arguments against oneness pentecostals
(as seen above). Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout. 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. Why is snake-handling not a criteria for salvation? 1. 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? Some Pentecostal denominations, often referred to as Apostolic Pentecostals, Oneness Pentecostals or Jesus-Only Pentecostals, take the . Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique. Add to Wish List Link to this Book Add to Bookbag Sell this Book Buy it at Amazon Compare Prices. Here's what you should know about Pentecostal Oneness. Oneness Pentecostalism (also known as Apostolic or Jesus' Name Pentecostalism [citation needed]) refers to a grouping of denominations and believers within Pentecostal Christianity, all of whom subscribe to the nontrinitarian theological doctrine of Oneness. 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). The answers do not represent a *full exegetical presentationrather it simply and basically demonstrates (a) the fundamental Oneness unitarian assumptions (viz. 3. 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. Detroit: Gale Research, 1999.Dictionary of Christianity in America. 4200 North Point Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30022, Employment Media & Public Relations NAMB Store. Oneness Pentecostals brand themselves apostolic. They will suggest that they are following the model of the earliest apostles. [2] Cf. 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. References of the Son coming down from the heavenappear eight times in John chapter 6 alone! He doesnt fully understand the Christology or Godhead. Of course, this is a mischaracterization. 1. Scripture quotation marked NKJV is from The New King James Version. And no time did He refer to my Son or anything of the sort as distinct from Himself! How do you know that your family members or your friends do not merely possess the gift of tongues? Brother Burgos carefully and respectfully dismantles the misguided half truths of Oneness doctrine. Different prepositions: Throughout John chapter 14 (and chaps. What's the best argument against oneness Pentecostals, people who believe Jesus is the father, son and Holy Spirit? Please try again. As marked out below, Jesus also differentiates Himself from God the Holy Spirit. This view of the Trinity is connected with Oneness Pentecostals' Christology. sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" (Matthew 26:64). First, there are no good reasons to think that obedience to this command necessarily entails that those words are recited. AGAINST ONENESS PENTECOSTALISM. After that time, a number of oneness sects formed, most of which were predominately African-American. There are many other passages where this construction applies clearly denoting distinction between the persons in the Trinity (e.g., 1 Thess. The Contender for the Faith (COLJF) Sphere: in the sight of, before (someone), c. Association: with (someone/something) (BBGG). He coyly answered that he believed in one God who manifests himself in three ways: the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. 2:16-17; 1 John 2:22-23). How can tongues function as the sign of salvation if you do not even know the difference between tongues for edification and the gift of tongues? 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). Revelation 2:13: I know where you dwell, where Satans throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you [par humin], where Satan dwells (cf. plural nouns, adjectives, verbs, prepositions) to describe the one God? 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.. However, some advocates of Oneness Pentecostalism have responded to this point. In my opinion it is better than Burgos' Against Oneness Pentecostals, Boyd's Oneness Pentecostals and the Trinity. This movement first emerged in America around 1914 as the result of doctrinal disputes within the nascent Pentecostal movement and claims . However, this seems to be far too simplistic of a reading. 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. Biblical Response: The Oneness Pentecostal view of God is similar to the ancient heresy of Modalism. So what does this verse mean? 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. The proper mode is immersion in the triune name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Be prepared to explain biblically why you do not believe these are necessary ingredients for salvation or eternal security. The Peoples Mouthpiece (AOHCG) Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ World Wide, Inc. (Bible Way)-250,000 More than 160 oneness ministers who were expelled from the AOG quickly formed their own alliances to promote their doctrines. 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. So, what is Oneness Pentecostalism? 9. God, according to United Pentecostals, is not three distinct persons, as in the Trinity doctrine, but three "manifestations" of the one God. 4:30; Heb. 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. After all, it says that one must be born of water and Spirit. John 10:30: I and the Father are one. The only thing that keeps me from fully accepting Oneness at this point is Christology. Is that the case? 2021 North American Mission Board, SBC. Church of Our Lord Jesus of the Apostolic Faith (COLJF)-30,000 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. 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? Of course, this is a mischaracterization. 