The majority. For if someone believes in the "3 step" salvation then it is impossible that the sinner is saved at repentance, thus it logically follows that the angels rejoice over a sinner, who has repented, but is still nonetheless lost. Which of course makes no sense.
__________________
"Resolved: That all men should live to the glory of God. Resolved, secondly: That whether or not anyone else does, I will." ~Jonathan Edwards
"The only man who has the right to say he is justified by grace alone is the man who has left all to follow Christ." ~Dietrich Bonheoffer, The Cost of Discipleship
"Preachers who should be fishing for men are now too often fishing for compliments from men." ~Leonard Ravenhill
Does anyone else get the impressioin that some on this forum does NOT think GOD
is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we can think or ask. It's according to
the POWER (Holy Ghost) that worketh IN us!
I believe (think) GOD is able to do much more than what was even reported!
Falla39
Sis Falla,
Here is a story I'd like to share with you. About 8 years ago there was an America on Fire meeting in Dallas at Reunion Arena. We live in the same area, and I'm assuming you also attended.
Anyway on the way into that meeting there was a homeless looking man with a 40oz in his hand sitting outside the arena I drove buy as I was in line for parking. I noticed that man and thought "If only that guy would come inside the arena"
Anyway, Bro. Mark Morgan preached one of the best messages I think I've ever heard. The alter call came, and the instructions were given for those who needed the Holy Ghost.
I watched as people began to pray for others, and of course was watching the big screen, since I was in the cheap seats. Not long after began the standard alter sequence, first someone is receiving the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues. Then another, then another, and here we go with the count. " 4, 5, 6, 14, 15,17.....27,28,29, God's doing amazing things, 35, 36,37..." the count continues with exortation it gets up into the 100's. One right after another "speaking in tongues" As this process is going on I noticed on the big screen the scraggely homeless man in the blue jacket is being prayed for, and to my great delight he is said to have received the Holy Ghost. Awesome, amazing, God's arm is not shortened that it cannot save. I leave the meeting with rejoicing at God's work, THIS is what the church of God should be doing reaching the lost.
Some time passes after greeting folks and fellowship, plus the traffic leaving the parking lot. And there much to my dismay and discouragement, on the side of the road, just like before is the homeless man, beer in hand. At the time I didn't understand how someone who recieved the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues could be so unaffected.
The same situation has been repeated by those closer to me at camp meeting and church services over the years, until I realize not all who are said to have the HG actually do.
__________________
"Resolved: That all men should live to the glory of God. Resolved, secondly: That whether or not anyone else does, I will." ~Jonathan Edwards
"The only man who has the right to say he is justified by grace alone is the man who has left all to follow Christ." ~Dietrich Bonheoffer, The Cost of Discipleship
"Preachers who should be fishing for men are now too often fishing for compliments from men." ~Leonard Ravenhill
Actually, I believe all of the above. Why couldn't the UPC just release a statement that it had a great conference. Maybe in say something about the shoe auction?
Instead its all about numbers. Numbers, numbers, and numbers. Nothing makes sense, and people don't matter. Just so long as they "speak in tongues" and we can count them as one of us. Who cares that probably 90% of those who "received the Holy Ghost" won't be in church in a year.
Recently in this thread the question of repentance came up. So of the 3600 that received the Holy Ghost for the first time only 135 were baptized. That right there sticks out to me as just people pronouncing the Holy Ghost on people. When people truly repent, they WANT to be baptized. If 3,600 received the Holy Ghost, why not baptize them? 3,000 in the book of Acts were baptized (Acts 2:41) as a result of Peter's preaching, yet we have NO RECORD of them speaking in tongues. UPC has it backwards, and because they are so worried about an outward manifestation they who accuse others of watering down the gospel, have watered it down themselves by not emphazing repentance, but rather emphasizing tongues.
I'm not trying to be critical, I know God is well able to fill people with His Spirit, and I believe there is a genuine tonuges. But also present at these meetings and conferences is the Borat factor. Again, the UPC and similar groups open themselves up to this type of behavior becuase the emphasis is in the wrong place.
It's ironic that while I was reading your criticism in the beginning, I was wondering if you had a problem with the number being given in Acts 2:41...but you referenced it later, so I'm assuming you don't.
You may be sincere in your statement that you are not trying to be critical, but in my opinion you do come across as particularly critical. Personally, I don't see how anyone who would have witnessed the service could come away with anything negative. I can't think of anything but positive things that could be birthed in those people who were invited out. I am not one that claims the UPC is perfect, but this was a good thing from my perspective.
__________________
There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Houston.
Either the United States will destroy ignorance, or ignorance will destroy the United States. – W.E.B. DuBois
tstew, Thank you for clearing things up! Glad to hear and thank God it was a great meeting.
As for the other hundred posts I had to read to get to yours? Yawn.
__________________ "It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." Dave Barry 2005
I am a firm believer in the Old Paths
Articles on such subjects as "The New Birth," will be accepted, whether they teach that the new birth takes place before baptism in water and Spirit, or that the new birth consists of baptism of water and Spirit. - THE PENTECOSTAL HERALD Dec. 1945
"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves
The majority. For if someone believes in the "3 step" salvation then it is impossible that the sinner is saved at repentance, thus it logically follows that the angels rejoice over a sinner, who has repented, but is still nonetheless lost. Which of course makes no sense.
That's because the angels aren't as "smart" as the UPC preachers. Those ignorant angels think someone is saved at repentance and get all happy when someone repents, but the UPC has changed that and added two separate baptisms (water and Spirit) as requirements to the salvation experience.
Somehow I don't think all the so called lies were told about the GC, but it seems like a lot on this thread about the UPC.
__________________
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 KJV
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 KJV
Somehow I don't think all the so called lies were told about the GC, but it seems like a lot on this thread about the UPC.
Surely you didnt expect different ?
__________________ You can't reach the world with your talents. People are sick and tired of religious talents. People need a Holy Ghost annointed church with real fruits to reach out and touch their lives. ~ Pastor Burrell Crabtree
In fact I think that the insinuation of "hateful" Pentecostals is coming mostly from the fertile imaginations of bitter, backslidden ex Apostolics who are constantly trying to find a way to justify their actions. ~ strait shooter
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