Answer: Before time. Answering A Few Common Oneness Pentecostal Arguments. ISBN-13: 9780692644065. 3:7.). Why is drinking poison not a criteria for salvation? This is far, far more plausible than thinking that Jesus switched between him and I.. John 9:39) the invisible Father (cf. 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. He was making claims that no mere human could make. Still not understanding (i.e., by knowing Jesus they know and see the Father), Philip says to Jesus, Show us the Father (v. 8). Unless you are going to say that Jesus only had one disciple, I do not think this can be used as a proof-text for Oneness theology. Oneness Pentecostalism: Heresy, Not Hairsplitting This seems to draw support from John 14:18. 4:4-5; Eph. v. 6), they could really see (i.e., know/recognize, cf. The Other Pentecostals - Rick Alan Ross After all, it says that one must be born of water and Spirit. sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" (Matthew 26:64). 1:20-21). Speaking in tongues, like all other gifts, is distributed sovereignly by the Holy Spirit to those He wills for the equipping and edification of the whole body of Christ (see 1 Cor. His knowledge of living water from the Old Testament (Jeremiah 2:13, Isaiah 12:3, 58:11, etc) should have informed him. 1:3). 4:30; Heb. There are some who are trained very well in Oneness theology and know how to maneuver through the various arguments and counter-arguments. In speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus tells them, I will come to you. Is this not a clear identification of the Holy Spirit with himself? Before time, with the Father. In John 4:14, talking to the woman at the well, Jesus said, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. In John 7:38, Jesus referred to Rivers of living water. This is a theme throughout the book of John. Example, Theodotus (the first known dynamic monarchianist) was excommunicated by Victor, the bishop of Rome, around A.D. 190; Noetus (the first known modalist) was condemned by Hippolytus and by the presbyters around the same time; Praxeas was marked as a heretic by Tertullian; Paul of Samosata was condemned at the Third Council in Antioch (A.D. 268); Dionysius of Alexandria and Dionysius bishop of Rome along with many important church Fathers condemned Sabellius and his teachings as Christological heresy. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. 5:13 et al. Is Jesus the Father and the Holy Spirit? - Christian Research Institute 15-16), Jesus distinguishes Himself from His Father by using different prepositions. For this reason, many Christians have difficulty seeing anything wrong with the Oneness position. It is an attempt to get around what the text is saying so that their doctrine will prevail. Oneness Pentecostalism and the Trinity - Gospel Outreach Ministries Online Also, when Jesus prayed, it was His human nature praying to His divine nature-not to a separate Father in heaven. NOTE: the answers provided to the questions below are a simple and quick guide for the interested person wishing to compare Oneness theology with Trinitarian theology. Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout. Answering A Few Common Oneness Pentecostal Arguments In the Incarnation, God in his divine nature is the Father; the Son is the perfect man in whom God was incarnate; Jesus is the one God manifested in the flesh. In Ephesians 2:18, Paul teaches that by the agency of the Son, Christians have access to the Father by means of the Spirit: For through Him [di autouthe Son] we both have our access in [en] one Spirit to the Father [pros ton patera] (Eph. (PDF) Boyd, Gregory A. Oneness Pentecostals and the Trinity. Grand Trinitarian vs Oneness Pentecostals (Foursquare vs UPCI) +BONUS Do not get sidetracked defending your denomination. What's the best argument against oneness Pentecostals, people who believe Jesus is the father, son and Holy Spirit? 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 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. A Concise Look at Oneness Theology | Department of Christian Defense, John 1:29: The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is an excellent refutation of Oneness Pentecostals. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1990. 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. Paul said these things are spiritually discerned. And when did the Son have this glory? Trinity Versus Baptism In Jesus Name? How To Talk To Oneness Pentecostals This volume has practical implications beyond the debate that exists between trinitarians and Oneness Pentecostals because if popular piety is any indication, then many professing trinitarian Christians are Oneness in practice and Burgos' work will help to show how such thinking is wrong as well as offering an exegetical alternative that is 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.. For example in the late 8th cent. References of the Son coming down from the heavenappear eight times in John chapter 6 alone! 8. 14:7, 10, 16; etc.). asserting that God is one person) and (b) the basic theological errors of Oneness theology (e.g., denying the deity of the Son). Oneness theology distorts and thus rejects the biblical concept of the Son being Mediator (Intercessor) between the Father and men (cf. So they will use this proof-text that they think In this article, I will be answering a few common Oneness Pentecostal arguments. Oneness Pentecostals have a distorted notion of the Trinity and need someone to show them the scriptural teaching of the Trinity, David Kowalski writes. Oneness Pentecostalism, or Jesus-only teaching, is a modern recycling of the old Sabellianism and modalism of ages past. Please give me some verses that challenge this thought? Witnessing to Oneness Pentecostals: 1. Details; Description; Concerning the baptismal view of the most rigid Oneness Pentecostals, he states, "It is on this issue, theologians say, that Oneness Pentecostals have drifted dangerously toward spiritual elitism and heresy." 