Their songs have been standards for years in
Contemporary Christian Music. They have gained legions of
appreciative fans among evangelicals with their well-written
lyrics, beautiful harmonies, and high-quality production
values. Their music has consistently earned top ratings and
frequent airplay, garnering numerous awards and nominations,
not to mention album sales in the hundreds of thousands.
They have performed at the conventions of the National
Religious Broadcasters and Christian Booksellers
Association, appeared at Moody Church, played at Promise
Keepers rallies,
and recorded music for the National Day of Prayer. Their
successful career in Contemporary Christian Music and
popularity among evangelicals is impressive; even more so
when it is realized that the members of Phillips, Craig and
Dean (PCD) are Oneness Pentecostals who deny essential
Christian doctrines, including the doctrines of the Trinity
and of justification by faith alone!
Although Phillips, Craig and Deans’ Oneness
beliefs have been public knowledge for some time, having
been disclosed in the pages of Charisma magazine[3]
and the Christian Research Journal,
there has been very little visible reaction from the
evangelical community. The reasons for this are probably
several: First, as stated above, Phillips, Craig and Dean
are enormously popular, and have a long career in
contemporary Christian music that has provided them
credibility with evangelicals. Second, the people who
represent Phillips, Craig and Dean to the evangelical press
and organizations have been extremely effective at obscuring
PCD’s true beliefs and marginalizing their relatively few
critics. There seems to be genuine confusion about what the
members of PCD believe among the “gatekeepers” in the
evangelical media.
Finally, among some evangelicals, there appears to be a
general lack of concern about the doctrines of God and of
salvation, or at least an insufficient understanding of
their importance.
Despite the general confusion about what PCD
believes, the three members of Phillips, Craig and Dean
certainly cannot claim theological ignorance for themselves.
The group’s promoters have been anything but shy about
advertising their clients’ ministerial credentials. The
group’s own web site boasts:
Phillips, Craig & Dean are three full-time
church ministers; they also happen to sing together...
All three men have key roles at their
respective churches as pastors and teachers:
Randy Phillips serves as Pastor at his home
church in Austin, Texas. Randy’s responsibilities include
preaching, counseling, leading worship...
For more than 18 years, Shawn [Craig] has
served as Music Pastor at his home church in St. Louis, MO.
There he leads music, worship, and the New Members Disciple
class.
Dan [Dean] is the Senior Pastor at his home
church in Irving. TX. There Dan’s responsibilities include
preaching, casting the vision for the church, oversight of
day to day operations, and hiring and placement of all staff
members.
This article will attempt to eliminate the
confusion by providing a clear statement of the beliefs of
Phillips, Craig and Dean concerning the nature of God and
the gospel by examining their own writings and the published
writings of the churches they pastor. Their doctrines will
be examined and tested in the light of Scripture. Finally,
examples will be provided and analyzed to demonstrate how
PCD has misrepresented their beliefs to the evangelical
community.
Phillips, Craig and Dean on God’s Nature
Perhaps the most essential (that is,
definitional) doctrine of the Christian faith is the
doctrine of God’s existence in three eternal persons, the
Trinity. The New Testament in particular proclaims this
precious truth, stated here in brief form:
Within the one Being that is God, there
exists eternally three coequal and coeternal persons,
namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.[8]
By contrast, the god proclaimed by Phillips,
Craig and Dean is not the tri-personal being of the Bible,
but merely a single person who is seen to perform various
different roles; those of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit As
Randy Phillips has written (italics added for emphasis):
We believe in one God who is eternal in His
existence, Triune in His manifestation, being both
Father, Son and Holy Ghost AND that He is Sovereign and
Absolute in His authority.
Dan Dean’s church web site puts it like this:
...there is One True God that has
manifested Himself as Father in creation, Son in
redemption and the Holy Spirit in emanation. (Deuteronomy
6:4; I Timothy 3:16; Acts 2:33)
PCD is willing to use words like “Triune” of
God, but only in the sense that God has three different
roles that he performs throughout Scripture; three different
manifestations. This is a key concept that
differentiates PCD’s god from the God of the Bible. Although
this god manifests Himself in these three roles of
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, these manifestations are not
eternal, but temporary. Additionally, there are no
relationships of a personal kind between the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit.
