You know your theology is in trouble when you would lose a debate with a 9 yr. old.
Oneness Pentecostals deny the biblical doctrine of the Trinity and hold, instead, to oneness modalism doctrine.
This doctrine holds to a modalist form of monotheism whereby God is the Father, then becomes the Son and finally becomes the Holy Spirit. In this view the godhead does not consist of three persons who are eternally district yet unified since they are one being.
My wife was reading a book about early church history to our kiddos. When she got to the portion about oneness modalism the 9 yr. old said that it did not sound right because at Jesus’ baptism Jesus, the Son, was on Earth AND a voice came from heaven, the Father, so God is more than one person.
Upon being told of this, I pointed out to my wife that, in fact, that text is a classic refutation of oneness modalism. She noted that, indeed, as she kept reading that text was brought up to refute it.
Indeed, there are a few other instances when two or three persons in the godhead are referenced as being present at the same time.
In closing, note that this is the same child who at 5 yr. old identified the “problem of evil” by stating and asking, “Goatheads [a thorny seed] hurt, why did God make goatheads?” You can read all about that episode here:
The Godhead’s Goathead
You can read more about Oneness Pentecostals here:
Oneness Pentecostalism’s Philosophy
And under Trinity : God’s Nature and Trinitarian Doctrine you will find a plethora of ways to see how the doctrine of the Trinity is derived from the Bible:
Trinity : A Consideration of Anti-Trinitarian Views, part 1 of 2
Trinity : A Consideration of Anti-Trinitarian Views, part 2 of 2
Trinity : Are Jesus and the Archangel Michael the Same Personage?
Trinity : Are there Biblical Examples of the Trinity and of the Godhead Consisting of More than One Person?
Trinity : Are there Other Attributes Shared by the Members of the Trinity?
Trinity : Biblical Affirmation of Monotheism
Trinity : Does the Bible Teach Theological Subordinationism?
Trinity : Is Jesus Equal to God?
Trinity : Is Jesus Obedient to God?
Trinity : Is the Father Identified as God?
Trinity : Is the Holy Spirit Identified as God?
Trinity : Is the Holy Spirit a Force or Energy?
Trinity : List of Relevant Biblical Citations
Trinity : On God’s Odd Attributes
Trinity : On Omnipresence and Pantheism
Trinity : The Many gods of the Bible
Trinity : Various Resurrection Related Issues
Trinity : Which Member of the Trinity is Described as Truth?
Trinity : Which Member of the Trinity is Omnipotent?
Trinity : Which Member of the Trinity is Omnipresent?
Trinity : Which Member of the Trinity is Omniscient?
Trinity : Which Member of the Trinity is Worshipped?
Trinity : Who Forgive Sin?
Trinity : Who is Described as the Ruler of the Kingdom of Heaven and Earth?
Trinity : Who is Glorious?
Trinity : Who is the Creator, the Life Giver?
Trinity : Who is the First and the Last?
Trinity : Who is the Judge?
Trinity : Who is the Mediator / Intercessor / Advocate
Trinity : is Jesus Identified as God?
Trinity : is Jesus Identified as God?-the Doxologies
…to name a few.
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