Know Anything about "Oneness Pentecostals?"

[michaelgazin]

So I recently came across a new objection to the Holy Trinity. Are you familiar with the “oneness pentecostals?” They teach something that there is no such thing as the Trinity, not because there are multiple God’s, but because there is one God. All Catholics, and most all Christians say “of course, I agree.” But the pentecostal then says there is no such thing as “3 persons in the one Godhead.” They teach that the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the Father are all God, but not separate at all. The teaching is so obscure, I don’t know what to think. It seems that they truly believe in the Trinity, just not the definitional wording of it, but they again deny this.

They baptize only in the name of Jesus, and believe those who baptize in the name of the “Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” will not be saved.

When asked to explain Matt. 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” the pentecostal emphasizes “name,” and explains that we must baptize in the *name *of all those, which is only Jesus.

Anyone have any experience with these people or beliefs?

 

[Church_Militant]

Hi Michael!

I’ve dealt with them and they deny the trinity, so I use essentially some of the same points that one uses in talking to JWs. A very good resource is Beginning Apologetics # 2.5 from San Juan Catholic Seminars (CA carries them to in their online store) because it is all about the trinity and those who reject it.

One verse that some folks will use is Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Which on the face of it supports their permiss. The truth is that it does not at all because the Hebrew word used here is the word “echad”, which means “one unity”.

It is the very same word used in Genesis 2:24 Wherefore a man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be two in one flesh.

Now …it’s pretty simple really. It’s impossible to have a unity without a plurality…

Another passage that sort of leaps off the page at ya is Genesis 1:26 And he said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth. Note the “let us make man to our image and likeness…” There’s that plurality again…and though it doesn’t “prove” a trinity, it certainly holes their doctrine at the waterline.

See The Trinity as well for ECF qoutes on it.

 

[michaelgazin]

Hey good stuff CM!

Yea, it is very difficult to discuss trinitarian apologetics with them because most of it revolves around Jesus and the Holy Spirit both equally being God along with the Father, and it normally appears to support their case. There is few apologetical material revolving around proving the distinct individuality of the three persons of the Godhead.

Thanks for the info!

 

[DavidFilmer]

Too bad (for them) that the term “unitarian” was already taken.

 

[Seatuck]

Alex Jones who converted was a Oneness Pentecostal. Read about journey.

 

[DavidB]

Church Militant:

Hi Michael!

I’ve dealt with them and they deny the trinity, so I use essentially some of the same points that one uses in talking to JWs. A very good resource is Beginning Apologetics # 2.5 from San Juan Catholic Seminars (CA carries them to in their online store) because it is all about the trinity and those who reject it.

One verse that some folks will use is Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Which on the face of it supports their permiss. The truth is that it does not at all because the Hebrew word used here is the word “echad”, which means “one unity”.

It is the very same word used in Genesis 2:24 Wherefore a man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be two in one flesh.

Now …it’s pretty simple really. It’s impossible to have a unity without a plurality…

Another passage that sort of leaps off the page at ya is Genesis 1:26 And he said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth. Note the “let us make man to our image and likeness…” There’s that plurality again…and though it doesn’t “prove” a trinity, it certainly holes their doctrine at the waterline.

See The Trinity as well for ECF qoutes on it.

Excellent response, Michael!

I would add that many Oneness Pentecostals border on cult-like behavior. Very strict legalism. They also work very hard trying to convince Trinitarian Christians of all flavors that they are wrong. But, to their credit, they love Jesus a lot.

David