This is demonstrated most clearly in The
Enquirer’s Handbook, a book of basic doctrines published
by Randy Phillips’ ministry, The World of Pentecost. The
Handbook is perhaps the most detailed theological
statement available from the ministries of Randy Phillips,
Shawn Craig and Dan Dean. For this reason, a good deal of
attention will be given to the Handbook throughout
this article. The Handbook contains several specific
denials of the biblical doctrine of the Trinity, and derides
the use of the term “persons” as a source of confusion:
One of the primary sources of confusion in
this matter is related to the word “persons.” The doctrine
of the trinity states that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
are three “persons” who make up one God. In actuality, the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three MANIFESTATIONS of one
God. This word MANIFESTATION means “to appear”, and it is
quite scriptural. The Bible tells us that:
“God was MANIFEST in the flesh...” (I Timothy
3:16).[11]
The implication being made here is that since
the word “persons” is not used by the Bible to refer to God,
to say that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are persons is
to teach a non-biblical concept. Since the word “manifest”
does appear in the language of Scripture, the idea of God
“appearing” in various roles is a more “scriptural” concept.
However, the question we should be asking is not, “Which
word is used in Scripture: ‘person’ or ‘manifest’?” but
rather, “Which of these concepts does the Bible teach?” Are
there three co-equal, co-eternal persons that exist in the
one Being that is God, or does a single divine person simply
reveal himself in various modes of performance?
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you
another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,
because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know
Him because He abides with you and will be in you (John
14:16-17, NASB).”
“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to
you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who
proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me (John
15:26, NASB)...”
In these verses we can see demonstrated very
clearly the personhood and the distinctness of
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In chapter 14 of
the Gospel of John, we see Jesus, distinct from the Father,
speaking of His petition to the Father on behalf of the
disciples for the sending of the Holy Spirit. Jesus makes a
distinction between his own person and the person of the
Holy Spirit by calling the Spirit “another Helper.”
He also distinguishes between the person of the Father and
the person of the Spirit by declaring that the Father will
give the Spirit to the disciples. In chapter 15, Jesus
continues to make the same distinctions, and and provides
greater detail: the Spirit is sent by the Son, He proceeds
from the Father, and He testifies about the Son. All three,
Father, Son, and Spirit, are obviously seen to be persons,
and all three are likewise shown to be distinct in person
from the others.
The Bible demonstrates the distinct
personhood of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in many other
ways. The love of the Son for the Father and the Father for
the Son shows distinct personhood and personal relationship
(John 3:35, 5:19, 10:17, 14:31). The glory of the Father is
spoken of as a glory the Son had with the Father,
demonstrating a distinction between the two; Jesus’ desire
and request to share that glory again demonstrates a
personal relationship between Himself and the Father (John
17:5). The intercessory works of both the Son and the Spirit
to the Father on behalf of believers (Romans 8:26-27, 34)
demonstrate that the Son and the Spirit are distinct from
the Father. For example, as an intercessor, the Holy Spirit
is a personal intermediary between two other persons--the
believer, and the Father. Christ’s mediation between God and
men confirms both His personality and distinction from the
Father in a similar fashion (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6,
9:15).
The
Enquirer’s Handbook
denies that the Father, Son, and Spirit are personal centers
of identity, capable of relationship with each other.
Instead, it claims that the terms “Father,” “Son,” and “Holy
Spirit” are merely descriptive of the ways that the
unipersonal God acts.
In other words, God appeared in the flesh (as
a son)...The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are simply three
manifestations of One God. You, yourself, may be manifested
as a son to your father, a husband to your wife, and a
father to your children. As an individual person you may be
manifested in various ways; and likewise the Almighty God is
manifested as a Father, a Son, and a Holy Ghost while He
remains indisputably, undeniably, ONE.[12]
Of course this illustration fails when one
considers the Biblical teaching that the Divine Persons of
the Trinity interact with each other. A man may be a father
to his children, and a husband to his wife, but these roles
do not feel emotion toward each other; they are not
consciously self-aware. On the other hand, the Persons of
the Trinity communicate with each other; they love and
demonstrate their love to each other. A “manifestation”
cannot have a personal relationship or personal interaction
with another “manifestation.”
The One Almighty God manifested Himself as a
Father in creation, as a Son in redemption, and as the Holy
Ghost in regeneration...The idea of three “manifestations” as
opposed to three “persons” is the most scriptural way that
One God can be explained.[13]
Despite the weight such a claim may initially
seem to have, none of these three activities--creation,
redemption, and regeneration--demonstrate the claim that
there is a unipersonal God who acts in various
“manifestations.” In fact, all three of these actions
involve each member of the Trinity! Did God manifest Himself
solely as a Father in creation? He certainly is shown to be
the Father in creation, but the Bible also says that both
the Son (John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:13-16) and the Spirit
(Genesis 1:2) were active in creation. We are redeemed by
the work of the Son, but the Father sent the Son for the
purpose of redemption (Galatians 4:4-5), and believers are
sealed by the Spirit unto the day of redemption (Ephesians
1:13-14). The work of regeneration likewise involves all
three Persons of the Trinity (Titus 3:4-5). So the question
is raised again: Is the idea of three “manifestations” more
scriptural than the doctrine of three “Persons”? Certainly
not.
