ONENESS PENTECOSTALISM: A SUBTLE HERESY
Carl McCaskey
by John Morehead, TruthQuest Institute
“YOU MEAN THAT THIS GROUP believes there is only one God, and that Jesus is
fully God, yet they are still considered a cult?” The Christian gentleman
making the inquiry was astonished when I answered “Yes,” as are most
Christians when they encounter the group in question: The United Pentecostal
Church International, part of the rapidly growing Oneness Pentecostal
Movement.(1)
The reason for this astonishment, and the reason why many Christians have
difficulty seeing anything wrong with Oneness theology, is that the movement
seems orthodox in many respects. As previously mentioned, they affirm the
existence of only one God, as well as the full deity of Jesus Christ, and
make no appeals to extrabiblical revelations as do other anti-Trinitarian
cults such as the Latter Day Saints (Mormonism) and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Yet
despite their seeming orthodoxy, Oneness theology involves subtle errors in
their understanding of the nature of God and Jesus Christ. The Oneness
position is defined as “the doctrine that God is absolutely one in numerical
value, that Jesus is the one God, and that God is not a plurality of
Persons.(2) The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three “manifestations” or
“modes” of the one God. The orthodox doctrine of the Trinity, that the
Father Son and Holy Spirit are three distinct, co-existent, co-equal Persons
within the one God, is explicitly rejected as pagan. It is this heretical
doctrine, coupled with their errant teachings on baptism and salvation, and
their legalism and authoritarianism, which rightly classify Oneness
Pentecostalism as a pseudo-Christian sect or cult. Yet alarmingly, many of
this movement’s members came from the ranks of Trinitarian Pentecostal and
charismatic churches.
“It is this heretical doctrine.., and their legalism and
authoritarianism, which rightly classify Oneness Pentecostalism as a
pseudo-Christian sect or cult.”
HISTORY
Historically speaking, Oneness theology is not new. In the third century
A.D., the Latin theologian Sabellius taught a heresy known as modalism (a
teaching similar to modern Oneness theology), which was reborn in 1913
during a Pentecostal camp meeting outside Los Angeles, CA. The Oneness
Pentecostal Movement now has some 1 million members in the United States and
close to five million worldwide. Of the many Oneness groups in the movement,
the United Pentecostal Church International is the largest denomination with
over 1.4 million members worldwide.
THE NATURE OF GOD
Despite a number of Oneness deviations from orthodox Christian beliefs as
mentioned above, given the lack of space, this article will briefly focus on
the Oneness denial of the Trinity.
Oneness adherents frequently accuse Trinitarian Christians of belief in
three Gods (tritheism). However, historic Christian creeds and confessions,
such as the Westminster Confession of Faith, define the Trinity otherwise:
“In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance,
power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.(3)
It also states, “they are not three gods: but one God.(4) Confusion often
arises in the mind of Oneness adherents over the definition of “person” as
“individual being,” leading to their faulty charge of tritheism. As applied
to the Trinity however, the term “person” is best understood as a self-aware
subject in relationship with other subjects in a subject-object
relationship. Each “person” of the Trinity is a subject in a loving,
co-existent relationship with other persons of the Trinity. At this point we
must be careful not to project our finite understanding of persons onto the
infinite nature of God. As cult researcher Robert M. Bowman notes, “God is
not finite, so it may be that as an infinite being He exists as three
distinguishable persons, while remaining one indivisible essence...[I]t may
[also] be that He exists as a kind of differentiated infinite unity that is
triune (three in one) though not triplex (three in parts).(5)
“ONENESS” OF GOD
Orthodox Christians and Oneness adherents are agreed that the Scriptures
teach that there is only one God. The classic text in this regard is Deut.
6:4. Numerous other biblical passages teach that there is only one God.
However, the Bible nowhere teaches that the “oneness” of God is to be
understood as only one Person. Here orthodox Christianity and Oneness
Pentecostalism diverge. Christianity affirms one God in three co-existing
persons as Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Oneness theology affirms one God in
one person, Jesus Christ, in three modes or manifestations.
JESUS AS GOD
Trinitarians and Oneness adherents affirm that Jesus Christ is fully God
(Jn. 1:1; Tit. 2:13). However, they have radically different understandings
of the meaning of the divinity of Jesus. For Trinitarians, Jesus, as God the
Son, existed from all eternity with the Father and the
Holy Spirit. He took a human nature in addition to his divine nature at the
incarnation. Thus, Christ's nature is that of essential deity and humanity
while not denying the deity and co- existence of the Father and the Holy
Spirit. By contrast, in Oneness theology, Jesus is the only person who is
God. Jesus, the one person of the Godhead, took on a separate manifestation
in the person of the Son at the incarnation. The co-existence of the
“persons” of the Father and the Holy Spirit are denied. Support for this
view by Oneness adherents comes from a misinterpretation of a number of
biblical passages, most notably Col. 2:9, “For in Him [Christ] dwells all
the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” A close examination of this passage,
however, does not support the Oneness interpretation. The passage merely
affirms that Jesus is the full and complete revelation of God's nature and
character in the flesh. It is not teaching that the Godhead encompasses only
one person or that Jesus is the Father.
