However, like John 10:30, this verse also does not record Jesus as saying, I am the Father. It merely says, He who has seen Me has seen the Father. What is the best way to understand this verse? The Pattern In The Book of Acts Establishes Our Doctrine 32 Jesus then said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread ek tou ouranou, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread ek tou ouranou. In terms of the triquetra (Trinitarian symbol), you should not base an argument on ignorance, and unaccredited internet articles. Isa. The Holy Spirit is God applying Well, Oneness Pentecostalism has a lot of subtleties. PAW: Aenon Bible School-Indianapolis, Ind. Share your personal testimony of Gods grace and your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. While pastors generally understand apologetics, we often misunderstand the apologist. to the one sittingthe Father]) and the Lamb (kai t arnithe Son) are grammatically differentiated by the repeated article t (the), which precedes both nouns and are connected by the one conjunction kai (and). Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout. Christian Outlook (PAW), AOHCG: Berean Christian Bible College-Birmingham, Ala. 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. This doctrine is called Oneness of God or Jesus Only. ; and there is a Japanese form, again with no religious significance. For an expanded exegetical refutation of Oneness unitarian theology see Oneness Theology (Modalism). Present the basic plan of salvation and encourage the Oneness Pentecostal to receive Jesus Christ as his or her personal Lord and Savior. It is noticeably absent. 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). [4] This grammatical rule is also know as Granville Sharp rule #6: when multiple personal nouns in a clause are each preceded by the article ho (the) and linked by kai (and) each personal noun denotes a distinct person as in Matthew 28:19 (esp. Significantly, there are two instances in which that pattern is broken. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we dont use a simple average. The proper mode is immersion in the triune name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 9. Throughout time God manifested himself in three ways or "forms" (not persons), as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Different prepositions: Throughout John chapter 14 (and chaps. Acts 2:38 must be read in context and in light of Jesus clear command in Matthew 28:19. . Some scholars believe it to be Celtic in origin, and it is sometimes called the Irish Trinity Knot. 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. 4:4-5; Eph. 1:20-21). Great book with in depth analysis about the Oneneness movement faults both historically and biblically. In this piece he critically interacts with the following argument of mine ( from this blog post ). 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. The above example is typical of Questions Oneness Pentecostals Don't ask. That may be the case. He coyly answered that he believed in one God who manifests himself in three ways: the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Mark 16:17: These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will speak with new tongues He has exgsato [lead out, unfold, declare, Thayer, 1996: 223] Him (the Father). But they gain the "Spirit baptism" in order to be used powerfully in ministry. The largest oneness movements today are the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW). Consider this, Trinitarians, not Oneness believers, conducted all of the major revivals worldwide. Imagine that you heard two people speaking in tongues. Still not understanding (i.e., by knowing Jesus they know and see the Father), Philip says to Jesus, Show us the Father (v. 8). After all, in John 17:11, the text says that the disciples are one in the same way that Jesus and the Father are one. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Specifically, in John 1:3;1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2 and 2:10, the Greek preposition dia (though) is followed by a pronoun (autou, Him)in the *genitive* case (or possessive case). Michael Burgos builds upon his book "Kiss the Son" and provides an almost exhaustive study, and refutation, of the Oneness (Jesus Only) movement. 7. , Item Weight The participle describes the means or manner of the emptying. I also recommend that you read the series that I linked to at the beginning of this article. 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. 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.. Michael R. Burgos is an American theologian, author, and pastor. 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. Now, I recognize that this may be vulnerable to the counter-strike that the author simply did not record them speaking in tongues, but they probably still did. Westminster Confession of Faith, 1:9. (for in Oneness theology *only Jesus as the Father mode existed prior to Bethlehem). The triquetra symbol is also found in Norse Viking artifacts such as combs and saddles; found on a Norwegian coin from around the 11th cent. Please try again. It may be that is the name under which we are baptized. 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. He comes from a United Pentecostal, or Oneness Pentecostal, background. Brother Burgos carefully and respectfully dismantles the misguided half truths of Oneness doctrine. Grammatically, when dia is followed by the genitive (as in these passages), the preposition indicates agency (cf. How Can a Pastor Stay Engaged in Apologetics? God, according to United Pentecostals, is not three distinct persons, as in the Trinity doctrine, but three "manifestations" of the one God. John 3:5 does not explicitly say that one must be water baptized before entering the kingdom. 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. Pentecostals hold that believers do gain saving faith when they come to Christ. Is that the case? Now revised, updated, and expanded. Third, how could we recognize tongues for edification as opposed to the gift of tongues? Jesus then reiterates (as a corrective) that by seeing Him they can see, that is, know or recognize the invisible Father (v. 9). . (BDAG, 46). 4:4). The church has branded Oneness theology as heretical since the days of Noetus at the end of the second century. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. "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. : biblical case against Oneness unitarianism. The answers do not represent a *full exegetical presentationrather it simply and basically demonstrates (a) the fundamental Oneness unitarian assumptions (viz. What arguments do they use to support this proposition? (or that God exist as one person?). Mark 16:18 is part of a disputed portion of Marks text. Moreover, when it found its way in the twentieth century, departing from the Trinitarian Pentecostals, it was again rejected by the church. 2:7, the participle labn,(taking as in taking the nature of a servant) is a participle of means (cf. Note the context indicating that the Father sent the person of the Son. For God does not share His glory with no one (cf. . asserting that God is one person) and (b) the basic theological errors of Oneness theology (e.g., denying the deity of the Son). Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2020. 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 argument can be deflected simply by explaining that the trinity is strictly monotheistic, claiming that there is one God who is eternally present in three persons. the subject who is speaking or who is logically understood. Oneness theology rejects the personhood of the Holy Spirit. Colossians 2:9 does not teach that the totality of the Godhead was in the body of Jesus, but rather that Jesus embodied the totality of the divine nature and God is totally revealed in Him. Notice John 14:16: I will ask [kag erts, first person] the Father, and He will give [dsei, third person] you another Helper, that He may be with you forever (John 14:16; also cf. 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. In conclusion, the Triquetra has been used historically by all kinds of groups to mean different things. With scholarly precision, Michael Burgos has provided an incisive evaluation of Oneness exegesis and theology while accurately representing the teachings of Oneness Pentecostals. They accomplish this by adhering to modalism, more commonly referred to as oneness theology. John 10:30: I and the Father are one. 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) . Learn more. Thus, they are often referred to as the Jesus Only Movement. 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) [5] Beisner, Jesus Only Churches, 34. . 45:6-7; Hos. the parallels in Mk. Just as they often say that God is one, Jesus also says that he and the Father are one. In the book of Isaiah, he was targeting polytheists; pagan idolaters. The term *with* is para in Greek. Over fifty times, the Father, and Jesusare presented as explicitly distinct in the same passages (cf. Oneness Pentecostals are vehement anti-trinitarians who commonly maintain that the doctrine of the trinity states that there are three gods. There is only one true God. Today, however, the strongest anti-trinitarian movement known as the Oneness Pentecostals exists as self-proclaimed Evangelicals. There is no grammatical way to disconnect tongues from the rest of the elements of that list. 5:18). 31 They justify their actions by referring to the rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity by Oneness believers. 4. On that first day, something looking like split tongues of fire fell from the sky onto the followers of Jesus. This is an excellent refutation of Oneness Pentecostals. How would you be able to tell the difference? ", ASIN This is an important text for Oneness Pentecostals because it seems to use parlance that they are familiar with. Why is drinking poison not a criteria for salvation? 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. 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. While this is not a good argument that Jesus is the Father, it is a good argument that Jesus is God. The Paradox of Sonship: Christology in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Studies in Chris We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry, Neo-Calvinism: A Theological Introduction, Why We're Catholic: Our Reasons for Faith, Hope, and Love, Oneless Oneness: Tao as an Existential Remedy (Unlock Tao), Bridges Between US: A Pathway to Unity Through Faith, Empathy & Mutual Understanding, Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, $28.30 Shipping & Import Fees Deposit to India. Use Amazon Smile for all your purchases to support the Department of Christian Defense. As with other Christian symbols and Christian holidays (e.g., Christmas, Easter, cross, etc. 1. also John 15:26; 16:28). 1:3). Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ World Wide, Inc. (Bible Way)-250,000 3:11; 2 Thess. 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. Every time somebody is saved throughout the book of Acts, we will see them speaking in tongues. I am beginning to suspect that, since Christianity is unique in . Oneness Pentecostal churches are, therefore, cultic in nature and outside the theological parameters of historic Christianity. Wallace, BBGG, 630). Though, this would also be too simplistic of a reading. It is enough for the disciples to see Jesus because they share a divine essence. . Oneness Pentecostals brand themselves apostolic. They will suggest that they are following the model of the earliest apostles. Primarily, KJV Onlyists and anti-Trinitarian groups (esp. Michael Burgos is a Bible teacher at Northwest Hills Community Church in Torrington, CT, and has a Master of Theological Studies from Andersonville Theological Seminary. 42:8), which shows that the glory that the Son had was in together in the presence of the Father. John 14:9: He who has seen Me has seen the Father. 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. 8. First and third person personal pronouns: Throughout chapter 14, Jesus clearly differentiates Himself from the Father by using first person personal pronouns (I, Me, Mine) to refer to Himself and third person personal pronouns (He, Him, His) to refer to His Father (e.g., John 14:7, 10, 16). 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. 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.. They are Acts 2:4, 10:44-46, and 19:6. One way white evangelical Protestants say their faith is against the vaccine is by talking of eternal life, like Mississippi Gov. The assumption that Jesus is never referred to as the Father is incorrect. Nevertheless, they are the same person, not two separate persons. It says that one must be born of water. But what does it mean to be born of water? They had come to love their Messiah over the years. Historically, for Christians, the Triquetra represents the Trinity, not its supposedly pagan origins. Oneness Pentecostalism, or Jesus-only teaching, is a modern recycling of the old Sabellianism and modalism of ages past. 