael Burgos has provided an incisive evaluation of Oneness exegesis and theology while accurately representing the teachings of Oneness Pentecostals. Your confusing Jesus perfectly representing the Father with His identity. 1:1-13; Jude 1:1; Rev. Does this not seem to vindicate Oneness theology? He does so by using first person personal pronouns (I, Me, Mine) and verb references to refer to Himself and third person personal pronouns (He, Him, His) and verb references to refer to His Father. Further, turning to 1 John 1:3, not only does John show that believers have fellowship with both the Father and the Son, but the Father and the Son are clearly distinguished as two persons by the repeated article tou (the) and the repeated preposition meta (with): We proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with [meta] us; and indeed our fellowship is with the [meta tou] Father and with [kai meta] His Son [tou huiou], Jesus Christ (see esp. 3. Paul, too, regularly uses different prepositions to clearly differentiate the Father from the Son. Be prepared to cite (in context) and explain specific biblical passages supporting Christian doctrines, particularly the biblical basis for the Trinity, the historic understanding of the nature and work of Christ, and salvation by grace through faith. The modern Pentecostal movement is generally regarded to have begun in 1901 in a chapel prayer meeting in Topeka, Kan., led by Charles Parham, a teacher at Bethel Bible College. Matthew 28:19 also affirms their views that Jesus commanded His disciples to baptize in the name (singular) of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But in verse 5, he says that he wishes everybody spoke in tongues, indicating that everybody does not speak in tongues. Following these beginnings, Pentecostal preachers and churches spread rapidly coalescing into various denominations and factions. And those (like yourself) who object (due to a mass of misinformation) to the Trinitarian symbol, since they do not have a problem with pagan-origins calendars in their homes, do they have a problem with the Apostle Pauls quotations of pagans writers to make a biblical pointnamely, Epimenides of Crete in Titus 1:12 and Acts 17:28 (referring to Zeus); Aratus of Cilicia in Acts 17:28 (also referring to Zeus); and Menander in 1 Cor. . But they gain the "Spirit baptism" in order to be used powerfully in ministry. In many debates and particularly in his book The Oneness of God, Dr. David K. Bernard argued that the declarations in the Old Testament are so powerful that they dismiss any conception of plurality within the Godhead. They place much emphasis on the name of God. Clarence L. Haynes Jr. He who has seen Me has seen the Father. If you read on, however Jesus goes on to say, The Father is greater than I. clearly establishing the Trinitarian concept. He has exgsato [lead out, unfold, declare, Thayer, 1996: 223] Him (the Father). : But its actual origins are unknown. The Oneness Pentecostal view of God is similar to the ancient heresy of Modalism. 1:17), talk to each other (see John 11:41-42; 12:28; 17:1-26), and know each other (see Matt. Note the Context: In verse 6 Jesus says, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. In verse 7, He explains to His disciples that if they had known Him they would have known the Father also. Thus, in spite of the arguments of Oneness advocates against the triune God and the the person of Christ, it is the gospel that must be proclaimed to them-, which the power and ordained means of God for setting them free from the darkness of Oneness theology and bringing them to the true Jesus Christ, as He wills. Historically, for Christians, the Triquetra represents the Trinity, not its supposedly pagan origins. It is certainly possible that various cultures developed the basic design arrangement independently. But they would simply amend their argument by saying, But this is clearly what early Christians believed because it is here. So I am willing to grant the long ending of Mark for the same of argument. 15-16), Jesus distinguishes Himself from His Father by using different prepositions. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. 9. Unlike Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, Oneness Pentecostals teach both that there is one God and that Jesus is fully God. The Son is speaking of something that He had, that He shared with the Father; the Son is not speaking of something that the Father had (in view). Note: in passages such as John 1:3, 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16-17, Hebrews 1:2, 10-12, the Son is clearly presented as agent of creation, the Creator Himself. century, by a man named Praxeus, who is known from Tertullian's Against Praxeus. 5:13).As NT scholar Harold Greenly points out, When the article is used before each member, each is to be considered separately (Greenlee, Exegetical Grammar, 23). Phillip asked him, Show us the Father, Lord, and it will be enough for us. Jesus replied that Phillip should not need to ask this question, because, He who has seen me has seen the Father. Oneness Pentecostals will argue that Jesus was saying that he is the Father. Grammatically, when the preposition para (with) is followed by the dative case (as in this verse: para seaut, para soi), especially in reference to persons, it indicates near, beside, or in the presence of.. The church has branded Oneness theology as heretical since the days of Noetus at the end of the second century. Salvation is entirely based on grace through faith in Christ. This movement first emerged in America around 1914 as the result of doctrinal disputes within the nascent Pentecostal movement and claims . 