What did the oneness pentecostal pioneers believe?

[THX4GRACE]

Originally Posted by missourimary

There were several issues that early Pentecostal pioneers disagreed on dramatically. They unified because of their beliefs in the Oneness of God, baptism in Jesus' name (essential or not), and the infilling of the Holy Ghost, not because they agreed on all the nuances of doctrinal discussion that arose.

I had no idea what one-steppers and three-steppers were... laughably I guess I'm in a many-stepper group then, because I hear it taught that you aren't saved til those pearly gates close behind you.

Good point....Thank God for His amazing Grace, His beautiful Name and His awesome Holy Spirit....!

[Sister Alvear]

Originally Posted by THX4GRACE

Good point....Thank God for His amazing Grace, His beautiful Name and His awesome Holy Spirit....!

yes so true...

[jcan071]

All power was in jesus name

[staysharp]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

Strange Peter did not say just grace will save you in Acts 2...well. maybe he did not know that....
love you folks...I can disagree and still love you all!

Sis. Alvear, we all know u believe like we do...Jesus saves us, we don't save ourselves.

[Hope Preacher]

When I was a young preacher I had a difficult time telling another believer that they were lost if they didn't complete "the plan." I saw Godly men and women who trusted the Lord with all their life and lived separated lives, but who didn't understand everything just the way I did.

I finally quit listening to what everyone else was saying, on both sides of the issue, and went to God and the word. For weeks I went to the Word on my knees daily asking God to give me understanding of what it took to be saved.

The result of that time of consecration was that I received the understanding and assurance that the Word of God was clear; By grace are ye saved through faith. I became a one stepper. I finally had to resign from my denomination. That was in 1981.

I have come to the place now that I respect those who don't understand grace the way that I do. I would that all men everywhere believed as I, but I know that is not a practical expectation. Therefore, I grant grace to others even when that grace is not returned.

[Neck]

Originally Posted by Firewind

Another influential Pentecostal pioneer, who Thomas Fudge repeatedly identified with the saved-at-repentance position, was John Dearing.

However, Fudge inexplicably failed to mention that Dearing's understanding changed later in his ministry, and he thereafter openly taught the view equating Acts 2:38 with the new birth.

To be pragmatic about the culture of the 2 groups that formed the UPCI. The idea of contending that they could stand shoulder to shoulder as 1 steppers or 3 steppers, started the organization off on a bad path. As many of the ministers stepped along with the organization they stepped inline with the Ultracon's that saw the rise of more and more of the 3 steppers having influence. Many of those that my father met in the early 60's when he was a debater for the AOG. Then in 1963 he came into the UPCI and was lifted up as a prize to many. Then in 1964 Gen Sup of the UPCI A.T. Morgan requested that my father travel the entire U.S. and meet and preach for all the Sup's of each state. Many of the top leaders that he met, including the leaders in New Brunswick, Canada influenced my father to use his teaching ability to proclaim the Oneness vs the Trinity, the Jesus Name Baptism, The baptism of the Holy Ghost, the laying on of hands for healing, his ability to preach on Eschatology. Because of his having graduated from one of the top AOG Bible College's (Zion Bible College - Rhode Island) he graduated after 2 years of study. After joining the UPCI, Dearing was one that my father spoke of often and some of his contradictions on his doctrinal positions. He should be far more remembered as I heard my father talking with a minister from New Brunswick, Canada as a soul winner not for his doctrinal positions. As the UPCI came into the 1970's as my father was in the prime of his ministry, the organization was screaming for anyone who could champion the Oneness of the Godhead and the UPCI core message. My father was sought after and did teach at many of the bible colleges, but found varied doctrinal positions on the Godhead, and the Acts 2:38 absolute doctrine. He found many of he ministers would have him come and teach on these positions and would spend hours with him, because many clearly had a hard time conversing the message they held so dear. Many changed their positions through the years to fall inline with the leaders that directed the organization which is not the same as these men coming to these doctrinal positions to move away from the positions they believed as a core belief. My father was amazed that some in the UPCI held up their beliefs on standards to have more weight than that of the Oneness of the Godhead. Standards my father did deal with in the AOG. One of the hardest things my mother had to do was take of her pearls when she traveled with my dad in those early days of being UPCI. Just the concept of the Affirmation statement that the UPCI brought forward showed there were those who did not contend for the absolute salvation being fulfilled by 3 steps. My father is quoted very straight forward by Fudge in his book. The one thing my father did contend for outside the hype of the 3 step doctrine, was that many 3 steppers had real issues with those that repented and did not fall inline with baptism or the speaking in tongues as the immediate next steps. Surely they have not repented, nor are they truly convicted of their sinful nature because they did not follow in Baptism or the Holy Spirit. My dad preached at a minister's rally in the 1970's and proclaimed that may of you are baptizing many and getting them to speak in tongues without teaching them the message, by doing this we are birthing a generation of weak born again believers. Being the son of an Evangelist gave me a great understanding of the politics, culture and the pecking order of the UPCI.

