Peter King asks: Hey guys, is Oneness Pentecostal a cult? Is it the same as any Pentecostal church? Or is Pentecostal in general a cult? I missed your debate in NVCC about this issue. Thanks and love what you do!

God bless you Peter,

Thanks for the support. To answer your question, not all Pentecostal churches are the same, and most are definitely not cults. At BRC, we have differences with parts of the Pentecostal theology, but those differences are considered to be secondary issues (issues that can be debated, but should not cause division, since those issues do not undermine the essential Christian faith).

However, the same cannot be said about Oneness Pentecostal churches. These churches hold various beliefs that are considered to be primary issues (issues that should cause separation, since they do undermine the essentials).

The Oneness Pentecostal denomination, emerged from the Assemblies of God in 1914 (according to the Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movement). Due to various primary issues, this denomination is on our list of false religions. We will only point out three main reasons due to time restraints.

First, the Oneness Pentecostal movement, teaches that anyone who was baptized "in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit", (as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19), has not truly been baptized. These believers are then told that they need to be rebaptized using only their specific formula "I baptize you in the name of Jesus" as Peter stated in Acts 2:38. Jesus and Peter, are not giving us two different formulas of baptism. Instead, they are telling us that we are to be baptized under the authority of God. Also, it is important to note that Baptism is not necessary for salvation, we are to do it out of obedience.

Secondly, Oneness Pentecostals test their baptisms by the evidence of speaking in tongues. No tongues, no salvation. This however, fails scripture as the Bible relates baptism in the Spirit to the empowering of believers for service (Acts 1:5-8). Thus, Jesus told his disciples, "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Therefore, the disciples were not awaiting salvation (they already had it). They were awaiting the anointing of the Holy Spirit that would show the world that their message was of God and not of men (Acts 2:14-21, 1 Corinthians 14:22).

Last but not least, the Oneness Pentecostal theology rejects the Trinity. Rather than believing in one God revealed in three persons (Hebrews1:8, John 8:18, Acts 5:3-4, John 15:26), they believe in three manifestations of one God. In other words, God became the manifestation of Jesus to die for our sins. Therefore, in reality, Jesus does not actually exist, since Jesus is not truly the son of God, but rather a manifestation.

We consider these teachings to be heresy, and would not recommend this denomination as the body of Christ, in accordance to Paul's words:

"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse!" (Galatians 1:8). Hope this clears things up.

Comments:

Cynthia Gerald: I am in a Oneness Pentecostal church and we believe in Jesus. So I don't understand why you state that we teach Jesus doesn't exist. Why would we then Baptize in the name of Jesus.

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: So do you believe that God sent his Son Jesus to die for our sins? Do you believe in one God who is revealed in three persons?

Cynthia Gerald: Well God manifested himself in the form of Jesus, so Jesus was here on earth in human nature, as he was still in heaven in his spiritual nature. We believe that God is only one, but he manifests in three natures. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: So in your view, how do you explain Mark 16:19 which states "After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God."? Or who was Jesus speaking to when he was on the cross in Matthew 27:46?

Cynthia Gerald: I think Jesus the human nature was talking to the Father the spiritual nature. But they do teach about Jesus. So he does exist.

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Kindly provide verses supporting that Jesus is not the Son of God, but a manifestation. If Jesus is a "manifestation" of God, then he isn't truly the Son of God as stated in the Bible. This is the same kind of violation of scripture followed by the majority of false religions (Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Oneness Pentecostals, Unitarian Pentecostals, and various Apostolic Churches).

Jason Rodriguez: That's why I left the Apostolic church. You guys are so helpful. I pray God expands your ministry!

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Thanks for those nice words Jason. God bless.

Peter King: Thanks gentlemen, I will be looking for a different body of Christ within the Pentecostal denomination. Thanks for the help and God bless you.

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: God bless you as well brother. There are many that great churches within the Pentecostal denomination. Just be sure to find one that is well-balanced, and holds to the same essentials as you on all primary matters.

Remy Davis: I'm Apostolic, why are we labeled as false? We believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We just don't believe in the Trinity. We hold that Jesus is the Son of God, but Jesus is not God Almighty.

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Hi Remy. While we have ran into very few Apostolic Churches that are well-balanced, a majority hold to faulty primary issues as well. To your point, the Bible does clearly state that Jesus is "God Almighty" in Isaiah 9:6- "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."

Remy Davis: Yes, but that verse was not in the original oldest manuscripts. Have you guys ever looked at the oldest manuscripts, like the Septuagint manuscripts?

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Absolutely Remy, we have. But the Septuagint is not the only and oldest. The Dead Sea Scrolls are just as old and according to archeology, possibly even older. The scroll of Isaiah Q1 states "God Almighty", along with a majority of other accepted manuscripts of that time frame. We cannot pick and chose which manuscripts to follow on the bases that some words were somehow left out. The Bible has always been accepted on what the majority of manuscripts say.

Remy Davis: So you believe that someone who doesn't believe in the Trinity is not a true Christian?

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Do you consider Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons Christians?

Remy Davis: Absolutely not.

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Then our point remains, Apostolic churches, along with any church that denounces the Trinity as presented in the Bible, and that Jesus is God Almighty, are not teaching the God of the Bible (some Apostolic churches do teach the Trinity and are to be weighed individually).

Remy Davis: Well can you give me the verses that teach the Trinity? Because the word Trinity is not found in scripture.

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: Yes, you can find this information in our questions and answers "Can you please explain the Trinity".

Remy Davis: Ok, ill check it out. God bless.

BRC Hosts Joey and Chris: God bless you as well Remy.

Galatians 1:8

"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse!"