The
Enquirer’s Handbook
is not content simply to mislead its readers concerning the
nature of the Godhead, but compounds error by
mischaracterizing the Trinity as a polytheistic belief in
“three Gods”:
Since the death of John and the other eleven
original apostles, many concepts and teachings have arisen
that do not necessarily coincide with the “one God” teaching
of the early church. In the year 180 A.D. Tertullian began
using the term “trinity” from which was born the Catholic
doctrine of three Gods, co-equal, co-existent and
co-eternal. The Roman emperor Constantine in the year 325
A.D. incorporated the “doctrine of the trinity” into the
Catholic Church where it has remained ever since, and most
Protestant churches have accepted this doctrine without
thorough examination. The “trinity”, however, generates
confusion and is not in total harmony with the Scriptures.
To say that there are three separate persons who somehow
comprise “one God” is like trying to connect opposing sides
of two magnets. When you add 1+1+1 it must equal three, and
there cannot, under any circumstances, be more than ONE GOD.[14]
For the purpose of this article, it will
simply be noted that this is, at the very least, a creative
interpretation of the history of the early church.
Further, the doctrine of the Trinity does not teach that
there are three beings that are God. Monotheism, the
doctrine that there is only one being who is God, is the
fundamental assumption that undergirds the doctrine of the
Trinity.
It is the Oneness doctrine, not the doctrine of the Trinity,
that must attempt to “connect opposing sides of two magnets”
in explaining away the personal relationships within the
Godhead that are described by the Scriptures.
The
Enquirer’s Handbook
follows modern Oneness Pentecostal tradition, claiming that
the name “Jesus” is the true name of God, and should
therefore be applied to the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit:
...The reason for so much emphasis being
placed on the name of Jesus is because JESUS is actually the
NAME of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.[18]
The Holy Ghost is actually the Spirit of the
Lord (Romans 8:9) and always bears his name--Jesus.[19]
In his devotional book Between Sundays,
Shawn Craig similarly fails to differentiate the persons of
the Father and the Son when he discusses “the bread of
life.” When Jesus, in the gospel of John, applies this term
to Himself, He clearly distinguishes Himself from the
Father. Jesus is sent by the Father not to do His own will,
but the will of the Father. Jesus is the One who is given
from heaven; the Father is the One who gives Jesus:
Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say
to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of
heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true
bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that
which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the
world.”
Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us
this bread.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of
life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who
believes in Me will never thirst...For I have come down
from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will
of Him who sent Me (John 6:32-35, 38 NASB).
However, when Craig encounters this passage,
he confuses the Father and the Son, calling both Jesus and
the Father “the bread of life”:
Jesus
taught us
to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11, KJV),
and he declared, “I am the bread of life,” while
assuring us, “He who comes to me will never go hungry” (John
6:35)...Father, I cry to you, “Give me the bread I need
for today. I am hungry and needy apart from you,
the Bread of Life.”[20]
The
Enquirer’s Handbook’s
views
the Son of God not as the eternal Word of God, who was with
God in the beginning, active in creation, and took on flesh
for the redemption of believers. Instead, the Son of God is
simply a way of referring to the human flesh of Jesus.
The dual nature of Jesus is puzzling to some
because they view the two natures as two persons. As a man,
Jesus was the Son of God; He was flesh. But as God Almighty,
Jesus was Spirit robed in flesh and existing everywhere else
at once. There are two natures and not two persons. For
example, you possess a human nature (your body) and a
spiritual nature (your spirit). Whether your flesh and
spirit remain intact or are separated, you are still only
one person. The same is true of God.
A rule which may be followed to simplify this
is: The Son of God refers to the flesh of God, and God, or
the Father, refers to the Spirit. You may make this
substitution in your mind as you read certain scriptures;
flesh for Son, and Spirit for God (Father).[21]
Since the term “Son of God” refers only to
the human flesh of Jesus, The Enquirer’s Handbook
makes it plain that the Son of God is not eternal. He came
into existence only when God took on flesh:
The question arises...”Did the Son of God
always exist in heaven and was He sent from there to earth?”
The answer is no. The Son of God was BEGOTTEN
which eliminates any possibility of His having existed in
heaven beforehand. The word “begotten” denotes “a birth”, so
the Son of God could not have existed until such time as he
was born (His extstence in heaven was only as a thought or a
plan in the mind of God) (John 1:1,14).[22]
John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The
fourteenth verse of the same chapter tells us that the Word
“WAS MADE FLESH, AND DWELT AMONG US...’
Jesus existed in the beginning as the “Word.”
