A Series Of Appeals To Oneness Believers

• APPEAL 1
  
  
• APPEAL 2
  
  
• APPEAL 3
  
  
• APPEAL 4

To Tell The Truth, Some of Us Are Following Another Jesus By Brian Wright

 

Photo: Alexei Boitsov

I was flipping through television channels one evening and came across an old program that I hadn’t seen in years. I don’t watch television game shows these days but this particular program fascinated me in my childhood. It was called “To Tell the Truth.”

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the program, it was structured much like a detective story. The show begins with a brief introduction of an interesting, but not well-known, person. Then three guests are presented for questioning. Each guest claims to be the person described in the introduction. A panel of celebrities is allowed to briefly question the three guests. At the end of the time allowed for questioning, each panel member must cast his vote for the guest he believes is really the person described in the introduction.

Each guest who received a vote earned a monetary reward. Each guest did his best to convince the panel through his answers and demeanor that he was the real person. After the panel finished casting their votes and explaining why they voted for a particular guest, the game show host would announce with great anticipation, “Will the real [insert name] please stand up!” The fun for the program viewer was not only watching the drama unfold but also hazarding a guess of his own.

Tension mounted as first one guest and then another feigned rising and then returned to their seats. The real person finally stood alone to thunderous applause and squeals of delight (from those who had correctly identified the real person) and gasps of disappointment (from those who had been fooled by an imposter).

Each of the “imposters” was then asked to state his real name, where he was from and what he really did for a living. The panel members who had voted for one of the imposters then explained why they had been fooled. The duped panel members graciously endured the good-natured teasing they received from those who were not deceived and vowed to do better next time.

It may sound like a simple task to pick out the “real” person but many times the “imposters” garnered more votes than the “real” person. How were they able so often to fool the panel and viewing audience?

The “imposters” were confident with their answers, especially at the beginning. They had some knowledge of the “real” person’s biography and the better imposters had done additional research into the “real” person’s occupation. On the surface, they appeared to be the genuine article. It was only upon closer scrutiny that an astute questioner was (sometimes) able to entangle an imposter in the details and thereby expose him.

I wonder how the panel, and the viewing audience, would have fared if Jesus had been a guest on this program?

Perhaps it would have gone something like this:

Announcer: “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Our featured guest this evening is a miracle worker! He heals the sick, restores sight to the blind and proclaims good news. He was born under unusual circumstances in the Roman occupied city of Bethlehem nearly 2000 years ago. Honored guests, will you please tell us your name?”

Guest 1: “I am Jesus of Nazareth.”

Guest 2: “I am Jesus of Nazareth.”

Guest 3: “I am Jesus of Nazareth.”

Panel question: “What does the term ‘Messiah’ mean?”

Guest 1: “It is the Hebrew form of my family name, Christ.”

Guest 2: “It is the Hebrew title that identifies me as the second person in the Godhead.”

Guest 3: “It is a Hebrew word which literally means ‘anointed one’ and indicates that I am an agent of God, a man appointed by Him to act on His behalf.”

Question: “Which is the greatest commandment?”

Guest 1: “I gave ten commandments. They are equally important.”

Guest 2: “I gave many commandments in addition to the ten. The most important is to love your neighbor.”

Guest 3: “The LORD our God is one LORD.”

Question: “What is the gospel?”

Guest 1: “I died so that those who believe in me will never die but will live with me forever in heaven.”

Guest 2: “I am the second member of the triune God who lived as a man and died for the sins of those men I predestined to receive a reward in heaven.”

Guest 3: “The good news about the Kingdom of God and how it may be attained by those that believe the message.”

Question: “Did you really die on the cross?”

Guest 1: “No. I am God and cannot die.”

Guest 2: “Yes, but only the fully man part of me died.”

Guest 3: “Yes.”

Question: “By whose authority do you heal the sick and forgive men their sins?”

Guest 1: “By my authority as a member of the triune God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

Guest 2: “I need no one’s authority to perform these and other miracles.”