2. Unlike Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, Oneness Pentecostals teach both that there is one God and that Jesus is fully God. For if Jesus is the Father, then, between whom would He Mediate since by definition a mediator/intercessor represents two distinct parties, other than Himself. [1] Glen Davidson, Questions Oneness Pentecostals Don . Is there an argument that you would like to see addressed? Why is drinking poison not a criteria for salvation? In the Gospels, Jesus referred to the Father over two hundred times as someone other than Himself, thus, as a distinct person. 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. I do not think so. 50 This is the bread which comes down ek tou ouranou, so that one may eat of it and not die. 8. Anyways, I would change that symbol. Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique by Michael Burgos Jr. - A second book by the author addressing Oneness beliefs, released in July 2016. The Apostle John was very concerned as to the false beliefs and teachings of Jesus Christ, as he gives this warning: Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also (1 John 2:23). This movement denies the Trinity, arguing instead that Jesus is himself the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 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. 6th ed. All modern writings or revelations must be analyzed in light of sound principles of biblical interpretation. If the Son has not eternally existed with (personally distinct from) the Father why then is the Son presented as the agent of creation, that is, the Creator Himself? Christian Life College-Stockton, Calif. 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.. That the Son was the Creator clearly disproves the Oneness position. The first two chapters of the text outline the basis for the Oneness Pentecostals' disbelief in the Holy Trinity - and their belief that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are simply . The Pentecostal arguments defending this special blessing are interesting and important. Pentecostal Christianity has more than 700 denominations. There are some who are trained very well in Oneness theology and know how to maneuver through the various arguments and counter-arguments. 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? 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 . Its headquarters and publishing firm, the Pentecostal Publishing House, is located at 8855 Dunn Road, Hazelwood, MO 63042. Oneness theology rejects that the Son was the actual Creator. Third, it may be that Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the one name under which we are baptized. If an individual believes that there are three gods, then they have, in effect, denied the doctrine of the trinity. This seems to disconfirm the idea that all believers speak in tongues. If Oneness doctrine is biblically true, why then do the biblical authors use grammatical features that personally distinguish between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. The AmazonSmile Foundation will automatically donate 0.5% of the purchase price to your selected charitable organization. Further, the idiom in the name of does not always refer to a reciting of the name. So they will use this proof-text that they think 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. But you have the symbol!!! 2:18). He said that God the Father was the One True God of the Old Testament. And you are pretexting the passage with no consideration of the context of chap. 1:8; Lu. There was a problem loading your book clubs. John 14:9: He who has seen Me has seen the Father. They believe that the name of the Lord Jesus is, under the new covenant . Oneness Pentecostals take issue with the Trinity doctrine chiefly for its use of the term "person." 3:11; 2 Thess. 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.. Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability Accredited. Description: While most Pentecostals are orthodox, there is a segment within this movement of "Oneness" or "Jesus-Only" Pentecostals who are not. ", ASIN Biblical Response: Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (see Rom. He claims the symbol used by trinitarians is demonic. . . including terms like Trinity, Unitarianism, Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2017. "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. 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). 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. 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. PO Box 2128 Winnetka, CA 91396 | 818-377-5272 | edward@christiandefense.org, Site Prepared and Built by ChurchWebPresence. In spite of the (unclear) origins, the Triquetra has a rich meaning that has been used by the early church to signify the Trinity. Do not get sidetracked defending your denomination. 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. This is agreed by recognized Greek Grammars and recognized Lexicons of the NT such as BDAG, 757. This doctrine is called Oneness of God or Jesus Only. Over fifty times, the Father, and Jesusare presented as explicitly distinct in the same passages (cf. Every time somebody is saved throughout the book of Acts, we will see them speaking in tongues. If we were in the Court of Law, it would be dismissed as evidence. They had come to love their Messiah over the years. A Definitive Look at Oneness Theology: In the Light of Biblical Trinitarianism, Christianity without the Cross: A History of Salvation in Oneness Pentecostalism, In Jesus Name - The History and Beliefs of Oneness Penecostals, C.H. But in verse 5, he says that he wishes everybody spoke in tongues, indicating that everybody does not speak in tongues. 