Book: One or Two: Seeing a World of Difference
Author: Peter Jones (truthXchange)
Publisher: Main Entry Editions (2010)
Review by: Aaron Sellars
Peter Jones’ book, titled One or Two: Seeing a World of Difference, sets out to “clear the lines between One-ism and Two-ism, so…(as to) distinguish orthodoxy from heresy in the present Church, in order to resist with discernment…‘progressive evangelicals’ whose teachings lead into pagan apostasy” (7). Within the mixed culture of the 21st Century, Jones tries to make a clear distinction between (what he calls) a One-ist and a Two-ist view of reality. Two-ism teaches that God is outside of His creation, and One-ism teaches that creation itself is God.
This book is important because it affirms that there is a spiritual war taking place right now in the Church, and it is a battle for truth and worship. The main text of Scripture this book sets out to expound upon and apply is Romans 1:25, “They exchanged the truth about God for a life, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” From this verse, Jones concludes that there are two possible ways humanity can worship: you’ll ether worship the Creator, or you’ll worship a created thing. The whole book is founded on this thought.
The book’s primary contribution lies in the fact that it clearly distinguishes that which is pagan and that which is Christian in our world today. Highlighting Paul’s Roman context, Jones says, “Rome was pagan and then was Christianized, while America was “Christian” and now is becoming pagan” (22). The influence of pagan culture comes into the realm of our churches and cultures through leaders, media, sexuality, and cults. Every religion other than Christianity, proposes an otherness to the created order, deifying it and ultimately worshipping it.
Jones’ emphasis in this book is to point out the fact that you can either worship the God of the Bible or created things. There is no middle ground here. Jones seems to write this book primarily for the church as, “Neopaganism infects the Church by dressing up as the Christian Faith. the Devil has not changed tactics since the Garden. If Christians fall for the deception, the Church’s witness will suffer for years to come” (51).
What has been said above is a brief summary of Jones’ main introduction to the book, addressing the need for a clear understanding of this very important issue both within and outside of the Church. The 2nd part of Jones’ book addresses the meaning of Romans 1 and how it can be applied to our current cultural context. Jones begins by painting the picture of the Apostle Paul within the 1st Century Roman context. With Paul’s foundation based on his Damascus Road experience, he becomes an apostle to the pagans (or Gentiles).
Paul’s message addresses the gospel of God. It is a cosmological argument used by Paul that from the beginning of time, God foreordained Jesus would come into the world, from his pre-existent state, taking upon himself Davidic flesh. This is the means by which Christ takes on flesh, in order to pay the human sacrifice for sin. Paul has a passion for preaching the Gospel and goes to the people of Rome, beginning with this letter. Romans 1:18-32 is the main foundation for Paul’s entire epistle to the Romans, clearly arguing as a “tour de force” as an explicit and implicit analysis of the two worldviews: theism and paganism.
As in the garden, there is a lie taking place in our world that one can become like God. Jones reminds reader that they have a choice. The choice is between two religions: “esoteric religion” (one-ism) and “exoterix religion” (two-ism). “One religion looks inside for truth and the other looks outside” (87). One-ism, that all is divine explains everything can be explained by everything else. Two-ism, on the contrary, explains that “the world is made by a Creator who is uncreated and radically different from His creatures” (88). Jones the meaning behind two words in Romans 1:25 passage: “the lie”. There is not just a lie, it is the lie. It is the lie of lies. It is the greatest lie of all. It is the lie that creatures and creation can become divine. This is the same lie that took place within the garden. It is the same life that came from the Devil.
According to Jones, there are three main effects of “the lie”. They are found in the subsequent verses following Romans 1:25—
- They exchange the truth about God for a lie about God, affecting their theology.
- They exchanged the truth about God and worshipped created things, affecting their worship.
- They exchanged the truth about God and served the creature, affecting their sexuality.
First, Jones addresses the “lie about God”. Illustrating his point with the background of the Roman deities, there is a primary response of one-ism of human empowerment. This leads to different views of the Scriptures, distorting it and or having a theological arrogance that times have changed. Thus, Jones explains, we need to change our interpretations of the text. Most cults of the world fall into this category of the “lie about God”. They have a distorted view of God as creator and the only being to be worshiped.
