2 Corinthians 13:14, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

God is Three Persons in One Divine Being, Not One Divine Person with Three Different Titles

Since Apollo comes from a “Oneness Pentecostal” background his denial of the Trinity is rooted in his previous denomination’s misguided and ignorant biblical interpretations. Therefore, when he bases his own claims on the false belief that Jesus is the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit his entire theological system falls apart when the triune nature of God is clearly established in the Scripture. In other words, if Apollo has his doctrine of God wrong (which is his foundation) then everything built on that false belief falls apart.

In his teachings about God’s singular nature he uses the same heretical techniques that Oneness Pentecostals wrongly use and miserably fail at. For example, Apollo teaches that since Matthew 28:19 states, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” that the singular “name” must be Jesus. Why? Because in Isaiah 9:6 the prophet stated about the Son, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” As a result, Apollo claims that since Jesus (“the Son”) is given the title “Everlasting Father,” referring to the Father in the Bible and “Wonderful Counselor” referring to the Holy Spirit in John 14:26 that there can only be one person in the nature of God; Jesus.

Simply stated, Apollo believes there is one God whose name is Jesus and He has three different titles- the Father, Son, and the Holy. And to drive the point home he then points to all the references in the Scriptures that show there is only one God; such as Deuteronomy 6:4, James 2:19, etc.[1]

Also, Apollo sadly believes the historical misinformation promoted by many cults and Oneness Pentecostals that somehow the newly converted Roman Emperor Constantine invented the doctrine of the Trinity in 325 A.D. at the Council of Nicaea (which can easily be proven false in church history).[2] Therefore, Apollo’s supposed revelation of the “essence of God” is a tired old lie promoted by the worst kind of teachers and ignorant historians.

The Apostle John Taught Jesus and the Father Were Separate Persons

To refute Apollo’s Oneness claims all one has to do is study who Jesus is in the book of John and then properly interrupt the rest of the Bible (and certainly church history will prove this true). There is no better place to start than the book of John because John gives the clearest statements about Jesus’ origins, mission, and nature within his first 18 verses. Let us look at some of his writings in the first chapter and find the “real” Jesus.

John wrote in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In this opening verse the Greek (the original language of the New Testament) is perfectly clear, “the Word was with God.” In the Greek the word for “with” is “pros,” which literally means, “face to face with.” John is stating that the Word was “face-to-face with God.” Therefore, the Word cannot be the same person as God mentioned in verse one.

Now some might say, “But the last part of the verse states, “the Word was God,” so God and the Word must be the same person.” However, once again someone only naïvely reading the English or non-Greek original version would say this. Because in the original Greek text the phrase, “the Word was God,” literally means, “the Word was divine in nature.” Why? The Greek word for “God” (“theos”) does not have an article before it and thus it is used in the predicate normative form (a descriptive word for the subject).[3]

In other words, the “logos” (Greek for “Word”) is the subject and John uses the word, “theos” to describe the Word’s nature.[4] Not to mention it would be impossible for the Word to be “face-to-face” (pros) with Himself as stated again in verse 2, “He was with (pros/face to face with) God in the beginning.”

At this point, I can only imagine the frustration Apollo and his followers would have with this information because they obviously cannot read Greek nor understand its meaning. So let us move on to the more obvious and clear context (even seen in the English version) before we are faced with their weak excuses that they don’t need Greek scholarship but only the “spiritual” interpretations given by their “Father” (of lies).

The first chapter of John doesn’t leave us only Greek insight to its meaning, but also clear context to who the Word is. Let’s continue to John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John now separates the persons He was describing in verse one, mainly, the “Son & Father.” So we can go back with this information and better understand verse one. “In the beginning was the Word (the Son), and the Word (the Son) was with (face to face with) God (the Father), and the Word (the Son) was God (divine in nature).”

