I'm a Oneness Pentecostal who used to be Trinitarian

11/12/2015

updated 2020 October 17th

I'm an Apostolic Pentecostal Christian and I believe in the Oneness view of the Godhead. We believe that God is one. We do not believe that God is 3 in 1. We believe it is the same God who is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. His name is Jesus.

I used to be Trinitarian. The doctrine of the Trinity believes that God is 3 distinct yet inseparable gods or divine "persons" in the Godhead: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It's been compared to a 3 leaf clover. The Son's name is Jesus.

I do want to say that I believe Trinitarians and Oneness Christians are both genuinely Christian and we have the same God. We simply have different views of the Godhead and how God can be the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I had never heard of the Oneness view until I met an Apostolic Pentecostal friend in 2011. The Trinity had never really made sense to me. I accepted it as a great mystery that I couldn't fully understand. When I first heard of Oneness I was leery having had been taught that any church not adhering to the Trinitarian view was not really a Christian church or at least not an acceptable denomination. I was intrigued. As I studied, I found myself unable to prove them wrong. I found the Trinity, however, to not be as bible-based as I thought it was.

Consider these things.

The bible says many, many times that God is one. It never uses the word Trinity. It never says God is 3 gods (or 3 persons) in 1 Godhead. It never says “God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit”.
What it does say is that God is one (Deut. 6:4 and many other places).
Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Colossians 2:9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
Colossians 1:15-20 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
2 Corinthians 4:4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
1 Timothy 3:16 By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory
1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 1:3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

(All scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible)

God . . .
The prince of peace, the eternal father, the king
revealed in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16)
the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15, 2 Corinthians 4:4)
an exact representation of His nature (Hebrews 1:3)
radiance of His glory (Hebrews 1:3)
the fullness of the Deity in bodily form (Colossians 2:9)
I see one God in the bible.
Jesus

A couple other verses to consider:

Jesus says he has come in his Father's name (John 5:43)
John 14:7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen him.
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

How can God be the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit?
God is omnipresent. He is everywhere all the time. He can be in numerous places at once; he can be in heaven and in spirit form and in bodily form all at the same time. He is that powerful. He is that big. He has no limits. He is not restricted the way that mankind is. He is able to manifest himself in multiple ways. He is not divided or weakened. He is one.

A man can be a couple's child, a woman's husband, and a child's father all at the same time. One man can be in those 3 roles without being divided. Surely God can be in 3 roles without division or restriction.

The doctrine of the Trinity became accepted in 381AD at the First Council of Constantiple. The apostles didn't teach it. The early church didn't teach it. Jesus didn't teach it. The bible does not use the word Trinity nor does it say anything about "God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit" with a triune teaching. The Trinity is using man's logic to explain how God can be in 3 roles. It is not in scripture nor is it a direct interpretation of scripture. Coming to that revelation and studying the scriptures above was sufficient for me to stop following the trinitiarian view.

God said in his word that he is one. Jesus said he has come in his father's name and the holy spirit will be sent in his name. The bible says Jesus is the image and representation of God revealed in the flesh (bodily form). The bible says that the fullness of God was in him. I believe it. I believe that God is One. Jesus is God. This is what I follow.

7 Comments

Keyonma Robinson

8/7/2019 23:50:24

I have enjoyed this! I myself am a oneness Apostolic pentecostal who use to be trinitarian. The strange part is that, i was actuly raised in a oneness church from the time i was born. But i never knew the church i went to was Oneness..lol But when i discovered the truth i was amazed, exxited and mind blown! Ive been fully oneness for 4 years now and was a trinitarian for 7 years..(16-23) was baptized in Jesus ne at age 21 and 2years later converted my belief in doctrine at age 23. And till this day, ive made a promise toy heavenly Father, Jesus Christ that ill nwver return to the trinity! Thank you for your story!

Mondel cabague

6/12/2021 06:13:41

The bible itself old and new testament details that there is really a father co existence with the son as verses that follows proverbs 8.22to30,proverbs 30.4.and in the new testament Jesus himself mention that He is came and sent by the father as a matter of fact john 14..Jesus said trust in God and trust also in me. John 16...explains that Jesus is came from God and send by the father as what the 12 discple understood after He speak not in a view of figurative statement about the father and Jesus.. And clearly admit that He came not of his own but to the father. The onness insist that there is no father only Jesus while the scripture detailed that a father is exist with the son Jesus.

