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The main points of Oneness
doctrine are as follows:
The reason that this doctrine exists is because Trinitarians have argued the case for Jesus being God very well and they have been convinced by these arguments, even though it is not true . Oneness followers are aware that there is only One God and they correctly assume that the Trinity is polytheism as they worship 3 identities as God. So to balance their false belief that Jesus is God and the Father is God, they have come up with a doctrine that attempts to explain One God, yet the Father and the Son being that God. Their answer to this paradox is simply to say that the Father is the same as the Son in identity, but the Son, Jesus Christ (God in flesh) is the name of God now that God has taken a body for himself. They then explain that conversations between God and Jesus e.g. "Not my will but your will"is the Eternal Spirit (God) speaking to the flesh (Jesus the son). So the description that water can come in 3 states, liquid, steam and ice is similar to how they see God being the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
This doctrine is an attractive one to those who know that the Trinity is a false doctrine. It attempts to answer the paradox that no Trinitarian can explain, i.e. how can Jesus and the Father be God an yet there still be one God. Below I have quoted some scriptures that are often quoted by Oneness followers and I have also added their reasoning as to why they think that these particular scriptures back up their Oneness doctrine.
By saying that the Father came in the flesh could only lead one to deny that Jesus came in the flesh.
If Oneness Doctrine were true, then 1 John 4:2 would mean that we have to believe that the Father who came in the Flesh (Jesus as they say) then came in the flesh. So he has 2 layers of flesh according to that interpretation.
Please do not pass over this quickly.
True faith requires that one believes that Jesus came in the flesh. Oneness Doctrine teaches another Jesus and makes a mockery of 1 John 4:2 by rendering it not only illogical, but makes that scripture out as a lie.
Oneness followers say that Jesus is the Father in flesh and teach that when Jesus said "not my will but your will", that that was the flesh talking to the Eternal Spirit (the Father). So by their words, they demonstrate that they and the spirit in them is not of God.
1
Corinthians 12:3 (English-NIV)
Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit
of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except
by the Holy Spirit.
Oneness followers use this scripture to say that Jesus is Lord which means that he is God. But is this reasoning sound. First of all I want to say that Jesus is Lord. Now read the following scripture.
1
Corinthians 8:5-6 (English-NIV)
5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven
or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"),
6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came
and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through
whom all things came and through whom we live.
Note that the word Lord in the New Testament is different to the word God. Actually the word Lord is different to the Old Testament word LORD. Anyway we can see plainly that there is one God and one Lord. That makes 2 persons. One is identified as the Father and the other is identified as the Jesus.
The same idea is repeated
in Ephesians
4:4-6 (English-NIV)
4 there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called
to one hope when you were called
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
So this scripture shows
us plainly that there is one Lord, who we know to be Jesus and there
is one God and Father of all. But to say that Jesus is God is to really say
that Jesus is the Father and this view is clearly not taught in scripture. So
their belief that Jesus Christ is both LORD (YHWH) and CHRIST (Messiah) is flawed.
Of course it is paramount that Jesus is the Christ and I will not need to argue
this as it is universally accepted by Christians that Jesus is the Messiah and
we are told the following in Matthew
16:15 (English-NIV)
15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed
to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
The truth that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ will not be overcome by Hades. But that doesn't stop people from teaching false doctrine. So far we can see clearly from scripture that Jesus is the Son of God and he is Lord and the Father is God.
Isaiah
9:6 (English-NIV)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and
the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Here we can see that Jesus is called "Mighty God" and "Everlasting Father" and Oneness followers will say that this is proof that Jesus is not only God, but he is actually the Father. (The Father in flesh according to their reasoning).
The word in the Hebrew for 'Father' is 'El' and this word means the following:
"So Jesus is the Mighty El and we can see that the word El can refer to any kind of god and we know that there are many gods, but for us, there should be one God the Father.
1
Corinthians 8:5-6 (English-NIV)
5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven
or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" (theos) and many "lords"),
6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and
for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all
things came and through whom we live.
John
10:34 (English-NIV)
Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, `I
have said you are gods (theos)'
2
Corinthians 4:4 (English-NIV)
The god (theos) of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers,
so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who
is the image of God (theos).
