It took me awhile but I finally got through this thread. I can't really answer the question asked because according to St. Mark in another thread, I am not penticostal but charismatic, the fact that I hold
Acts 2:38 as the plan of salvation is irrelevent. Anyway, since I was raised in a non-denominational trinitarian penticostal church (where I came into Oneness believe via personal Bible study and prayer) I never had the "standards" as many of you was raised with. So techniquely I didn't "drop" standards. I did spend some time in the UPC, but I could not deal with the standard taught because I knew they where coming from man without enough of a scriptural reference to make it as important as they were taught. (and in some cases,
no scriptural reference)
I am set at Liberty because of my faith in God, not because I do or do not follow standards. However, following standards when you have no personal conviction to do so will put you into bondage. Pastors that require their flock to follow standards that they don't personally have a conviction to follow are placing a heavy yoke on these dear saints. If a person that "drops" the standards goes off the deep end, then that clearly means that they had a works based salvation which is no salvation at all. Someone that has a personal relationship with God, studies and prayes, and finds out that some or all standards are a yoke and drops the standards will not go off the deep end. They may study out each individual topic out, cutting out the trash, holding on to the pure, (as we all should be doing constantly anyway) but they won't go off the deep end.
So from this man with long hair, gotee, that only dresses in a manner that is acceptable in society, I say study to show your self approved because the those that search the scriptures are more noble.
Daniel
Threaded Mode