Guest 3: “By the authority granted to me by my Father, the only true God.”

Question: “What was your first miracle?”

Guest 1: “Creating the heavens and the earth from nothing.”

Guest 2: “Incarnating myself as a human being.”

Guest 3: “Turning water into wine at a wedding.”

Question: “What do the saints do in heaven?”

Guest 1: “They continually sing praises to me.”

Guest 2: “They intercede for sinful believers.”

Guest 3: “They are not in heaven. Those who have died are sleeping in their graves awaiting the resurrection. Those who are living are working to make more disciples.”

Question: “What finally happens to unrepentant sinners?”

Guest 1: “I have them consciously tortured in hell for eternity the instant they die.”

Guest 2: “I allow Satan and the demons to torment their souls forever in Hades.”

Guest 3: “I will one day judge them by their deeds and they shall die a second death in the lake of fire.”

Question: “When will you be coming back to the earth?”

Guest 1: “I’m not coming back.”

Guest 2: “I come back each time a believer dies.”

Guest 3: “I don’t know.”

Panel follow-up question for guest number 3: “Please clarify your last answer. I thought you knew everything?”

Guest 3: “I know…”

Announcer: “I’m sorry, guest number three. We are out of time for today. Panel, please cast your votes. Is the real Jesus guest number 1, guest number 2 or guest number 3? We’ll find out after we break for a message from our sponsor.”

Announcer: “Welcome back to ‘To Tell the Truth’! ... And now for the moment, you have all been anxiously awaiting.

Will the real Jesus of Nazareth please stand up?”

[Reader, Did you determine who the real Jesus of Nazareth is?]

...

Maybe you have it right but there is a very real possibility that you are carelessly following a shrewd counterfeit Jesus without even realizing it. Jesus warned that there will come a day when he says to those who thought they were followers but were not, “I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.”

How devastating will it be for those who hear Jesus speak these words to them when they are expecting to hear that they were good and faithful servants? Someday we are all going to be held accountable for what we believe. There is too much at stake to let others do our thinking for us.

Those who follow Jesus listen and respond to what he says. “My sheep hear my voice.” But of course, the imposter also beckons the sheep. The imposter will not plainly announce to the sheep that he is an imposter. Few would be deceived if he were this transparent. He will deceive the careless sheep, those not belonging to Jesus, by mixing truth with lies.

How then can we, the sheep, discern the voice of the real Jesus from that of a counterfeit Jesus? By paying close attention to the words that are being put into the mouth of “Jesus” and diligently comparing them with the Scriptures. A counterfeit Jesus will deceive the unsuspecting but will not be able to stand up under close scrutiny.

In his second letter to the church at Corinth, Paul chided the congregation for accepting “another Jesus.” Did you pick out the real Jesus in our example or, like some of the Corinthians in Paul’s day; have you been misled into accepting an imposter? Maybe we should all take a second look at the guests’ responses before being quick to answer. What do we have to lose by reexamining our faith? Those who accept “another Jesus” risk perishing by dying a second time.

Those who accept the real Jesus will be rewarded at his return with life in the kingdom of God.

It’s worth taking a second look.

The above was taken from

To Tell The Truth, Some of Us Are Following Another Jesus

Oneness on Trial - The Verdict (part 2)

 Crown: Your Honor, I would like to call my next witness,

'the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God, Savior of the World and Lord of all Creation.'

[The Courtroom]: A hush and many whisperings.

[Bailiff]: Place your hand on the word of God and swear to tell the truth.

[Jesus]: I am the Word of God made flesh and I am the Truth and I swear by no one.
My yes will be Yes and my no will be No.

[Bailiff]: Your honor?

[Judge]: I somehow think we can make an exception here. He did start the faith that forbade swearing by anything.

State your name.

Jesus: I am Lord Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Crown: Jesus, was John, the brother of James, your Apostle?

Jesus: Yes, he was one of my Twelve.

Crown: Jesus, was John your Apostle, filled with your spirit?

Jesus: Yes, I shed forth the spirit upon him when the Day of Pentecost had fully come.