He was simply a thought in the mind of the eternal Spirit;
He would not become flesh for another four thousand years.[23]
Despite the fact that the Handbook
quotes directly from John 1:1, it ignores the clear meaning
of the text, instead insisting that the Word existed only as
a thought or idea in the mind of God. What the text actually
says, however, is that in the beginning, the Word “was;”
that is, the Word existed from all eternity distinct from,
but with, God the Father. The very next verses use the
personal pronouns “He” and “Him” to declare that the Word
has always been a Person, eternal, and active in creation--He
certainly was not just a mere thought or plan:
In the
beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He
was in the beginning with God. All things came into
being through Him, and apart from Him nothing
came into being that has come into being (John 1:1-3, NASB).
Jesus is spoken of many times as being from
heaven: “He who descended from heaven (John 3:13), “He who
comes from above...from heaven (John 3:31),” “the true bread
out of heaven (John 6:31)” and “the second man [who, unlike
Adam] is from heaven.” Jesus says clearly about Himself, “I
have come down from heaven (John 6:38).” Jesus reveals his
eternal existence when he speaks of the glory which He
shared with the Father “before the world was (John 17:5).”
Finally, the assertion that the word
“begotten” precludes the pre-existence of the Son is simply
fallacious, and betrays a misunderstanding of the term
monogenes.
Phillips, Craig, Dean and the Gospel
When the apostle Paul wrote his second letter
to the Corinthian church, he expressed his concern that they
remain faithful to the truths they had been taught about God
and the gospel in the following words:
For I am jealous for you with a godly
jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to
Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid
that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your
minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of
devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another
Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a
different spirit which you have not received, or a
different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear
this beautifully (2 Corinthians 11:2-4, NASB).
It is not by mere coincidence that the
Scripture links these three--a different Jesus, a different
spirit, and a different gospel--together in the same warning.
Errors concerning the nature of the Godhead naturally lend
themselves to errors regarding the gospel! As we have
already examined the differences between the God of the
Bible and the god of Phillips, Craig and Dean, we now turn
to the gospel.
In a chapter entitled “Born Again,” The
Enquirer’s Handbook describes the state of mankind in
sin, separated from God and needing a savior. The good news
of the gospel message is introduced with these words:
Jesus has paid the full price for man’s
salvation (I Corinthians 6:20), and fellowship with God can
ultimately be restored. Man can now escape from the bondage
of sin and the curse that it brought upon the world--because
a man can be BORN AGAIN. Through our natural birth we
inherit from Adam, our earthly father, sin, suffering, and
death. But when a man is born again it is a spiritual birth,
and we inherit from our Heavenly Father righteousness, joy,
and eternal life. The born again experience is God’s gift to
the sinner (Romans 5:15).
By being born again a person is made a new
creature and is given a chance to start his life all over
again (II Corinthians 5:17). Not only are his sins washed
away and forgotten (Hebrews 8:12), but he is filled with the
Spirit of God to help him in his resistance to sin
(Galatians 5:16). Being “born again” is the very “heart” of
the gospel of Christ...[25]
Most evangelicals would have no problem
reading and agreeing with these paragraphs. The term “born
again” is a staple of the evangelical vocabulary, referring
to the gracious, singular act of God in which He regenerates
the sinner. However, this is not what the Handbook
means when it speaks of “the born again experience.” The
explanation continues:
...As you will see from the following pages,
the Bible gives very detailed directions on how to be born
again. The eternal destiny of a person’s soul is determined
by his obedience to the Word of God (Romans 6:17), so all of
these scriptures will be explained in the most clear and
simple way possible...
There is no way to overemphasize the need of
every individual to understand and receive the born again
experience because without it Jesus said we could not enter
into the kingdom of God:
“...verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a
man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John
3:3)
Jesus went on to say that this new birth was
of both WATER AND SPIRIT:
“...verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a
man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
...Jesus said:
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh;
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).
Just as the two elements, water and spirit,
are vital to the natural birth, the Bible teaches that they
are also vital to the Spiritual birth. The only
scriptural way to be born again is to be properly baptized
in water, and to be baptized (filled) with the Holy Spirit
(Acts 2:38). (italics ours)[26]
The “born again experience” that Randy
Phillips’ church, the Promiseland, teaches is necessary for
salvation is a process. This process begins with repentance,
and must be followed by baptism in water (using the correct
spoken formula) for the remission of sins. Next, the baptism
of the Holy Ghost (speaking in tongues) must take place. It
is only at this point that the person who has undergone the
process can be said to be “born again.” This can be seen in
the brochure entitled Acts 2:38 The Ultimate Experience,
also published by the World of Pentecost.
ACTS 2:38 is following Jesus in his death,
burial and resurrection. In John 13:36 Jesus said, “Where
I’m going now, you cannot follow, but afterwards you shall!”
Repentance is death to the old nature.
Baptism is the burial (Col 2:2) Receiving the Holy Ghost is
the resurrection (Rom 6:4). Luke is the first to record Acts
2:38, and it was spoken by Jesus himself!
