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Mormonism
Jehovah's Witnesses
Oneness Theology
(modalism)
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*FEATURE
ARTICLES
"Firstborn"
and the JWs
Definite
Atonement
John
1:1 and the Jehovah's Witnesses' New World
Translation
The
Rise of False Teachings within the Church
The Do’s and Don’ts of Effective Witnessing
Most utilized unitarian Objections to the
Trinity
The
term "Jehovah" and the Jehovah's Witnesses
Mormonism
and Black Skin
Irresistible
Grace: The Effectual Calling of God
The Security of the Believer:
Perseverance of the Saints
The
Big Three
The Jehovah's
Witnesses most used three passages to show that
Jesus was created
Prov. 8:22; Col.
1:15; and Rev. 3:14
Proverbs 8:22:
“Jehovah produced me as the beginning of his way. . . .”
(NWT).
JW
theological starting point: God is unitarian (i.e.,
one Person, Jehovah) thus Jesus is not God, but created.
RESPONSE:
1. “Possessed” (Heb. quanah), means “to
get” or “to buy” (e.g., Prov. 1:5; 4:5, 7).
2. The context of Proverbs chapters 1-9 is
*Wisdom*. Wisdom is personified as a woman (cf. 8:1, 2,
3, 9:1-3; etc.). But to maintain that the chapter is
referring to the Messiah, the NWT (the
Watchtower's translation of the Bible) changed the
original gender of the Hebrew pronouns ("her," "she") to
neuter pronouns, "it," its" (8:2,
3, 11; 9:1, 2, 3, etc.).
3. There has been no Jewish Rabbi or Jewish
literature that has interpreted Proverbs 8 as speaking
of Messiah. For Scripture does not teach that the
Messiah of Israel would be female.
4. Even though some
church Fathers saw these passages as referring to
Christ, none saw the passages teaching that Christ was
created. So, appealing to church history does not
support the WT view.
5. Scripture presents that Jesus is eternal
God, Creator of all things (cf.
John 1:1;
8:24; Col. 1:16-17;
Heb. 1:3, 8-10;
Titus 2:13).
--------------------------------
Colossians 1:15:
Christ is, “the firstborn of all creation.”
JWs
assume here that "firstborn" mean "first-created" as
they see Jesus.
RESPONSE:
1.
Historic note: Paul wrote Colossians for the express
purpose to refute the
Gnostic heresy
that taught Jesus was not God, nor the Creator of all
things. They taught that sprit was good and matter
(earth, flesh, etc.) was inherently evil, see more on
Colossians 1:15-17
here.
2. The word translated “firstborn” (prōtotokos)
primarily means "supremacy" or "superiority" as the entire
context of chapter 1 indicates:
all things have been
created through Him and for Him. He is
before all things, and in Him all
things hold together.
Biblical examples of where prōtotokos means
supremacy:
*Exodus
4:22: Israel is called “firstborn” yet there
were many nations before Israel--Israel had the
supremacy being God's chosen nation.
*In
Psalm 89:27, David is called “firstborn,”
but David was technically last born.
Referring to Psalm 89:27, the Watchtower correctly
recognized that fact that "firstborn" here refers to
David's preeminent position as stated in their JW
training book, Aid to Bible Understanding:
David, who was the youngest son of Jesses, was called
by Jehovah the "first-born," due to Jehovah’s elevation
of David to the preeminent position in God's
chosen nation
(Aid to Bible Understanding, 1971, 584; emphasis
added).
Genesis 41:51, Manasseh is called “firstborn” and
Ephraim is called “second.” But in Jeremiah 31:9,
Ephraim is called “firstborn.” Moreover,
Thus, in these contexts "firstborn" does not indicate
"first-created" as JWs assumes of Christ in Colossians.
Hence, Christ as Creator had supremacy over "all things"
created.
3. If Paul wanted to convey that Jesus was
“first-created” he certainly could have used the word
prōto-ktistos meaning “first-created” to do so (cf.
2 Cor. 5:18: kainē
ktisis, “new creation”).