So Jesus is the mighty god, and you know what? We are gods, but we are not mighty like he is. Please note that Isaiah 9:6 doesn't say "Almighty God". (The term 'almighty' is even above 'mighty' and 'almighty' indicates that there are gods of a lesser position).
Now we know that Jesus is the Image of God, so if he is the Image, then he would obviously be like God and because men cannot see God, we see the Invisible Spirit through him. Jesus has a body and we can see the glory of the Invisible God through Jesus the only begotten Son of the Father. In a similar way we are told that the heavens declare the glory of God, yet we know that the heavens are not God. Also God can be revealed in us and we are not God either, we are gods. Jesus reveals the fullness of God and only Jesus can reveal God to us.
Like light striking a prism. The light may be invisible, apart from the fact that it reveals all things and the prism receives the light and reflects it into it's beautiful colours. So Christ reflects the fullness of God to creation and we who are redeemed should also reflect God, but we reflect only in part and the part we reflect is what makes us unique. Together the Church is actually the Image of Christ and Christ is the Image of God. Now we know that we are not Christ but his image and likewise with Christ. He is the Image of God, not the original God himself.
Colossians
2:9-10 (English-NIV)
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in
bodily form,
10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every
power and authority.
So just as we are not Christ, Christ is not God. The divine order is God -> Christ -> Man.
The other part of Isaiah 9:6 mentions the term 'Everlasting Father' and this on first glance seems like it is saying that Jesus is the Father and added with scriptures like "I and the Father are one", you could mistakenly draw the conclusion that Jesus is the Father. That Jesus is the Invisible Eternal Spirit.
The word Father that is used here is "Ab" and this word is the same word that is used when describing Abraham as our Father and this scripture is just a reference to say that Jesus is our Everlasting Father, in other words he is greater than Abraham, but it certainly doesn't say 'Heavenly Father'.
We need to read the adjectives carefully. When we see the word God we need to read the adjective to see what kind of God is being referred to. E.g. the God of this Age is different to the Most High God. Likewise the Everlasting Father is different to the Heavenly Father. Same with your earthly father, he is certainly not the Heavenly Father, but he is a father nonetheless.
It is very important to read scriptures not only in context but also in agreement with other scriptures, especially since it is possible to interpret some scripture in more than one way, because of the wide varying uses and meanings of some words. In fact we should always see things through Jesus eyes as he is the Truth because there are many ways to see the same thing, but the truth is one..
Now back to the words of Christ "I and the Father are one". Oneness followers say that this is proof that Jesus is actually the Father.
John
10:30 (English-NIV)
"I and the Father are one."
But this doesn't mean one person, it means one in spirit, purpose and deed. For if it meant one person, then we would also be the God.
John
17:21 (English-NIV)
that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in
me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world
may believe that you have sent me.
In addition, we have the
same word one being used in Ephesians
5:31 (English-NIV)
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and
be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
So it is obvious that the word one in these verses is talking about unity, not singular or unit.
The Oneness doctrine says that God came in a body and when God the Father took a body of flesh he called himself Jesus. But is Jesus, God in the flesh. Well the following scripture shows us that it was actually the one who was with God, namely the Word (Logos) who came in the flesh.
John
1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
John
1:14 (English-NIV)
The Word (Logos) became flesh and made his dwelling
among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, (Or the Only
Begotten) who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Now the Oneness doctrine also assumes that man is flesh. But the truth is that mans identity isn't flesh at all. The flesh is a nature that men inherit. Man (us) are actually souls and we are clothed in a body of flesh and we should have the Spirit within us, (within our soul).
1
Thessalonians 5:23 (English-NIV)
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and
through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be
kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we have a body, soul and spirit.
Romans
8:5 (English-NIV)
Those who live according to the sinful nature (flesh) have
their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance
with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Notice that our mind is neither the flesh, nor the Spirit.
Revelation
6:9 (English-NIV)
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls
of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they
had maintained.
Obviously we exist after the body dies. If we have eternal life, it is our soul that is saved.
Matthew
10:28 (English-NIV)
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill
the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in
hell.
Death of our body is not to be feared. Destruction of the soul is, because we are our soul.
Genesis
2:7 (English-NIV)
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
The soul is dead without the breath of God.