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. 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.. What arguments do they use to support this proposition? 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). How To Implement Apologetics into the Church, The Differences Between the Prosperity Gospel and the Biblical Gospel. 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. Research resources on religious movements, cults, sects, world religions and related issues . Third, how could we recognize tongues for edification as opposed to the gift of tongues? 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. Details; Description; [1] In Phil. 2 John 1:3- Jesus is the Son of the Father). . so thre argument of development for the trinity is weak if it is already being defemnded in the church in different locations. 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. Oneness Pentecostal churches are, therefore, cultic in nature and outside the theological parameters of historic Christianity. Today, however, the strongest anti-trinitarian movement known as the Oneness Pentecostals exists as self-proclaimed Evangelicals. "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. The question that we need to ask is one what? Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2016. Good works and holy living are the natural responses of salvation already received-not its cause (see Eph. It is very well organized. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. 6:4). 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. 4. But Jesus said, that flesh and blood didnt reveal this, but My Father which is in heaven. 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. Some scholars believe it to be Celtic in origin, and it is sometimes called the Irish Trinity Knot. 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. century, by a man named Praxeus, who is known from Tertullian's Against Praxeus. There is only one true God. . Oneness Pentecostals declare that the Godhead consists of only one Person and deny the traditional doctrine of the Trinity. And hey, while we're doing that, let's look at Southe. 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? 31 They justify their actions by referring to the rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity by Oneness believers. 1:3). 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. Texas Bible College-Houston, Texas. His insight is edifying. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down ek tou ouranou, and gives life to the world. 34 Then they said to Him, Lord, always give us this bread., 35: Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. the Father (in the vocative case, Pater. This is an excellent refutation of Oneness Pentecostals. With thanks to Baker Academic for this review copy! He comes from a United Pentecostal, or Oneness Pentecostal, background. 51: I am the living bread that came down ek tou ouranou, 58: This is the bread which came down ex ouranou; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.. Jesus and the Father are both God. Paul was referring to the latter, not the former. He was making claims that no mere human could make. But that is not quite the point of the argument that I am making. 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 7:29). In the book of Isaiah, he was targeting polytheists; pagan idolaters. Does this not seem to vindicate Oneness theology? Jesus is a perfect representation of the person of the Father. , Dimensions But they gain the "Spirit baptism" in order to be used powerfully in ministry. A better work to understand the balance between " oneness" and "trinitiarisism" is the works of Thomas Fudge. That the Son of Man was in heaven prior to Bethlehem creates a theological problem for Oneness doctrine. Yes, the Jesus of Oneness theology is a false Jesus. Because I live, you also will live. The church has branded Oneness theology as heretical since the days of Noetus at the end of the second century. In verse 4, he writes that the person who speaks in tongues edifies himself. Oneness Pentecostals have an anti-trinitarian view of God, an unbiblical doctrine of Jesus Christ, and unbiblical requirements for salvation (speaking in tongues, water baptism in Jesus name, and a legalistic moral code). We dont share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we dont sell your information to others. There are many more biblical objections that could be mentioned. 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). All of the arguments both for and against Oneness beliefs seem valid and to me come down to se It is extremely well written, but wasn't the best choice for my needs. 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. Deuteronomy 6:4: Hear, O Israel! If God is unitarian, why are there so many plural descriptions in the OT (viz. What Michael Burgos Jr. has produced in Against Oneness Pentecostalism is a helpful book for pastors or churchmen needing a polemical approach against the anti-Trinitarians embedded in our communities and occasionally, our churches. Mark 16:18 is part of a disputed portion of Marks text. 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.. Christian Outlook (PAW), AOHCG: Berean Christian Bible College-Birmingham, Ala. 6:16). John 1:18; Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 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. 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.
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arguments against oneness pentecostals