Someone might interject and say, “You’re just twisting the Scripture to say what you want it to say!” Well, let’s look at the verses again. Verse one states that the Word was with God, but neither names the Word or the God He is facing. So in verse 14 we read that the Word became flesh and is called the “one and only Son,” thus, it is now clear that the Word is the Son. But maybe someone is not convinced yet the Father is the same “God” in verse one that the Son (the Word) is facing. So let’s go on to verse 18 in the same chapter for further clarification, “18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”

Wow, did you just read that!? John clearly teaches us that no one has ever seen God, God the Father that is, but we have seen God, the one and only Son (Jesus). How could John be true if Apollo considers Jesus to be the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit all in the same person? If Jesus was just using different titles then John couldn’t say that we haven’t seen God because Abraham saw God in Genesis 18:1 by the trees of Mamre. Plus, everyone saw Jesus (God the one and only Son) while He lived on earth! As a result, we’re only left with two options… Either, (a) John lied about God’s nature and Apollo is right. Or (b) God’s nature is three persons (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit) in one divine being.

After understanding the context of John’s first chapter I now humbly ask you to read the verses again and decide which interpretation you believe is the Holy Spirit’s original intention. John 1:1,14,18, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth… No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”

Properly Interpreting Matthew 28:19 & Isaiah 9:6

Concerning how to rightly understand the “proof texts” that Apollo uses to promote his Oneness theology the answers are simple. In Matthew 28:19, the one name isn’t Jesus, it is “Yahweh,” the divine name used by the Israelites in the Old Testament for God, Psalm 135:13. Matthew is teaching us that Jesus (the Son) shared the same divine attributes and qualities that the Father and Holy Spirit have. That is why the author of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Also, Jesus shared in the one divine name while on earth because in Hebrew Jesus’ name is, “Yhowshua/Joshua,” which means, “Yahweh is Salvation.”

Next, Isaiah 9:6 does say the Son will be called “Everlasting Father” and “Wonderful Counselor,” however, those are not referring to the other two persons in the Trinity, but rather they are descriptive titles for Jesus. Meaning, Jesus is an Everlasting Father (ruler/protector) to creation because everything was created (Colossians 1:16) and is sustained by Him (Hebrews 1:3). Just like how Joseph in Genesis 45:8 said that God made him a “father,” “lord,” and “ruler” to Pharaoh, “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”

Lastly, Jesus is a Wonderful Counselor through the person of the Holy Spirit because it is His Words the Holy Spirit speaks. Notice the triune nature of God in John 14:26, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” God the Father sends the Advocate (God the Holy Spirit) in the name of Jesus (God the Son)! It couldn’t get any clear than that! Well, maybe at Jesus’ baptism- Jesus (God the Son) is being baptized, while God the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and God the Father speaks, Matthew 3:16-17!

Time and space doesn’t allow me to go through each and every verse Apollo misinterprets but I hope that this section can make it plain to all with open hearts and minds that God is three co-equal persons in one divine being. For those who get lost in the mystery of God’s complex unity remember what the psalmist said in Psalm 89:5-8, “5 The heavens praise your wonders, Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. 6 For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings? 7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. 8 Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.”

Summarized

  1. Apollo’s teachings about “The Essence of God” comes directly from his past heretical Oneness Pentecostal theology.
  2. John 1:1 clearly teaches, “In the beginning was the Word (the Son), and the Word (the Son) was with (face to face with) God (the Father), and the Word (the Son) was God (divine in nature).”
  3. Matthew 28:19 refers to the “one name” of “Yahweh” not “Jesus.”
  4. Isaiah 9:6 expresses different titles given to Jesus, not proof that Jesus is the Father and the Holy Spirit in one person.

For Further Study on the Triune Nature of God

  1. “Appendix A: Understanding the Trinity,” found at the end of this book.
  2. “The Forgotten Trinity,” by Dr. James White.
  3. Visit online, “What is the Trinity,” by Matt Slick at, http://carm.org/what-trinity
  4. Visit online, “What Does the Bible Teach About the Trinity?” at http://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html

 

[1] “Essence of God,” by Apollo Quiboloy accessed on July 25th, 2014 at , http://www.kingdomofjesuschrist.org/2012/pastor-apollo-c-quiboloy-the-essence-of-god/

[2] Read, “Appendix A: Understanding the Trinity” at the end of this book for more insight.

[3] Jehovah Witnesses, another cult, try to make an issue out of the missing article and claim it should read, “was a god.” However, the missing article actually does the opposite because it fully assures the reader that whatever God is in John 1:1b, the Word is as a different person in John 1:1c. See footnote “4” for further study of the Greek.

[4] For further study read Dr. James White’s article on John 1:1. He is an expert in the Greek language and Christian theology. Found here, accessed July 25th, 2014, http://vintage.aomin.org/JOHN1_1.html