Crown: Jesus, was John your Apostle, truthful in his writings concerning you?

Jesus: Yes, I lived in him in the Spirit and guided him in all his ways and I am Truth.

Crown: Jesus, would you read for me here what John said about you here in his opening remarks of his first letter and tell me if this was truthful please?

Jesus: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life. The life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us.

Crown: Jesus, did John say that he seen you with his eyes and touched and held you, seeing that you are the Word of life made flesh?

Jesus: Yes, obviously.

Crown: Jesus, you were that human flesh he touched?

Jesus: Yes, obviously.

Crown: Jesus, were you yourself dead?

Jesus: Yes, you need not ask me that question. My testimony has been with you for over 2000 years.

Crown: Jesus, would you show us your testimony?

Jesus: Certainly. It is right here in my Revelation to John in chapter one, verse 18, "I was dead."

Crown: Jesus, were you that dead person hanging on the cross?

Jesus: Again, my testimony is with you through my faithful servants.

Crown: Jesus, would you show us your testimony to us?

Jesus: Certainly, my faithful servant Paul, who said, "I no longer live but Christ lives in me," wrote in his selfsame letter to the wayward Galatians, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us." For it is written, "Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree." John's Gospel also shows you I was hanging dead on the cross and put dead into the tomb and it was me who was raised bodily from the dead. If I was not dead and was not raised from death, your faith is in vain.

Crown: Jesus, so you were hanging dead on the tree and became a curse?

Jesus: Yes, I am the Christ who died and was dead and buried and was raised from death.

Crown: Jesus, is it correct to say, that death lorded over you, had dominion over you?

Jesus: Yes, my faithful servant Paul, wrote such inspired words in his well-known letter to the Romans.

Crown: Jesus, did you give your soul over to death?

Jesus: Yes, the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and give his soul as a ransom for many.

Crown: Jesus, where were you when you died?

Jesus: Have you not read the Scriptures? My people were not to go near and touch a dead soul.
How do you suppose they could do this unless they touched a dead body?

Crown: You are too wise for me Lord. Jesus, tell us, were you a dead soul?

Jesus: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life (his soul) for the sheep. For this reason the Father loved me, because I laid down my life (my soul), that I may take it up again

Crown: So to sum of Lord, you are the Word that was made flesh; you were that flesh that John handled and touched, you yourself were the flesh that died and was dead in the tomb. You were a dead soul. You, the person, you were dead.
Did they crucify YOU Lord or a human nature? Were YOU dead or was a nature simply dead?

Jesus: Yes, I was not alive but dead. My God and Father raised me back to life after three days.
My testimony is with you.

Crown: Jesus, just one more question. Who are you exactly?

Jesus: Who do you say that I am?

Crown: I will defer to Peter on that one my Lord. No more questions.
Thank you for your testimony O Lord of All.

[Judge]: You may step down, Lord. Thank you for your testimony.

Crown: Your Honor, in light of the testimony of the Christ Himself, I wish to now make my final statement.

Mr. Oneness, the defendant, has testified that only the dead are in Hades and that the Antichrist deception was a spiritual entity leaving the body at the point of death; and that Jesus Christ was not himself that flesh and did not die and was therefore not that dead flesh and was not dead in the tomb; but was still a living spiritual entity alive in Hades, and in fact, has testified that Christ was himself, being a spiritual entity, was not himself that human flesh, but the spiritual entity that appeared incognito in a human body of flesh and left that body of flesh at the point of death, as that spiritual entity; and did not die and was not dead, but living elsewhere.

