Note, that over two hundred times, the Father is referred to by Jesus or someone else as being clearly distinct from Jesus. While this is not a good argument that Jesus is the Father, it is a good argument that Jesus is God. In John 1:18, we read: No one has seen God [the Father] at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him (lit. Oneness Pentecostalism have discounted, distorted or dismissed the Three-in-One doctrine of the Trinity, as found in classical Christian theism. : It says that one must be born of water. But what does it mean to be born of water? Good works and holy living are the natural responses of salvation already received-not its cause (see Eph. No amount of good works, moral living, or church membership guarantees salvation. Learn more. 2:6-11). It may also be that Father, Son, and Spirit is the name by which we know God. With scholarly precision, Michael Burgos has provided an incisive evaluation of Oneness exegesis and theology while accurately representing the teachings of Oneness Pentecostals. John 17:5: Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself [para seaut] with the glory which I had/possessed [eichon] with You before the world was., John 19:25: Therefore the soldiers did these things. 12:11; Eph. In verse 4, he writes that the person who speaks in tongues edifies himself. 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? Jesus then reiterates (as a corrective) that by seeing Him they can see, that is, know or recognize the invisible Father (v. 9). John 9:39) the invisible Father (cf. How can you use Mark 16:17 to establish tongues as a criteria for salvation without using an absolute double-standard? John 10:30: I and the Father are one. 3:16; Jn. 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. 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. In 1913, one popular teacher, R.E. Arguing unipersonalism (unitarianism) assumes a conclusion that is meant to be proved. is a must-read for any serious-minded Christian who wants to be better informed and better equipped to sanctify Christ as Lord . If the Father and the Son are the same person, then the Oneness teachers have a difficult job explaining how the Father and the Son can love each other (See Matt. [2] Cf. III. Over fifty times, the Father, and Jesusare presented as explicitly distinct in the same passages (cf. See what Christian leaders are saying about Against Oneness Pentecostalism: "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 Oneness Pentecostalism and traditional trinitarianism. And you are pretexting the passage with no consideration of the context of chap. Primarily, KJV Onlyists and anti-Trinitarian groups (esp. Oneness folks like yourself typically cherry-pick passages (esp. Does this not seem to vindicate Oneness theology? 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.. Hence, it is God the Son who is the very image of the invisible Father (cf. How would anybody understand what he is saying? Encyclopedia of American Religions. Author: Michael R. Burgos Jr., Burgos Jr., Michael R. Format: Paperback. But its actual origins are unknown. So what does this verse mean? 1:17), talk to each other (see John 11:41-42; 12:28; 17:1-26), and know each other (see Matt. So he broaches the subject from an intellectual concept. Oneness Pentecostalism, or Jesus-only teaching, is a modern recycling of the old Sabellianism and modalism of ages past. , Paperback . Significantly, there are two instances in which that pattern is broken. 6:8; 54:5; Prov. Suppose that modalism is true about the Son. In this theology, the Father embodies the divine attributes of the Godhead and the Son embodies the human aspects. 1:21-22; 13:14; 1 Pet. But you have the symbol!!! His will is one with the will of the Father. When it comes to implementing apologetics into the local church, it is important to know that Charles Spurgeon said, Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. also John 15:26; 16:28). That specific doctrine was foreign to the Old Testament. The only thing that keeps me from fully accepting Oneness at this point is Christology. This is from where most Christians derive their baptismal formula, actually reciting the words, In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, Oneness Pentecostals think that in reciting those words, they are not obeying the command. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. Brother Burgos carefully and respectfully dismantles the misguided half truths of Oneness doctrine. 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.. 1. 2. For an expanded exegetical refutation of Oneness unitarian theology see Oneness Theology (Modalism). And hey, while we're doing that, let's look at Southe. (or that God exist as one person?). He had never heard anything of being born of water. 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].. Second, when did the Son have this glory (which only God has, Isa, 42:8)? Oneness Pentecostals are vehement anti-trinitarians who commonly maintain that the doctrine of the trinity states that there are three gods. Oneness Pentecostals believe that the trinity is ONLY one entity. 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. The North American Mission Board is not affiliated with SEND International or its SEND events. They believe that the name of the Lord Jesus is, under the new covenant . 