How did the Son have (literally, actively possessed) glory with (para) the Father before time if the Son did not exist before Bethlehem? Author: Michael R. Burgos Jr., Burgos Jr., Michael R. Format: Paperback. Well, I think so. . Against the Oneness notion (and v. 9), Jesus specifically used two first person PLURAL indicative verbs (eleusometha, We will come and poisometha, We will make Our) abode with him. This is part of chap. 6:8; 54:5; Prov. Of course, this is a mischaracterization. Its pagan, with pagan origins. 4:30; Heb. If Oneness Pentecostalism is true, how do we avoid the absurd image of Jesus asking himself permission and then sending himself? For example, the Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world, has 16 Fundamental Truths. They could also cite many of the various declarations of monotheism throughout the Old Testament, thus establishing that there is only one God. Oneness Pentecostals have a distorted notion of the Trinity and need someone to show them the scriptural teaching of the Trinity, David Kowalski writes. Baptism is not essential to ones reception of salvation. Number eight is this: "The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking . Thanks! 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. , Publisher After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Other preachers, such as Frank J. Ewart and John G. Scheppe, joined McAlister in his non-trinitarian perspective. Just as they often say that God is one, Jesus also says that he and the Father are one. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. 13:14). 6. Father) to glorify Him together with Him (para seaut, thus, a shared glorification, a glory that only God can have, Isa. Edited by Daniel G. Reid. 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. Pentecostals are Christians who believe that God is still doing the same things he did on the first Day of Pentecost after Jesus rose from his grave. The answers do not represent a *full exegetical presentationrather it simply and basically demonstrates (a) the fundamental Oneness unitarian assumptions (viz. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. with v. 9) out and then pretext into them a modalistic understandingwe call this eisegesis. 32, 33, 41, 42, 50, 51-ek tou ouranou;verse 38 apo tou ouranou;and verse 58 came downex ouranou). During the Last Supper, the disciples were distraught. : In verse 17, he refers to the Holy Spirit as he and him. Is it really coherent to think that in the next verse, he would refer to the Holy Spirit as himself? That specific doctrine was foreign to the Old Testament. The Oneness Pentecostal view of God is similar to the ancient heresy of Modalism. In the book of Isaiah, he was targeting polytheists; pagan idolaters. Encyclopedia of American Religions. Oneness theology is the doctrine that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not distinct persons. UPCI: Apostolic Bible Institute-St. Paul, Minn. But for a deeper understanding, please view my other posts on this important subject. This is agreed by recognized Greek Grammars and recognized Lexicons of the NT such as BDAG, 757. With scholarly precision, Michael Burgos has provided an incisive evaluation of Oneness exegesis and theology while accurately representing the teachings of Oneness Pentecostals. SeeWas the Trinity Conceived in the 4th Century? Preexistence of the Son - Is the Son pre-existing like the Father or did the Father become the Son. 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. Hence, the Son emptied Himself by means of His incarnation (cf. 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? The Pattern In The Book of Acts Establishes Our Doctrine 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. Publish Date: Jul 20, 2016. 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. Note, that over two hundred times, the Father is referred to by Jesus or someone else as being clearly distinct from Jesus. The AmazonSmile Foundation will automatically donate 0.5% of the purchase price to your selected charitable organization. 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. Acquire a basic knowledge of Oneness Pentecostals' beliefs and practices. Official Names and Membership (estimates): Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God (AOHCG)-13,000 Church of Our Lord Jesus of the Apostolic Faith (COLJF)-30,000 At the time Boyd was full of zeal and all sorts of emotion, which comes out on nearly every page of Oneness . 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 When Jesus said, He who has seen Me has seen the Father, the only thing His disciples literally saw was Jesus physical body. The PAW formed in 1918, but split along racial lines in 1924. 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. 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. It may be that is the name under which we are baptized. 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. In point of fact, The triquetra is a very old symbol and dates back perhaps to around 500 BC. 30:3; John 14:23]; Yahweh to Yahweh and Elohim (God) to Elohim correspondences in passages such as Gen. 19:24; Ps. Scripture quotation marked NKJV is from The New King James Version. 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. What's the best argument against oneness Pentecostals, people who believe Jesus is the father, son and Holy Spirit? For God does not share His glory with no one (cf. There Are Different Kinds of Tongues Over fifty times, the Father, and Jesusare presented as explicitly distinct in the same passages (cf. Why is drinking poison not a criteria for salvation? 