Introduction: The Necessity of Doctrinal Precision in the Nature of God

Among the many religious systems that claim to be Christian, Oneness Pentecostalism represents one of the most theologically deceptive and spiritually dangerous. It affirms the deity of Christ and the necessity of repentance and baptism, yet its denial of the biblical doctrine of the Trinity and its distortion of the gospel message place it outside the bounds of biblical Christianity. While claiming apostolic authenticity, Oneness Pentecostalism promotes a unitarian view of God that is fundamentally incompatible with Scripture.

Originating in the early 20th century within the Pentecostal revival movement, this false religious system teaches that God is a single person who reveals Himself in three different “modes” or “manifestations”—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—but is not three distinct Persons. This belief, commonly called modalism, was condemned as heresy in the early church and stands in direct contradiction to the historical-grammatical interpretation of the Scriptures.

This article will examine the doctrines of Oneness Pentecostalism in light of Scripture, evaluating its claims regarding the nature of God, Jesus Christ, salvation, baptism, and spiritual gifts. We will demonstrate that Oneness theology is not a form of biblical Christianity but a false religion built on theological error, misinterpretation of Scripture, and a man-centered gospel.

Historical Background: The Rise of a 20th-Century Heresy

Oneness Pentecostalism emerged after the 1913 Worldwide Apostolic Camp Meeting in Arroyo Seco, California, where preacher R.E. McAlister suggested that baptism should be performed “in the name of Jesus only,” not in the Trinitarian formula of Matthew 28:19. This sparked a doctrinal schism, leading some Pentecostals to reject Trinitarian theology in favor of the claim that Jesus alone is the one God who manifests Himself in different ways.

This view quickly spread, giving rise to denominations such as the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW), and other Oneness organizations. These groups deny the historic doctrine of the Trinity, reject the personhood of the Father and Holy Spirit distinct from Jesus, and mandate baptism in the name of “Jesus only” as a requirement for salvation.

Despite using biblical language and affirming the authority of Scripture, Oneness Pentecostalism distorts the Word of God through improper exegesis and doctrinal presuppositions alien to the Bible. Their movement reintroduces the ancient heresy of Sabellianism (modalism) condemned by early Christian theologians as an assault on the very identity of God.

The Nature of God: The Triune Jehovah vs. Modalistic Error

The biblical doctrine of the Trinity teaches that God is one in essence and three in person—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—co-eternal, co-equal, and co-existent. This is not tritheism (three gods) or modalism (one person appearing in three forms), but one God existing in three distinct persons.

Matthew 3:16–17 is a clear refutation of modalism:

“And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and coming upon him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”

Here, all three Persons of the Godhead are simultaneously present and distinct. Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends, and the Father speaks from heaven. This is not a single person wearing three masks; this is the Triune God acting in unified distinction.

John 14:16–17 further demonstrates distinction:

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, that he may be with you forever—the Spirit of truth…”

Jesus, the Son, prays to the Father, who sends the Spirit. The Greek term for “another” (allon) means “another of the same kind,” confirming personal distinction.

Oneness theology denies these plain texts and asserts that “Father,” “Son,” and “Holy Spirit” are merely titles or roles, not personal distinctions. This position is linguistically, theologically, and contextually indefensible.

Jesus Christ: Fully God, Fully Man, Not the Father

Oneness Pentecostals claim that Jesus is both the Father and the Holy Spirit. They argue that all the “titles” of God apply to Jesus alone. However, Scripture never identifies Jesus as the Father, nor does it teach that Jesus prayed to Himself, sent Himself, or glorified Himself.

John 17:1, 5—Jesus prays:

“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son, that the Son may glorify you… now, Father, glorify me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was.”

This text affirms two divine persons: the Father and the Son. Their relationship predates the incarnation. Jesus is not addressing a different “mode” but the eternal Father with whom He shared divine glory.

John 1:1–2 declares:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

The preposition “with” (pros ton theon) denotes personal relationship and distinction. The Word (Jesus) is God and was with God, meaning that the Son is not the Father, yet shares in the divine essence.

Denying the personal distinctions within the Godhead undermines the real incarnation and the substitutionary atonement. If Jesus is the Father, then the cross becomes a mockery of substitution. It is not the Son offering Himself to the Father, but God acting a role to appease Himself—an unbiblical and incoherent idea.

The Holy Spirit: Divine Person, Not a Mode of Christ

Oneness Pentecostalism teaches that the Holy Spirit is merely Jesus in another mode. However, Scripture clearly distinguishes the Spirit from the Son and the Father.

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—he will bear witness about me.”

The Spirit is sent by Jesus from the Father. The Spirit “bears witness” about the Son, not as a mere function but as a divine person with knowledge, will, and activity.

Acts 5:3–4 equates lying to the Holy Spirit with lying to God, affirming His deity and personhood:

“Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?… You have not lied to man but to God.”

The Holy Spirit is not a force or manifestation but a person. Grieving (Ephesians 4:30), teaching (John 14:26), guiding (Romans 8:14), and interceding (Romans 8:26–27) are personal actions. Oneness theology de-personalizes the Spirit and thereby departs from sound doctrine.

