Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #609839 in Books
• Published on: 1984-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 346 pages

Customer Reviews

Awesome book on the New Birth
Bernard covers the entire scope of the new birth experience. He does a great job of explaining grace, faith, & works, and how they are related. He covers all the angles including those that do not agree with Biblical teaching. Also goes in depth into such topics as baptism, tongues, and Christian living. Some won't agree, but many don't agree with the Bible, and Bernards book is good sound Bible teaching. Some resort to name calling, but, some like darkness better than light. This book with it's study guide should be a basic in every Christian school and home.

Majors out of Minors
Having read this work, Bernard attempts to make doctrine out of some very controversial verses. This is a major hermeneutical blunder. Moreover, he doesn't analyze Scripture with enough depth. I don't believe this gentlemen is purposely trying to deceive, but I do believe that he makes many assumptions and exegetical fallacies. A much more balanced book to read from another Oneness Pentecostal is "Speaking in Tongues", subtitled "A Scholarly Defense" by Barnett. Unfortunately the logical conclusion of Bernard's book is that the rest of Christianity is unsaved - this is an absurd conclusion.

The Simplicity That is in Christ
Excellent book. The author has thoroughly studied essential biblical doctrines and made the New Testament gospel easily understandable in this concise and well-written work. Rev. Bernard is not an amateur writer. He holds a doctorate of jurisprudence with honors from the University of Texas and a bachelor's degree magna cum laude in mathematical sciences and managerial studies from Rice University. Hardly the signs of a cult member.

Might I say that if there is anything that is cultic in nature, it is the Gentile, neo-pagan, tritheistic, mythical doctrine of "the trinity", which is found no place in Scripture. Trinitarianism has more in common with the Bhagavad-Gita than it does with the Jewish/Christian bible. It negates everything in the Jewish Tanach (the Old Testament). The Apostle Paul said Christians are to be "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone", prophets primarily meaning the books of the Old Testament. Therefore the Shema (q.v.) cannot be contradicted with new (as compared to older, Judaistic monotheism), privately interpreted, artificial doctrine of "the trinity".

Also, concerning speaking with tongues, "A Reader" is completely incorrect and dead wrong. The Assemblies of God, the world's largest trinitarian Pentecostal organization states, "The baptism of believers in the Holy Ghost is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance...the speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues, but is different in purpose and use." Hence, there are those other than Oneness Pentecostals who believe the exact same thing concerning the necessity of "speaking in tongues", as salvation is not effected until one recieves the Spirit of Christ by faith. The Oneness movement sprang out of the Assemblies of God and simply retained this doctrine which they already shared with them while in the AG.

Overall, the primacy of biblical Christianity over historical Christianity must be adhered to, and Oneness theology is biblical, trinitarianism is historical (though only after circa 325 A.D.) When historical teachings are placed above biblical teachings, it is then that cults are formed. As for previous reviews, I say: Avoid ignorance and second-hand information at all costs. Read the book, and read the Bible.