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I went to my friends church, they don't wear wedding rings, don't have any facial hair and women have to wear skirts only, and men can only wear long sleeve shirts.
Normal for conservative church, the Holy Spirit is there, but what got me worried is that they are almost overly focused on the holy spirit, not Jesus or the Father.
On a presentation the pastor said that the Father in the bible was another name for Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is Jesus, and all the same person, Jesus. They don't acknowledge 3 distinct beings, just say they are all Jesus? I think that denies him as being 3 parts, and you need to overlook a lot of the scripture to come that conclusion. And me a young person saying anything to these older men, who think they are Gods elite- well you know how that would go.
I went to my friends church, they don't wear wedding rings, don't have any facial hair and women have to wear skirts only, and men can only wear long sleeve shirts.
Normal for conservative church, the Holy Spirit is there, but what got me worried is that they are almost overly focused on the holy spirit, not Jesus or the Father.
On a presentation the pastor said that the Father in the bible was another name for Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is Jesus, and all the same person, Jesus. They don't acknowledge 3 distinct beings, just say they are all Jesus? I think that denies him as being 3 parts, and you need to overlook a lot of the scripture to come that conclusion. And me a young person saying anything to these older men, who think they are Gods elite- well you know how that would go.
The church you went to might be a 'Oneness Pentecostal' church.
The third division is the Oneness Pentecostals. At the meeting which formed the Church of God in Christ (1914), there was intense debate over Trinitarian doctrine. While the majority of Holiness believers held to the traditional belief in the Trinity, there was a growing group which held to a modalist belief and affirmed that baptism should be done in Jesus' name only. Another tenet of this group is the necessity of speaking in tongues as evidence of salvation. This group was to form the United Pentecostal Church and the Apostolic Pentecostal Church, among others.
I went to my friends church, they don't wear wedding rings, don't have any facial hair and women have to wear skirts only, and men can only wear long sleeve shirts.
Normal for conservative church, the Holy Spirit is there, but what got me worried is that they are almost overly focused on the holy spirit, not Jesus or the Father.
On a presentation the pastor said that the Father in the bible was another name for Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is Jesus, and all the same person, Jesus. They don't acknowledge 3 distinct beings, just say they are all Jesus? I think that denies him as being 3 parts, and you need to overlook a lot of the scripture to come that conclusion. And me a young person saying anything to these older men, who think they are Gods elite- well you know how that would go.
That is the belief of many conservative evangelical churches. That is once what I believed. But a careful study of scripture using the oldest manuscripts is very weak with that regard. It's absolutely not clear. Some study about the doctrine of the trinity--both for and against--may help you decided for yourself. There are a number of different translations of the verses that the doctrine of trinity has traditionally relied upon. Those verses are found in I John 5:7-8.
Here is the traditional reading as posted in the King James Version of the Bible. The KJV was a translation that was not using the earliest manuscripts of that letter--the reason was--they hadn't been found.
Quote:
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (conservatives think this means Jesus), and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth; the spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three are in agreement.
However earlier dated manuscripts read thusly:
Quote:
For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
Obviously the first translation makes the Trinity look very strong. But the Septuagint (Greek Bible) from which it was translated was dated to around the twelfth century--so its not nearly so old.
The oldest manuscripts read as the second quote above. It isn't nearly so obvious as the first one. Why would the first one be different? Because by the time that Septuagint was composed many in the early Roman church had already adopted the belief of the Trinity. Most likely some copyist wanted to make it very clear and added the additional words.
But here is the thing you need to keep in mind---it is not a cardinal doctrine for being a Christian. It is not necessary to believe that in order to be a Christian. Believing in Jesus is very important, but equally important is the change it should make in your life. It should change your view about others to be far more positive and accepting--the way Jesus Himself is described in the gospels. It should make you hunger and thirst for more knowledge--and knowledge is far more than you will ever get in any Sunday School class.
Whatever your views are now, if they haven't changed in ten years or so, then it is doubtful that you are growing as a Christian. Keep seeking, don't accept anyone's word on face value--including my own. Discover for yourself.
I went to my friends church, they don't wear wedding rings, don't have any facial hair and women have to wear skirts only, and men can only wear long sleeve shirts.
Normal for conservative church, the Holy Spirit is there, but what got me worried is that they are almost overly focused on the holy spirit, not Jesus or the Father.
On a presentation the pastor said that the Father in the bible was another name for Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is Jesus, and all the same person, Jesus. They don't acknowledge 3 distinct beings, just say they are all Jesus? I think that denies him as being 3 parts, and you need to overlook a lot of the scripture to come that conclusion. And me a young person saying anything to these older men, who think they are Gods elite- well you know how that would go.
Most Pentecostal denominations ascribe to the doctrine of the Trinity. Also, most wear wedding rings, may have facial hair, women wear slacks and normal attire. Depending upon the culture of the church or the region, modesty may be stressed more at some churches. Skirts that reach the floor and women who never cut their hair and wear it in buns on top of their head, are mostly in the apostolic denominations, some of which are Oneness.
This was, as others have said, a "Oneness Pentecostal" church.
The largest Pentecostal denominations in the US - The Assemblies of God and most churches that call themselves "Church of God" believe in the trinity and do not practice these customs.
I went to my friends church, they don't wear wedding rings, don't have any facial hair and women have to wear skirts only, and men can only wear long sleeve shirts.
Normal for conservative church, the Holy Spirit is there, but what got me worried is that they are almost overly focused on the holy spirit, not Jesus or the Father.
On a presentation the pastor said that the Father in the bible was another name for Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is Jesus, and all the same person, Jesus. They don't acknowledge 3 distinct beings, just say they are all Jesus? I think that denies him as being 3 parts, and you need to overlook a lot of the scripture to come that conclusion. And me a young person saying anything to these older men, who think they are Gods elite- well you know how that would go.
that pastor is right, JESUS is the Holy Spirit. and there is no 3 parts to God at all.
people for centuries have been saying Father, Son, Holy Spirit. the correct way is Holy Spirit, and Holy Spirit Only. I know this sound foreign to you, because you have been programmed to say it as Father, son, and the Holy Ghost/Spirit. but all the TRUE followers, knows it is only the Spirit, and he the Spirit, is in flesh as a man.
... you have been programmed to say it as Father, son, and the Holy Ghost/Spirit.
Yes, 'tis absolutely true, I have been programmed to believe in the Trinity!
And what programmed me was that part of God's word called the NT.
Care to see 70+ verses which teach the Triune Godhead?
Yes, 'tis absolutely true, I have been programmed to believe in the Trinity! And what programmed me was that part of God's word called the NT. Care to see 70+ verses which teach the Triune Godhead?
yes go ahead, at your leisure
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