14 Indeed, the Oneness view of baptism is lethally flawed. So there are good reasons to think that the disciples were not concerned with the words that were recited but with the power and authority of the Trinity. century, by a man named Praxeus, who is known from Tertullian's Against Praxeus. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, an event that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of . If you were to ask a Oneness Pentecostal to provide a proof-text for Oneness Theology, it is very likely that first passage that you will hear is Deuteronomy 6:4, which is Israels shema, essentially the thesis statement on the paper of the Jews. An Antichrist who denies the power thereof, that The Apostle Paul warned us to turn away from! 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. The Oneness Pentecostal movements generally teach that to receive and maintain salvation, a person must adhere to four essential requirements. Your confusing Jesus perfectly representing the Father with His identity. 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. On that first day, something looking like split tongues of fire fell from the sky onto the followers of Jesus. 42:8), which shows that the glory that the Son had was in together in the presence of the Father. Apostolic Missionary Institute-Oshawa, Ont. That the Son of Man was in heaven prior to Bethlehem creates a theological problem for Oneness doctrine. Previous page of related Sponsored Products. Contributing Writer 2022 13 Jun The argument isn't against modesty, but that the descriptions the New Testament gives are examples from the first century and aren't universal prohibitions for every time and culture . Oneness Pentecostals believe that the trinity is ONLY one entity. II. While this is not a good argument that Jesus is the Father, it is a good argument that Jesus is God. Second, when did the Son have this glory (which only God has, Isa, 42:8)? 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Pentecostal - Schisms and Sects This is clearly a reference to baptism in water and baptism of the Spirit, right? Does the long ending of Mark vindicate the Oneness Pentecostal position about speaking in tongues? What's the best argument against oneness Pentecostals, people who How do you know that your family members or your friends do not merely possess the gift of tongues? This use of different prepositions shows a relationship between them,5 and clearly denotes essential distinction, e.g., no one comes to [pros] the Father but through [dia] Me (John 14:6); he who believes in [eis] Me . 7. As a former Oneness Pentecostal (OP), Boyd was especially equipped to accurately describe Oneness beliefs about God and their arguments against the Trinity, and as a trained philosopher/theologian he was especially equipped to refute such views. 1:8; Lu. Yes, the Jesus of Oneness theology is a false Jesus. The same grammatical distinctions are observed in 2 Corinthians 13:14:The grace of the [tou] Lord Jesus Christ, and [kai] the love of God [tou theou (lit. Oneness Pentecostalism - Apostolic Archives International , Dimensions 13:14). 7:9-14; John 1:1, 18; 6:37-39, 44; 14:23; 17:5; 2 John 1:3; 2:22; Heb. 2 Cor. Westminster Confession of Faith, 1:9. Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW)-1,000,000 reported Arguing unipersonalism (unitarianism) assumes a conclusion that is meant to be proved. Pentecostal Church of Apostolic Faith (PCAF)-25,000 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). Zen is the ultimate self-help because it helps you see that the self does not exist. 45:6-7; Hos. Oneness Pentecostalism - Apologetics - North American Mission Board - Home Was the Trinity Conceived in the 4th Century? 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? Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Isa. Nevertheless, the requirements for outward adherence to a strict moral code in order to maintain salvation inevitably leads to legalism and a lack of assurance of eternal life. They refer first of all to the biblical passages that speak of this baptism, namely, John the Baptist's words about the work of Christ, Matthew 3:11 (cf. They are not three distinct persons. John 14:23: Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and we will make Our abode with him [par aut]. 2:6-11). Oneness Pentecostals and the Trinity by Gregory A. Boyd - Goodreads If the Son did not eternally exist with the Father as a distinct person why is it that the Son can say, Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had [or shared, eichon] with You before the world was.? They will see that because he lives (he was raised from the dead), they too will live (be raised from the dead). They are one in being but distinct in person. Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique by Michael Burgos Jr. - A second book by the author addressing Oneness beliefs, released in July 2016. 