As an aside - Babes in Christ always be on the lookout for the
Oneness Pentecostalism (often called the
“Jesus Only” movement) uses very familiar Christian terms like “Jesus,” “baptism,” and “Holy Spirit,” but
means something very different by them.
What “Oneness” or “Jesus Only” Teaches
Oneness Pentecostalism denies the
Trinity.
Instead, it teaches that
God is one Person who simply
appears or manifests in different modes — sometimes as the Father, sometimes as the Son, and sometimes as the Holy Spirit.
So rather than believing in one God who exists eternally as
three distinct Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), Oneness theology claims those three are just
titles or roles of one single divine Person —
Jesus.
That’s why they’re often called
“Jesus Only” — because they baptize and pray only
in the name of Jesus, rejecting the Trinitarian formula “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (
Matthew 28:19 KJV).
What They Believe About Baptism
Oneness groups (like the
United Pentecostal Church International, or UPCI) teach that:
- You must be baptized in Jesus’ name only (not the Trinitarian formula),
- And you must speak in tongues as evidence of salvation.
They view baptism as part of the process that
causes salvation — not as a symbol of faith.
So in their system, a person isn’t fully saved until they’ve:
- Repented,
- Been baptized “in Jesus’ name,” and
- Spoken in tongues.
That’s why it’s sometimes called the
“Acts 2:38 doctrine.”
Why It’s Considered Heresy
- Denies the Trinity
- The Bible shows the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as distinct Persons who exist simultaneously, not as one Person shifting forms (e.g., Matthew 3:16–17, John 14:16, 2 Corinthians 13:14).
- Denying this distorts the very nature of God.
- Distorts the Gospel
- Scripture teaches we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV), not by baptismal formulas or outward signs.
- Baptism is a symbol of salvation, not the cause of it (Romans 6:3-4 KJV; 1 Peter 3:21 KJV — “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh…”).
- Reinterprets Key Verses
The Orthodox (Biblical) View
The historic Christian position since the first century has always been:
One God in three co-equal, co-eternal Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- The Father is not the Son.
- The Son is not the Spirit.
- Yet all three are one in essence and nature — the one true God.
Salvation comes by
faith in Christ alone, through His finished work on the cross — not by water, not by formula, and not by speaking in tongues.
In Short
Oneness Pentecostalism / “Jesus Only”
- Denies the Trinity.
- Makes baptismal wording a condition for salvation.
- Adds works and rituals to the gospel.
That’s why it’s considered a
serious doctrinal error — a heresy — by virtually all orthodox Christian traditions (Protestant, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox alike).
Grace and Peace
HOW ABOUT JUST LOOKING AT HIS WORD?
When the forerunners of the catholic church started the trinity in the year 325, it sure makes a lot of confusion.
I would love for someone to tell me what the names of those three persons are.
So the question who is right, the so called "oneness" who follow GODS word.
Or the runners of the catholic church who don't?
Did you know Acts 2:38 WAS THE FIRST MESSAGE THAT JESUS PROMISED, THE FOUNDATION?
Sad you don't believe HIS WORD.
JESUS IS GOD, HIS WORD not anyone's opinion.
Letting his word do the talking.
Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
John 1,
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days ((( I will raise it up.)))
Look here, JESUS speaking to Nicodemus. JESUS is ON the earth and he is also in Heaven!!
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Revelation 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Verses that JESUS spoke and those that GOD spoke.
JESUS IS COMING
1 Thess 3:11-13, Matthew 25:31-46, Titus 2:11-13
GOD IS COMING
Zechariah 14:4,5, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Revelation 19:11, 16
JESUS THE CREATOR
John 1:10, 1 cor 8:6, Ephesians 3:9, Col. 1:12-17, Hebrews 1:8-12, Revelation 4:8-11, 10:6, 14:6-7, 21:5-7, 22:3.
GOD THE CREATOR
Genesis 1:1, 2:7, Job 33:4, Psalm 33:6, 104:30, I sa 40:28, 44:24, 45:11-18, Mal 2:10
JESUS THE ROCK
1 Thess 3:11-13, Matt 25:31-46, Titus 2:11-13
GOD THE ROCK
Deut 32:1-4, 2 Samuel 22:1-3, 22:32, Psalm 18:2, 31:3, 78:34-35, 89:26, Isaiah 17:10-11
JESUS THE REDEEMER AND SAVIOR
1 John 4:14, 1 Peter 2:21-24, Acts 20:28, Gal 3:13, Luke 24:21-29, 2:10-11, Philippians 3:20, 1 Timothy 1:1-3, 4:10, Tutus 1:1-4, 2:10-13, 1 Peter 1:10-11, Jude 25
GOD THE REDEEMER AND SAVIOR
Psalm 78:34-35, I Isaiah 47:4, 44:6, 43:3-11, 45:21, 49:26, Psalm 106:21, Luke 1:46-47
JESUS FIRST AND LAST
Revelation 1:17, 22:13
GOD FIRST AND LAST
Isaiah 41:4, 43:10-11, 44:6-8
JESUS THE SHEPHERD
John 10:8-12, 1 Peter 2:21-25, Hebrews 13:20, 1 peter 5:4
GOD THE SHEPHERD
Psalm 23, Isaiah 40:10-11, Psalm 100
JESUS THE I AM AND I AM HE
John 18:5-8, 8:24-28, Revelation 1:17-18,
GOD THE I AM AND I AM HE
Exodus 3:13-14, Isaiah 43:10-11 and 25.
JESUS THE KING
Matthew 2:1-6, Luke 19:32-28, 23:3, John 18:37, 19:21, 1 Timothy 6:13-16, Revelation 15:1-4, 19:11-16
GOD THE KING
Psalm 24, 44:4, 74:12, Isaiah 43:10-15, 44:6-8, Jeremiah 10:10, Zechariah 14:9
There are MORE can you tell us the name of the three gods?
It really helps understand HIS word after HE fills us with the Holy Ghost.