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by Firewind

Another influential Pentecostal pioneer, who Thomas Fudge repeatedly identified with the saved-at-repentance position, was John Dearing.

However, Fudge inexplicably failed to mention that Dearing's understanding changed later in his ministry, and he thereafter openly taught the view equating Acts 2:38 with the new birth.

I've only just now stumbled on this thread, so I realize my contributions are to a discussion that's somewhat dated...

However, concerning John Dearing and Firewind's characterization of his alleged "change" in view - the Pentecostal Home Study Course itself gives us information that pretty much shuts down Firewind's assertion.

Up until the late 1980's/early 1990's, John Dearing's Bible studies in this large 3 ring binder were required reading for all UPC ministers. I've attached a PDF file of one particular study. These were the types of writings of John Dearing that the UPC had been publishing all along - until they were redacted for being "weak on doctrine." If they had something "stronger" by Dearing, I'm certain we would be reading that today.

Firewind's inability to bring such writings forth for our perusal seems to be in need of the same sort of insinuation that Firewind directed at Thomas Fudge.

And for those, like Frank Ewart for example, who did appear to adopt a "stronger" position on the "Three Stepper" side later in their lives, their earlier writings and viewpoints are valuable for showing just how the climate has changed in this regard.

[Sam]

This is lesson 42 from the Pentecostal Bible Study Course. Back in 1956 I ordered a copy of The Oneness Pentecostal Correspondence Course from the UPC Publishing House. It was a two volume set of lessons. Volume 1 included studies of the books of Genesis, Exodus, Ruth, Esther and Hosea; a 26 lesson course on The Tabernacle in the Wilderness: and a Church History Course of 37 lessons. The lessons on church history were by Myrl Nutting and the others were by Mrs. E. Rohn. Volume 2 was called Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth and was 100 different lessons by John H. Dearing.These lessons were given at the Northwest Bible Training School in Caldwell, Idaho. I don’t see any copyright date on these lessons butin lesson 11 of Church History it speaks of “the Spanish Civil war now raging in Spain (1939).

I also have a pdf of a newer version which shows a copyright date of 1966 by E. Rohn and it is also called the Revised Edition with a copyright of 2001 by Word Aflame Press. The new version is called the Pentecostal Bibe Study Course and is a revision of the old Oneness Pentecostal Correspondence Course.

It is my understanding that this course was at one time required reading for those who wished to receive a ministerial license from the UPC. I don’t know if that is still true or not.

Lesson 42 given below is from the 2006 version but reads pretty much the same as the original copies I have from 1956. It teaches that folks can go to Heaven without being baptized in Jesus’ name and without receiving the Holy Ghost Baptism.

Lesson 42
Calling Things That Be Not As Though They Were

“God . . . quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were”
(Romans 4:17).

This verse states the principle that nothing is impossible with God; it enunciates a law of faith. This law is as sure to bring results as any other law that is properly followed. First God promises, then we believe, and afterwards we receive what we have believed for.

God made a promise to Abram that he would have a son, and Abram “considered not his body now dead . . . neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb . . . but was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Romans 4:19-20). While he and his wife were yet childless, he believed God was able to bring life from the dead. God, then, called the “things which be not as though they were” and changed Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning “father of many nations.”

By faith Abraham became the father of us all. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness, for it was imputed to him without works (Romans 4:2-6). Because
Abraham lived before the new covenant, God could not give him the promise of the Holy Ghost but simply counted him as righteous (Hebrews 9:16-17).

While Abraham was counted as righteous, he, along with the other Old Testament faithful, died in faith without receiving the promise, God having provided some better thing for us (Hebrews 11:39-40). But if he had lived until the Day of Pentecost, he would have joined the other believers in the upper room, waiting for the “better thing,” that is, the promise of the Holy Ghost. (See Galatians 3:14.)

We sometimes hear the question, “What about the many faithful people of ages past who have lived for God and yet never received the full New Testament experience of Acts 2:4 and Acts 2:38?” We can answer that if God desires He can call “those things which be not as though they were.” If God counted Abraham’s faith for righteousness and called him the “father of many” while he was yet childless, is He not able to do that for others? Thus, it could be that for people who truly walked with God and surrendered their lives to the known will of God, the Lord blessed them and gave them a right standing before Him, through His blood. Yet we have to admit that their state was far different from that of a Spirit-filled believer today.

Nevertheless, it is not possible that, through their faith, God called things that were not as though they were? However, if those same people had lived on to see our day of increased light, they too would have embraced Acts 2:4, 38 and would soon have been baptized in Jesus’ name and baptized in the Holy Spirit.

[commonsense]

Sam,
You're our window to the truth they would like to "revise"!!!

[Esther]

Originally Posted by Sam

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.

That link is blocked.