2 John 1:3- Jesus is the Son of the Father). Interacting with Oneness Pentecostals - Apologetics IndexWhat is Oneness doctrine? | GotQuestions.orgQuestions Oneness Pentecostals Don't Ask: A Review - MRBurgos.com Oneness Pentecostal churches are, therefore, cultic in nature and outside the theological parameters of historic Christianity. : The church has branded Oneness theology as heretical since the days of Noetus at the end of the second century. . Leave a comment. The Hidden Cult of Oneness Pentecostalism - MarketFaith Ministries 12:11; Eph. It is never used apart from God's incarnation, however; it never refers to deity In 1913, one popular teacher, R.E. Note that while Boyd offers sound arguments against Oneness Pentecostalism in this book, he elsewhere expresses belief in open theism, an unorthodox view. Michael Burgos Jr., Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique (Winchester, CT: Church Militant, 2016). I have a friend who is try to understand he trinity. For the Son of Man in Oneness theology was not the Father, but the human Son who emerged not until Bethlehem, but here, the Son of Man came from heaven, that is, the Son (cf. Nowhere in the New Testament, however, is it said that Jesus sent the Son. Acts 2:38 must be read in context and in light of Jesus clear command in Matthew 28:19. Jesus then says to His disciples, From now on you know Him, and have seen Him. Thus, by knowing Him they have known and have seen the Father (note the parallel: have known, have seen). Its pagan, with pagan origins. In point of fact, The triquetra is a very old symbol and dates back perhaps to around 500 BC. They place much emphasis on the name of God. 14 and Johns theology. But in verse 5, he says that he wishes everybody spoke in tongues, indicating that everybody does not speak in tongues. The Pattern In The Book of Acts Establishes Our Doctrine Oneness objections, to the Trinity, Department of Christian Defense 3:16; Jn. Is that the case? Against Oneness Pentecostalism Archives - Therefore, God Exists a. Spatial: near, beside, b. Nicodemus was perplexed by what Jesus said to him. 4200 North Point Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30022, Employment Media & Public Relations NAMB Store. After that time, a number of oneness sects formed, most of which were predominately African-American. Again, in its proper sense, a mediator is one who is other than or distinct from the parties, which are being mediated. : 3. Mark 16:18 is part of a disputed portion of Marks text. so thre argument of development for the trinity is weak if it is already being defemnded in the church in different locations. Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2021. Deuteronomy 6:4: Hear, O Israel! Why did I do this? God, according to United Pentecostals, is not three distinct persons, as in the Trinity doctrine, but three "manifestations" of the one God. To see our price, add these items to your cart. Oneness Pentecostal Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment . Please try again. Anyways, I would change that symbol. [5] Beisner, Jesus Only Churches, 34. Note, of all the times para is followed by the dative in Johns literature (10 times), not once does para indicate with/in the mind, but rather, a literal association or in the presence of someone else or others, unless one (as Oneness advocates do) makes John 17:5 the exception to Johns usage: John 1:39: He *said to them, Come, and you will see. So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him [par aut] that day, for it was about the tenth hour, John 8:38: I speak the things which I have seen with My Father [para t patri]; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.. United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI)-500,000 (1.5 million worldwide), Other Designations: Jesus Only churches; Apostolic Pentecostals; The Oneness Movement; The Jesus Name Movement, Pentecostal Herald (UPCI) As we read through the New Testament, we will encounter what boggled on Why Calvinists And Catholics Share The Nicene Faith, on Why Charismatics Should Cut Glossolalia (Tongues) Out of Their Theology, on Why Christians Should Empty Themselves of Kenotic Christology, The Shortcoming of Christian Apologetics From An Apologist. 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. Oneness theology rejects the eternality of the Person of the Son. 2:18). 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. 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. 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. Recall what I said regarding what Oneness Pentecostals believe about being born again. If the Son did not eternally exist with the Father as a distinct person why is it that the Son is said to be sent from the Father out of heaven? Other preachers, such as Frank J. Ewart and John G. Scheppe, joined McAlister in his non-trinitarian perspective. 1:17), talk to each other (see John 11:41-42; 12:28; 17:1-26), and know each other (see Matt. Christian Life College-Stockton, Calif. But the Son, they say, was not really there with the Father before the world was. However, consider the following: First, note that the glory that the *Son* said that He possessed or shared (eichon) was when? 4. 1:1-13; Jude 1:1; Rev. In this episode I interact with " A Solution to Dale Tuggy's Argument against Oneness Pentecostal Christology " - a blog post by Skylar McManus. Several verses are quoted to establish this view, such as Colossians 2:9 (NKJV), For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Oneness theologians would argue that if the Father and the Son were separate, then the Godhead could not fully dwell in Christ. While many studies have been written to provide a critique of other heterodox Christian groups (e.g., Jehovah's Witnesses, the LDS Church), there is a general lack of careful scholarship examining the theological claims of Oneness Pentecostals. The same can be said in Ecclesiastes 12:1, where the Hebrew literally reads, Remember also your Creators (plural in Heb.). Biblical Response: The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God (see 2 Tim. There is one God who is eternally present in three persons, and his name is YHWH. However, this seems to be far too simplistic of a reading. These are great questions and wonderful references. 