--------------------------------
Revelation 3:14:
Jesus is, “the beginning of the creation by God.”
The JWs assume here that Jesus is said to have had a
beginning.
RESPONSE:
1. The Greek word translated “beginning” is
archē can mean "source" or "ruler" (e.g.,
architect, archbishop).
2. Concurring with this meaning, the NWT
translates archē in Luke 20:20 as “governments.”
See also Ephesians 6:12 where archē is
translated by the NWT as “governments.”
3. Note that in Revelation 22:13, Jehovah,
whom JWs believe is eternal, is called archē.
4. The the NWT mistranslates the passage.
The Greek does say "by God," but rather "of God" (tou
theou, lit., "of the God"). The term God (thou)
is in the *genitive* case (i.e., the case that
expresses possession) indicating that Christ
is the "ruler" or "architect" (archē) of
God's creation.
For more information on the JWs see
Jehovah's Witnesses
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The atoning cross-work of God the Son was not a vague
non-specific universal work for which no one is actually
(but only potentially) atoned, but rather it was a *definite
atonement and according His perfect
*sovereignty
and pleasure of His own will (cf. Eph. 1:4-5, 11).
ALWAYS
BEING READY TO MAKE A DEFENSE
In the first century the axiom of the church was:
"Contend for the Faith" (Jude 3), but
regrettably that has changed. Through the Apostle
Peter, God commands all Christians to always
be ready to provide a defense (apologia) and
reason (logos) for their faith (cf. 1 Pet. 3:15;
Titus 1:9, 13). If Christians do not speak out against
false teachings that confuse as well as deny definitive
Christian theology, thus deny Christ, the false teachings will be
construed as truth. Christian should be able to
reasonably and biblically communicate essential
Christian doctrines such
as the Tri-Unity of God, the full
Deity of Jesus Christ the Son of God and
Justification through faith alone.
Accurately affirming and defending who God is, thus, how
He revealed Himself in Scripture, not only honors Him as
He should be honored, but highly glorifies Him--for it
is an act of true worship.
See
The
Rise of False Teachings within the Church
A Definitive Look at Oneness
Theology: Defending the Tri-Unity of God
(by Edward L. Dalcour,
University Press, 2005)--Order here
"For those who do not have time to conduct the
exegetical work necessary to refute Oneness claims but
who wish to be theologically informed or to discuss the
doctrine of the Trinity with theologians in the United
Pentecostal tradition, Dalcour has provided a valuable
resource."—John D. Laing, Harvard School for
Theological Studies, Southwestern Journal of
Theology, Vol. 47. 
Oneness Pentecostals and other Oneness (i.e., “Jesus
Only”) groups make up one of the largest and fastest
growing anti-Trinitarian professing Christian
constructs world-wide--and yet, they are one of least
written about, spoken out against, and thus evangelized
non-Christian cults.
A Definitive Look at Oneness Theology
critically examines the claims of Oneness theology in
light if biblical exegesis. It provides an
exegetical refutation to chief Oneness theological
assertions, such as the notion that (a) God is
unipersonal (i.e., monotheism equals
unipersonalism or unitarianism), (b) Jesus is
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, (c) the Son did
not exist before Bethlehem, (d) the Son is not God,
(e) the Son did not become flesh, (f) one must
be water baptized (“In the name of Jesus”) in order to
be saved (as with the UPCI). This book also
provides a positive presentation of the doctrine of the
Trinity (ontological, economical, and soteriological)
READ MORE.
Order here
A Concise Look at
Oneness Beliefs
Theological Identification:
“Oneness” theology, historically known as “modalism.”[1]
Who:
Oneness churches include the
United Pentecostal Church International (hereafter
UPCI), which is the largest Oneness domination. In
addition to the UPCI, there are many other Oneness
churches having generic names such as “Apostolic,”
“Bethel Temple,” “Higher Ground,” “Jesus’ Name,” or even
“Jesus Only,” etc. Further, there are many popular and
prolific preachers on the airwaves that propagate
Oneness theology (e.g., Trinity Broadcasting Network
[TBN] features one of the most recognized Oneness
preachers, T. D. Jakes of the Potters House,
Dallas, TX. [2]
Theological Distinctives:
1. Oneness theology rejects the
doctrine of the Trinity, for they are unitarian (i.e.,
believes that God exists as one Person—unipersonal).
