Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam
Bro. Strange,
I've noticed that in the past you have worked with some preachers that did not preach Acts 2:38 as the way of salvation. I think you are what we refer to here as a three-stepper. How do you reconcile your working with these folks if you did not think they were saved? Or, did you think they were saved? |
Probably the only man that I ever knew that is as stout 3 stepper as I am today was my Dad.
When I was about 14 years old (about 1954) Gayle Jackson pitched his huge tent in our community. Many people were getting healed, delivered from every sort of bondange, including demonic possession. His meeting which lasted for many weeks shook the foundation of our community, though it was strong Catholic. I would listen to those services on radio which was being broadcasted live and in real time. Those services stirred my heart. I begged my Dad that we could go to that meeting. I will never forget his answer as long as I live, "Son, I would not walk across the street to see one of those men." I'll never forget it nor will I ever forget the expression on his face when he said it. I knew that he meant it and I knew why. He was a stout three stepper.
I knew that Trinitarianism was wrong and all who followed after that error would not spend eternity in the realm of the blessed. I knew that their baptism acknowledged three. Yet, I knew that God was there and operating in a powerful and in a wonderful, beautiful way. His presence there was real. I knew that. So, I answered my Dad, "Dad, if God is not too good to visit over there, why are we too good?" I'll never forget his answer either. Though sweet, it was too the point and very humble.
In another year, I was able to make the meetings of some of those Voice of Healing ministers such as Freeman, Hayes, Allen, Coe and many others too. Like T.W. Barnes who attended some of their meetings, I saw first hand the moving and operation of the Holy Ghost. It was God because "no man can do these works except God be with him," as was said about Jesus by the Phairasees.
Actually, I was very much greived that we as Oneness, strong three steppers did not see the Miracle Power of God in our midst as they saw it in there's. Though I would never compromise my understanding of the full requirements of eternal soul salvation, as I have received that from the Lord, I made friends with some of these men. I have tried to talk to them about what God requires to be saved. None as far as I know took me seriously, only dismissively. Yet, they were kind and sweet in that dismissal, assuring me that their salvation was as real for them as I considered mine. I talked to Allen about it. I talked to Alton L. Hayes. I talked to J Charles Jessup too, though I never saw too much of the move of God in Jessup meetings. Yet, each will have to give an account of what they heard from me.
Why I was drawn to those meetings where God moved so marvelously, can only be answered by the fact that God moved so marvelously. But what would account for the fact that God would move in such a way for them and we (strong three steppers) would not see such a move among ourselves within the oneness ranks except for Branham (one stepper) who was actually the beginning of the great Healing Revivals that began in the mid 40s just after WW II?
Why was not God moving and working among US three steppers? I've come to understand some things both by illumination of the spirit by the Spirit and also by the Word of God that I would not have come to understand but for that association.
I will not discuss all that I've come to understand, as I know that on these little internet forums, I would pay the price in ridicule, as I have before in my attempts to share a few simple things. But, I will say this much and little more, miracles and healings are largely and for the most part among those who are full of the Holy Ghost, having paid the price in fasting, prayer and in the Word....who....catch this...who preach "Jesus Christ, THE SON OF GOD." Did you get it? There is Miracle and healing POWER among those who are FULL of the Holy Ghost who have also paid the price in prayer, fasting and in the Word WHO ALSO PREACH JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD without apology.
Oneness people can scarcely even mention the SON OF GOD, without having to pause long enough to explain how he is both the Father and the Son. Then, it becomes a lesson in theology having little to NO miracle and healing worth.
Too many three steppers have as much Holy Ghost as the best of those fellows and have also paid the price as much as the best of those fellows have. Yet, too many of the three steppers also lack the manifestation of the power of God that they could very easily have with only an unapologetic saving, healing, miracle message of Jesus Christ, THE SON OF GOD. It is in preaching the SON, the lamb, the sacrifice, the propitiation, the burden bearer, the suffering, uplifted SON OF GOD that the miracle healing power is unveiled. There is POWER in preaching (the blood) the Son of God...without a lesson in theology that weakens or dilutes the message.
The very first message that the new convert, Paul the Apostle preached was "Jesus Christ, the Son of God" without a lesson on the Godhead. It was the message of the Apostles who saw by their hands, through their preaching, many signs, wonders and miracles were wrought.
So, over the years, I've seen many good, honest and pure minded three steppers question these men and the miracles that follow their preaching as something amiss, some even calling it the work of the devil. They were so mistaken. They could have had the same things themselves except for being hung up on the Oneness doctrine so strongly that they could not bring themselves to preaching THE SON OF GOD, without a lesson in theology. The Trinitarians did not have to apologize for preaching the Son of God pausing to explain how he is the 2nd person in the Godhead. They just preached JESUS, the Son of God and saw manifested what was provided by the office of Sonship...which is the BLOOD.
I'm sure that I will be critisized by this also, but you asked me a question. I will not go too much further in this because of the ready arrows that stay trained on me most of the time anyway. In fact, I would not have shared this much except that I felt led to go ahead and do it. I have never shared this on any forum, even though I have been on these forums for more than ten years. I probably will never repeat it again. Certainly there are other things that I will never share in public but have from time to time, in private.
God bless. I hope this explains what you see as an undestandable dichotomy in my stance.
Linear Mode
