GAIUS, What
do you believe
TRINITY
O.K., we will first hit the Trinity, since
Fundamental Baptists seem to differ these days. Actually, most do not
differ but their terminology comes across as related to or ascribing to
another theology, why? Because the Pentecostals have a theology of
"Oneness" that utilizes terms that most Baptist Pastors have used for
many years...
Example: John 10:30 "I and my father are
one"
1 John 5:7 "There are three that bear record
in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are
one"
Baptists, when referring to the Trinity
often state that "there is one God who exists in three person, the
Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and these three are one".
Those that have become familiar with the
"Oneness" doctrine, curse and damn faithful Baptists fearing that they
are preaching the "Oneness" doctrine. There is a small splinter group
refered to as "Oneness Baptists". These can not be considered Baptist
at all, but heretics.
ONENESS
The "Oneness" doctrine denies the Trinity
and states, there is one person in the Godhead who has manifested
himself in three different forms: the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit. These "forms" are not three separate persons, but one person
who occupied consecutive modes: the Father who became the Son who
became the Holy Spirit.
TRINITY
The Trinity, on the other hand, is the
teaching that there is one God who exists in three separate,
simultaneous, persons. Each are God, each are individual persons.
Trinity doctrine states there are three
persons in one God, and Oneness Pentecostal theology states there is
only one person.
Both seem to indicate One, or a Common God,
however, the Oneness theology denies the Trinity, or the state in which
God exists in 3 persons.
The danger is, and it is a fine line, is
Jesus God the Father, or is He fully God yet a separate person with
distinctive characteristics and desires.
Questions to ask a Oneness person:
-
Is Jesus His own Father?
-
If the will of Jesus and the will of the
Father are identical, then why did Jesus express the desire to resign
Himself, not to His own will, but the will of the Father?
-
Because they are separate persons, yet
fully God. Jesus, no doubt, would have desired more days of helping
and healing this creation, teaching and leading us.
-
Was Jesus praying to Himself at this
point?
-
Was Jesus saying, "Not My will, but My
will be done? if there is only one person and one will involved?
-
Whose name do you Baptize a believer into?
God, referred to as the Father, IS fully
God.
Christ IS fully individual, and fully God.
The Holy Spirit IS fully individual, and
fully God.
Baptist Preachers proclaiming the Doctrine
of the Trinity, wake up, many of you are falling into a trap of words
when you say...
"there is one God who exists in three
person, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and these three are one".
You are received by the hearer, as a
"ONENESS" believer, who denies the Trinity.
If you are a Fundamental, Bible Believing
Baptist, proclaiming the Trinity, you might say that they are "the same"
rather than "one".
You should proclaim the deity of Christ by
saying "Christ is fully God" in every breath.
Avoid, unless you are a "Oneness Heretic",
avoid using the statement, "these three are one." Yes it is in the
Bible, but it has spawned a controversy that is ruining the reputation
of several good Men of God, putting them off to be Heretics.
Then, if you are
labeled "Oneness", you are labeled "Doctrinal Problems." You are
questioned "Whose name do you Baptize a believer into."
The Devil is attacking from among the
ranks of Bible Believing Baptists. A slight of hand, a slip of tongue,
another denomination using similar words to yours as doctrine that
denies the Trinity, as well as Christ's Deity.
Some have fallen to the Heretic Doctrine of
"Oneness", many are being blamed.
Put on the whole armor of God. Stop
sitting in your study, blind to the changes in religion that judge and
trap blinded persons.
Here's one more... Catholics are fast on
the heals of Pentecostals, why?... If they are ONE, and Mary is the
mother of Jesus, then, Mary is the mother of GOD. This ONENESS give
credence to the Catholics upholding of Mary, praying to her, and making
her the center of their worship.