**Reminds me of a oneness pentacostal I know. He started trying to explain his position by saying that the Trinity represents an ancient sun god that was worshipped prior to christianity.**
Maybe he didn't do a good job of explaining the Godhead.
Or maybe you don't have the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The Lord told Peter "Blessed art thou....for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven". Matt. 16:17
Question: Who is the Father of Jesus Christ? The Father (numerous references by Jesus to his Father)? Or the Holy Ghost (Matt. 1:18,20; Luke 1:35)? And which one is the "power of the Highest"?
Answer: The Father is the Father of the Son. The Father is the source of all life.
"All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." Matt. 11:27
Question: Why does an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent 'person' of God need anything delivered from another omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent 'person' of God?
Answer: There are not three omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent 'persons' of God. Jesus was/is God because of the Father in him, "he doeth the works". John 14:10
Question: Why is there three 'persons of God' present at the Lord's baptism?
Answer: there are NOT three persons present. Remember the Father is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He simply gave John the baptist an audio and visual confirmation that this Jesus was indeed His Son. Easy to do two things at once (or create a world) when you are THE power of the universe.
Question: Jesus prayed/or called to the Father countless times. Was this one God asking for help from another God?
Answer: No, the fleshly man was asking the Spirit "to take this cup from me". As mentioned above, Jesus said the Father (He is a Spirit; John 4:23,24) was/is in him doing the works. John the baptist said "..for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. John 3:34.
On the cross Jesus felt something he previously had never experienced. The absolute departure of the Spirit of God. Hence, his words "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me". Had the Father 'doing the works' so choosed, He could have remained in that body, healing wounds, and manufacturing blood faster than the speed of light. Or empowered that body to come down from the cross as the taunters asked him to. But we know that was not the plan.
On that ressurection morning, the Spirit of God reentered that body and raised it up. Shortly after, Jesus told his followers: "ALL POWER is given unto me in HEAVEN and EARTH". If there's two other persons in the Godhead, they are 'lights out'.
Question: How many Spirits from God does one receive from God? After all, Paul told the Christians in Rome they had been given the 'Holy Ghost' (5:5), that if they didn't have the 'Spirit of Christ' they were none of his (8:9), and told the Ephesians (4:6) that they had "One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Answer: God gives of himself a portion of his Spirit to the born again believer. It's the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself".
Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. Col. 1:15
Matthew 28:19? No problem, leave it like it is. The 'name' must be Jesus. He came in his Father's name. Jesus said the Father would send the 'Comforter' (Holy Ghost) in "my name". And, of course, the name of the Son is Jesus.
I'm a father, a son, and a husband, but that's not my name.
(it's not Zuriel, either)
Do any of you sign your checks/contracts/ etc.: father(mother), son (daughter), and husband (wife)? If so, I need to bank there! :)
That's why the Apostles knew to baptize in the name of Jesus.
**I'll stick with 1500 years of orthodox teachings instead joining the cults,muslims etc on this issue.**
I'll stick with the Word of God, it's been right forever.
Paul explains that in I Cor 15.
1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
But you dont stick with the Word of God. You ignore the plain meaning of much of the New Testament. God sent his only begotten Son to take away the sins of the world. After the resurrection, Christ ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God. The comforter, the Holy Spirit, was sent in his place. Thats what scripture says. Furthermore, you ignore Paul's salutations where he mentions God the Father and Lord Jesus Christ in the same breath. Is the Godhead mysterious and hard to comprehend? Sure. So is the secret counsel of God. ALso, American oneness doctrine began at the turn of the last century at a pentacostal revival in Los Angeles wherein someone declared to have a "revelation". That "revelation" was also preached by William Branaham, who is considered by many to be a false prophet. Trinity is simply a descriptive word like rapture or bible.