So man is a soul and a living man on earth is a soul housed in a body with a spirit inside his/her soul. Oneness doctrine completely ignores our soul and hence our true identity. The soul is who men really are.
If it were true that Christ is God's Spirit clothed in flesh, then he is surely not a man like us. We are composed of body soul and spirit, but Oneness doctrine states that Christ is God in flesh. So Oneness doctrine ignores Jesus soul. Remember that men are souls who can choose from either of 2 natures. God's nature and the human nature. Your decision affects your destiny.
2
Peter 1:4
Through these he has given us his very great and precious
promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and
escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
So the truth is that we can participate in either the Divine nature or human nature. But we are actually souls and it is our soul that God saves. The next scripture differentiates between our soul and spirit.
Hebrews
4:12 (English-NIV)
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents
of the heart.
So we are Souls in a body with a spirit or the Spirit dwelling in our souls. The assumption that God dwelt in flesh completely removes Jesus (identity/soul) from the picture, for Jesus was/is also a soul like us.
Jesus' Spirit comes from God, his body came from Mary made possible by the Power of God's Spirit. But surely Jesus must have an identity/soul of his own, that is neither Spirit or Flesh just like us.
Yes Jesus has a soul, he
is his own person. In Mark
14:34 (English-NIV) It says:
"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them.
"Stay here and keep watch."
Who is Jesus really? The Father, the flesh? No he is his soul and his identity is clear in scripture. He is the WORD/LOGOS. It was the Word who became flesh. He existed with God before all ages and God created all things through him and for him. The Word came from God in the beginning and the Word is a separate identity to God.
1
John 4:2 (English-NIV)
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit
that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
So we must recognize that Jesus came in the flesh, but Oneness Doctrine says that the Father came in the flesh, which clearly contradicts this important scripture. Their point of view says that Jesus is God's flesh/body so that makes the above scripture say that flesh came in the flesh. If they side step that conclusion and say that that Jesus is the God and Flesh union thing together, then according to the above verse, that union came in the flesh. It doesn't make sense either way you look at it. Jesus is a person, he has his own identity. He is not the Father, he is the Son, the Logos. It was the Logos/Word who came in the flesh. God never came in the flesh and God didn't die and God wasn't raised from the dead. No these things are only true of the Word/Logos.
John
1:14 (English-NIV)
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We
have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
If we consider these last 2 scriptures we can see that the Word is Jesus Christ. In addition, they also define those people who are not of God, i.e. they that deny that Jesus came in the flesh. Clearly it says that those who deny this truth are not of God.
The Oneness Doctrine truly denies that Jesus came in the flesh and says the Father came in the flesh instead. This scenario is antichrist. It also stupidly suggests that flesh somehow has a life of it's own and can walk and talk and has a will (a mind). But the truth is that the flesh/body is dead without a soul. A soul is dead without the spirit/breath. Jesus is his soul. His soul is the Logos. The Logos existed with God before all the ages. The Logos was given birth from God before all things. He is the Son of God, he is the Wisdom of God, he is the Image of God, he has the nature of God, but he is not that God whom he came from. No he is the Son of God. He is of God and we should be of Christ.
Oneness doctrine like the Trinity doctrine use the following 2 verses to prove that Jesus/Yashua is Yahweh.
Exodus
3:13-14 (English-NIV),
13 says the following: 13 Moses said to God, "Suppose I go
to the Israelites and say to them, `The God of your fathers has sent me to you,'
and they ask me, `What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"
14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites:
`I AM has sent me to you.'"
In John
18:5-6 (English-NIV) Jesus says the following:
5 "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor
was standing there with them.)
6 When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.
However we already know from Psalm 2:7 that Yahweh is the Father of Jesus. Jesus is the Son of Yahweh. Jesus is not Yahweh and the Son is not the Father. Therefore, Jesus (the Son of Yahweh) cannot be the I AM (Yahweh).
In context we read in John 18 that the Jews came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Jews took him to Annas first (vs.13). Then they took him to Caiaphas (vs.24) and eventually to Pilate (vss.28,29). A parallel account is found in Matthew 26:57-68. Notice, in particular, verse 59. The same men that had fallen backward to the ground were in attendance when the council sought false witnesses against Jesus to put him to death. Verse 60 says they couldn't find any. Eventually two came forward. Interestingly, they didn't bear false witness about what Jesus said in John.8:58, but about his reference to destroying the temple and building it again in three days, then Jesus was condemned for claiming to be the Son of God in Matthew 26:63-65.