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. Clarence L. Haynes Jr. The block of Oneness ministers present urged against such a move but was overruled. Oneness theology distorts and thus rejects the biblical concept of the Son being Mediator (Intercessor) between the Father and men (cf. How To Implement Apologetics into the Church, The Differences Between the Prosperity Gospel and the Biblical Gospel. This is because in Acts 2:38, we see a manifestation of this command. Seek to build a personal and respectful relationship with the Oneness Pentecostal. John 3:5 does not explicitly say that one must be water baptized before entering the kingdom. . Oneness Pentecostals are vehement anti-trinitarians who commonly maintain that the doctrine of the trinity states that there are three gods. But what good reasons are there to think that? The context is obvious: by knowing and seeing Jesus (as the only way to the Father; cf. 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). This is clearly a reference to baptism in water and baptism of the Spirit, right? 2:18). More than 160 oneness ministers who were expelled from the AOG quickly formed their own alliances to promote their doctrines. 3:11; 2 Thess. as well as found on early Germanic coins-with no religious significance at all. 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 7:29). They are manifestations that one God takes on, sometimes simultaneously. He argues throughout for . This case of marked distinction is also evident when Jesus differentiates Himself from God the Holy Spirit: I will ask the Father, and He will give you another [allon]3 Helper, that He may be with you forever (John 14:16; also see 14:7, 10, 26). "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. Yes, the Jesus of Oneness theology is a false Jesus. . 5. If God is unitarian, why are there so many plural descriptions in the OT (viz. [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. Though, this would also be too simplistic of a reading. 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 parallels in Mk. Read the entire account. a. Spatial: near, beside, b. To be sure, Modalism embraces another Jesus, another Gospel, and another Spirit. The participle describes the means or manner of the emptying. Brother Burgos carefully and respectfully dismantles the misguided half truths of Oneness doctrine. But if Jesus expected him to understand his reference to living water, it follows that he was not teaching the doctrine that water baptism is necessary for salvation. Further, how do you know that you do not merely possess the gift of tongues? 1 Tim. The Bible indeed teaches the existence of only one God (Deut. Oneness Pentecostal churches are, therefore, cultic in nature and outside the theological parameters of historic Christianity. 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. John 3:5: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 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. 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. 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. Paul, too, regularly uses different prepositions to clearly differentiate the Father from the Son. Some scholars believe it to be Celtic in origin, and it is sometimes called the Irish Trinity Knot. 4200 North Point Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30022, Employment Media & Public Relations NAMB Store. 3. Yadon: and the Vanishing Theological Past in Oneness Pentecostalism, Our God is Triune: Essays in Biblical Theology. 4:4). Oneness Pentecostal Sources of Authority: Oneness Pentecostals of all branches affirm the authority of the Bible for doctrine. For this reason, many Christians have difficulty seeing anything wrong with the Oneness position. These false doctrines can affect teachings about justification, sanctification, the role and work of the cross and an understanding of the nature of God. In this piece he critically interacts with the following argument of mine ( from this blog post ). If Jesus is the Father, why is it that Jesus is explicitly referred to as the Son over two hundred times in the NT, and never once is he called Father? So, what is Oneness Pentecostalism? Oneness Pentecostals believe that there is one God and God is one. Michael R. Burgos is an American theologian, author, and pastor. He had never heard anything of being born of water. Detroit: Gale Research, 1999.Dictionary of Christianity in America. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. If you were to join a Oneness Pentecostal church, what would your experience be? I found this web page, looked promising to refute Oneness theology. Lastly, There has never been a recognized biblical scholar, commentator, NT Greek grammar, nor Lexical source that has ever interpreted John 14:9 in a Oneness-unitarian way as you do.- because neither this text, nor Johns entire theology supports the Oneness idea that Jesus is the same person as the Father. Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique Michael R. Burgos 16 Paperback 1 offer from $24.99 Christianity without the Cross: A History of Salvation in Oneness Pentecostalism Thomas A. Fudge 51 Paperback 16 offers from $22.99 In Isaiah 9:6, the text says, His name shall be mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace, wonderful counselor. This is his name, despite that Oneness Pentecostals would identify them as titles. Before time, with the Father. 