In the Acts 2:38 brochure, Kenneth
Phillips, who is Randy Phillips’ father, and Bishop of the
Promiseland, teaches about the purpose of baptism, and
emphasizes that the proper baptismal formula must be spoken
to make the baptism effective:
...The purpose of baptism is to remit or wash
away, your sins. Where does the power lie in baptism to wash
away every sin you have committed? It is not in the
preacher; it is not in the water! Something must be said
over you that has all power. The name of the Lord Jesus
Christ is the only name with all power! (Matthew 28:18) This
is the only way the apostles baptized; in the name of the
Lord Jesus (Acts 2:38, Acts 8:6, Acts 10:47-48). Even if you
have been baptized another way, you need to be baptized
again in the name of Jesus (Acts 19:5).
By “baptized another way,” of course, the
brochure is speaking of the command of Jesus in Matthew 28
to be baptized “in the name of the Father and the Son and
the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).” A baptism that is
performed without the “Jesus Name” formula simply does not
have the power required to wash away sins. We will return to
this point in a moment.
UTurn Student Ministries, the youth ministry
of Christ Temple, Dan Dean’s church, presents this same view
of the “born again experience” in outline form, exhorting
the youth to be baptized for the purpose of progressing
toward their salvation. Again, water baptism is said to
“wash away our sin”:
VI. WHY SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?
...
3. IT IS
INCLUDED IN THE SALVATION EXPERIENCE.
“Whoever
believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not
believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16 (NIV)
“...and
this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also- not
the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good
conscience toward God.” 1 Peter 3:21 (NIV)
4. IT IS
THE “WATER” ELEMENT OF BEING BORN AGAIN.
“In
reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see
the kingdom of God unless he is born again’.......Jesus
answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the
kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.”
John 3:3-5 (NIV)
VII. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF BAPTISM?
1. IT IS
A BURIAL OF OUR OLD MAN.
“Christ
died for our sins ... He was buried ... and He rose again.”
1 Cor. 15:3-4
“By our
baptism then, we were buried with Him and shared His death,
in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead... so
also we may live a new life.” Rom. 6:4
2. IT
WASHES AWAY OUR SIN...
The Enquirer’s Handbook explains why
the “Jesus Name” baptism is considered absolutely essential,
and why the Trinitarian form of baptism is considered
insufficient.
When a person is baptized, it must also be
done with the proper baptismal formula; otherwise, it will
be ineffective. Baptism is a very powerful and sacred act,
and there must be something to distinguish the correct way
from all others; one major difference is the baptismal
formula. This means that the correct “words” must be spoken
when the baptism takes place[30]
It is absolutely vital that the NAME OF JESUS
be said when a person is baptized.
...The reason for so much emphasis being
placed on the name of Jesus is because JESUS is actually the
NAME of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
It is here that we see most clearly the
strong connection between the denial of the Trinity and the
required Oneness baptismal formula. As a result, the name of
the Lord Jesus is reduced here to a magic word invoked in
the service of man. The Handbook concludes with a
warning that a baptism done with the wrong formula will
result in damnation (if not followed by a “proper” baptism):
...baptism is to be done in the name of the One
who was crucified for us. No other name but Jesus can fill
that requirement.
The proper baptismal formula is far too
important to be taken lightly; it could mean the difference
between going to heaven or to hell. A person should
carefully examine his baptism to see if he is following the
narrow way “which leadeth unto life” (Matthew 7:14).[32]
Water baptism is only considered to be a part
of the “born again experience.” Although it is considered
effective to forgive and wash away sins, water baptism alone
does not accomplish the salvation of the believer. Speaking
of the effects of water baptism, the Acts 2:38
pamphlet says:
Now your sins have been forgiven--they are
“under the blood!” Your sins have been washed away in the
waters of baptism! You are now ready for the empowerment of
Acts 2:38, the receiving of the Holy Ghost! The teachings of
Jesus are very pointed about remaining empty after you have
been “swept and garnished.” You must be filled with the
Spirit! (Matt. 12:43)
...When you receive the fullness of the Spirit
you will speak in tongues “as the Spirit gives utterance”
(Acts 2:4) Acts 10:46 is the most definite proof of this
point.
Christ Temple’s U-Turn Student Ministries
outlines the baptism of the Holy Spirit as follows:
While baptism in water is a part of the born
again experience, Jesus told us of another baptism that was
intended to empower the life of every believer. It’s called
the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and it’s a gift that was
given to a group of 120 believers almost 2,000 years ago and
has continued to be poured out on hungry hearts to this day.
XII. WHY SHOULD I RECEIVE THE BAPTISM OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT?
1. IT
WAS COMMANDED BY JESUS AND THE APOSTLES.
