The Oneness Pentecostal belief that there is no separate divine "person" apart from Jesus can, to some, appear almost as a covert form of atheism or, at the very least, a denial of the traditional Christian and Judaic concept of God the Father as a distinct, wholly divine persona. In mainstream Christian theology, particularly in Trinitarian doctrine, God the Father is viewed as a distinct person who coexists with the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit within a triune Godhead, aligning with centuries of Christian interpretation and certain Judaic concepts of a singular, transcendent God often described as “Father.” By contrast, Oneness Pentecostals believe that God is fully embodied in Jesus alone, with no distinct person of the Father or the Holy Spirit apart from Him. To some, this can seem like a significant departure from both Christian and Judaic views and may even resemble a covert form of atheism by seemingly erasing any divine presence or persona beyond the human figure of Jesus. However, Oneness adherents argue that this is not a denial of divinity but rather a unique interpretation of God’s indivisible nature, viewing Jesus as the complete revelation of the one true God. Thus, while the Oneness view may initially seem to undermine traditional concepts of a distinct divine being, adherents regard it as a different understanding of God’s unity, not a rejection of His existence or presence.
ChatGPT, 2024