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). Seek to build a personal and respectful relationship with the Oneness Pentecostal. There are two basic strategies that Oneness Pentecostals use for arguing for the conclusion that Jesus is God and Father. JWs, and unstudied Oneness advocates) chiefly utilize the pagan-triquetra arguments against it. After all, it says that one must be born of water and Spirit. Thus, those churches adhering to its basic doctrines cannot be regarded as authentically Christian. Add to Wish List Link to this Book Add to Bookbag Sell this Book Buy it at Amazon Compare Prices. 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 . There are many more biblical objections that could be mentioned. He said that God the Father was the One True God of the Old Testament. Acquire a basic knowledge of Oneness Pentecostals' beliefs and practices. John 3:5 should not be read in a vacuum. Both Oneness believers and Trinitarians agree that the Father is invisible and does not have a physical body. 2:16-17; 1 John 2:22-23). 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. 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. Texas Bible College-Houston, Texas. No single translation or human interpretation can be regarded as infallible. While they may be anti-trinitarians, they are committed to the truth that Jesus is God. The Oneness Pentecostal view of God is similar to the ancient heresy of Modalism. First, that seems to be an ad hoc measure to circumvent the meaning of the text. The Contender for the Faith (COLJF) Indiana Bible College-Seymour, Ind. 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.? The only thing that keeps me from fully accepting Oneness at this point is Christology. Detroit: Gale Research, 1999.Dictionary of Christianity in America. 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). But these do suffice in showing that the Bible affirms that God is triune, and militates against Oneness unitarianism. 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? Oneness author W. L. Vincent writes "The argument against the "Son being his own Father" is a red herring. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. Encyclopedia of American Religions. 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 when did the Son have this glory? 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. McAlister of Toronto, Ont., began teaching that the Trinity doctrine was untrue and that baptism should be done correctly in Jesus name only-not in the traditional trinitarian formula. 7:9-14; John 1:1, 18; 6:37-39, 44; 14:23; 17:5; 2 John 1:3; 2:22; Heb. Have a clear understanding of your faith and the Bible. Jesus was claiming absolute unity with the Father. In Acts 4:31 and 8:17, people are filled with the Spirit and tongues are simply not mentioned. 32 To illustrate their arguments against Oneness groups, the following quotes from a book on cults by Bruce Tucker, an evangelical author, are Apostolic Missionary Institute-Oshawa, Ont. How do you know that your family members or your friends do not merely possess the gift of tongues? 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? Paul was referring to the latter, not the former. 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? Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique by Michael Burgos Jr. - A second book by the author addressing Oneness beliefs, released in July 2016. God is absolutely and unqualifiedly one. 10. They are just continuing that long tradition. Second, when did the Son have this glory (which only God has, Isa, 42:8)? is a must-read for any serious-minded Christian who wants to be better informed and better equipped to sanctify Christ as Lord . Today it is predominately African-American and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The trinity is found even earlier especially the writings of Jesus being God as the son pof God.The trinity was udsed before Tertullian or Irenaeus debated with Oneness . There are four exegetical features, which provide a cogent refutation to the Oneness handling of this passage. Oneness Pentecostals honestly believe that their view of the Godhead is the true doctrine . It is never used apart from God's incarnation, however; it never refers to deity 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. Please try again. . For this reason, many Christians have difficulty seeing anything wrong with the Oneness position. In 1913, one popular teacher, R.E. 2022 Department of Christian Defense 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. asserting that God is one person) and (b) the basic theological errors of Oneness theology (e.g., denying the deity of the Son). 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. Now I will switch gears from Oneness to their view of water baptism. PO Box 2128 Winnetka, CA 91396 | 818-377-5272 | edward@christiandefense.org, Site Prepared and Built by ChurchWebPresence. Oneness Pentecostals have a distorted notion of the Trinity and need someone to show them the scriptural teaching of the Trinity, David Kowalski writes. Jesus and the Father are both God. (Robertson, Word Pictures, 5:275-76). Anyways, I would change that symbol. This Belief Bulletin presents basic Oneness Pentecostal history and doctrines and provides a biblical analysis and response. 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? So they will use this proof-text that they think 1:2). 2:5). 3. Nonetheless, historic Christianity maintains that the doctrine of the Trinity (or tri-unity of God) is taught in Scripture. But what good reasons are there to think that? If they do not do that, then they are probably not saved. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Number eight is this: "The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking . The same can be said in Ecclesiastes 12:1, where the Hebrew literally reads, Remember also your Creators (plural in Heb.). 3. 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? The context is obvious: by knowing and seeing Jesus (as the only way to the Father; cf. Oneness Pentecostals will point to John 3:5 as evidence of that. To see our price, add these items to your cart. Here's what you should know about Pentecostal Oneness. 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.