7. 4. Focus the discussion on the essential elements of the Christian faith. Hence, exegetically these passages do not indicate that the Son was a mere instrument of creation (as Jehovahs Witnesses and Mormons believe), nor, as Oneness teachers argue, these passages indicate that the Son was only a thought or plan in the Fathers mind when the Father (Jesus divine nature) created all things. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Oneness movements emphases on personal holiness and healthy lifestyles are commendable. Second, they argue that what is said about God the Father is also said of Jesus Christ. Forty times in Johns Gospel, Jesus refers to himself as sent by the Father, but never does he refer to himself as the Father who sent the Son, Further, Isaiah 9:6, is no help for Oneness advocates trying to prove Jesus is the Father- See Isaiah 9:6: Oneness Refuted, 1. 31 They justify their actions by referring to the rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity by Oneness believers. As marked out below, Jesus also differentiates Himself from God the Holy Spirit. . Since Oneness Pentecostalism maintains that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all different manifestations of the same person, it follows that Jesus is the Holy Spirit. This case of marked distinction is also evident when Jesus differentiates Himself from God the Holy Spirit: I will ask the Father, and He will give you another [allon]3 Helper, that He may be with you forever (John 14:16; also see 14:7, 10, 26). 6. He coyly answered that he believed in one God who manifests himself in three ways: the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. These arguments against Acts 2:38 demonstrate a holistic ignorance of how the OT is fulfilled in Jesus and the NT death, burial and resurrection is performed in repentance . In Isaiah 9:6, the text says, His name shall be mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace, wonderful counselor. This is his name, despite that Oneness Pentecostals would identify them as titles. Oneness adherents (along with Muslims and Jehovahs Witnesses) wrongly assume that the concept or word one when referring to God (e.g., Deut. The proper mode is immersion in the triune name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God, according to United Pentecostals, is not three distinct persons, as in the Trinity doctrine, but three "manifestations" of the one God. But for a deeper understanding, please view my other posts on this important subject. Note: there are many places in the OT where God is presented as multi-personal (e.g., plural nouns, verbs, nouns, prepositions, and plural adjectives were used of God, i.e., Us, Our, in Gen. 1:26-27; 3:22; 11:7-9; Isa. Please try again. Note the context indicating that the Father sent the person of the Son. Michael Burgos builds upon his book "Kiss the Son" and provides an almost exhaustive study, and refutation, of the Oneness (Jesus Only) movement. Father) to glorify Him together with Him (para seaut, thus, a shared glorification, a glory that only God can have, Isa. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are roles in God's plan of redemption, not intrinsic distinctions or distinct persons. Skylar McManus shares about being raised Oneness Pentecostal and moving from Oneness to Orthodoxy. : If an individual believes that there are three gods, then they have, in effect, denied the doctrine of the trinity. They do not know how to deal with the texts that are often cited. No one has ascended into heaven but He who descended from [the] heaven [ek tou ouranou]: the Son of Man (John 3:13). Brother Burgos carefully and respectfully dismantles the misguided half truths of Oneness doctrine. also John 15:26; 16:28). Biblical Response: The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God (see 2 Tim. Now I will switch gears from Oneness to their view of water baptism. Second, in 1 Corinthians 14:4-5, Paul speaks about tongues for edification. Recently a well-known pastor, television preacher, and best-selling author was asked about his beliefs about God. Jesus then reiterates (as a corrective) that by seeing Him they can see, that is, know or recognize the invisible Father (v. 9). : 42:8). John 1:18; Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. So I want to provide a resource for understanding Oneness Pentecostalism, some of the arguments that they will use and how to respond to them. By promoting the Son as a temporary mode or a role of the unitarian deity whose life started in Bethlehem, denies the Son, as well as the Father. Well, in verse 18, Jesus is talking about the resurrection. Therefore, when they see Jesus, they see the only way to, and an exact representation of, the invisible unseen Father, for Jesus makes Him known, He explains or exegetes Him. UPCI: Apostolic Bible Institute-St. Paul, Minn. There are many other passages where this construction applies clearly denoting distinction between the persons in the Trinity (e.g., 1 Thess. Oneness View Seriously Flawed with v. 9) out and then pretext into them a modalistic understandingwe call this eisegesis. Jesus Only Churches. The Pentecostalism Controversy This study was published by the Central Bureau Press, 3835 Westminster Place, St. Louis, MO 63108, in 1973 with the Imprimatur of the Most Rev. Again, in its proper sense, a mediator is one who is other than or distinct from the parties, which are being mediated. There are some who are trained very well in Oneness theology and know how to maneuver through the various arguments and counter-arguments.
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