“ On one
occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this
command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my
Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For
John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 1:4-5 (NIV)
“ Do not
get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be
filled with the Spirit. “ Eph. 5:18 (NIV)
2. IT IS
THE SPIRIT ELEMENT OF THE BORN AGAIN EXPERIENCE.
“ Jesus
answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the
kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to
spirit. “ John 3:5-6 (NIV)
“ ....He
saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the
Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through
Jesus Christ our Saviour. “ Titus 3:7 (NIV)
3. IT
PLACES US INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST.
“ For we
were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews
or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one
Spirit to drink. “ 1 Cor. 12:13 (NIV)
Of course, if the baptism of the Spirit as
described here is what places us into the body of Christ,
then what about those who have not spoken in tongues? The
implication is clear--those who have not spoken in tongues
are not part of the body of Christ. The Enquirer’s
Handbook is even more direct in stating the consequences
of disobeying the Oneness gospel:
There is only one apostolic doctrine of
salvation--repentance, water baptism, Holy Ghost baptism--and
as a word of warning regarding this, Paul wrote:
“But though we (Paul and Peter) or an angel
from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that you
have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).[35]
Paul certainly did use strong language
against those who would declare a different gospel than the
one that he proclaimed. The reason for this is simple: The
true gospel “is the power of God for salvation”--a different
gospel does not have this power--a different gospel is not a
saving gospel. There is no “half-way” point of compromise.
So the question arises: Is the gospel of Phillips, Craig and
Dean the gospel that Paul taught?
If so, then PCD should preach their gospel
boldly, and all people, particularly those who claim the
name “Christian,” should embrace it wholeheartedly.
If not, then the PCD gospel should be soundly
and publicly rejected, and the platform for their message in
the Christian community removed. Randy Phillips, Shawn
Craig, and Dan Dean must be warned that they fall under the
anathema declared by Paul, and those who claim the name
“Christian” should pray for their repentance.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul
desired to remind the Corinthian church of the gospel that
he had preached to them. It is this gospel that the
believers in Corinth received and believed, and Paul
proclaimed that it was the same gospel taught by all the
apostles:
Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel
which I preached to you, which also you received, in which
also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold
fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed
in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what
I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was
raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and
that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that
He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time,
most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;
then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and
last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me
also.
For I am the least of the apostles, and not
fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church
of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His
grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more
than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so
you believed (1 Corinthians 15:1-11, NASB).
Phillips, Craig and Dean would undoubtedly
affirm the facts of Christ’s death, burial, and
resurrection. They would simply add that to participate in
the power of the gospel, you must follow the steps of
repentance, water baptism in the name of Jesus, and Holy
Spirit baptism.
However, the passage above does not merely
claim to be a portion of the gospel message, to which
further information or works must be added to complete its
saving power; rather, it claims to be an entirely sufficient
synopsis of the gospel. Paul clearly calls it, “the
gospel...by which also you are saved.” In this gospel that
Paul preached, there is no mention of water baptism for the
purpose of forgiveness; neither is there any mention of
speaking in tongues. Paul is concerned here with the work of
the Lord Jesus, and what He has accomplished: “Christ died
for sins...was buried...was raised...and...appeared.” The
Corinthians could have assurance of their salvation if they
trusted solely in this work of Christ alone on their behalf.
Paul says “you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I
preached to you.” What is the word which Paul preached? It
is nothing outside of this very context; this word is “the
gospel which I preached to you...Whether then it was I or
they, so we preach!”
Paul speaks of this same gospel in a much
more detailed fashion in his letter to the Romans. However,
he does not use the opportunity to add commands regarding
water baptism
or speaking in tongues
to his message. Instead, he simply elaborates on the same
message of the power of the gospel in those who have faith:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is
the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to
the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the
righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it
is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY
FAITH (Romans 1:16-17, NASB).”
The gospel that Paul taught is “salvation to
everyone who believes,” and can only be appropriated through
faith. There is no room for a multi-step process of
salvation; all the work involved in this salvation has been
performed by Christ alone. In Ephesians, he speaks of this
salvation as the gracious gift of God. In Romans, he
explains that salvation must be by faith because it is by
grace. No other attempted means of achieving salvation can
succeed, because a salvation that is not through faith alone
is not salvation by grace.
For by grace you have been saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of
God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast
(Ephesians 2:8-9, NASB).
For this reason it is by faith, in
order that it may be in accordance with grace, so
that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants,
not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who
are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
(Romans 4:16, NASB)...
The
Evangelical Picture of Phillips, Craig and Dean
Shawn Craig makes the following observation
in Between Sundays:
Just as we should express our feelings, we
should also speak out about what we believe. It isn’t enough
to believe silently in our hearts and never express what we
know to be the truth...Say what you believe, and believe
what you say. That is the kingdom principle.
