The Trinity is not the teaching, in spite of some of its critics, that there are three gods, nor is it the teaching that one person is three persons. As such, it is distinguished from polytheism, the belief in the existence of many gods, from atheism, the belief that there is no god, and from agnosticism, the belief that the existence or nonexistence of a god or of gods is unknown or unknowable. 2 They teach people that they are saved when they are not. Adam was a type of the one who was to come, and Jesus is the last Adam. Over the years, Ive spoken to many people within the oneness Pentecostal movement. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world? 23 Jesus answered him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Please note, though, this is not saying there are three competing and separate gods (polytheism). Were all three of these distinct persons who do something Jesus? It is simple. To be in the Father does not literally mean to be the Father. However when the Oneness Pentecostal see messianic statements in the Psalms that seem to regard the Son as existing presently, they are viewed as prophetic. Amen. Zechariah 12:10, I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. Passages are quoted in the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise indicated. Furthermore, it denies the true incarnation by denying the hypostatic union, separating the persons into two and only the human person died on the cross, thereby negating the divine sufficiency of the sacrifice. The Oneness Pentecostal would agree with Arius who said that "there was a time when the Son was not." Also, Paul indicates that while he wishes everybody could speak in tongues, they cannot, and he would prefer that they prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:4-5). These references include Romans 1:7, Romans 15:6, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 1 Corinthians 8:6, 2 Corinthians 1:2-3, 2 Corinthians 11:31, Galatians 1:1-3, Ephesians 1:2-3, Ephesians 1:17, Ephesians 5:20, Ephesians 6:23, Philippians 1:2, Philippians 2:11, Colossians 1:3, 1 Peter 1:2-3. Did He ascend to His OWN right hand? The one God and Father is the God and Father of Jesus. Nestorianism, the logical result of oneness theology regarding the person of Christ, leads to a scenario where the different natures of Christ speak alternately at different times even though theyre in the same sentence. Understanding how Jesus identifies himself in the Gospels Read More Jesus is the Model for Us The following points should focus on the particular problems: A) The Oneness position cannot explain logically or Biblically the clear references to the pre-existence and Creatorship of the Son such as Colossians 1, Hebrews 1 and John 1. . The first premise of the trinity is that there is only one God. What is wrong with the oneness view of God? 9 And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth., 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. It is something like an executioner acting in the name of the king.