The point about Matthew 26 is, why would false witnesses be sought if they had true witnesses in attendance? The arresting officers heard Jesus say "Ego eimi." They could have stoned him right there in the garden for blasphemy, but they didn't. They could have reported the supposed blasphemy to the council, but they didn't. Why not? Because it wasn't blasphemy, nor was it a stoneable offense. He was merely identifying himself as Jesus of Nazareth.
It is believed by some that the account recorded in John 8:48-59 further supports the position that Jesus is the "I AM." Why else would the Jews try to stone him (v59)? He obviously blasphemed in the eyes of the Jews.
"I am" is a translation from Greek words "ego eimi". Is the mere utterance of "ego eimi" a blasphemy? Does the use of "ego eimi" automatically identify the speaker as Yahweh, the I AM? In Luke 1:19, the angel Gabriel said, "Ego eimi Gabriel." In John 9:9, the blind man whose sight was restored by Jesus said, "Ego eimi." In Acts 10:21, Peter said, "Behold, ego eimi (I am) he whom ye seek." Obviously, the mere use of "ego eimi" does not equate one to the "I Am" of Exodus 3:14.
Jesus used the phrase "ego eimi" at least twenty times and yet, in only one instance did the Jews seek to stone him (John 8:58). Jesus said, "I am the bread of life" to a large crowd, in John.6:35-48, yet no one opposed him. In verse 41, the Jews murmured because he said, "I am (ego eimi) the bread which came down from heaven." But in verse 42, the Jews questioned only the phrase, "I came down from heaven" and ignored "ego eimi." The same is true of verses 51 & 52
In John 8:12, 18, 24, & 28, Jesus used "ego eimi" with Pharisees present (vs.13) and yet, no stoning. He, again, used it four times in John 10:7, 9, 11, & 14 with no stoning. Jesus said to his disciples, "that ye may believe that I am (ego eimi)" in John 13:19 without them batting an eye.
This brings us back to John.8:58. Why did the Jews seek to stone him on that occasion? The context of John 8 shows that Jesus;
Jesus words in verse 58 were the culmination of an encounter that was so offensive to the Jews, that they couldn't restrain themselves. They simply couldn't take it anymore so they sought to stone him, not because of two simple words, "ego eimi," but because he was making himself out to be greater than their beloved father Abraham.
To say that Jesus claimed to be God because he said "I am" can only be at most, an unsupported and weak opinion. It is obviously not a teaching, but simply an historical occurrence that many have turned into a teaching that has no foundation. Nor is there any scripture in the bible that uses this occurrence as a teaching to promote a Trinity or Oneness, or to prove that Yashua is Yahweh. To hinge the Trinity or Oneness doctrine on an assumption is indeed a weak argument to make and wouldn't get very far in a court of law. And to say that we are condemned if we do not believe in a certain vague interpretation is totally unacceptable to all who earnestly seek truth. Remember that we are judged by the measures we judge others, so we shouldn't be so unreasonable.
So what should a person do if they are involved in the Oneness movement and then they become aware that Jesus is the Son of God and the Father is the True and Most High God and they are different personalities. Well such a person needs to come out of this false teaching and let the truth set you free. You need to acknowledge that Jesus is the Logos (the Word) and that the Logos was with God in the beginning and that the Logos became flesh who is Jesus the Christ. You cannot believe that the Father became flesh and was called Jesus. Do away with such teaching as it is written:
1
John 4:2
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit
that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
You need to believe the following words:
Acts
8:36-37
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water
and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"
37 Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." The
eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
1
John 5:1
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of
God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.
John
17:3
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
To believe that Jesus is
the Father in flesh is another gospel.
John
20:31
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son
of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John
14:1
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God;
trust also in me."
John
8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Finally I leave you with the following advice. Never stop questioning and challenge all things to see if they are of God.
John
5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal
life: and they are they which testify of me.
Acts
17:11
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that
they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures
daily, whether those things were so.
Matthew
7:7
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
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