9780692644065: Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical Oneness theology distorts and thus rejects the biblical concept of the Son being Mediator (Intercessor) between the Father and men (cf. 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 . Is there an argument that you would like to see addressed? So they will use this proof-text that they think Author: Michael R. Burgos Jr., Burgos Jr., Michael R. Format: Paperback. Learn more. John 3:13; 6:38, 46, 62; 8:23, 38, 42; 16:28). If you are interested in learning, I recommend you view my series Oneness Pentecostal Heresy. They maintain that the only real person in the Godhead is Jesus. So, you appeal to v. 9, to assume Jesus is the person of the Father, but a verses later (v. 23), Jesus clearly affirms His deity as Son in distinction from the Father: Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and MY FATHER will love him, and pros auton eleusometha [to him WE will come] and monn par autw poisometha [at home with him, WE will Make].. Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement that emphasizes direct personal experience of God through baptism with the Holy Spirit. 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. If we were in the Court of Law, it would be dismissed as evidence. There are some who are trained very well in Oneness theology and know how to maneuver through the various arguments and counter-arguments. 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? . Father) to glorify Him together with Him (para seaut, thus, a shared glorification, a glory that only God can have, Isa. 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? Regardless, handling snakes or drinking poison is a misuse of that Scripture and has resulted in the deaths of many practitioners. 6. "When you believe in eternal life. After that time, a number of oneness sects formed, most of which were predominately African-American. is a must-read for any serious-minded Christian who wants to be better informed and better equipped to sanctify Christ as Lord . Note: In this beautiful passage (Jesus high priestly prayer) the Son (for Jesus says, Now, Father) says that He possessed or shared glory with the Father, before time. Contributing Writer 2022 13 Jun Noted Greek grammarian, A. T. Robertson says of the passage that This is not just ideal pre-existence, but actual and conscious existence at the Fathers side (para soi, with thee) which I had (h eichon, imperfect active of ech. That is why he went on to say in verses 19 and 20, Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Church of Our Lord Jesus of the Apostolic Faith (COLJF)-30,000 Are Oneness Pentecostals saved? - Quora This seems to draw support from John 14:18. Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. It is an idiom for authority, like if I say in the name of the king. This is firmly established in Acts 4:4, which reads, By what power or what name did you do this? Power and name are parallel. 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. 42:8). No amount of good works, moral living, or church membership guarantees salvation. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all (2 Cor. God, according to United Pentecostals, is not three distinct persons, as in the Trinity doctrine, but three "manifestations" of the one God. 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. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. Texas Bible College-Houston, Texas. What arguments do they use to support this proposition? II. 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. Oneness Pentecostals brand themselves apostolic. They will suggest that they are following the model of the earliest apostles. Paul, too, regularly uses different prepositions to clearly differentiate the Father from the Son. I also could see many of the arguments used against Praxeas by Tertullian . After all, it says that one must be born of water and Spirit. ), we embrace the Christian significancenot its origin. 2. I will come to you. UPCI: Apostolic Bible Institute-St. Paul, Minn. Throughout time God manifested himself in three ways or "forms" (not persons), as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Arguing unipersonalism (unitarianism) assumes a conclusion that is meant to be proved. What Is Pentecostal Oneness? - Christianity.com All Rights Reserved. But Jesus said, that flesh and blood didnt reveal this, but My Father which is in heaven. Thus, those churches adhering to its basic doctrines cannot be regarded as authentically Christian. There is only one true God. Moreover, when it found its way in the twentieth century, departing from the Trinitarian Pentecostals, it was again rejected by the church. 8. There is not a single case in which the prophets repudiated anything like the doctrine of the trinity, nor is there any case in which rebellious Israel believed it and convoked the wrath of God. They maintain that God exists in two modes, as the Father in heaven, and as Jesus the Son on earth. Baptism is not essential to ones reception of salvation. : Oneness adherents (along with Muslims and Jehovahs Witnesses) wrongly assume that the concept or word one when referring to God (e.g., Deut. The Trinitarians won the majority and a "Statement of Fundamental Truths" was adopted that affirmed the Trinity. AGAINST ONENESS PENTECOSTALISM. Oneness Pentecostals are vehement anti-trinitarians who commonly maintain that the doctrine of the trinity states that there are three gods. It is enough for the disciples to see Jesus because they share a divine essence. 2. : No Christian used it as a pagan symbol, in the same way no Christian uses a calendar today on their wall to exalt the pagan gods of the days and months it representsthus, calendars were factually derived from pagan in origins. 