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David K. Bernard, the General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), one of the largest Oneness Pentecostal groups, wrote: "God is love" (1 John 4:8, 16). Love is ...
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#2: Post edited
by
qohelet
·
2021-05-01T16:35:25Z (over 3 years ago)
Clarified UPCI as representative of Oneness Pentecostalism
David K. Bernard, the General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), wrote:- > "God is love" (1 John 4:8, 16). Love is the essence of God; it is His very nature....
- >
- > A popular philosophical argument for the trinity is based on the fact that God is love. The basic argument is: How could God be love and show love before He created the world unless God was a plurality of persons that had love for one another? This line of reasoning is faulty for several reasons. First, even if correct it would not prove a trinity. In fact, it could lead to outright polytheism. Second, why does God need to prove to us the eternal nature of His love? Why cannot we simply accept the statement that God is love? Why do we limit God to our concept of love, contending that He could not have been in love in eternity past unless He had a then-existing object of love? Third, how does the trinitarian solution avoid polytheism and at the same time avoid saying merely that God loved Himself? Fourth, we cannot limit God to time. He could and did love us from eternity past.[^1]
- He further elaborated on the specific biblical passages that discuss the Father and the Son's love for one another, noting that these passages do not reference the Holy Spirit's love relationship within the Godhead.
- -----------------
- [^1]:David K. Bernard, *The Oneness of God (Series in Pentecostal Theology)*, vol. 1 (Weldon Spring, MO: Pentecostal Publishing House, 1986), 32, 185.
- David K. Bernard, the General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), one of the largest Oneness Pentecostal groups, wrote:
- > "God is love" (1 John 4:8, 16). Love is the essence of God; it is His very nature....
- >
- > A popular philosophical argument for the trinity is based on the fact that God is love. The basic argument is: How could God be love and show love before He created the world unless God was a plurality of persons that had love for one another? This line of reasoning is faulty for several reasons. First, even if correct it would not prove a trinity. In fact, it could lead to outright polytheism. Second, why does God need to prove to us the eternal nature of His love? Why cannot we simply accept the statement that God is love? Why do we limit God to our concept of love, contending that He could not have been in love in eternity past unless He had a then-existing object of love? Third, how does the trinitarian solution avoid polytheism and at the same time avoid saying merely that God loved Himself? Fourth, we cannot limit God to time. He could and did love us from eternity past.[^1]
- He further elaborated on the specific biblical passages that discuss the Father and the Son's love for one another, noting that these passages do not reference the Holy Spirit's love relationship within the Godhead.
- -----------------
- [^1]:David K. Bernard, *The Oneness of God (Series in Pentecostal Theology)*, vol. 1 (Weldon Spring, MO: Pentecostal Publishing House, 1986), 32, 185.
#1: Initial revision
by
qohelet
·
2021-05-01T07:05:34Z (over 3 years ago)
David K. Bernard, the General Superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), wrote: > "God is love" (1 John 4:8, 16). Love is the essence of God; it is His very nature.... > > A popular philosophical argument for the trinity is based on the fact that God is love. The basic argument is: How could God be love and show love before He created the world unless God was a plurality of persons that had love for one another? This line of reasoning is faulty for several reasons. First, even if correct it would not prove a trinity. In fact, it could lead to outright polytheism. Second, why does God need to prove to us the eternal nature of His love? Why cannot we simply accept the statement that God is love? Why do we limit God to our concept of love, contending that He could not have been in love in eternity past unless He had a then-existing object of love? Third, how does the trinitarian solution avoid polytheism and at the same time avoid saying merely that God loved Himself? Fourth, we cannot limit God to time. He could and did love us from eternity past.[^1] He further elaborated on the specific biblical passages that discuss the Father and the Son's love for one another, noting that these passages do not reference the Holy Spirit's love relationship within the Godhead. ----------------- [^1]:David K. Bernard, *The Oneness of God (Series in Pentecostal Theology)*, vol. 1 (Weldon Spring, MO: Pentecostal Publishing House, 1986), 32, 185.