In light of his testimony, and the witness of our Lord himself, who is the Truth, has testified that he himself did indeed die, that he was that touchable flesh and did indeed become a curse and was indeed himself a dead person in the tomb, wherein he himself stated, and I quote,
"I was dead;"

And whereas the defendant has testified that Jesus the Christ was not himself really and truly that flesh and did not really and truly suffer and die, and was not really and truly dead, but unassumed his body of flesh at the point of death, and as such escaping death, perpetuating the original lie of the Serpent of Eden, "You won't 'really' die;"

I therefore call for a judgment and verdict for the charge of promulgating the deception of the spirit of the antichrist, to wit, that the selfsame Jesus the Christ, testifies that he did himself come in flesh; while the defendant himself confesses, despite his opening words, that he truly believes and teaches in concept, the deception mentioned by John which he himself described, and as the defendant has fraudulently posed as a disciple of Christ, and who has in fact stolen the Lord away from the tomb in the minds of all God's children.

I hereby move for a judgment on the matter on the charges of fraud, perjury and the sin of inciting the spirit of the Antichrist among the children of God, the illusion and deception of the Antichrist as described by John at 1 John 4:2-3 and 2 John 1:7, creating an image of our Brother and Lord, Jesus Christ, in the likeness and image of the Man of Lawlessness.

Your honor, the defendant admits he believes the Lord was not personally that body of flesh but merely owned it and lived in and with it and henceforth escaped death and went up from his body and left it behind and was not himself truly dead but living "elsewhere" and then returned to later retrieve it, which as you will carefully note is itself the antichrist teaching described by the defendant himself.

I call for a verdict of "Guilty."

[Judge]: Mr. Oneness, please stand.

In light of the testimony of Jesus Christ himself who truthfully tells that he himself was that dead person, that dead flesh that was crucified dead, left dead hanging on the cross and buried in the tomb, I have no other choice but to pronounce you Guilty as charged.

I will reserve sentencing for the only Righteous Judge at which time you may appeal to a Higher court.

May God have mercy upon you.

Oneness on Trial - The Verdict

 Oneness on Trial - The Verdict

"Do not bear false witness."

Based on ‘Trinity on Trial’ by K.N. Stovra

[Judge]: State your name

[Defendant]: Sabellius Oneness

[Crown Prosecutor]: Mr. Oneness, do you understand the charges?

Oneness: Yes, I most certainly do.

Crown: Mr. Oneness, do you believe Hades is the realm of the dead?

Oneness: Yes, however I do not personally believe this is where Christians go when they die but some of my brothers do believe this to be the case.

Crown: Mr. Oneness, do you believe it would be correct to say the inhabitants of Hades, the realm of the dead, are dead?

Oneness: Yes, obviously. It is the abode of the dead.

Crown: So they are not living but dead?

Oneness: Yes, obviously.

Crown: Could you describe for me the false antichrist teaching John the Beloved Apostle mentions in his first and second letters?

Oneness: Most certainly. Essentially, some false prophets were teaching that the "Christ" was a spiritual entity that appeared as a man incognito, that is, "the Christ entity" only appeared to be a man of flesh, but really was not himself that flesh that suffered and died. The "Christ" appeared in the body of the man named Jesus of Nazareth and at the point of his death, this spiritual entity - "Christ" - escaped from the cross. They believed the divine Christ could not suffer death because he was divine and so he left that humanity behind on the cross and the man Jesus was dead, but the spiritual persona that left him behind did not die. This is why John opens his first letter by indicating that the apostles had physically touched the Word of life, that is, they touched Christ’s flesh. And later John teaches them that anyone who does not confess Christ coming in the flesh is the spirit of the antichrist. John tells us at 1 John 4:2-3 and 2 John 1:7 these men were deceivers teaching in the spirit of the antichrist and this is how you can test for these deceiving spirits.

Crown: Very insightful and interesting Mr. Oneness. You don't believe anything like that do you?

Oneness: Oh, goodness no. We ‘Oneness believers’ all believe Jesus Christ came in the flesh.

Crown: Are you sure about that Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: Absolutely.

Crown: Let me ask you one more time Mr. Oneness, are you sure that you don't believe anything like what you just described?

Oneness: Totally sure.

Crown: So you really do believe the person Jesus truly died and was truly dead?

Oneness: Absolutely.

Crown: Can God die and be that dead flesh Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: Absolutely not. Just as God cannot lie, God cannot die and be dead. God is life by definition. That is why Jesus took a human nature to himself - so he could die.