2. Oneness theology rejects the
eternality of the Person of the Son.
3. Oneness theology rejects that the
Son was the actual Creator.
4. Oneness theology rejects the
personhood of the Holy Spirit.
5. Many Oneness churches especially the UPCI
rejects justification through faith alone
by teaching that one must be water baptized (“in the
name of Jesus” only) to be saved—with the evidence, as
the UPCI teaches, of speaking in other tongues.
6. Virtually all Oneness churches reject
that water baptism should be done in the *triune*
formal as instructed by Jesus in Matthew 28:19, rather,
as they insist, it should be dome in the name of Jesus
only.
God: Oneness
believers categorically reject the doctrine of the
Trinity, thus rejecting the true nature of God—rejecting
God Himself. Oneness doctrine holds to the idea that God
is a unitarian deity, thus existing as one Person (or
unipersonal).
This one unitarian/unipersonal deity (whose name is
“Jesus”) has manifested as one of three modes or
roles, as either the “Father” (the divine nature of
Jesus who is God—eternal), or the Son (the human nature
of Jesus, not God—not eternal), or Holy Spirit
(synonymous with the Father mode). Hence, Oneness
believers firmly deny that there is one God revealed
in three distinct Persons. For this reason,
believers in this doctrine are called “Oneness”
believes. As seen, this belief is also defined as
*unitarian* (a one Person God). In an official UPCI
doctrinal tract titled, “60 Questions on the Godhead
with Bible answers,” we read in question 11:
Does the Bible say that all the Godhead is revealed
in one person? Yes, in Jesus Christ. II Corinthians 4:4;
Colossians 1:19; 2:9; Hebrews 1:3 (http://www.upci.org/doctrine/60Questions.asp).
Jesus: As indicated,
according to Oneness theology, the “name” of this
unipersonal deity is “Jesus.” Therefore, as they
believe, Jesus, while on earth, had two natures:
divine as the Father/Holy Spirit and human as
the “Son of God,” though not “God the Son,” only the
Father is God. Therefore, Jesus (the name of the
unitarian deity) revealed Himself as three different
modes or
roles.
As a result, Oneness teachers assert that when Scripture
speaks of Jesus as God (e.g., John 8:24, 58; 20:28 Titus
2:13; etc.) it is speaking of Jesus in the Father mode.
But when Scripture speaks of Jesus as the human man
(e.g., “I thirst” or “who touched Me”) it is really
speaking of Jesus in the human Son mode.
So, when reading Scripture, one must determine,
according to this doctrine, in which mode or
manifestation Jesus was speaking: the “Father” mode, the
human “Son” mode, or the “Holy Spirit” mode?
By asserting that Jesus’ divine nature was merely the
mode of the Father (and Holy Spirit), Oneness believers
are able to proclaim that “Jesus is God in the flesh.”
However, this is a play-on-words, for when they say
“God” what they mean is that Jesus as the Father
is God—namely, His divine nature. In this way, they can
say that Jesus (as the Father) is the eternal God, or
that Jesus (as the Father) preexisted; while claiming
that it was only for the sake of redemption that the
Father (Jesus’ divine nature, not the preexistent Son)
came down and wrapped Himself in human flesh
(though, not actually becoming flesh). In this
view, Oneness doctrine teaches that the Person of the
Son was not eternal His life started in Bethlehem.
For a short
outline on the Oneness rejection of the Son's
preexistence see this See
The Preexistence of the Son
and
Oneness Theology.
The Father: Jesus’
divine nature, God.
Son: Jesus’ human
nature, the Son of God, not God the Son, for only the
Father is God. Jesus’ divine nature is the Father (or
the Holy Spirit), His human nature is the Son.