Just a Man link

26/5/2021 23:53:30

I am drawn to Apostolic Churches because of it’s practice and teaching of holiness (a lot of Churches are comprised) however, I can’t wrap my head around Mark 1:9-11 as it relates to the Oneness doctrine.

Mark 1:9-11 KJV
[9] And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. [10] And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: [11] And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

You’d have to infer a lot to interpret this scripture as one God operating in 3 different modes.

If Jesus was with John, while seeing a dove (in the form of the Holy Spirit) descending from heaven and also hearing a voice saying saying to Jesus “my beloved son in whom I am well pleased”.

Was this Jesus speaking to himself from heaven while descending upon himself as the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove or three distinct members interacting at the same time?

Ultimately, I believe truly saved and Holy Ghost filled Oneness and Trinitarian believers will see God, I don’t think either view is heresy, but I’m just a believer not a theologian or preacher. I love Jesus Christ and have brought my life under his subjection. I just want to go to heaven.

Jackson Turner

18/10/2021 10:39:49

This video explains your question quite well: https://youtu.be/CU0P3awcikw. It is with Dr. David K. Bernard, who has a Doctorate in Theology from South Africa University.

John Alexander link

8/6/2021 16:56:02

Its shameful to me that Christians actually BATTLE one another over such a ridiculous topic as the Trinity.
With so many other pressing issues that the church is confronted with in a rapidly changing world you'd think our house would be cleaned up enough not to put thee doctrinal stumbling blocks in front of so many central american migrants seeking Jesus.
The growing harvest of ex Muslims seeking Jesus who are already suspicious of the trinity and other complicated issues yet here we Christians stand divides as ever.

Each denomination claiming unity in the body yet can't properly define the classical definition of the trinity they claim to abhor as traditions of men.

No counting the number of steps one made on the sabbath was a tradition of men Jesus warned of. Filtering gnat's from drinking vessels traditions of men., failing to his observe the laws call for mercy were traditions of men.
The Triune God may embarrass some folks who avoid all the negative baggage associated with it. But the further we get away from the biblical ( inference ) of Gods relational nature.
Then we Christians will continue.to make a mockery of the love true disciples of Jesus are supposed to reflect.
God bless you all

Jeff Burroughs link

12/6/2021 21:03:44

I am goin thru situation now I've been a beleiver in Jesus as savior for 20 years or so but was always shown how God reveals himself as trinity but almost 2 years ago I was homeless I met a guy who said he was Christian and I told him I was believe r but he asked me if I ever was baptized I said yes a couple times he asked under what name I told him father son holy spirit but he explained acts 2 38 formula invited me to a bible study at a pentecostals church in jonesboro I went he eventually helps me off street I was rebaptized in Jesus name but introduced me to the oneness doctrine never heard it till then I've been goin for long while I started sharing gospel videos from there but I could never come to truly accept that oneness doctrine I've had lots convicted when I started sharing messages there I see both sides oneness but I also see trinity view my freind try in convince me it's only oneness but I still see in many verses both sides but I see more verses that support triune view than the other one I told my freind it's not opinion im look in for truth and I know only truth sets us free I beleive 100 percent Jesus is God manifested in flesh as son of God I accepted his salvation but now I'm struggling try in accept this oneness doctrine maybe u can help me in this area cause it's been troubling me

Cameron

10/11/2021 18:28:04

WOW! I was a baptist who believed in the trinity as well. I was always taught to avoid pentecostals because they had bad theology. I was excelling in my gifts and in my doctrine to the point that I was preaching every friday night to the youth at the bapstist church. I was also a guest speaker at many events. I preached my first sermon when I was 19 years old to the whole congregation one sunday morning in the baptist church because of my knowledge of the word. But I looked in depth to this Oneness doctrine and a light went off. It is like the more I learn the crazier I become about God. I study doctrine and read the word every single day no joke. So at 21 years old me and my wife both got re-baptized in Jesus name and we both have the Holy Ghost speaking in other tongues. I am going through a battle right now that gets very discouraging. Every pastor or brother I ever built a relationship with in the trinitarian community is challenging me and trying to re convert me and debunk the doctrine. I am standing tall and only letting the word of God speak for itself. They can not answer many things I present. Just like you I find it harder to debate Oneness than I do to debate trinity. God bless you and thank you for your testimony!!!

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I'm a Oneness Pentecostal who used to be Trinitarian

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