P,C&D Revisited

En Neilson has reposted an older article explaining the problems of Phillips, Craig and Dean. It is worth the read.

Several years ago, a controversy arose concerning the beliefs of a so-called Christian music group, Philips, Craig and Dean. It was claimed that they were Oneness Pentecostals. That simply meant that they denied the Trinity. I personally wrote them and was able to confirm clearly that the accusations were true (I have since lost that e-mail since I am not very good at saving stuff).

I then sent an e-mail to our local Christian radio station with copies of the correspondence with P,C &D. They simply didn't see the problem. They were simply not able to recognize truth from error. Hence, P, C & D were continued to be played. Truth is not worth contending for I guess.

Here is an example why so many seem to wonder what the problem is. On their statement of beliefs page, they positively affirm the oneness view of God:

What We Believe We believe in one God who is eternal in His existence, Triune in His manifestation, being both Father, Son and Holy Ghost AND that He is Sovereign and Absolute in His authority. (I Timothy 3:16, Ephesians 4:4 & Colossians 2:9)

We believe in the Father who is God Himself, Creator of the universe. (Gen 1:1; John 1:1)

We believe that Jesus is the Flesh of God.

The above understanding of God may sound good, but it is not Trinitarian. Some may say that this seems like hair-splitting. If we are willing to cloud the revealed nature of God, then the Gospel will also be a clouded Gospel.

Note from the same page it says:

We believe that the blood of Jesus Christ atones for our sins and iniquity.It is through His shed blood that we are saved, healed and set free from bondage and the forces of darkness (Romans 5:9-11; Ephesians 1:7; Revelation 12:11)

This seems reasonable. But what is often the trouble with groups that claim to be Christian while not actually being Christian is that they use Christian terminology while redefining the terms. While the above seems to affirm salvation by Grace alone, it does not actually do so.

Later on the same page they affirm baptismal regeneration:

We believe that believers should be water baptized by immersion in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the circumcision of our hearts. It is through baptism that we publicly identify with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-6; Colossians 2:11-14; Acts 2:38)

This statement clearly denies the Sovereign Grace they claim to believe in. They positively say that the human work of physical baptism is the means by which the Holy Spirit circumcises our hearts. The Gospel is perverted and becomes a work of man.

Jesus says that the Father is wanting a people who worship Him in Spirit and Truth. Therefore, Truth is worth contending for. To worship a false view of God is to violate the very thing Jesus came to do.

Perhaps the reason why so many Evanjellycals seem to agree with P,C&D is that they too have to some extent made salvation man-centered.