Global Holy Ghost Infillings: Real or Fake?

[Sam]

Originally Posted by 1399

Is there an Apostolic church that teaches/preaches what Sam believes concerning salvation (one-step, never heard of that before)? Doesn't his theology makes sense when you compare the experiences of the Ethiopian, the Phillipian jailer and the book of Romans to Acts 2:38? His statement kinda puts my mind at ease concerning the welfare of the souls of the non-apostolic Christians I know who have an active relationship with our Savior.

To a One-Stepper:
1. The Apostles and other followers of Jesus were saved. Then after His resurrection about one fourth (120 out of 500) received an empowerment for service called the HGB (Holy Ghost Baptism) (Luke 10:1-20, Acts 1:4-8 Acts 2:1-4)

2. 3000 people accepted the Gospel and were baptized in water. No record of if/when they received the HGB (Acts 2:41-42)

3. