by Pastor Dick Helms, October 1, 1999(A short answer to the Oneness Pentecostal doctrines denying the Triune person of God)
by Pastor Dick Helms, October 1, 1999
The Doctrine of the Trinity is not only foundational to true Christianity, but has also been well established by sound Biblical exegesis over the centuries. Contrary to oneness teachings, Biblical Christians (Trinitarians) do not teach that "Jesus and God are two separate and distinct beings." It is important that we study the Bible in the context of its entirety and not remove individual verses upon which to build doctrine. True Biblical Christianity teaches that:
One God in three persons: see A Short Bible Study/Proof of the Doctrine of the Trinity.
To deny the true triune nature of the Godhead as revealed in Scripture is to create a god in your own image and in accordance to your finite understanding. Trinitarian doctrine accepts the reality that God is far beyond our mortal comprehension and that ... The things which are impossible with men are possible with God (LUK 18:27 KJV). Simply put, where God is concerned, some things must be accepted by faith.
The Bible teaches each of the above five points of the doctrine as the absolute truth of God. The only way to reconcile the points is to believe Jesus when he tells us that ... The things which are impossible with men are possible with God (LUK 18:27 KJV) and believe the whole word of God when it tells us that God is indeed ONE, and that The Father is God, and Jesus is God, and The Holy Spirit (Ghost) is God, and that they all interact with mankind, and each other, as distinct Persons (not separate beings). Simply put, the God of the Bible is One God, an eternally existent triune God. The Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost. Three in one.
Adherents to the oneness doctrines are absolutely correct when they state that "the reason it is essential for us to know this (the true identity of Jesus) is because the validity, authority, and truthfulness of all he taught depends on his identity as God." The question here is "Which God?"
Make no mistake, Trinitarian Doctrine teaches that Jesus is God. Jesus, Fully God, Fully Man, God the Son, The second person of the ONE true triune God of the Bible.
Three Persons - As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (MAT 3:16-17 NIV)
One God - For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (1 JOHN 5:7 KJV)
If you have further questions or would like clarification of the information presented in this article, Pastor Dick Helms has graciously allowed The Bible Room to include his email address for that purpose. Pastor Dick may be contacted at [email protected] .
Beware lest any man spoil you through
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world,
and not after Christ. (COLOSSIANS 2:8)