One of my favorite theologians is J.T. Pugh, an Apostolic legend (for lack of a better term) in the Oneness Pentecostal community. Although I have never written anything about him or his work, I have read several of his books, two of which I consider (in my personal opinion) to be his most prolific works: "The Flesh of God" and "The Wisdom and Power of the Cross." Lately, I've been reading the newly revised edition of "The Flesh of God," so I thought I would blog about some of the insights that I believe are crucial to the present-day Apostolic movement.
First, I believe J.T. Pugh was a theologian/thinker who, in many ways, was far ahead of his time, at least among Oneness Pentecostals. Indeed, there are ideas in his work that challenge the very fabric of Apostolic theology. I am not saying that what Pugh proposes at certain junctures in his book is biblically controversial; instead, they challenge the way we think about mission, the church, and serving people.
“Among the Spirit-filled Jews, there was resistance to new concepts”
One particular observation Pugh makes concerning the Jerusalem council (Acts 15) struck me as something that can be challenging, not only on a personal level but also at an organizational level. Pugh states that “Among the Spirit-filled Jews, there was resistance to new concepts” (Pugh 91). He explains that this was a critical error because it did not allow certain Jews who were saved and sanctified to cross a certain “conceptual threshold” (91).
Now, I want to be clear: Pugh is not advocating for any sort of change in biblical doctrine. Instead, he is pointing out some of the challenges that arise when a group is faced with a truth that challenges old practices or ways of thinking. In the case of the Pentecostal Jews who had been baptized in the name of Jesus, circumcision and table customs were necessary practices that did not allow them to cross a certain revelatory threshold.
Indeed, the rapid spread of the Apostolic message created cultural and religious tension between two sets of believers (Pentecostal Jews and Pentecostal Gentiles). In fact, the tension between the two groups functioned as a mechanism of revelation. If no such tension is present, the new truth in Christ has no means by which it can be revealed and implemented. In one sense, the issue that emerged in Acts 15 could be viewed as a corporate-organizational trial designed to elevate the movement to the next dimension in the Lord’s prophetic plan. Much like personal trials that serve as the seedbed of revelation and spiritual growth, likewise, corporate-community trials function as incubators of prophetic and missional revelation.
My point is, we should not immediately dismiss challenges that emerge when an Apostolic community is growing in new cultural, social, and geographical areas, and for that matter, among new generations. Obviously, there are certain doctrinal truths that cannot be replaced by “new truth.” But as the church continues to grow, it will face what Pugh calls “the trauma of change,” and they, like James and the Jerusalem council, will need to seek the Lord and look for revelation. Indeed, the challenge to change becomes the process through which the Lord’s unfolding plan is revealed on both a personal and corporate level.
Further Reading:
Pugh, J.T., The Flesh of God, Revised Edition. 2023.