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Originally Posted by THX4GRACE
Read an interesting book titled " Christianity Without The Cross" by Thomas Fudge. I found it very interesting that the author cited a number of our founding Oneness fathers as believing we were "born again" after repentance. He cited the late Howard A Goss, LH Hardwick, CH Yadon, Wynn Stairs, Earl Jacques, E.S McKeen, W.P Wickens, S.L. Wise, A.D Gurley, A.W Post among the early Oneness Pentecostals which believed that salvation came by grace and was instantanious at repentance. He went around the country and overseas to gather documentation. He spoke to the families of many of our founding fathers. Looks like we may have had the Acts 2:38 message from the beginning, but that it was interpreted, taught and preached with a different interpretation back then, at least by a number of our ministers.
Since our denomination came out of a combined diverse group of believers, it's very interesting to note that our early roots held to a sligntly different doctrine that what we hear preached in many oneness pentecostal churches today. Just found it very intersting. |
From its inception there have been ministers in the UPC who taught salvation at repentance (and this would include anyone from any denomination who had repented in the family of God and Bride of Christ) and those who taught that a person was not really saved and not a child of God until he/she had repented, been water baptized in Jesus' name, and had been baptized in the Holy Spirit.
When the Holy Spirit was poured out in Kansas, Texas, California, and then the whole world in the late 1800's and early 1900's, this blessing was experienced by men and women who had been born again and committed their lives to God. The experience was not poured out on sinners. Those who received the Holy Ghost Baptism did not consider themselves any more saved after receiving the experience than they were before. Then a few years later when baptism in the name of Jesus became an issue, those who were baptized in that name did not consider themselves any more saved after their baptism than before their baptism. Over the years among Apostolic/Pentecostal people there developed a doctrine among some that water and Spirit baptism were the birth of water and Spirit spoken of in
John 3:5 and that a person was not really saved or part of the New Testament Church or born into God's family and considered a brother or sister until after repentance plus water baptism plus Spirit baptism. That doctrine has grown and is very prevalent among those who are considered Apostolic or Oneness Pentecostals. The late Bro. Norris, who founded the Apostolic Bible Institute where hundreds of UPC ministers were trained has a chart showing where various doctrines in the UPC have come from. This can be found online at
http://home.att.net/~jrd/Seven_Church_Ages.gif He shows that the idea of baptism remitting/forgiving/washing away sin came from the Christian or Campbellite church. That's why some refer to the idea that baptism is part of the plan of salvation as the "Campbellite Captivity" of the Apostolic Church.
Those who believe that a person is justified/saved/born again at repentance are called "one-steppers" on this forum. Those who believe a person is not justified/saved/born again until completing the three steps of repentance, water baptism, and Spirit baptism are called "three-steppers."
I happen to be among those who align with the older Apostolic/Pentecostal teaching that a person is justified/saved/born again at faith and repentance and that water and Spirit baptism are part of Christian experience apart from and subsequent to regeneration. I would be called a "one-stepper."
This has been discussed many times on this forum and has generated more heat than light. I am not posting this to start another argument but rather for information to a person who is new to this forum.