These are the tradition's own historic confessions, as its members would recognise them. Every tradition varies internally.
TEACHING AND SCRIPTUREWhat Oneness Pentecostals kept — and what they lost
Oneness Pentecostals arose within the early Pentecostal revival and kept many truths that by then had been opened again to the Church. But at the same time a new teaching about God arose — Oneness, or “Jesus only.” On the left — what was kept, or what the tradition teaches. On the right — Scripture. Below — the conclusion.
PART ONE
What was restored
01Baptism in the Holy Spirit as a lived reality
ONENESS PENTECOSTALS KEPTOneness Pentecostals kept baptism in the Holy Spirit as a real experience of power from on high, not only as a doctrine of regeneration.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSActs 1:4–8Those who already believed are promised: “you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” and “you will receive power.”Acts 2:1–4On the day of Pentecost they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues.Acts 19:1–6After the Holy Spirit comes upon them, believers speak in tongues and prophesy.
Restored truthBaptism in the Holy Spirit is an apostolic reality. Oneness Pentecostals kept this expectation within the Pentecostal revival.
The Holy Spirit is given as power from on high, which the Church experiences, not only confesses.
02Other tongues as a living gift of the Holy Spirit
ONENESS PENTECOSTALS KEPTSpeaking in other tongues is kept as a living gift of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSActs 2:4The believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues.Acts 10:44–46The Spirit falls on Cornelius’ household; they speak in tongues and magnify God.Acts 19:6After the Holy Spirit comes upon them, the believers speak in tongues.
Restored truthOther tongues are part of the apostolic filling with the Spirit. This Oneness Pentecostals kept truly.
Tongues are a living gift of the Holy Spirit, not a sign of a vanished age.
03Prophecy and the other spiritual gifts
ONENESS PENTECOSTALS KEPTProphecy and the other manifestations of the Holy Spirit are expected in the gathering as the Church’s ordinary life.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS1 Corinthians 12:7–11The Holy Spirit gives a word of wisdom, a word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues and interpretation — to each for the common good.1 Corinthians 14:1“Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.”
Restored truthThe fullness of the gifts is part of restored apostolic life. Oneness Pentecostals did not reject this.
Prophecy and the gifts of the Spirit belong to the Church today, not only to the first century.
04Divine healings and the supernatural action of God
ONENESS PENTECOSTALS KEPTOneness Pentecostals expect divine healings and the supernatural action of God in the Church.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS1 Corinthians 12:9–10Among the Spirit’s gifts are named gifts of healing and workings of miracles.Acts 3:6–8In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth the lame man stands up and walks.James 5:14–15The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
Restored truthHealings are part of apostolic witness. Oneness Pentecostals kept this expectation.
God still heals and acts supernaturally in the Church.
05Living prayer and the expectation of the Spirit’s action in the gathering
ONENESS PENTECOSTALS KEPTThe gathering is not reduced to a programme: the Holy Spirit is expected to act when the Church prays.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSActs 4:31When they had prayed, the place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.Acts 13:2While they were worshiping the Lord the Holy Spirit speaks to the church.1 Corinthians 14:26When they come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a tongue, a revelation, an interpretation.
Restored truthThe apostolic gathering waits for the Holy Spirit to act. This Oneness Pentecostals kept.
The Holy Spirit is not a guest of the programme: He acts when the Church prays and gathers.
06Holy life and separation from sin
ONENESS PENTECOSTALS KEPTOneness Pentecostals kept a strong accent on holy life and separation from sin.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSHebrews 12:14Strive for holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.1 Thessalonians 4:3“This is the will of God, your sanctification.”2 Corinthians 7:1Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
Restored truthHoliness is an apostolic norm. The power of Pentecost cannot be separated from separation from sin.
The Holy Spirit gives both power and holiness: one does not replace the other.
07The baptism of believers by immersion
ONENESS PENTECOSTALS KEPTOneness Pentecostals baptize believers by full immersion, not infants.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSActs 2:38, 41First repentance, then baptism; those who received the word were baptised.Acts 8:36–38The eunuch confesses faith and is baptised at once, going down into the water.
Restored truthThe baptism of believers by immersion is apostolic practice. This accent Oneness Pentecostals kept.
Baptism belongs to those who have believed and is administered by immersion.
A FULLNESS KEPTIn this way they kept a very important part of restored apostolic life
the Holy Spirit → power → tongues → gifts → healings → holiness → a living church.
This is what many historic churches lost, and what the early Pentecostal revival restored. Oneness Pentecostals did not throw this part away.
THE TURNWhat was lost
But at the same time a new teaching about God arose — Oneness, or “Jesus only.”
Father, Son and Holy Spirit ceased to be understood as really distinguishable Persons of one God, and came to be explained as different manifestations, roles or modes of action of one God — Jesus.
And here the fundamental revelation of the New Testament was lost.
01Father, Son and Holy Spirit act at the same time
THE TRADITION TEACHESIn Oneness teaching Father, Son and Holy Spirit are different manifestations or roles of one God, Jesus. Simultaneously distinguishable Persons are denied.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSMatthew 3:16–17The Son is in the water, the Holy Spirit descends on Him, and the Father’s voice sounds from heaven.