Crown: So you do believe Jesus Christ came in the flesh then Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: Absolutely.

Crown: And you also believe this Jesus, the Son of God, was also the One God, the Father, correct?

Oneness: Absolutely.

Crown: Mr. Oneness, did you not already testify that God could not be dead?

Oneness: Absolutely.

Crown: Well Mr. Oneness, now you are telling us that this person who died and was dead and buried was God. Aren't you contradicting yourself Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: Oh goodness no. God did not die. The man Jesus died and was dead and buried.

Crown: So, the Son of God was two people Mr. Oneness? There was one person who was God, the Father, and another person who was a man named Jesus of Nazareth?
And the person Jesus was dead but the person God, the Father, was not?

Oneness: No, no. You don't understand. Jesus Christ was one person who had two natures:
one divine and one human. He was fully God and fully man.

Crown: So then Mr. Oneness, there is only one person then. Is that correct?

Oneness: Yes, absolutely.

Crown: Are you sure?

Oneness: No doubt about it.

Crown: So who was dead and buried in the tomb, Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: I already told you. The man Jesus was dead in the tomb.

Crown: So God, the Father, was dead in the tomb then? Is that correct?

Oneness: No, the One God, the Father, was elsewhere. I don't know where he was personally. Some say he preached the gospel to the dead spirits in Hades and others say he was in heaven.

Crown: Mr. Oneness, now we are back to ‘two’ again. We have one entity Jesus who is the dead man in the tomb and another entity who is God, the Father, who is "elsewhere."
Mr. Oneness, was Jesus Christ one entity or two? Was he one person or two?

Oneness: One.

Crown: Well now Mr. Oneness, we seem to have a little problem here don't we? Where was that one person? Was the person Jesus dead in the tomb or not?

Oneness: Yes, he was in the tomb!

Crown: So God was that dead flesh in the tomb, Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: No, God cannot die, or be dead! God died in his humanity but he himself did not die.

Crown: What exactly do you mean by this phrase, "God died 'in his humanity'," Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: Jesus, who was God, had two natures.
He did not die in his divinity. He died in his humanity, in his human nature.

Crown: I see. So what you are saying is that a person didn't really die but a nature this person happened to possess died and was dead? In other words, the nature he owned died and was dead but he himself wasn't dead?

Oneness: No, no. Jesus died and was truly dead. You aren't going to catch me with your clever words. If I said a person didn't die then I would be admitting the person Jesus didn't die.
No, Jesus died but he died in his humanity, not in his divinity.

Crown: I see. So a person did truly die and was truly dead?

Oneness: Yes. Death is separation of the spirit from the body. In that respect, Jesus died and was dead.

Crown: I see. So God did not die but separated from the man Jesus who did die and was dead? That sounds awfully familiar Mr. Oneness. Where have we heard that idea before?

Oneness: One person, two natures.

Crown: Uh huuuh.... so is this person Jesus then the same as "God, the Father?"

Oneness: Yes.

Crown: So "God, the Father" died correct?

Oneness: The human nature of the Father died and was dead.

Crown: Ah! I see now Mr. Oneness. God's human nature died on the cross and was dead and buried.
But God did not himself die and was not that dead flesh but was "elsewhere." Is that correct?

Oneness: Correct.

Crown: So no one was really in the tomb then, right Mr. Oneness? 
It was just a body of flesh, a "human nature" laying in the tomb right Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: Technically I suppose I would have to say God's body was in the tomb.
However, God was not in the tomb – He was elsewhere.

Crown: Mr. Oneness, would you open this Bible and read for me Matthew 12:40.

Oneness: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Crown: Was he mistaken, Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: Jesus is never mistaken. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. It sounds to me like he was preaching to the spirits in Hades there in the heart of the earth.

Crown: Is that where Hades is located, Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: Jesus is never mistaken, so I would have to say, 'Yes.'