3:17; 17:5; John 3:35; 5:20; 2 Pet. For this reason, many Christians have difficulty seeing anything wrong with the Oneness position. (3rd Edition) is a thoroughly researched critique of Oneness Pentecostalism. That God the Father and Jesus are inseperably the same person/being/entity/substance/everything. This is an important text for Oneness Pentecostals because it seems to use parlance that they are familiar with. Further, the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus should not be overlooked. He disproves Oneness arguments and establishes Trinitarian truth. Historically, for Christians, the Triquetra represents the Trinity, not its supposedly pagan origins. 2:5). Does the long ending of Mark vindicate the Oneness Pentecostal position about speaking in tongues? Further, in the Gospels, almost one hundred and eighty times, Jesus referred to the Father as the Father, my Father, or your Father- thus, as a distinct person from Himself. The nature of the Trinity can be better understood No single translation or human interpretation can be regarded as infallible. Scripture quotation marked NKJV is from The New King James Version. However, there are only a few places throughout the book of Acts wherein people speak in tongues. Many, however, utilize only the King James Version to proof text their unique doctrines. The term *with* is para in Greek. They are Acts 2:4, 10:44-46, and 19:6. Great book with in depth analysis about the Oneneness movement faults both historically and biblically. so thre argument of development for the trinity is weak if it is already being defemnded in the church in different locations. How is that clear at all? 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. Indiana Bible College-Seymour, Ind. Your confusing Jesus perfectly representing the Father with His identity. All Rights Reserved. What arguments do they use to support this proposition? Texas Bible College-Houston, Texas. 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. Further, how do you know that you do not merely possess the gift of tongues? Many trinitarians, unfortunately, have never heard of these arguments before. Well, this would be to ignore all of the prepositions of this passage. If God is unitarian, why is it that there are so many places in the Bible where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are clearly distinguished from each other in the same verse? Before time. I. [1] Glen Davidson, Questions Oneness Pentecostals Don . The burden of proof is on the person making the claim. But Jesus said, that flesh and blood didnt reveal this, but My Father which is in heaven. 4:30; Heb. One cannot have the Father except through the Son, Jesus Christ: Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also (1 John 2:23; see also John 17:3). The Global Witness (UPCI) In response, Oneness Pentecostals will tell us that there are different kinds of tongues. 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.. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Oneness Pentecostals brand themselves apostolic. They will suggest that they are following the model of the earliest apostles. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! 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. Is there any practical difference at all? The Bible indeed teaches the existence of only one God (Deut. The Son said that He *HAD* glory *before* timewith (para) the Father. . asserting that God is one person) and (b) the basic theological errors of Oneness theology (e.g., denying the deity of the Son). It is knowing The Bible endorses slavery and oppression. Has anyone ever heard this before? 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. I found this web page, looked promising to refute Oneness theology. After all, it says that one must be born of water and Spirit. That the Son of Man was in heaven prior to Bethlehem creates a theological problem for Oneness doctrine. Thus, they are often referred to as the Jesus Only Movement. Customize your subscription to get the latest of what matters most to you! Sphere: in the sight of, before (someone), c. Association: with (someone/something) (BBGG). He was making claims that no mere human could make. It is never used apart from God's incarnation, however; it never refers to deity Some scholars believe it to be Celtic in origin, and it is sometimes called the Irish Trinity Knot. He also has a good section on . 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 . Additionally, the repetition of the preposition distinguishes the Father and the Son as two distinct self-aware Subjects (e.g., 1 John 1:3). There are tongues for edification (this one is necessary for salvation) and the gift of tongues (this one is not necessary for salvation). Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app. Father) to glorify Him together with Him (para seaut, thus, a shared glorification, a glory that only God can have, Isa. 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. 