2. . (BDAG, 46). This movement first emerged in America around 1914 as the result of doctrinal disputes within the nascent Pentecostal movement and claims . So Christians should strive to do the objective research, in order that they not provide bad untruthful arguments and appear unread. The proper mode is immersion in the triune name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 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. Wallace, BBGG, 350-51; Robert Reymond, Systematic Theology, 263. 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? Try again. (see above). 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. How Can a Pastor Stay Engaged in Apologetics? An Antichrist who denies the power thereof, that The Apostle Paul warned us to turn away from! 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. 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. 7. They believe that God is ONE and not one in three persons. Edited by Daniel G. Reid. Many trinitarians, unfortunately, have never heard of these arguments before. Please try again. Some scholars believe it to be Celtic in origin, and it is sometimes called the Irish Trinity Knot. Jesus then reiterates (as a corrective) that by seeing Him they can see, that is, know or recognize the invisible Father (v. 9). 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. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! 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. Further, the triquetra has been found on Indian heritage sites that are over 5,000 years old; found on carved stones in Northern Europe dating from A.D. 8th cent. Jesus and the Father are both God. It is an idiom for authority, like if I say in the name of the king. This is firmly established in Acts 4:4, which reads, By what power or what name did you do this? Power and name are parallel. Trinitarian who is struggling with the Oneness doctrine. 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. This view of the Trinity is connected with Oneness Pentecostals' Christology. How does He now say, I have come down ek tou ouranou?. 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 . That may be the case. II. Noted Greek scholar Daniel Wallace provides the precise meaning of the preposition para followed by the dative: In general, the dative uses suggest proximity or nearness. Well, first, most Christians will point out that this verse is part of the long ending of Mark, and therefore it is not Scripture. 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 they may be anti-trinitarians, they are committed to the truth that Jesus is God. He claims the symbol used by trinitarians is demonic. It is knowing The Bible endorses slavery and oppression. Has anyone ever heard this before? If you are interested in learning, I recommend you view my series Oneness Pentecostal Heresy. Matthew 28:19 and Acts 2:38 Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 2. the parallels in Mk. 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. There was a problem loading your book clubs. The Holy Spirit is not regarded as a person at all, merely a manifestation of Jesus power or a synonym for Him. Today, however, the strongest anti-trinitarian movement known as the Oneness Pentecostals exists as self-proclaimed Evangelicals. 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 . 4:4-5; Eph. 12-14). Oneness Pentecostal churches are, therefore, cultic in nature and outside the theological parameters of historic Christianity. 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. But the argument that Jesus Christ is the secret answer to the riddle, "What is the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy . 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.. Today scholars estimate there are between 1.5 and 5 million Oneness Pentecostals worldwide, and they make up . John 14:9 Oneness people routinely quote this passage (usually in the same breath with John 10:30), as though it was part of the passage. 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. 2. This is the greatest weakness of the Oneness position: For if the Son created, then, He eternally existed with the Father. 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. Of course, this is a mischaracterization. Second, they argue that what is said about God the Father is also said of Jesus Christ. Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW)-1,000,000 reported Of course, this is a mischaracterization. The burden of proof is on the person making the claim. 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. They are just continuing that long tradition. First they argue that certain prooftexts directly identify Jesus as the Father. Does the long ending of Mark vindicate the Oneness Pentecostal position about speaking in tongues? I do not think so. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. Christian Outlook (PAW), AOHCG: Berean Christian Bible College-Birmingham, Ala. 9. Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2016. The question that we need to ask is one what? 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. Share your personal testimony of Gods grace and your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. In this piece he critically interacts with the following argument of mine ( from this blog post ). 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. 1:17), talk to each other (see John 11:41-42; 12:28; 17:1-26), and know each other (see Matt. No Christian used it as a pagan symbol, in the same way no Christian uses a calendar today on their wall to exalt the pagan gods of the days and months it representsthus, calendars were factually derived from pagan in origins. Thus, they are often referred to as the Jesus Only Movement. 45:6-7; Hos. SeeWas the Trinity Conceived in the 4th Century? But for a deeper understanding, please view my other posts on this important subject. 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. 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. Oneness Pentecostals are vehement anti-trinitarians who commonly maintain that the doctrine of the trinity states that there are three gods. These are great questions and wonderful references. 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. This is because in Acts 2:38, we see a manifestation of this command. Oneness theology distorts and thus rejects the biblical concept of the Son being Mediator (Intercessor) between the Father and men (cf. If an individual believes that there are three gods, then they have, in effect, denied the doctrine of the trinity. In verse 4, he writes that the person who speaks in tongues edifies himself. But I thought that it would be useful to assimilate many of the arguments into one post so that you may have a quick reference. the Father (in the vocative case, Pater. First and third person personal pronouns and verb references: Throughout John 14 and 16 Jesus clearly differentiates Himself from the Father. Thus, those churches adhering to its basic doctrines cannot be regarded as authentically Christian. Why did I do this? Deuteronomy 6:4: Hear, O Israel! How would anybody understand what he is saying? Previous page of related Sponsored Products. While this book may be helpful insofar as it rehearses typical Oneness Pentecostal views and arguments, it is far from providing a substantial treatment of Scripture or a meaningful interaction with trinitarianism. The nature of the Trinity can be better understood 5. 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. Nevertheless, the requirements for outward adherence to a strict moral code in order to maintain salvation inevitably leads to legalism and a lack of assurance of eternal life. 14:7, 10, 16; etc.). Oneness Pentecostals honestly believe that their view of the Godhead is the true doctrine . Further, turning to 1 John 1:3, not only does John show that believers have fellowship with both the Father and the Son, but the Father and the Son are clearly distinguished as two persons by the repeated article tou (the) and the repeated preposition meta (with): We proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with [meta] us; and indeed our fellowship is with the [meta tou] Father and with [kai meta] His Son [tou huiou], Jesus Christ (see esp. A better work to understand the balance between " oneness" and "trinitiarisism" is the works of Thomas Fudge. At the time Boyd was full of zeal and all sorts of emotion, which comes out on nearly every page of Oneness . Unlike Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, Oneness Pentecostals teach both that there is one God and that Jesus is fully God. 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. It is noticeably absent. That the Son was the Creator clearly disproves the Oneness position. Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability Accredited. 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. Detroit: Gale Research, 1999.Dictionary of Christianity in America. On that first day, something looking like split tongues of fire fell from the sky onto the followers of Jesus. 4:30; Heb. But again Only by removing this passage from the document and immediate context can Oneness teachers posit a modalistic Oneness understanding. 1:20-21). 5. Therefore, we may conclude that Deuteronomy 6:4 and the multiple proof-texts for monotheism do not represent a good argument against the trinity. They had come to love their Messiah over the years. Example: in Isaiah 54:5, Maker is plural in Hebrew, lit., Makers; same with Psalm 149:2 where Maker is in the plural in Hebrew. Read the entire account. 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). But that position seems untenable. Description: While most Pentecostals are orthodox, there is a segment within this movement of "Oneness" or "Jesus-Only" Pentecostals who are not. There are four exegetical features, which provide a cogent refutation to the Oneness handling of this passage. Michael Burgos, is a modern Pharisee. Answering A Few Common Oneness Pentecostal Arguments John 6:38). In the Incarnation, God in his divine nature is the Father; the Son is the perfect man in whom God was incarnate; Jesus is the one God manifested in the flesh.