Crown: Mr. Oneness, could you tell me precisely when Jesus, who is God, the Father, left his human nature to preach in Hades, or describe that moment when he went "elsewhere"?

Oneness: Certainly. Death is defined in the Bible as the separation of the soul from the body.

Crown: Spirit or soul, Mr. Oneness? Which one?

Oneness: Well that depends who you ask; some say they are different, some say they are the same thing. Essentially, the spiritual part of a man separates from his body at death.

Crown: I see. So this is why this entity who is God himself was elsewhere and not dead in the tomb?
Is that correct?

Oneness: Yes, that is correct.

Crown: So this entity who is God, was not that dead flesh in the tomb? Is that correct?

Oneness: Yes, that is correct.

Crown: Are you sure?

Oneness: Yes, absolutely.

Crown: So essentially you are saying this entity was not that flesh but lived in that flesh as if it were a possession of his, say, like living in a house he owns? Or like say, a tabernacle or tent? Is that correct?

Oneness: Essentially, yes.

Crown: So then Mr. Oneness, nobody was really dead in the tomb correct? Otherwise we would have two entities on our hands, right Mr. Oneness? One in the tomb and one "elsewhere?"

Oneness: Essentially, yes.

Crown: Mr. Oneness, I have some passages for you to read for us. Would you read them please?

Oneness: Certainly, I love to read God's word. It is truth.

So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the one, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to JESUS and saw that HE was already dead, they did not break HIS legs. But one of the soldiers pierced HIS side with a spear. (John 19:32-34).

Therefore order the tomb to be secured until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal HIM away, and tell the people, "HE has risen from the dead, and the last deception will be worse than the first." (Matthew 27:64).

Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid JESUS there. (John 19:42).

And when he learned from the centurion that HE was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking HIM down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid HIM in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where HE was laid. (Mark 15:45-47).

So Mary Magdalene ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid HIM"... Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on HIS head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that HE must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away My Lord, and I do not know where they have laid HIM." (John 20:2-14).

But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. HE is not here; for HE has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where HE lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that HE has risen from the dead." (Matthew 28:5-7).

While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled together with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sum of money to the soldiers and said, "Tell the people, 'His disciples came by night and stole HIM away while we were asleep.' " (Matthew 28:11-13 RSV).

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint HIM...And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek JESUS OF NAZARETH, WHO was crucified. HE has risen, HE is not here; see the place where they laid HIM."
(Mark 16:1-6).

Crown: Well, well, Mr. Oneness, it appears the Bible indicates there was a person in the tomb!
What do you say now, Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: There was no person in the tomb. That is just a manner of speaking.
Jesus is God, the Father, and God, the Father, is Jesus. 
God himself was elsewhere and his dead body was in the tomb.

Crown: Well, well, Mr. Oneness, the Bible tells us there was a person in the tomb! And you disagree, Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: There was no person in the tomb. That is just a manner of speaking. 
God cannot be dead and God was elsewhere.

Crown: I see. So what you are saying then, and please do correct me if I am wrong here, is that since you define death as the separation of the soul or spirit, the spiritual entity, from the body; so that the entity Jesus, who is the selfsame one entity as God, the Father, went out from his body and went either to Hades and preached, or went "elsewhere," and therefore God was not that dead flesh left hanging on the cross or dead in the tomb. 
Since this entity is God and God cannot die or be dead you insist God must have been elsewhere and not dead in the tomb. Is that correct, Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: Well I wouldn't put it that way.

Crown: Mr. Oneness, I have some more passages for you to read for us. Would you read them please?

Oneness: Certainly, I love to read God's word.

And about the ninth hour JESUS cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken ME?" And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "This man is calling Elijah." And one of them immediately ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him." And JESUS cried again with a loud voice and yielded up HIS spirit.
(Matthew 27:46-50).

When JESUS had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished"; and HE bowed HIS head and gave up HIS spirit. (John 19:30).

Then JESUS, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit MY spirit!" And having said this HE breathed HIS last. (Luke 23:46).