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 many more biblical objections that could be mentioned. "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. Against Oneness Pentecostalism: An Exegetical-Theological Critique by Michael Burgos Jr. - A second book by the author addressing Oneness beliefs, released in July 2016. 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). Recall what I said regarding what Oneness Pentecostals believe about being born again. There are two basic strategies that Oneness Pentecostals use for arguing for the conclusion that Jesus is God and Father. I will come to you. He was making claims that no mere human could make. They had come to love their Messiah over the years. 7. As marked out below, Jesus also differentiates Himself from God the Holy Spirit. Assemblies of the Lord Jesus, Inc. (ALJI)-50,000 Grammatically, when dia is followed by the genitive (as in these passages), the preposition indicates agency (cf. "When you believe in eternal life. Jesus is a perfect representation of the person of the Father. Oneness Pentecostals declare that the Godhead consists of only one Person and deny the traditional doctrine of the Trinity. 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. Please try again. 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. But typically, God became a man. This interpretation is not an attempt to understand the text. 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. Paper. Use Amazon Smile for all your purchases to support the Department of Christian Defense. 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. The reason that I am doing that is because Oneness Pentecostalism is often not understood by trinitarian Christians. The nature of the Trinity can be better understood When somebody is born again, they will show the evidence of speaking with new tongues. The doctrine of the trinity states that there is one God who is eternally present in three persons. This is an excellent refutation of Oneness Pentecostals. Also, only that the Son was God can He God make this request/command to the Father, not mere man. 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. 1 Thess. I am going to [pros] the Father (v. 12; cf. 1. Recently a well-known pastor, television preacher, and best-selling author was asked about his beliefs about God. 3. Is that the case? . 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). 2:10). Speaking in tongues is listed among several other practices, including casting out demons, resisting a snake bite and healing the sick. Further, the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus should not be overlooked. Salvation is entirely based on grace through faith in Christ. The UPCI was organized in 1945 with the union of two predominately white groups started earlier in the century. UCJC: Institute of Biblical Studies-Baltimore, Md. Book of Kells was an exemplified manuscript book in Latin containing all four Gospels together with various prefatory texts contained also figures of triquetras. Oneness theology rejects the eternality of the Person of the Son. He has exgsato [lead out, unfold, declare, Thayer, 1996: 223] Him (the Father). Zen is the ultimate self-help because it helps you see that the self does not exist. Share your personal testimony of Gods grace and your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. 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. Deuteronomy 6:4: Hear, O Israel! PAW: Aenon Bible School-Indianapolis, Ind. 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 doing so, they will think that they have mounted a proper argument against trinitarian theology because they believe that the doctrine of the trinity states that there are three gods. : Modern Oneness Pentecostals garner support for their modalistic view by interpreting Matthew28:19 in conjunction with Acts2:38. . Arguing unipersonalism (unitarianism) assumes a conclusion that is meant to be proved. Witnessing to Oneness Pentecostals: 1. Learn more. 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. 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. However, this seems to be far too simplistic of a reading. asserting that God is one person) and (b) the basic theological errors of Oneness theology (e.g., denying the deity of the Son). century, by a man named Praxeus, who is known from Tertullian's Against Praxeus. 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. We dont share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we dont sell your information to others. This is an important reminder of the need to respond to contemporary . (for in Oneness theology *only Jesus as the Father mode existed prior to Bethlehem). Of course, this is a mischaracterization. These arguments against Acts 2:38 demonstrate a holistic ignorance of how the OT is fulfilled in Jesus and the NT death, burial and resurrection is performed in repentance . It is noticeably absent. 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). For an expanded exegetical refutation of Oneness unitarian theology see Oneness Theology (Modalism). (see above). 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. 14 and Johns theology. That the Son of Man was in heaven prior to Bethlehem creates a theological problem for Oneness doctrine. 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.