4:4). In this theology, the Father embodies the divine attributes of the godhead and the Son embodies the human aspects. For example, the Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world, has 16 Fundamental Truths. Please try again. Therefore, we may conclude that Deuteronomy 6:4 and the multiple proof-texts for monotheism do not represent a good argument against the trinity. 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. This is clearly a reference to baptism in water and baptism of the Spirit, right? It is very well organized. Dan. 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. So, what is Oneness Pentecostalism? The largest oneness movements today are the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW). In spite of the (unclear) origins, the Triquetra has a rich meaning that has been used by the early church to signify the Trinity. As a former Oneness Pentecostal Church member, Home Missionary, Assistant Pastor, Youth Director, and District Youth Board Member, I want to thank Pastor Michael Burgos for writing this fine book. Note: Nowhere in Scripture is God defined as one person, but rather as one Being: mono (from monos, meaning, alone or only one) and theism (from theos, meaning, God). Tate Reeves did in late August. . 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. In this episode I interact with " A Solution to Dale Tuggy's Argument against Oneness Pentecostal Christology " - a blog post by Skylar McManus. Preexistence of the Son - Is the Son pre-existing like the Father or did the Father become the Son. 14. 4. 6. 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. Oneness Pentecostals declare that the Godhead consists of only one Person and deny the traditional doctrine of the Trinity. 8. So when a Oneness advocate says that the Son did not exist before time, remember, that assertion is not based on biblical exegesis, but rather on what he or she has been taught by Oneness pastors/teachers. The above example is typical of Questions Oneness Pentecostals Don't ask. Unlike Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, Oneness Pentecostals teach both that there is one God and that Jesus is fully God. 2:10). Scripture presents in plain and normal language that the preexistent person of the Son was sent from the Father (e.g., John 3:13; 16-17; 6:33, 38, 44, 46, 50-51; 62; 8:23, 38, 42, 57-58; 16:28; Gal. Thus Saith Putin: Christianity Invaded by the Religious Right, Church Is Not Seminary: Why Young Theologically-Informed 20-Somethings Should Manage Their Expectations of Their Pastors, Why Jesus looked and acted like me, not you, Minimizing The Maximally Great Argument For Arminianism, How apologetics bloggers caused the downfall of the United States, Why Christians should apologize for using apologetics, Why apologetics is not necessary to evangelism, Something Greater Than The Crucifixion Is Here: How Jesus Shocked The Pharisees, Social Issues, Politics & Biblical Ethics. Paul was referring to the latter, not the former. 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? ISBN-10: 0692644067. How do you know that your family members or your friends do not merely possess the gift of tongues? 1:8; Lu. 15-16), Jesus distinguishes Himself from His Father by using different prepositions. 5. During the Last Supper, the disciples were distraught. If Jesus were the Father, as Oneness believers contend, one would expect to find a clear example of thisat least one passage (cf. They accomplish this by adhering to modalism, more commonly referred to as oneness theology. a. Spatial: near, beside, b. Assemblies of the Lord Jesus, Inc. (ALJI)-50,000 He holds a BS in Bible and Theology from Lee University, an MA in Theology from the University of Chester (UK), an MA in Biblical and Theological Studies from Belhaven University, and a PhD in Polemical Theology from Forge Theological Seminary. As marked out below, Jesus also differentiates Himself from God the Holy Spirit. Church of Our Lord Jesus of the Apostolic Faith (COLJF)-30,000 How would you be able to tell the difference? 1:2). Please try your request again later. God, according to United Pentecostals, is not three distinct persons, as in the Trinity doctrine, but three "manifestations" of the one God. 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. This is far, far more plausible than thinking that Jesus switched between him and I.. The Oneness Pentecostal view of God is similar to the ancient heresy of Modalism. Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web. Any group or church that claims to be Christian yet deviates at any point from historical Christian faith is, by definition, a cult. It is our duty to go into the world, preach the gospel to all nations, make disciples, and baptize those disciples in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. . There is no grammatical way to disconnect tongues from the rest of the elements of that list. 4. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique Paperback - March 17, 2020 by Michael R. Burgos (Author) 15 ratings Hardcover $35.00 1 New from $35.00 Paperback $24.99 1 Used from $19.04 2 New from $22.99 Oneness Pentecostalism constitutes one of the world's largest non-trinitarian expressions of Christianity. Some Pentecostal denominations, often referred to as Apostolic Pentecostals, Oneness Pentecostals or Jesus-Only Pentecostals, take the .
Stockton Tornado 2003, Articles A