3. Oneness theology rejects the doctrine of the Trinity, for they are unitarian (i.e., believes that God exists as one personunipersonal). Dividing Over Oneness | Christian History | Christianity Today 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. Oneness Pentecostalism have discounted, distorted or dismissed the Three-in-One doctrine of the Trinity, as found in classical Christian theism. With scholarly precision, Michael Burgos has provided an incisive evaluation of Oneness exegesis and theology while accurately representing the teachings of Oneness Pentecostals. I also recommend that you read the series that I linked to at the beginning of this article. It may be that is the name under which we are baptized. However, this doesn't fit with this passage, because these still hadn't received the Spirit at all. They could also cite many of the various declarations of monotheism throughout the Old Testament, thus establishing that there is only one God. Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique by Michael Burgos Jr. - A second book by the author addressing Oneness beliefs, released in July 2016. 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. (vv. When we hear a Oneness Pentecostal claiming that everybody speaks in tongues throughout the Bible, we immediately go to 1 Corinthians 12:29-31, for Paul recognizes that not everybody possesses all of the spiritual gifts, and tongues are listed among them. Is Oneness Pentecostalism a cult? Should it be considered a - reddit That the Son was the Creator clearly disproves the Oneness position. 14. They place much emphasis on the name of God. 1 Tim. Detroit: Gale Research, 1999.Dictionary of Christianity in America. 30:3; John 14:23]; Yahweh to Yahweh and Elohim (God) to Elohim correspondences in passages such as Gen. 19:24; Ps. Encyclopedia of American Religions. Jesus Only Churches. Speaking in tongues is listed among several other practices, including casting out demons, resisting a snake bite and healing the sick. 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. Oneness Pentecostals and the Trinity - Greg Boyd - ReKnew Answering Oneness arguments - Let Us Reason 2 Cor. John 14:9: He who has seen Me has seen the Father. What does it mean, then? Your confusing Jesus perfectly representing the Father with His identity. 14 and Johns theology. . The triquetra symbol has been found in Norwegian churches dating to the 11th century. Third, it may be that Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the one name under which we are baptized. They were strongly rejected by the denominations council that year, and the AOG adopted a strong trinitarian stance in its statement of faith. Pentecostal Church of Apostolic Faith (PCAF)-25,000 Many Oneness churches especially the UPCI rejects justification through faith alone by teaching that one must be water baptized (in the name of Jesus only) to be savedwith the evidence, as the UPCI teaches, of speaking in other tongues. What is Oneness doctrine? | GotQuestions.org 3:11; 1 John 1:3; 2:22-23; Rev. 6 Also, only that the Son was God can He God make this request/command to the Father, not mere man. Have a clear understanding of your faith and the Bible. Hence, it is God the Son who is the very image of the invisible Father (cf. This view of the Trinity is connected with Oneness Pentecostals' Christology. 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. John 14:18: I will not leave you as orphans. Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. He also has a good section on . Also, when Jesus prayed, it was His human nature praying to His divine nature-not to a separate Father in heaven. In point of fact, for hundreds of years Christians have been using the triquetra a symbol that proclaims the doctrine of the Trinity. The participle describes the means or manner of the emptying. Now revised, updated, and expanded. 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. United Pentecostals, also called Oneness Pentecostals, are known for their rejection of the Trinity, which is a hallmark doctrine in orthodox Christianity. If they do not do that, then they are probably not saved. Wallace, GGBB, 368; Greenlee, A Concise Exegetical Grammar of New Testament Greek, 5th ed. One way white evangelical Protestants say their faith is against the vaccine is by talking of eternal life, like Mississippi Gov. Its headquarters and publishing firm, the Pentecostal Publishing House, is located at 8855 Dunn Road, Hazelwood, MO 63042. 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. Oneness Pentecostals are vehement anti-trinitarians who commonly maintain that the doctrine of the trinity states that there are three gods. 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. For an expanded exegetical refutation of Oneness unitarian theology see Oneness Theology (Modalism). This is an important reminder of the need to respond to contemporary . Further, how do you know that you do not merely possess the gift of tongues? Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique Seek to build a personal and respectful relationship with the Oneness Pentecostal. Preexistence of the Son - Is the Son pre-existing like the Father or did the Father become the Son. As Hebrews 1:3 tells us, The Son is the radiance of Gods glory and the exact representation of his being If we want to know who God is, then we need to look to Jesus Christ. Oneness theology rejects that the Son was the actual Creator. 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. Oneness View Seriously Flawed Oneness Pentecostal articles - Let Us Reason They will see that because he lives (he was raised from the dead), they too will live (be raised from the dead). Customize your subscription to get the latest of what matters most to you! A Trinitarian's Struggle With the Oneness Doctrine Trinity Versus Baptism In Jesus Name? How To Talk To Oneness Pentecostals also Walter Bauers, A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament, 3rd ed. Therefore, we may conclude that Deuteronomy 6:4 and the multiple proof-texts for monotheism do not represent a good argument against the trinity. PO Box 2128 Winnetka, CA 91396 | 818-377-5272 | edward@christiandefense.org, Site Prepared and Built by ChurchWebPresence. 