This “kingdom principle” has not
characterized the way that Phillips, Craig and Dean have
responded when those in the evangelical community have
questioned them about their Oneness beliefs. Instead, the
information that has been promulgated by PCD has generally
obscured what their true views are, and cloaked them in
Trinitarian-sounding language.
To illustrate the way that Phillips, Craig
and Dean have represented themselves to the evangelical
community when these issues have arisen in the past, two
examples are provided below. As you read these passages, try
to consider how they would be understood by the average
evangelical, unfamiliar with Oneness doctrine. Then, reread
the passage, keeping in mind the background provided in this
article. You will notice how carefully the language has been
crafted to avoid offense to the evangelical community and
make PCD’s belief system seem orthodox.
As far as your question is concerned, we
believe in the THREE DIMENSIONS OR PERSONAS OF ONE GOD (1
John 5:7; Matthew 28:19; 1 Tim 3:16)
We believe in one God who is eternal in His
existence, Triune in His manifestation, being both Father,
Son and Holy Ghost AND that He is Sovereign and Absolute in
His authority.
We believe in the Father who is God Himself,
Creator of the universe. {Gen 1:1; John 1:1}
We believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (Col
2:9) He suffered, died, was buried, and rose from the dead
for our total salvation (Luke 3:21-22; Philippians 2:5-11).
We believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 3:36;
John 3:31-32; John 14:6).
We believe in the Holy Spirit who is God
indwelling, empowering and regenerating the believer. This
Holy Spirit is called the Comforter. The Spirit of Truth
(John14:17, 14:26)
We believe that the blood of Jesus Christ
atones for our sins and iniquity. It is through His shed
blood that we are saved, healed and set free from bondage
and the forces of darkness (Romans 5:9-11; Ephesians 1:7;
Revelation 12:11).
We believe that every believer must have a
personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, for
apart from Him we can do nothing. Each person has a ministry
from God that no one else can fill. We are to instruct,
teach, exhort, and admonish believers in the ways of God
(John 15:1-5; Hebrews 13:5-6).
For centuries people have debated endlessly
theological differences. We do not want to spend our time in
debating differences but in coming together on our
similarities.
Hope this clears things up for you.
Randy.
For the evangelical, there is the affirmation
of the “threeness” of God, the word “Triune,” affirmation of
the existence of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and a
statement about the saving work of Jesus. The last major
paragraph plays to the desire among many evangelicals for
unity, not “doctrines that divide.”
The “THREE DIMENSIONS...OF GOD,” however, are
revealed to be “manifestations,” and in this context
“Triune” simply reiterates that there are three of them.
Oneness Pentecostals believe in the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit; that can simply be affirmed--although
by Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Mr. Phillips is speaking of
roles, not persons. He speaks of salvation and a personal
relationship with Christ without noting that the only
apostolic means of salvation is through water baptism in the
name of Jesus, followed by Holy Spirit baptism evidenced by
speaking in tongues. For those who still have doubts, the
matter is cast as a fruitless debate for those who are
actively involved in Christian ministry.
September 30, 1999
Dear Friend:
Thank you for sharing your concerns. We
understand the importance of knowing that the artists you
listen to not only sing the truth but speak and believe the
Truth. Please allow us to clear up any confusion regarding
the belief system of PCD regarding the doctrine of the
Godhead, which is often referred to as the Trinity.
In the church body, controversy often exists
in matters of doctrine. However, we, the members of
Phillips, Craig & Dean do believe in the existence of the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit--the Three in One.
We also have chosen to agree and affirm the
following statements of faith which we agreed upon when we
first began with Star Song in 1992. It is the Apostles’
Creed which believers have declared and stood upon for
centuries.
The Apostles’ Creed
(This creed is called the Apostles’ Creed not
because it was produced by the apostles themselves but
because it contains a brief summary of their teachings. It
sets forth their doctrine “In sublime simplicity, in
unsurpassable brevity, in beautiful order, and with
liturgical solemnity.” In its present form it is dated no
later than the fourth century. More than any other Christian
creed, it may justly be called an ecumenical symbol of
faith. This translation of the Latin text was approved by
the CRC Synod of 1988.)
I
believe in God, the Father, almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
And born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead and was buried;
He descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead,
He ascended to heaven
And is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic* church,
The communions of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting. Amen.
* catholic (small cap “c”) here refers to “of
or pertaining to the whole Christian body or church.”
Please take a deep look into the lyrics of
Phillips, Craig & Dean songs to find each song is based on
scripture. We hold fast to the Holy Bible, and our music
ministry and personal walks are grounded in these truths.
If you have any hesitations, please feel free
to contact PCD Ministries at 615-264-0012.
