By R.B. Ring
*********
In these last days we rally to uphold the Word of God which will stand forever ( Isaiah 40:8 ) as the only sure foundation for faith, calling upon Christians everywhere to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints ( Jude 3 ).
One of the most rapidly spreading errors of our day is the teaching that God the Father and God the Holy Spirit do not exist ; that Jesus alone is all three of the personalities of the Godhead. This not only dishonors the Father whom Jesus says sent Him ( John 4:34; 9:4; 11:42; 17:3; and 1 John 4:9), but the Holy Spirit ( John 14:16,17 ). We are expressly warned to be careful of how we speak of the Holy Spirit ( Luke 12:10).
Those who believe that Jesus alone is God must confess that according to Scripture they believe the following:
1.) Jesus is His own Father ( Acts 13:33 )
2.) Jesus begat Himself (John 3:16 )
3.) Jesus prayed to Himself and thanked Himself for giving the answer ( John 11:41).
4.) Jesus had to go away in order to send Himself back (John 16:7).
5.) Jesus promised those who were with Him on earth that as His own Father in heaven He would give Himself under a different name to them ( Luke 11:13 ).
6.) That Jesus said He was greater than Himself ( John )
7.) That Jesus as His own Father loved Himself ( John :17)
8.) That Jesus gave Himself a commandment which He obeyed ( John 10:18).
9.) That Jesus was the way to Himself ( John 14:6 ).
10.) That Jesus anointed Himself with Himself and accompanied Himself on earth ( Acts 10:38 )
11.) That in the same breath, Jesus said " blasphemy against Him would be forgiven and not forgiven." ( Luke 12:10)
12.) That His will disagreed with itself in the Garden of Gethsemane until He submitted His will on earth to His will in heaven and this struggle between His two wills caused Him to sweat drops of blood just as the struggle to conceive of such a situation may cause the believer to do likewise. ( Luke 22:42 )
13.) That Jesus prayed to Himself to forgive those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34)
14.) That Jesus forsook Himself on Calvary's cross. ( Matthew 27:46 ).
15.) That when Jesus died upon the cross He committed His own spirit unto His own hands ( Luke 23:46 )
16.) That when Jesus left this earth He went to meet Himself. ( John 16:28 )
17.) That Jesus then sat down at His own right hand ( Mark 16:19; Mark 14:62; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; and 1 Peter 3:22)
18.) That Jesus gave Himself all power in heaven and in earth ( Matthew 28:18)
19.) That Jesus is both judge and lawgiver pleading our cause with Himself. ( 1 John 2:1; 1 Tim 2:5; Heb 8:6; 12:24)
20.) That Jesus required His own death on the cross to satisfy Himself and reconcile a lost world to Himself by working in Himself ( 2 Cor 5:18,19 )
The above are only a very few of the many difficulties resulting from belief in the oneness doctrine. The utter folly of this teaching and the resultant confusion will be apparent if you will read
Jesus Himself declared that He knew not the hour of His return to earth, that neither the angels in heaven know it, but the Father only. If Jesus were both the Father and the Son, He knew the hour of His own return and He knew not the hour of His return.( This is ludicrous. ( emphasis mine - DeeperStill)
Jesus Himself declared that it was not His perogative to give power to sit on His right hand and His left hand, that these places would be given to whomever they were prepared for by His Father.
If we conceive of Jesus as being both the Father and the Son as this form of Unitarianism teaches, then we must understand that He both had and did not have the power to designate who should receive the seats of honor in glory. If this statement was made of one and the same person, then a falsehood is involved since He said it was not His to give ( Mark 10:40)
The first Christian martyr, Stephen, saw heaven opened and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Was Stephen seeing double? Was Jesus standing with Himself? Take note here that Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit and saw both God the Father and God the Son. Right there at Stephens death, we see the trinity in function. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. How could Stephen be filled with the Holy Spirit and still see God the Father and God the Son standing in heaven if God the Spirit was In Stephen.. unless the true understanding is that God is Triune and not modalistic.
So, lets put off this false doctrine and stand firm upon the truth which we have been taught and avoid such disputes any longer. Our God is One. He is One "WHAT" , three "WHO's"
Fundamental Truth
The trinity of God is the fundamental fact of the faith which we have been shown from Genesis to Revelations and it cannot be denied. Those who come teaching a different truth have sadly, been mislead by this false doctrine. And we must pray for them that they will have their eyes open to the true biblical understanding of the Godhead. We should not forsake them because most likely they believe themselves to be believing the truth.
However, let me suggest that you really read about the oneness's beliefs. I believe you will see other misunderstandings they believe such as the doctrine of baptism.. and other things.
But You, stand on the truth that you have been taught and avoid contentious and divisive arguments . Do not be swayed and look for fruit of the Spirit, not gifts of the spirit because gifts can be counterfeit but fruit is Love....
