Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple
I am Apostolic today because OF the salvation witness in Acts!  |
Really?
What did the Phillipian jailer ask Paul? What were the jailer's EXACT words?
What was Paul's response? What were Paul's exact words?
In order for any BIBLICAL doctrine to work, you must start with what is most clear first.
Salvation = faith in Jesus Christ-- everyting else is done and happens to the believer once he or she believes.
Salvation does NOT equal a formula that one must get exactly right or face an eternity lost.
If we want to be so exact, fine!
Which is correct:
A) In the Name of Jesus
B) In the Name of Jesus Christ
C) In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ
As for water baptism washing away sins, was Cornelius filled with the Holy Spirit and with sin at the EXACT same time?
The Oneness of GOD and baptism in Jesus Name is something that has to be REVEALED to the SINCERE seeker, right?
So where does Paul place such mysterious REVELATIONS in the order of imporatnce in a believer's life? At the top, right? Most profitable, prominent, and important place of priority, right?
WRONG!
If you understand all mysteries but still don't have love, it doesn't matter.
So, it stands to reason that even if the Oneness Pentecostals were the last gaurdians of Biblical truth on earth, their doctrine doesn't matter as much as their love. The same is true for all Christians.
Love covers a multitude of sin, but not the sin of being baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost-- if that is even a sin?
Love covers a multitude of sin, but not facial hair-- learn not the way of the heathen!
Love covers a multitude of sin, but not going to the stadium to watch a football game.
The Book of Galatians speaks to ALL CHRISTIANS-- but SOME don't read that Book.
The Phillipian jailer was a half-baked Christian-- almost saved, but not quite, as he still had more to do and it don't matter that it's not specifically mentioned all that he had left to do because the really saved Christians KNOW that he had so much more to do before he could really consider himself saved. Of course, I am speaking in an Oneness Pentecostal sense and not in the Biblical sense.
EVEN TODAY, when a new visitor comes to your church, the visitor is not told EVERYTHING that must be done to be saved (OP style). EVEN TODAY, when the new visitor becomes a new convert, the new convert is not told EVERYTHING that must be done in order to be saved (OP style), and if the new convert rejects one or more of the extra-biblical teachings presented to them and leaves the OP church, well that visitor was NEVER a new convert in the first place. If they were of us, they would never have gone out from us, right?
The esspecially kind-hearted Oneness Pentecostals would rather blame satan and his deception as the reason for the backsliding of the new convert. These Oneness Pentecostals are too loving, too sincere in their faith to look at that potentially lost soul and callously shake the dust from their feet at that new convert who is discouraged, bewildered, and frustrated. These are the ones who pray and weep over these souls, without ever thinking that maybe their extra-biblical teaching is what made the new convert twice the child of satan than before.
I miss my time with the precious Oneness Pentecostals, but I'd rather present a Biblical plan of salvation-- one so plain that even a fool can't error in it.
BELIEVE IN JESUS!
Being completely objective, it's really easy to see where some could, "make the mistake" of baptizing in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, else why would it take a REVELATION to see baptism in any other light?
So if that "mistake" is easily made by most people who name the Name of Christ, how much easier is it for a fool to make the same mistake?
Hey Oneness Pentecostals! You're NOT SAVED because you got baptized the right way! You're SAVED by the GRACE OF GOD-- leaving you, me, and everyone else WITHOUT ANY THING to boast of.
Were there not divisions in the Bible days over baptisms?
Was the church not corrected for this CARNALITY?
How is it they were carnal in their divisions, but those who divide themselves over the SAME ISSUES today are not carnal?
Oneness Pentecostals call it REVELATION, but Paul called it CARNALITY.
I miss them dearly even right now, but they're mistaken.
Even still, love covers a multitude of sin.
Hybrid Mode
