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By Ken Silva

 
Dr. T.D. Jakes is unquestionably Oneness Pentecostal and in the Time Magazine article "Spirit Raiser" author David Van Biema quotes Jakes unmistakably using the language of classic Oneness Pentecostalism in his description of God:
 
"And God said, 'Let us. Let usssssss...'" says Jakes, and then digresses: "...One God, but manifest in...three different ways, Father in creation, Son in redemption, Holy Spirit in regeneration." [1]
 
Now here's a Time Magazine piece from February 1, 2000 entitled "My Views on the Godhead." Note also that this article is from one year before the above where Jakes is expressing his Oneness Pentecostal view of God. And please prepare yourself here for some <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Graduate School level fence-straddling as Jakes omits the word Oneness while telling us below that he became "Pentecostal":
 
I was raised Baptist and became Pentecostal 26 years ago... Both chapters of my early spiritual journey contributed volumes to my faith and walk with God, helping to hone my character. I was shaped by and appreciate both denominations, but am controlled by neither. [2]
 
Jakes Is A Modalist And A Pretender
Dr. T.D. Jakes says, "I was shaped by and appreciate both denominations, but I am controlled by neither." Yes and my guess is he didn't want to risk losing money from...oops, I mean offending either group so he doesn't clearly say what he believes regarding the Holy Trinity. However, both Baptists and Pentecostals profess belief in the Holy Trinity. But Oneness Pentecostals do not. So if Jakes wasn't Oneness Pentecostal he could give his assent to this cardinal doctrine of the historic orthodox Christian Church without offending either group.
 
But Dr. T.D. Jakes is Oneness Pentecostal and therefore does not believe in the one true and living Triune LORD God Almighty–God the Father; God the Son, Christ Jesus of Nazareth, and God the Holy Spirit. And if a man will not stand boldly for and clearly state what he actually believes about the God he claims to serve then he should be dismissed as a teacher of a counterfeit Christianity and as a coward pretending to serve Jesus Christ.
 
Jakes And Men Who Boldly Testified For God
Now let's take T.D. Jakes back to stand next to Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate. The Governor says to them – "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" [3] Pilate asks T.D. Jakes, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jakes replies, "I was raised a Jew and learned much from Roman culture. I was shaped by and appreciate both peoples, but I am controlled by neither." Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. [4] The Lord that Jakes claims he serves was Someone who made His stand and the Master was crucified for it.
 
What about placing T.D. Jakes alongside the Apostles Peter and John in Acts 5 where they are healing many and driving out demons. Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.  [5] God sent an angel to release them, they defied the Jewish leaders and went right back out into the Temple courts teaching in the name of Jesus Christ again.
 
The captain came with his Temple guards to bring the Apostles and make them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this Name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood."  [6] But T.D Jakes said, "I was grew up with Jewish laws and kept all the customs. Later I lived among Christ's disciples and did as He taught. I was shaped by and appreciate both fine systems, but I am controlled by neither."
 
But Peter and the other Apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!" [7] You see Peter and the other Apostles clearly stated what they believed–even religious leaders who imprisoned and beat them – "The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead–whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree." [8] For his stand Peter would himself be crucified and all the rest murdered for their own stands except John who was exiled to the Isle of Patmos.
 
T.D. Jakes Appears Afraid To Make A Stand For God
Or how about Dr. Martin Luther the key figure in the Protestant Reformation that T.D. Jakes might just have enough intestinal fortitude to admit to believing in. Jakes and Martin Luther are brought before Emperor Charles V and the great Roman Catholic theologian Johann Maier von Eck who demand they recant their teachings.
 
Luther asks for time to think it over. But T.D. Jakes mumbles:
 
"I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church and became a bit disenchanted and so I worked some with Luther... Both of these chapters of my early spiritual journey contributed volumes to my faith and walk with God, helping to hone my character. I was shaped by and appreciate both the Roman Catholic Church and the spirit of the Reformation, but I am controlled by neither."
 
But when Luther, a real man led by the one true and living Triune LORD God Almighty as clearly revealed in the Bible, is brought before the men who could condemn him to death he says:
 
"Since then Your Majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise God help me. Amen."
 
No, after reading Dr. T.D. Jakes repeatedly refusing to state clearly what he actually believes about the nature of God, and all the while contrasting it with our Lord Christ Jesus and real men of God led by God the Holy Spirit–blessed third Person of the Holy Trinity–it becomes obvious to me that Jakes is no one whom the genuine Christian should even pay any attention to whatsoever when it comes to matters of the Church. Rather as I see it, T.D. Jakes is in reality but a spiritual coward.
 
 
 
 
 

[1] http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1000836,00.html, 01/23/07.

[2] http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/2000/februaryweb-only/13.0b.html, 01/23/07.

[3] See–John19:10.

[4] Matthew 27:11.

[5] Acts 5:17-18.

[6] vv. 27-28.

[7] v. 29.

[8] v. 30.