I can only reply to a couple statements right now, but suffice to say that Rev and I know more than enough via experience and learning within Oneness systems to vouch its heretical status. The Oneness Pentecostal movement mandates a 'Full-Gospel' experience for salvation, demanding a literal adherence to Acts 2:38 as 'the Plan of Salvation,' including Baptism in Jesus' Name only, and evident glossolalia. They also tack on subsequent Holiness standards of dress and behaviour inherited and adapted from the Methodists into a works-based sanctification. Original Oneness movements were much more conciliatory with Trinitarian believers, but ultimately deny even the basic ecumenical creeds, and modern Oneness folks are rabidly anti-Trinitarian and reject Scriptural truth and evidence as pagan or Roman error. They preach and teach that Trinitarian belief is damnable, and failure to be rebaptized in the Oneness formula is equally damnable. Likewise, the introduction Athanasian creed makes the orthodox stance on the Sabellian heresy plain. John's epistle is quite clear in this regard: 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. (1 John 2, ESV) Edit: There are those within the movement who may be young enough in the faith to have a basic grasp of the true gospel, and simply not understand the doctrine of God enough to honestly distinguish between the Oneness and Trinitarian doctrines. However, the teachers and leaders are willfully ignorant or malicious to Trinitarian truth and outright deny it consistently in sermons and proclamations.
I will honestly reply once more to this. Beyond that I admonish you to seek council from your own clergy and local leadership in these matters. They believe in "a" Christ but not "the" Christ. Jesus most certainly did command proper theology. He often was sorrowful with the Disciples and the people at large for not knowing Who He was and not repenting at the sign of His works. The Gospels is theology. It is the realized Kingdom of Heaven come incarnate in the flesh of the God-Man Jesus Christ and the totality of the power and express image of the Godhead, given to us, stood right there. He told them the most important commandments, he preached of right thinking and proper action. To say God doesn't require proper knowledge of Himself is an absolutely juvenile look at the totality of God. O hope I'm not found too harsh here. Oneness adherents most often are also outward holiness fanatics and tack a quasi-protestant merit + grace system akin to Rome funnily enough. Othniel summed it up pretty well and of course there is deeper discussion to be readily had. Just beleive us that it is a brood vipers, you rather not stick your hand into. If there was any way to have fellowship, I would. All of my family that are professing believers are in that system of belief. Yet, there is no common ground. Not to mention I have been shunned like a black cat on Friday the 13th. To them I have been deceived by Satan and living in a lie.
Thank you for the replies. Rev, I can only imagine how hurtful they've been toward you. Sorry to hear that. I asked for your opinion, and you shared it.
Thank you for being open and listening. My story is a testimony to God's mercy and grace. He transformed my heart and mind and I will always joyfully recount the journey.
I have completely worked through Berkhof, who is essentially a condensed and modern offering of Bavinck. I have worked through the majority of Vol. 2 of his Reformed Dogmatics for my Theology Proper class and enjoyed it. I'm going back to go through the Prolegomena and then on to volumes 3 and 4. From there À Brakel's Reasonable Christian Service.
Mar 10:29-30 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.