For the cause of Christ,
Randy Phillips, Shawn Craig, and Dan Dean
Again, for the evangelical, there is an
assurance that PCD understands the need for truth. The word
“Trinity” is used, the term “Three in One” is used, and an
affirmation is given that PCD believe in the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Apostles’ Creed follows, which
many evangelicals are familiar and comfortable with. Those
who are not familiar with it will be impressed with PCD’s
grasp of church history. Finally, assurances of PCD’s
commitment to the Bible are given.
Although the promise of “clearing up
confusion” is made, the same methods are used here to
obscure what PCD really believes. The “Trinity” is never
defined. “Three in One,” like “Triune” in the previous
example, simply refers to the three manifestations of the
Godhead. The Apostle’s Creed was a very early creed of the
church, and came into popular use before the problem of
Sabellianism (an ancient version of Oneness) arose--so it
does not specifically address the issue of the Trinity.
It is somewhat difficult to understand why
Phillips, Craig and Dean would work so hard to conceal their
true beliefs, particularly if, as their literature teaches,
they believe that the true gospel message--the gospel that
saves--is not the gospel of the evangelical world. At best
one may only speculate what the reasons may be. Is it simply
that they are earning a substantial amount of money from the
evangelical community, and do not want that income to dry
up? Or is something else involved?
Perhaps some light may be shed on the matter
from an excerpt of a recent church service at the
Promiseland. Randy Phillips’ father Kenneth Phillips stood
up after a young lady had just finished performing the song
“Awesome God,” and began to speak about the talent in the
Oneness movement:
“It always amazes me, and I’ve been reared
around it--the incredible talent that’s in the Jesus Name
people; the people that have been baptized in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of the greatest preachers in the
world, including T.D. Jakes and Tommy Tenney and all of
those wonderful Jesus’ Name people...and then it seemed like
there’s so many piano players and bass players and guitar
players and saxophone players and song writers...and song
writers...song writers...people that get together and just
worship the Lord Jesus. We used to just be in tents, and
brush arbors, and on campgrounds, but now--word’s got out,
and it’s all over the world. People singing our song, people
playing our music, people preaching our sermons--isn’t that
incredible? I’m glad that I was on the ground floor of
this--ground floor of this, prayed for this, believed for
this.”
Bishop Phillips expresses that it has been
his desire all along for Oneness preachers and musicians to
enter the mainstream evangelical world. But for what
purpose? Surely it is not solely to sell books and music to
the evangelical community. It seems entirely possible that
Kenneth Phillips desires to use evangelical media and
marketing channels to spread the Oneness gospel. Perhaps not
now, at least not openly--but at some point, when the
evangelical community has accepted T.D. Jakes, Tommy Tenney,
PCD, and others wholeheartedly into their ranks--after years
of heartfelt, emotional sermons, and music loved by
evangelicals. One can almost hear the argument being raised
even now:
“If their music is so moving, and we listen
to their sermons, and we’ve welcomed them into the
evangelical community as leaders now for years...maybe that
means that what we believe, and what they believe about the
nature of God is not an essential issue. Maybe the Trinity
is not such a big deal after all. And maybe the gospel is
the same way.”
Addendum, June 10, 2002
This article was first published on the
aomin.org site in April, 2002. In the intervening weeks both
the Promiseland and Christ Temple web sites, although they
had remained relatively unchanged for a substantial length
of time, have suddenly undergone significant renovations. In
particular:
·
The abrupt
changes at the Promisland site (http://www.wop.com) have
resulted in several dead links. The main page announces "A
New Promiseland is coming!" For the time being, the web
bookstore at the Promiseland appears to be unavailable.
·
The
Promiseland brochure "Acts 2:38--The Ultimate Experience"
linked in the article footnotes above has been removed from
the web site.
·
The message
boards at the Promiseland which contained discussion of
Jesus-name baptism have been completely erased.
·
Christ
Temple has removed its statement of faith from their "About
Us" page.
·
Christ
Temple’s U-Turn Inneractive Student Ministries site has
removed the outline containing references to Oneness and
Jesus-name baptism.
·
Christ
Temple has removed an article concerning their support of a
oneness mission in St. Petersburg, Russia, which had a
reference to oneness evangelist Andrew Urshan.
·
T.D. Jakes
ministry, The Potter's House, has moved its doctrinal
statement to a new URL. The doctrinal statement remains
unchanged except for a link to an article Bishop Jakes wrote
for Christianity Today concerning the statement.
All of these recent modifications will make
it significantly more difficult for the reader to verify the
accuracy of this article.
However, although several of these pages are
no longer available at their respective web sites, they are,
for the time being, still available for viewing online,
since they have been cached by the Google search engine.
To view these pages, browse to http://www.google.com
and copy the desired URL into the search box. When Google
displays the link, choose to view the cached version.
If you
intend to share this article with someone else, you may want
to save a copy of the cached web pages for yourself, as the
Google cache may change or be cleared at some time in the
future.