Crown: Well, well, Mr. Oneness, you say Jesus was the spirit who went up from his body, which he left behind dead on the cross but it appears the Bible indicates there that the spirit in Jesus went up from him and left him behind dead on the cross. It seems you teach exactly the reverse to what the Bible teaches. What do you say to that, Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: That is just a manner of speaking and perspective. God was elsewhere. Those passages show us that the spiritual entity died and went elsewhere at death since death is defined as the separation of the soul from the body.

Crown: Well, well, Mr. Oneness, do you expect us to believe such a story? You say the spiritual entity separated and left the dead body on the cross and the Bible says completely the opposite, that the spirit in that person was yielded up to God and he, that person, was left dead on the cross.

Oneness: That is just a manner of speaking and perspective. God was elsewhere. Those passages show us that the spiritual entity died and went elsewhere at death since death is defined as the separation of the soul from the body.

Crown: Mr. Oneness, would you read for me John 1:1 in the Bible there?

Oneness: Most certainly.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

See, it's right there, Jesus is God.

Crown: Mr. Oneness, would you read for me John 1:14 in the Bible there?

Oneness: Most certainly.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

Crown: Do you believe that, Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: Most certainly. It is the word of God.

Crown: To clarify, God, the Word, and Jesus Christ are all the selfsame entity. Is that correct?

Oneness: Yes, that is correct.

Crown: So you believe the Word was God himself and God became that flesh that died and was dead in the tomb?

Oneness: Most certainly not. God was not himself that flesh itself. God did not change into flesh and leave his divine nature behind. Rather, God assumed flesh as a nature to his other divine nature and so he then had two natures.

Crown: I see. To clarify then, you are saying God did not really himself become that flesh that died and was dead in the tomb, but added that flesh as another nature to himself, a possession so to speak, so that he could live and die as a man. Is that correct?

Oneness: Yes, but I wouldn't put it that way.

Crown: So then to clarify again; Jesus who was the one God, the Father, was not that flesh that was dead in the tomb. Is that correct?

Oneness: Yes, that is correct.

Crown: So then to clarify again; Jesus who was God, was a person who was not that flesh that was dead in the tomb although he did live in that flesh, or with that flesh, and have that flesh as his nature while he was alive. Is that correct?

Oneness: Yes, that is correct.

Crown: Would you remind us again about the antichrist teaching John was discussing?

Oneness: Yes, certainly. Some false prophets were teaching that "the Christ" was a spiritual entity that appeared as a man incognito, that is, "the Christ entity" only appeared to be a man of flesh, but really was not himself that flesh that suffered and died. He appeared in the body of the man named Jesus and at the point of his death this spiritual entity "Christ" escaped from the cross. John tells us at 1 John 4:2-3 and 2 John 1:7 these men were deceivers teaching in the spirit of the antichrist.

Crown: Sound familiar Mr. Oneness?

Oneness: Jesus was dead.

Crown: And the One God, the Father, who was not dead, was elsewhere. Is that correct?

Oneness: Yes, that is correct.

Crown: So what you are saying is that a living being was in the realm of the dead then. Mr. Oneness, I thought you indicated this being died and that anyone in Hades, the realm of the dead, was dead?

Oneness: Well no, not the Father. God cannot die and be dead. He did experience death in that he was in a dying body and separated from that dying body at the point of death. He was a living being preaching in Hades the realm of the dead.

Crown: I see. So what we have then is a dead body in the tomb and a living being preaching to dead persons and as such God is not dead but living. Is that correct?

Oneness: Well if you say he went to Hades when he died, Yes. Otherwise, he was just "elsewhere," perhaps heaven.

Crown: I see. So Jesus who was the one God, the Father, and is the Son of God was not himself that flesh that died then. Rather this one entity, Jesus, owned his flesh and his flesh died on him on the cross. Is that correct?

Oneness: Yes, this one entity was God, the Father and God cannot die.
His flesh was simply his human nature from which he separated at death.

Crown: Mr. Oneness, that will be all.

[Judge]: You may step down, Mr. Oneness. Thank you for your testimony.