Oneness Questions
 

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and to Oneness Pentecostalism in general. I am a trinitarian pentecostal, but I have been doing alot of research on Oneness doctrine and am feeling drawn to it. However, I have a few questions for the community here. Please do not take these as an attack or challenge, but as form one seeking more information. Thanks

1) If God and Jesus are one, who was Jesus speaking to on the Cross when he said "Forgive them Father for the know not what they do.", and "My God, why have you foresaken me?"

2) What about passages that say that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father?

Thank you for your help.

Re: Oneness Questions
 

Hello, I am so glad you found this forum!

I can not say that I am an expert or that I can give you the text book answers, but I will try to help out.

1. When Jesus was being baptized God showed himself in three ways. On the cross Jesus (the man) spoke to his Father (his divinity). When Jesus returned to Heaven him and his Father both sat down in his Father's throne. Rev. 3:21 There is one throne in Heaven. Rev. 4:2. When you get to Heaven you will only see one God sitting in one throne.

2. So what about the phrase on the right hand of God?

LU 22:69 the Son of Man sitting on the RIGHT HAND of the power of God.`

AC 2:33 at the RIGHT HAND then of God having been exalted

Jesus is sitting down in the one throne in Heaven in power and authority because he has been exalted.

Sitting at the right hand is a first century Jewish saying. If I told somebody it was raining cats and dogs they would not understand what I meant if they were not from my time and culture. Sitting at someone's right hand simply means that you have their power and authority.

Hope this helps. :highfive

If I got anything wrong as far as saying it backwards, anybody else can chime in and say it in a more clear way.

Re: Oneness Questions
 

By the way I grew up in the Assembly of God. It took me awhile to understand.
It is perfectly fine if you don't get it instantaneously.
It took me about six months.

Anyway God Bless.

Re: Oneness Questions
 

Thank you for saying what the learned here dare not, that todays mainstream oneness teaches that the man/flesh/"human natute" spoke to divinity/"divine nature". I applaud you sir!

Re: Oneness Questions
 

No need to applaud me Jfrog. I was raised Assembly of God and had to study for a long time to figure everything out. One thing I am certain is that the early Oneness Pentecostals (Goss and Urshan) were not scared to use any terminology to teach about their new understanding of the Godhead.

I think it was Goss who said we believe in the real tri-unity. Wow you would not hear that nowadays. Do I believe in one God? Sure with all my heart, but I also think we should be able to explain most things in a simple manner. :highfive

Let the scripture wars begin!!! Ha Ha Ha!!! :smack

Re: Oneness Questions
 

Which aspect of the Oneness doctrine is drawing you?

Which aspects of your current doctrine do you find to be lacking or incomplete?

Do you actually know any Oneness Pentecostals in your local area?

Re: Oneness Questions
 

1. Natures don't pray or do anything for that matter. Persons do things. Persons are the "Actors (those who perform actions)" in our world. A nature just defines what kind of "Actor (which set of actions a particular actor can perform)" we are discussing. If I say a person with a human nature what I really mean is a person that can perform human actions.

So when you say Jesus in his human nature prayed to his divine nature, you still have the person Jesus praying to himself. Perhaps what you really mean when you said human nature prayed to divine nature is that it's perfectly okay for a single person with 2 distinct natures to pray to himself. This just doesn't sound as good because when you say the human nature prayed to the divine nature it sounds like you are denying the fact that your Jesus prays to himself. But, in oneness view he must pray to himself and there's nothing inherently wrong about that since Jesus is a very unique person having 2 distinct natures.

Re: Oneness Questions
 

Bjhs, Oneness understands Jesus to be God in and through the incarnation, while the Father is that same God beyond the incarnation. So it's more than God and Jesus being "one"... Jesus actually IS God.

When Jesus prayed he did so as one who willingly submitted and willingly accepted temporal humanity. Not so much "Persons" praying - particularly not persons as beings, but simply the Messiah (who was God & man) praying to God beyond the incarnation.

Being seated at the right hand of the Father... I think manyTrinitarians would agree that we are not talking about 2 beings here... He was seated in a position of "Authority".

Re: Oneness Questions
 

Jesus was both fully man and absolutely God existing as one. Therefore, the man Christ Jesus prays to the Father, yet He is also the Father... the human tabernacle of the Father. Oneness.

There are different opinions regarding this among Oneness believers. Personally, I believe that the glorified man, Jesus Christ (the Son of God), is indeed seated at the right hand of the Father's glory in Heaven.

Remember, Oneness theology is easy to grasp if one keeps in mind that, in our theological framework, Jesus is both God and man. The man Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is also God almighty. Oneness.

Re: Oneness Questions
 

I was part of the general debate thread,... "the man Christ Jesus"... I went into great detail to explain the oneness teaching...you may want to see my arguments there to save time.