Salvation and Baptism: Legalism and Misinterpretation

Oneness Pentecostals teach that baptism “in the name of Jesus only” is necessary for salvation and that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit. This amounts to a false gospel—a works-based system that distorts both the message and the means of salvation.

Ephesians 2:8–9 proclaims:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not from works, so that no one may boast.”

Salvation is by grace through faith, not by ritual formulas or external signs. Baptism is commanded, but it does not confer salvation (see 1 Peter 3:21—the antitype is not the water but the appeal to God for a good conscience). Oneness theology makes baptism a meritorious work.

As for Acts 2:38, which Oneness proponents often cite—“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ…”—this verse must be understood contextually. The phrase “in the name of Jesus Christ” emphasizes the authority and person of Christ, not a baptismal formula that excludes the Trinity. Matthew 28:19 commands baptism “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” a Trinitarian formula that reflects the very nature of God.

There is no contradiction between Acts and Matthew. The apostles baptized by the authority of Jesus, but the formula did not negate the Trinitarian nature of God. To reject the Trinitarian formula is to reject the very God who saves.

Speaking in Tongues: Sign, Not Requirement

Oneness Pentecostalism teaches that speaking in tongues is the required sign of salvation or Spirit baptism. This belief is not only unbiblical but spiritually harmful. The New Testament teaches that not all speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:30), and nowhere is tongue-speaking presented as a universal or necessary evidence of salvation.

Tongues in Acts served as a sign to authenticate the message, particularly as the gospel expanded to new people groups. They were not mandated for every believer. To teach otherwise is to impose a false requirement and generate spiritual confusion and emotionalism.

Conclusion: Oneness Pentecostalism is a Departure from Biblical Christianity

The denial of the Trinity, the redefinition of God’s nature, the distortion of Christ’s role, and the corruption of the gospel make Oneness Pentecostalism a false religion—not a different denomination, but a different faith altogether. While claiming the name of Jesus, Oneness theology preaches “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4), one who is not the eternal Son, co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

True Christianity worships the triune God revealed in Scripture—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—one God in three persons. It proclaims salvation by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ, not by ritual, tongues, or manmade formulas.

The church must expose this false system, evangelize those ensnared by it, and stand firm on the truth. As Jude 3 exhorts, “Contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the holy ones.”

A Necessary Clarification: All Pentecostal and Charismatic Systems Are False

While the previous sections have exposed the deep theological errors of Oneness Pentecostalism, it must be further clarified that all Pentecostal and charismatic systems—Trinitarian or not—represent false religions that stand in direct contradiction to biblical Christianity. Though some within charismatic circles may claim to uphold the doctrine of the Trinity, they distort and undermine the authority of Scripture through the promotion of unbiblical doctrines, disorderly worship, experientialism, emotional manipulation, and alleged supernatural gifts that ceased with the apostolic era.

Pentecostalism and its charismatic offshoots typically teach that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a second blessing after conversion, often accompanied by speaking in tongues, prophecy, and divine healing. This doctrine has no biblical basis in the post-apostolic age. Nowhere in the epistles—our clearest instruction for church life—is there any command or expectation that believers today must speak in tongues or receive a secondary “Spirit baptism” to be fully sanctified or spiritually equipped. Ephesians 1:13–14 plainly teaches that believers receive the Holy Spirit at conversion, not at a later experience.

Furthermore, the so-called “gifts of the Spirit” as practiced in charismatic churches today are counterfeit. The biblical gift of tongues was the supernatural ability to speak real human languages (Acts 2:4–11), not incoherent syllables or repetitive emotional utterances. The charismatic reinterpretation of tongues violates the grammatical and contextual meaning of Scripture. Likewise, modern “prophecies” offered by charismatic leaders are frequently vague, inaccurate, and untestable—unlike true biblical prophecy, which was 100% accurate and carried divine authority.

Pentecostal and charismatic worship is typically marked by disorder, chaos, and emotional hysteria. This directly contradicts 1 Corinthians 14:40, which commands that “all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.” The Spirit of God does not produce confusion, showmanship, or ecstatic displays. What is seen today in charismatic revivals and gatherings more closely resembles pagan frenzy than anything authorized by Scripture.

Worse still, charismatic theology opens the door to false prophets, prosperity teachers, and heretical movements such as the Word of Faith and New Apostolic Reformation, which claim ongoing revelation, visions, dreams, and apostolic authority. These are not minor errors—they are serious doctrinal perversions that undermine the sufficiency of Scripture and elevate human experience above God’s Word. The Bible is our final authority, and the canon is closed (Jude 3; Revelation 22:18–19). Any claim to new revelation is a direct assault on the finality of divine truth.

In conclusion, charismatic and Pentecostal systems, regardless of their form, are not legitimate expressions of the Christian faith. They are counterfeit movements that appeal to the flesh, reject biblical order, and misrepresent the work of the Holy Spirit. Sound doctrine, not sensationalism, defines authentic Christianity. All believers are commanded to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) and to avoid any system that corrupts the gospel, misrepresents God, and subverts the authority of Scripture. Pentecostalism is not just another denomination—it is a false religion that must be exposed, refuted, and rejected in full.