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. 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. Grammatically, when dia is followed by the genitive (as in these passages), the preposition indicates agency (cf. Throughout the passage, it is clear that Jesus is speaking of someone else. 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. Does the long ending of Mark vindicate the Oneness Pentecostal position about speaking in tongues? Historically, for Christians, the Triquetra represents the Trinity, not its supposedly pagan origins. . In verse 4, he writes that the person who speaks in tongues edifies himself. 6:8; 54:5; Prov. He argues throughout for . According to the Scriptures, apologetics is Download the Quick Takes with Kevin Podcast to hear NAMB president Kevin Ezell talk with pastors across the country about how to navigate diverse ministry challenges. It may also be that Father, Son, and Spirit is the name by which we know God. 1:2). REVIEW OF MICHAEL BURGOS, AGAINST - David K. Bernard | Facebook How Can a Pastor Stay Engaged in Apologetics? 1:1-13; Jude 1:1; Rev. The Bible indeed teaches the existence of only one God (Deut. Any group or church that claims to be Christian yet deviates at any point from historical Christian faith is, by definition, a cult. Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique 2. 2 John 1:3- Jesus is the Son of the Father). Now I will switch gears from Oneness to their view of water baptism. Phil. The above example is typical of Questions Oneness Pentecostals Don't ask. When somebody is born again, they will show the evidence of speaking with new tongues. plural nouns, adjectives, verbs, prepositions) to describe the one God? Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique 9. 7. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Well, first, you need to be baptized with the baptismal formula, In the name of Jesus. They will re-baptize you if you were baptized In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Second, you will need to receive the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues. Both of these are essential ingredients to salvation. With thanks to Baker Academic for this review copy! Trinity 4, Oneness Pentecostals, the Holy Spirit, and the Trinity Oneness Versus Trinity - Spiritual Abuse If Jesus were the Father, as Oneness believers contend, one would expect to find a clear example of thisat least one passage (cf. Jesus was claiming absolute unity with the Father. Important Question: If Jesus is the Father, why is there not a single passage that states this in the NT or the OT? John 6:38). This movement first emerged in America around 1914 as the result of doctrinal disputes within the nascent Pentecostal movement and claims . If an individual believes that there are three gods, then they have, in effect, denied the doctrine of the trinity. Interacting with Oneness Pentecostals - Apologetics Index They are not three distinct persons. In this episode I interact with " A Solution to Dale Tuggy's Argument against Oneness Pentecostal Christology " - a blog post by Skylar McManus. 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. In sum, John 17:5 the Son first commands/asks (doxason, aorist impart.) ", ASIN 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). 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 7:29). 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. 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. Christian Outlook (PAW), AOHCG: Berean Christian Bible College-Birmingham, Ala. Read the entire account. Please give me some verses that challenge this thought? Also, John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17; and Hebrews 1:10-12 teach exegetically that the Son was God, the agent of creation, the Creator, thus preexisting with the Father. Oneness Pentecostalism constitutes one of the world's largest non-trinitarian expressions of Christianity. The Hidden Cult of Oneness Pentecostalism. 31; A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures, 4:478-79; and cf. (as seen above). 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. Virtually all of the great biblical scholars, theologians, and Greek grammarians, historically have been and presently are Trinitarian, not Onenessfor obvious reasons. Do not get sidetracked defending your denomination. The Oneness Pentecostal movements generally teach that to receive and maintain salvation, a person must adhere to four essential requirements. Nonetheless, historic Christianity maintains that the doctrine of the Trinity (or tri-unity of God) is taught in Scripture. Modern Oneness Pentecostals garner support for their modalistic view by interpreting Matthew28:19 in conjunction with Acts2:38. . There are many other passages where this construction applies clearly denoting distinction between the persons in the Trinity (e.g., 1 Thess. How do you know that your family members or your friends do not merely possess the gift of tongues? 3:17; 17:5; John 3:35; 5:20; 2 Pet. While pastors generally understand apologetics, we often misunderstand the apologist. Michael R. Burgos is an American theologian, author, and pastor. (Robertson, Word Pictures, 5:275-76). 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. 45:6-7; Hos. If he and the Father are one, does that necessarily mean that he is the Father? 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. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. However, since in Oneness theology Jesus is both Father and Son, Jesus cannot be properly Mediator between two partiesGod the Father and man. Oneness Pentecostalism | Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth If an individual believes that there are three gods, then they have, in effect, denied the doctrine of the trinity.