JESUS NOT THE FATHER
In Jn. 10:30 Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” Oneness adherents
frequently cite this passage as a prooftext meaning that Jesus and the
Father are the same person. Ironically, this
passage teaches exactly the opposite. Scholarly biblical studies clearly
point out that the Greek word for “one” in this passage suggests that Jesus
was claiming unity of nature with the Father but not identity of person.(6)
In other words, in this passage Jesus was claiming divinity, as evidenced by
the reaction of the Jews in verses 31-33, but was not claiming to be God the
Father.
THE ACHILLES HEEL
Perhaps the most serious weakness of Oneness theology is its failure to
recognize relationships which exist among the Godhead which demand
co-existent persons. The Scriptures speak of Jesus’ prayers to His Father
(Mat. 26:39), of His having shared in the glory of the Father (Jn. 17:5), of
the Father speaking to the Son (Mat. 3:17) and of the Father and Son sharing
love for one another (Jn. 10:17). These passages become meaningless if the
Father and the Holy Spirit are merely “manifestations” of Jesus as Oneness
Pentecostalism maintains.
THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES
This all-too-brief examination of a rapidly growing movement has shown that
the Oneness doctrine of God and of Christ is not faithful to biblical
teaching. But how serious is their error? In our day many Christians see
little practical value in doctrine, especially Trinitarian theology. And
many Christians are quick to accept Oneness Pentecostalism into Christian
fellowship, especially in charismatic circles.
In 2 Cor. 11:4 the Apostle Paul warned of “another Jesus,” a counterfeit
Christ who looked like the genuine. In affirming the deity of Christ Oneness
Pentecostalism resembles the Jesus of Christianity. But as we have seen,
their error is subtle, affecting a core doctrine of the Christian faith: the
person of Jesus Christ. The subtlety of their heresy does not make Oneness
Pentecostalism less dangerous however, but more so. For people are more
likely to swallow a pill that looks like the genuine article than one that
is overtly false.
In Oneness modalistic manifestations, by redefining “Son” as the human
nature of Jesus, and “Father” as His divine nature, Oneness theology may
seem less offensive to Evangelicals than Mormonism or Jehovah's Witnesses,
but it is a heretical deviation nonetheless. Oneness churches are indeed
cultic and we encourage Christians to reach out with the truth in love to
those caught up in this dangerous system. -JWM ARIC
FURTHER READING
Oneness Pentecostals and the Trinity by Gregory A. Boyd (Baker, 1992).
Jesus Only Movement by E. Calvin Beisner (Zondervan, 1996).
ENDNOTES
1.. Members of this movement are also referred to by the nickname “Jesus
Only” due to their teaching that baptism is properly performed only in the
name of Jeus (Acts 2:38), not in the Trinitarian formula of Father, Son and
Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19).
2.. David K. Bernard, The Oneness of God (Hazelwood, MO: World Aflame
Press, 1983), 321- 322.
3.. Philip Schaff, The Creeds of Christendom, Vol. III (Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Book House, 1983 reprint),607-608.
4.. Schaff, op. cit., Vol. II, 67.
5.. Robert M. Bowman, Jr., “Oneness Pentecostalism and the Trinity,”
FORWARD (Fall, 1985), 23.
6.. A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Vol. V
(Nashville, TN: Broadman, 1932), 186-187.
(2) ...and many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.” Matthew
24:11
(3)”
(4)” Schaff, op. cit., Vol. II, 67.
(5)” Robert M. Bowman, Jr., “Oneness Pentecostalism and the Trinity,”
FORWARD/Fall 1985, 23.
(6) A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament ( ), Vol. ___, ___.
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----
Michael Zentner
divide the body. God is the Father, we are his children. Love all children
of God because they are your brothers and sisters. People who divide because
they believe they have the whole truth and everybody who believes
differently is wrong are not only deceived but are deceivers. Love is the
ultimate answer!
Michael Zentner
Carl McCaskey wrote in message <7kdtmt$mhc$1...@server.cntfl.com>...
>ONENESS PENTECOSTALISM: A SUBTLE HERESY
>by John Morehead, TruthQuest Institute
>
>“YOU MEAN THAT THIS GROUP believes there is only one God, and that Jesus is
>fully God, yet they are still considered a cult?” (blah, blah,
etc,etc......
