Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
But as it often the case, the goal of this thread was not to discuss modes of prayer, or whether Lee was a modalist. Rather to analyze the notion of the oneness of the Godhead in terms of some words found in the Bible. Words such as "be one as we are one." This is a statement that is not commenting on whether God is omnipresent. Rather it suggests something about the oneness of God that is not consistent with a "one God = one person" theology. It actually supports a theology that approaches three separates that are unified in a manner that we can likewise be unified. "Essence" doesn't even quite get it. It would seem to transcend. There should be something among the Christians that overcomes race, nationality, gender, political affiliation, and so much more. It is not something simply conferred upon us because we are Christian. It is something that needs action. Probably a change of heart and mind.
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The concept of oneness found in the Bible is one of the things that WL was very unclear about. His concept of oneness was uniformity, and I think he went so far as to project such a view on God, by saying that each of the Trinity is synonymous with the other.
In the NT, Jesus speaks about being one with the Father, and he also speaks about doing the Father’s will. The former could have an implication of the Father and Son being the same, but that whole possibility is easily tossed out the window, because Jesus talks about doing the Father’s will.
Jesus chose to act and exist as someone who was subordinate to the Father. I wouldn’t speculate if he could disobey the Father (that would have likely created a paradox), but the important thing here is that the view of Jesus being subordinate to the Father necessitates a fundamental distinction between the Father and the Son. WL’s view simply doesn't make sense. The ‘oneness’ couldn’t possibly be any kind of uniform or conglomerate view of God. Rather, it is a oneness in purpose. Of course our understanding of God involves an understanding of the Trinity and some sort of essential ‘oneness’, but that doesn't mean that God operates or acts as a singular entity in everything he does. The Bible doesn't present us with that view.
I don't claim to understand 'oneness' but one thing I do know is that the LC has got it all wrong.