Holy Spirit: Jesus’
divine nature. Thus, as to His divine nature, Jesus is
both Father and Holy Spirit depending on His particular
function (e.g., Jesus as the Father created all things,
but Jesus as the Holy Spirit mode is the Comforter).
See10
Questions to ask Oneness Believers
Oneness theology was first known as
monarchianism, which comes from the Greek
word monarchia, meaning single
principle. There were two forms of
monarchianism: modalistic, and the far
less accepted, dynamic (or more properly
called adoptionism), both of which
emerged at the end of the second century.
Modalistic monarchianism, known also as
modalism, Sabellianism (named after the heretic
Sabellius, who came to Rome and taught it at the
beginning of the third century) and even
patripassianism (from Lat., meaning, “father
to suffer”). Today, however, modalism is
generally classified as “Oneness.” Modalism
earned its name from its distinctive theology.
Basically, modalism (or Oneness theology)
teaches that God is a unitarian (i.e.,
unipersonal), indivisible monad. Hence, the
titles “Father,” “Son,” and “Holy Spirit” were
merely the different modes, roles, or offices
that the unipersonal deity temporally
manifested for the sake of redemption. Oneness
teachers today tell us that Jesus is the name of
the single, lone Person behind the three masks
of the “Father,” “Son” and “Holy Spirit” (in
contrast to early modalism, which taught
it was the Father Person behind the masks).
If you are unsure about the orthodoxy of a
particular church (or pastor), examine the
church’s doctrinal statement concerning God. If
it avoids the word “Person,” and/or describes
God as three “manifestations” or “dimensions”
(as T. D. Jakes
does, see
http://www.thepottershouse.org/PH_doctrine.html
use
extreme caution! Orthodox Christianity has never
described God as merely temporary appearances,
manifestations, or even worse, “dimensions.”
Oneness churches typically describe God in those
terms. However, if a church claims to be
Trinitarian, yet uses terms like
“manifestations” to describe the three Persons
of the Trinity, it reveals theological ignorance
or carelessness. In my observation, the term
“manifestations” in a doctrinal statement
frequently indicates Oneness rather than
Trinitarian theology. Therefore, when churches
avoid the term “Persons” in their doctrinal
statements—beware.
The Canon is
closed
So then
you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are
fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's
household having been built on the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the
corner stone (Eph.2:19-20).
In direct contrast to the Protestant concept of sola
Scriptura ("Scripture alone") is sola Ecclesia
(i.e., “Church alone”), which is clearly the marrow of
groups such as Catholicism. Hence, it is not that the
Catholic apologist does not have the ability to exegete,
but he has no need, for the Church has done the job for
him. For the Catholic sees his Church, not Scripture, as
the final sole authority in all areas of life and
theology (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church,
para. 84-85, 113).
We
worship
one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity,
Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing
the Substance [nature]
(Athanasian
Creed).
There is one Physician who is possessed both of
flesh and spirit; both made and not made
[agennhtoj]; God
existing in flesh; true life in death; both of
Mary and of God; first possible and then
impossible, even Jesus Christ our Lord
(Ignatius, Letter to the Ephesians, 7. 2;
c. A.D. 107).
We
worship the one Deity in three Persons,
subsisting without beginning, uncreated, without
end, and to which there is no successor (Methodius,
Oration on the Psalms, 5; c. A.D. 305).c.
A.D. 305).
We neither separate the Holy Trinity,
like some; nor do we as Sabellius work confusion
[into it] (Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical
Lectures, 16. 4;
c.
A.D.
348).
Sabellianism is Judaism
imported into the preaching of the Gospel under
the guise of Christianity. . . .
(Basil the Great “To the notables of
Neocaesarea,”
in Letter 210;
c. A.D. 375)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
[tou kuriou Ihsou
Xristou], and [kai] the love of God [tou qeou], and
[kai] the fellowship of the Holy Spirit [tou agiou pneumatoj] be
with you all (2 Cor. 13:14).
Therefore,
having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
(Rom. 5:1)
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Department of Christian Defense
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