Contractor
<sai...@nettally.com> wrote:
>ONENESS PENTECOSTALISM: A SUBTLE HERESY
>by John Morehead, TruthQuest Institute
Has this subject not been thrashed and thrashed and thrashed.
Have you lot not gone on and on and on about it.
So you disagree with trinitarians.
So what, I have looked at both arguments for months now and neither of
you are getting any where.
Is there absolutely no other subject you can speak on??
If not, why not just stay in a pentecostal group and not cross post
all over the NG's ??
Your argument does not carry any more weight just because you have
repeated yourself a thousand times. It just annoys some of us more.
Consider yourself "ticked off".
Contractor.
tweety71
trinity which is god the father, the son and the holy spirit
Michael Zentner wrote in message <7ke187$n...@dfw-ixnews5.ix.netcom.com>...
>The more you learn Mr McClaskey, the less you seem to know. Quit trying to
>divide the body. God is the Father, we are his children. Love all children
>of God because they are your brothers and sisters. People who divide
because
>they believe they have the whole truth and everybody who believes
>differently is wrong are not only deceived but are deceivers. Love is the
>ultimate answer!
>
>Michael Zentner
>
>Carl McCaskey wrote in message <7kdtmt$mhc$1...@server.cntfl.com>...
>>by John Morehead, TruthQuest Institute
>>
>>“YOU MEAN THAT THIS GROUP believes there is only one God, and that Jesus
is
>etc,etc......
>
>
manns...@mindspring.com
>the bible says that jesus is lord and that we all must believe in the
>trinity which is god the father, the son and the holy spirit
I have looked all over the Bible, using Strong's Concordance, and Young's
Analytical
Concordance, and I can't find the place where we are commanded to believe in
the Trinity
to be saved. I came across the passages that state that a faith in Jesus
Christ is
necessary, and believing that God raised Him from the dead is necessary for
salvation,
and some places even say you must be baptized in order to be saved, but
nowhere
does it state a nessesity in believing in the Trinity, in order to be saved.
Jesus is the only
name given "whereby we must be saved". You don't even have to confess belief
in
the Holy Spirit, in order to be saved.
Yes, the Bible says that JESUS is Lord, but it doesn't say that the Holy
Spirit is Lord, though
it DOES say that the Father is Lord. Now if you read certain translations,
you will see that
in John 17, that Jesus confesses that the Father is the only TRUE God, and
that the Father
has given His own name to the Son. These are some scriptures that must be
plugged
into any person's theology, and be harmonized with. Remember that the Holy
Scriptures
creates the doctrines for us to believe -- our "church doctrines" do NOT
translate the Bible for us.
The Bible takes precedence over church doctrine, if there is disparity
between the two.
**Johnnie N.**
Victoria A Mann
unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4).
The trinity is a false doctrine of the roman catholic sorcers.
Blessings from Victoria
tweety71 wrote in message <7kr7r9$2sc$1...@news.laserlink.net>...
>the bible says that jesus is lord and that we all must believe in the
>trinity which is god the father, the son and the holy spirit
>>The more you learn Mr McClaskey, the less you seem to know. Quit trying to
>>divide the body. God is the Father, we are his children. Love all children
>>of God because they are your brothers and sisters. People who divide
>because
>>they believe they have the whole truth and everybody who believes
>>differently is wrong are not only deceived but are deceivers. Love is the
>>ultimate answer!
>>
>>Michael Zentner
>>
>>Carl McCaskey wrote in message <7kdtmt$mhc$1...@server.cntfl.com>...
>>>by John Morehead, TruthQuest Institute
>>>
>>>“YOU MEAN THAT THIS GROUP believes there is only one God, and that Jesus
>is
>>etc,etc......
>>
>>
>
>
boblinda
doctrine that is not found in the scriptures.We get hung up on doctrinal
differences,while people are going to hell.
Whether you are Trinitarian or oneness,you have got to preach that Jesus is
the only way.You can not know the Father, unless you know the Son.Jesus
reveals the Father,point people to Jesus.
Yet in modernism today everything is relevant to knowing God.If you are a
Buddhist,new ager,you can know God.
Yet the bible says; that he(Jesus) is the way the truth and the life.(John
14:6)
This doctrine of believing in many ways to God is coming into the
church.This is the heresy that will damn people to eternal destruction.
<manns...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:7ks3t8$qr9$1...@nntp5.atl.mindspring.net...
> tweety71 wrote in message <7kr7r9$2sc$1...@news.laserlink.net>...
> >the bible says that jesus is lord and that we all must believe in the
> >trinity which is god the father, the son and the holy spirit
>
>