Quote:
Originally Posted by Adino
My home church, deemed COAR (Church of Adino's Revelation), hereby restores the first century teaching that no one can be "saved" IF A GROUP of people are not present. All accounts in Acts show groups present and not a single person received water baptism or spoke in tongues without others watching. Acts 2, 8, 10 and 19 cleary mention the presence of at least half a dozen peers. While others are not mentioned in Philip's encounter with the eunuch it is most logical to realize this eunuch, guardian of Ethiopian Queen Candace's treasure, was traveling with an entourage because of his high status and importance (hey, if others can assume tongues happened here I can certainly assume he was not traveling alone). I recognize that this doctrine is not mentioned in the epistles, but we, of course, have to realize Paul wrote to those who were already saved. The truth stands.
This doctrine is what the early Church really taught. It is first century TRUTH and I hereby restore it today (I may even add the necessity of only wearing sandals and a robe for a valid saving experience at a later date). While I realize no historical witness can be found throughout the ages confirming the continuation of this doctrine I realize the gates of hell have never prevailed against God's true Church and blindly trust that the TRUTH has been alive somewhere since the first century. I simply restore it to greater awareness and proclaim its TRUTH to you heretical nonbelievers who are on your way to hell until you accept it.
If you're nice and you find me in a good mood I might even consider you saved up to this time because you have walked in the light you have been shown. I now reveal new light from God...... accept it or go to hell.
Sound familiar?
Anyone willing to heed the call? I still have room at the top in the administration. |
First of all Luthers doctrine of Justification by faith alone was not taught by ANYONE, prior to Luther in Church history with the possible exception of Huss. Norman Geisler admits this in his book "Roman Catholics and Evangelicals", Allister McGrath admits the same thing in his book on justification, which is considered to be the master work on the history of justification. Both of them contend that we have to go BACK to the bible rather then to Church history on this issue. Now Luther considered justification the article on which the Church stood or fell. If the great Reformer was willing to jump over the centuries to obtain great truths from the word of God, please tell me what is wrong with Oneness Pentecostals doing likewise.
Concerning the issue of following NT patterns.
1. The essentiality of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit- This is the historical Protestant, Baptistic, and Reformed Position. With this most Oneness people agree as opposed to the rest of Pentecostalism who adhere to the Second work of grace view.
2. Speaking in tongues as the intial evidence- If you denied this your problem would be with the exegsis of Pentecostalism in general, not just the majority of Oneness believers. When a movement as large as Pentecostalism embraces the intial evidence doctrine, its highly unlikely that this doctrine can be dismissed as silly as you seem to insinuate.
3. Oneness/Modalism. This has been what Trinitarians have considered to be a problem down through Church history. If no one has believed this, then why would have all the great Systematic theologians down through the years addressed it. People interact with ideals because other people who they consider to be in error believe them.
4. Baptism in Jesus name- Barth, Kung, F.F. Bruce and yes, even Martin Luther recognized the early Church used this formula.
So all of the ingredents of modern Oneness Pentecostalism have been around somwhere. Trying to find a group that held all these doctrines as a coherent whole would be more difficult, but you can't find an institution that had a coherent doctrine of Justification by faith Alone down through the years either! Also Calvin's standards in Geneva would probably make even a Conservative Oneness Pentecostal Pastor like Bro. Epley look like a libertine!
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