Gospel truthHere Father → Son → Holy Spirit act at the same time. This cannot be reduced to changing roles of one Person.
At the Jordan the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are shown together and distinctly — not as three masks of one Person.
02The Son asks the Father to send another Comforter
THE TRADITION TEACHESIf Father, Son and Spirit are only roles of Jesus, then Jesus cannot ask the Father to send another Comforter.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSJohn 14:16“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper.”John 15:26“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father…”
Gospel truthThe Son asks the Father → the Father sends another Helper. Again we see Son → Father → Holy Spirit.
The Helper is another, sent from the Father by the Son. This is a relation of Persons, not a change of roles in one Jesus.
03The Son was with the Father before the world was made
THE TRADITION TEACHESOneness teaches that “Son” refers to Jesus’ humanity, which began at the incarnation. The eternal relation of Father and Son is denied.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSJohn 17:5“Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed.”John 17:24The Father loved the Son “before the foundation of the world.”
Gospel truthThe Son existed with the Father before the world was made. Between Father and Son there is an eternal relation of love — this cannot be reduced to roles of one Person.
Before the incarnation the Son was already with the Father and loved by Him. “Son” does not begin at Bethlehem.
04One Name — and Father, Son and Holy Spirit are clearly distinguished
THE TRADITION TEACHESOneness Pentecostals appeal to the “one name” and reduce Father, Son and Spirit to manifestations of Jesus.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSMatthew 28:19“Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” One Name, yet Father, Son and Holy Spirit are clearly distinguished.2 Corinthians 13:14The grace of Jesus Christ → the love of God → the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Gospel truthScripture speaks of one Name and at the same time distinguishes Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The unity of God does not cancel real Persons.
One God — and Father, Son and Holy Spirit are really distinguishable. One does not destroy the other.
05Baptism only “in Jesus’ name” against Christ’s command
THE TRADITION TEACHESOneness Pentecostals rightly point to “be baptized… in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38) and “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5). But from this they conclude that baptism is valid only when the name of Jesus is spoken exclusively, and the formula of Matthew 28:19 is in effect rejected.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSActs 2:38Peter: “be baptized… in the name of Jesus Christ.”Acts 19:5They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.Matthew 28:19The same Jesus commanded: “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Gospel truthThere is no contradiction. The apostles baptized in the name of Jesus, that is, into belonging to Jesus Christ and on the ground of His authority. And the same Jesus Himself commanded baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Acts cannot be used against the direct command of Christ.
06Salvation bound to a required formula
THE TRADITION TEACHESIn major Oneness movements the full path of salvation is bound to repentance → water baptism specifically in Jesus’ name → baptism in the Holy Spirit with tongues as the required initial evidence.
WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYSEphesians 2:8–9“By grace you have been saved through faith,” and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.Romans 5:1“Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.”Romans 10:9–13Salvation is bound to faith in Christ and calling on His name.Acts 10:44–48In Cornelius’ house the Holy Spirit fell on the people before water baptism.
Gospel truthBaptism and being filled with the Holy Spirit are part of ordinary apostolic life, but they do not become a human formula by which God’s saving grace can be limited.
Salvation rests on the grace of God through faith, not on a required sequence of a formula.
THE RESULTWhat resulted
Oneness Pentecostals kept what many historic churches lost:
baptism in the Spirit → tongues → prophecy → gifts → healings → the expectation of God’s supernatural action.
But at the same time they lost what the ancient Church had kept from the beginning:
Father → Son → Holy Spirit as really distinguishable Persons of the one God.
Apostolic fullness requires that both be kept:
one God, yet Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the full deity of Christ; the real Person of the Holy Spirit; baptism in the Holy Spirit; other tongues; prophecy; healings; all the gifts of the Spirit; salvation by grace through faith.
The power of Pentecost must not be recovered at the cost of losing the revelation of the God who gave that Pentecost.
COMPARED WITH ACTS
How it differs from the apostolic church
01The Son at the Father's right hand
In Acts the Father and the Son are not one Person in different roles. Peter preaches that God raised Jesus, and that Jesus, exalted to God's right hand, received from the Father the promise of the Spirit and poured Him out. Stephen sees the Son of Man standing at God's right hand.
Acts 2:32–33 · 7:55–56 · John 17:5, 24The baptismal formula as a condition
‘In the name of Jesus’ in Acts means by His authority and into His Person, and Jesus Himself commands baptism ‘in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’. The apostolic church does not argue over the words of a formula or make them a condition of salvation.
Matthew 28:19 · Acts 2:38 · 10:48 · 19:5Tongues as a condition of salvation
In Acts salvation comes through faith: ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.’ Tongues are a gift the Spirit gives to many, but Paul writes that not all speak in tongues.
Acts 10:43 · 16:31 · 1 Corinthians 12:30Rules of appearance
Rules on hair length, clothing and jewellery become the measure of holiness. The Jerusalem council laid no burden on believers beyond what was necessary, and the apostles speak of the beauty of ‘the hidden person of the heart’.
Acts 15:10, 28–29 · 1 Peter 3:3–4