Contrasting this lie about God, Jones explains the truth about God. God is creator. God communicates with his creation. God is judge. God is personal. Although often taken for granted, Jones clearly explains God’s role in creation, that he is outside of creation and continues to rule over creation. God judges sin as he rules over his creation. God is personal and is Trinity. “We are at the limits of human comprehension, but a God of endless majesty and complexity is the only being worthy worshipping” (129).
The second lie Jones addresses is the lie about Spirituality. Often times within paganism, a teacher will exhort the follower to seek the divine within. This assumes that one is divine. This shows its face in today’s world by Western civilization worshipping its own rational prowess. As East meets West, mystical religions have influenced traditional Christian beliefs and truth. This lie also posits that the earth is sacred, everything is spirit, and everything is connected and therefore we can worship and experience the spirit directly with each other. Due to these beliefs, some “Christian” leaders and writers have began to mix ideas with other religions and have drawn the conclusion that there are many ways to God. This is religious syncretism. And it is false.
Countering this lie of spirituality, Jones speaks about truth. Exodus 20:3-5 is a key passage to remember: “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. you shall not bow down to them or serve them.” Only God is to be worshipped. Believers are to have discerning minds, and offer an acceptable worship to God. Believers are not to worship the body, but to use the body in worship. We are to have transformed minds which understand who God is, contrary to the debased mind Paul speaks of, one that makes nature God and worships created things.
The third lie of serving creation comes out in sexuality. The pagan worldview overturns heterosexuality for sodomy and homosexuality. Homosexuality is deeply rooted in paganism. Jones has example after example of how androgyny/homosexuality has been linked to paganism throughout the history of the humanity. As noted previously, as we “progress” as a society, some would teach that we also have progressed sexually, into a new religious paradigm. This is a complete lie in regards to how God created and ordained the world.
Finally, Jones addresses and teaches the truth about sexuality. “The Apostle Paul…sees heterosexuality as the God-given reflection of Two-ism-a picture of the deep meaning of the created cosmos” (185). Paul calls homosexuality dishonorable. He calls homosexuality unnatural. Heterosexual fidelity models to the world God’s own fidelity towards his people. The implications for this understanding are great. This has implications for husbands and wives and how they relate to one another biblically. It has profound implications for the mystery of Christ and the Church. Heterosexuality is “an announcement of future cosmic salvation” (199).
My assessment of One or Two
This book is of utmost importance for people to read within the church as well as those outside of the church. One or Two: Seeing a World of Difference should be standard reading for Christians. In order to engage the world we live in, we must understand the world we live in. If we do not, we cannot engage fully and we cannot engage well. Christians who are ignorant regarding our own cultural influences will not be able to distinguish between that which is pagan and that which is Christian.
Paganism (One-ism) has no hope. There is no hope for the tough life we live here on earth. We live and we die and we have no hope, because creation cannot save creation from its despair and suffering. Creation cannot just make things better. Theism (Two-ism), on the other hand, gives hope to a lost and dying world. Two-ism gives reason to live. Theism gives us a reason to worship. Without theism, the world is of utter despair. Christians should read this book to lead themselves into worship. Christians should read this book so as to help them better understand the God they worship. Christians should read this book to help them have a correct understanding of their place in the world.
I would also suggest this book to non-believers, so that they can be enlightened as to how the world has been created and functions. This book could help shed light on the realities of what they are doing and who/what they are worshipping.
Dr. Peter Jones has done a marvelous job at painting this important picture for the world to see. It cannot be placed in a museum for the world to come and take pictures of. It must be placed into the hearts and minds of people around of the world. This will give them a clear picture of the world in which we live and our rightful place in it—under a holy and transcendent God.
4 Comments on "Book Review: One or Two"
Cool. Is it hard to read? I like the content but I also have trouble reading complex books. Moment of confession!!
I would not say it is a hard read or a easy read. I would say it takes a bit of thinking, but not too much. The book is written in a way that analyzes the Biblical text as well as the culture around us. I think you should be fine reading it. God bless!
Great points, Aaron! I think it would bless people too.
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