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. In 1906, the Pentecostal experience of speaking in tongues burst on the scene during a revival in an African-American Baptist church on Azuza Street in Los Angeles, Calif. Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique Beisner, E. Cal. Thus, they are often referred to as the Jesus Only Movement. 13:14; also cf. Praxeus taught a doctrine know as patripassionisma belief that says that the Father died on the cross. He also has a good section on . The fact is, in the NT, Jesus is explicitly referred to as the Son over two hundred times in the NT and never as Father or Holy Spirit. . Good works and holy living are the natural responses of salvation already received-not its cause (see Eph. But for a deeper understanding, please view my other posts on this important subject. PDF Oneness and Trinity 36: But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe., 38: For I have come down apo tou ouranou, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me, 41: Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, I am the bread that came down ek tou ouranou, 42: They were saying, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? Sphere: in the sight of, before (someone), c. Association: with (someone/something) (BBGG). (see above). 1:33): 'I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he . "Against Oneness Pentecostalism -- An Exegetical-Theological Critique," by Michael Burgos, is a must-read for any serious-minded Christian who wants to be better informed and better equipped to sanctify Christ as Lord whenever the opportunity is presented to defend the biblical doctrine of Trinitarianism. Oneness Versus Trinity - Spiritual Abuse Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2020. Exegetically, it cannot refer to the Father thinking of the Son or having the Son in view or in His mind, for Jesus uses the imperfect tense [eichon, *had*), which shows that the Son had or possessed it, not in the Fathers mind. In this theology, the Father embodies the divine attributes of the godhead and the Son embodies the human aspects. biblical case against Oneness unitarianism. 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. This is because in Acts 2:38, we see a manifestation of this command. Please try again. . 6. They do not know how to deal with the texts that are often cited. Now, I want to use an argument that the Oneness Pentecostals use all the time in this vein of thought, who will often counter the argument opposing Acts 2:38 (Salvation) . But its actual origins are unknown. Further, how do you know that you do not merely possess the gift of tongues? The Bible indeed teaches the existence of only one God (Deut. Instead, you should focus on the biblical teachings within the text and not use non-biblical philosophy. also John 15:26; 16:28). This interpretation is not an attempt to understand the text. ' Note the first person plural verbs (eleusometha, We will come, and poisometha, We will make). God is absolutely and unqualifiedly one. A Definitive Look at Oneness Theology: In the Light of Biblical Is there any practical difference at all? Paul, too, regularly uses different prepositions to clearly differentiate the Father from the Son. distinguished fr. 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. He has exgsato [lead out, unfold, declare, Thayer, 1996: 223] Him (the Father). Second, it may be said that the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit is YHWH. Why Oneness Pentecostals have Salvation Wrong (Acts 2:38) and you ; and there is a Japanese form, again with no religious significance. Hence, the Son emptied Himself by means of His incarnation (cf. Thus, because God is tri-personal He can be described as both Maker and Makers and as Creator and Creators. He is one Being, not one persona point that is repeatedly brought to bear by the OT authors. Important Question: If Jesus is the Father, why is there not a single passage that states this in the NT or the OT? The arguments can get a bit technical for people who do not know Greek, but Dalcour communicates so well that one is able to follow him. Today, however, the strongest anti-trinitarian movement known as the Oneness Pentecostals exists as self-proclaimed Evangelicals. Where in the Scripture does it say that God is unitarian? As marked out below, Jesus also differentiates Himself from God the Holy Spirit. $22.00. Try again. Significantly, there are two instances in which that pattern is broken. Oneness Pentecostals believe that there is one God and God is one. Scripture quotation marked NKJV is from The New King James Version. In addition, many Oneness advocates rely on the unbiblical revelations received by various Oneness leaders whom they regard as divinely inspired or anointed interpreters of the Bible. The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! In sum, John 17:5 the Son first commands/asks (doxason, aorist impart.) Thus, those churches adhering to its basic doctrines cannot be regarded as authentically Christian. The *Son* said that He possessed (note the imperfect of ech) the glory WITH (para, in the presence of) the Father (not in the Fathers mind, for eh Son had it).