T
*********
In these last days we rally to uphold the Word of God which will stand forever ( Isaiah 40:8 ) as the only sure foundation for faith, calling upon Christians everywhere to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints ( Jude 3 ).
One of the most rapidly spreading errors of our day is the teaching that God the Father and God the Holy Spirit do not exist ; that Jesus alone is all three of the personalities of the Godhead. This not only dishonors the Father whom Jesus says sent Him ( John 4:34; 9:4; 11:42; 17:3; and 1 John 4:9), but the Holy Spirit ( John 14:16,17 ). We are expressly warned to be careful of how we speak of the Holy Spirit ( Luke 12:10).
Those who believe that Jesus alone is God must confess that according to Scripture they believe the following:
1.) Jesus is His own Father ( Acts 13:33 )
2.) Jesus begat Himself (John 3:16 )
3.) Jesus prayed to Himself and thanked Himself for giving the answer ( John 11:41).
4.) Jesus had to go away in order to send Himself back (John 16:7).
5.) Jesus promised those who were with Him on earth that as His own Father in heaven He would give Himself under a different name to them ( Luke 11:13 ).
6.) That Jesus said He was greater than Himself ( John )
7.) That Jesus as His own Father loved Himself ( John :17)
8.) That Jesus gave Himself a commandment which He obeyed ( John 10:18).
9.) That Jesus was the way to Himself ( John 14:6 ).
10.) That Jesus anointed Himself with Himself and accompanied Himself on earth ( Acts 10:38 )
11.) That in the same breath, Jesus said " blasphemy against Him would be forgiven and not forgiven." ( Luke 12:10)
12.) That His will disagreed with itself in the Garden of Gethsemane until He submitted His will on earth to His will in heaven and this struggle between His two wills caused Him to sweat drops of blood just as the struggle to conceive of such a situation may cause the believer to do likewise. ( Luke 22:42 )
13.) That Jesus prayed to Himself to forgive those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34)
14.) That Jesus forsook Himself on Calvary's cross. ( Matthew 27:46 ).
15.) That when Jesus died upon the cross He committed His own spirit unto His own hands ( Luke 23:46 )
16.) That when Jesus left this earth He went to meet Himself. ( John 16:28 )
17.) That Jesus then sat down at His own right hand ( Mark 16:19; Mark 14:62; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; and 1 Peter 3:22)
18.) That Jesus gave Himself all power in heaven and in earth ( Matthew 28:18)
19.) That Jesus is both judge and lawgiver pleading our cause with Himself. ( 1 John 2:1; 1 Tim 2:5; Heb 8:6; 12:24)
20.) That Jesus required His own death on the cross to satisfy Himself and reconcile a lost world to Himself by working in Himself ( 2 Cor 5:18,19 )
The above are only a very few of the many difficulties resulting from belief in the oneness doctrine. The utter folly of this teaching and the resultant confusion will be apparent if you will read
Jesus Himself declared that He knew not the hour of His return to earth, that neither the angels in heaven know it, but the Father only. If Jesus were both the Father and the Son, He knew the hour of His own return and He knew not the hour of His return.( This is ludicrous. ( emphasis mine - DeeperStill)
Jesus Himself declared that it was not His perogative to give power to sit on His right hand and His left hand, that these places would be given to whomever they were prepared for by His Father.
If we conceive of Jesus as being both the Father and the Son as this form of Unitarianism teaches, then we must understand that He both had and did not have the power to designate who should receive the seats of honor in glory. If this statement was made of one and the same person, then a falsehood is involved since He said it was not His to give ( Mark 10:40)
The first Christian martyr, Stephen, saw heaven opened and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Was Stephen seeing double? Was Jesus standing with Himself? Take note here that Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit and saw both God the Father and God the Son. Right there at Stephens death, we see the trinity in function. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. How could Stephen be filled with the Holy Spirit and still see God the Father and God the Son standing in heaven if God the Spirit was In Stephen.. unless the true understanding is that God is Triune and not modalistic.
So, lets put off this false doctrine and stand firm upon the truth which we have been taught and avoid such disputes any longer. Our God is One. He is One "WHAT" , three "WHO's"
Fundamental Truth
The trinity of God is the fundamental fact of the faith which we have been shown from Genesis to Revelations and it cannot be denied. Those who come teaching a different truth have sadly, been mislead by this false doctrine. And we must pray for them that they will have their eyes open to the true biblical understanding of the Godhead. We should not forsake them because most likely they believe themselves to be believing the truth.
However, let me suggest that you really read about the oneness's beliefs. I believe you will see other misunderstandings they believe such as the doctrine of baptism.. and other things.
But You, stand on the truth that you have been taught and avoid contentious and divisive arguments . Do not be swayed and look for fruit of the Spirit, not gifts of the spirit because gifts can be counterfeit but fruit is Love....
T
