The Challenge of Oneness Pentecostalism
I was baptized and discipled in a church affiliated with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. When I was considering getting credentials with the PAOC, I was surprised that at one time the PAOC actually subscribed to oneness theology. How did all this happen? Early on in the Pentecostal movement some people began to notice that in the book of Acts (on which much of their theology was based) that people were baptized in the name of Jesus rather than the traditional formula from Matthew of the name of the Father, Son and Spirit. Further reflection suggested that the explanation for the discrepancy was that the name of the Father, Son and Spirit was in fact Jesus. That is there was no Trinity, just one God and that God’s name was Jesus. This theology has been around since the beginning of the church and is known as modalism since it teaches that God appears in different modes throughout history rather than having a plurality of persons within the divine unity. For people who struggle with the complexities of the Trinity, there is a certain attraction to this.
Although the PAOC later rejected oneness theology and embraced trinitarian theology, oneness Pentecostalism continues to exist in the United Pentecostal Church and various apostolic movements. What are trinitarian Christians to make of oneness Pentecostalism? Normally heresies are defined by a deficient Christology. No one can accuse the oneness Pentecostals of that. They could easily affirm the early Christian creed of Jesus is Lord. That is not to say that I agree with their theology. I do not think that the Father’s affirmation of Jesus at his baptism or transfiguration makes any sense if the Father and Jesus are the same person. Nor does Paul’s differentiation of the Father and the Son. I firmly believe that the Trinity is the best explanation for the data we have in the Bible regarding the relationship between the Father, Son and Spirit.
I also have concerns about legalism within oneness Pentecostalism. I have known people who have belonged to the UPC. Not only are there strict rules about clothing and hairstyles, mixed gender swimming is allowed only if everyone is fully clothed. I am told that pastors are to sign an annual document stating that they do not own a television set. I was also told that the wearing of wedding rings as an obstacle to salvation was a live issue.
Some of these things are typical of holiness movements and may vary from group to group and region to region. I am even more concerned about their requirements for salvation. It is not enough to just repent and place faith in Jesus, accepting the price he paid on the cross. One must also speak in tongues and be baptized in Jesus’ name only. While I accept that tongues continues to be a gift for today, I think Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians that it is not for everyone. Also, I find it difficult to believe that God would hold a person back from eternal life because they were baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit, especially when it is a biblical formula.
Are oneness Pentecostals Christians? I have serious concerns about bad theology, legalism and the presence of works righteousness. I would encourage oneness Pentecostals to carefully read the Scriptures and see the Father and Jesus from another perspective. But if a oneness Pentecostal is trusting in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation, even with bad theology and bizarre rules, I think that they should be considered Christian. I am sure more conservative Christians would disagree with me and I did not come to this position lightly. In the end, it is all up to God and it is not our role to pass judgment. All we can do is to have frank and open discussion, better biblical teaching and offer grace in our attempts to build bridges.
For more reading: How Did Oneness Pentecostalism Start?
I am a member of a UPC church and I appreciate your openness to having frank and open discussion…
I wanted to point you to a website with various articles re: Apostolic Pentecostals.
God Bless…
http://www.onenesspentecostal.com/author.htm#dulle
As a Oneness theologian I can appreciate your conclusion. Indeed, I have always been baffled by Trinitarians who claim that the Oneness view of God is heretical when Oneness theology affirms the core Biblical teachings about God and Christ: there is one God, the Father is God, and Jesus is the pre-existent divine person incarnate. Both Trinitarianism and even Oneness theology for that matter, are theological constructs that have been put forward to try to make sense of all the Bible has to say about God and Christ. Whether Trinitarianism or Oneness theology does a better job is systematizing the data is where the real debate lies. But in my opinion, neither construct is heretical in a technical sense because both affirm the core, raw Biblical data.
As for legalism, yes, there are many legalists in our ranks (which is the case in all holiness movements). That is unfortunate, but not all of us are legalists, and not all of us agree on the various holiness issues. For example, the vast majority of people are not opposed to wedding rings, and even though ministers are not to own TVs, most of the people in our congregations own TVs.
As for our doctrine of salvation, we do believe that Christ’s death is completely sufficient for our salvation. Contrary to what you seemed to imply, we do not believe that baptism or tongues add something to Christ’s atonement. Many Evangelicals misunderstand this point because they view baptism (in particular) as a work. But we fail to see what makes baptism a work. If it is because it requires that we do something before we are saved, then repentance must also be considered a work, which is absurd. Both are done in faith, and God is the one who does all the work. As for tongues, no Oneness theologian would say that tongues save. They say the Spirit saves. Tongues merely serve as the evidence by which one knows they have been filled with that saving Spirit.
Finally, not all Oneness Pentecostals would say a person cannot be saved unless they are baptized in Jesus’ name. While virtually all Oneness Pentecostals believe that the Jesus’ name formula was what Jesus intended and how the early church baptized, in my experience the majority would say such people may be saved, and a smaller segment would say they are saved. My point is not to speak for all Oneness Pentecostals, but only to point out that there is a wide range of views within Oneness circles.
Thanks for your comments. I appreciate your balanced viewpoint. I certainly did not mean to say only oneness Pentecostals struggle with legalism. I have known numerous Baptists and trinitarian Pentecostals who have had their share of legalistic baggage.
As for baptism as a work, I have heard Calvinists say that saying faith is required for salvation is wrong because that makes faith a work. There are so many things that we can get caught up on. Also regarding baptism, at the Pentecostal Assemblies church where I was baptized, one of the older pastors used both the in Jesus’ name and the name of the Father, Son and Spirit in his baptisms just to cover all the bases.
(Us, Our) Abba Father God, and the Son Jesus Christ.
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let (us) make man in (our) image, after (our) likeness.
Notice in Daniel Daniel 7:13 Son of Man(Jesus Christ) and the Ancient of Days (Father God) (They)
Daniel 7:13
I saw in the night visions, and, behold (one like the Son of man) came with the clouds of heaven, and came to (the Ancient of days) and (they) brought him near before him.
(the Spirit of his Son) into your hearts, crying (Abba, Father)
Galatians 4:6
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth (the Spirit of his Son) into your hearts, crying (Abba, Father)
Notice in Galations 4:6 Father God sends Forth the (Spirit) of his Son, Jesus Christ!
The Son Jesus Christ has a Spirit, and his spirit in us Cries out to Abba Father God.
When I baptize people, I say “I baptize you in the name of the Father (Abba Galatians 4:6) and in the name of King Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and the Holy Ghost.”
King Jesus Christ of Nazareth is LORD…
I agree that the Father, Son and Spirit are separate within their unity. I do not agree with oneness Pentecostals, but I do think they are closer to the truth than unitarians who deny the deity of Christ.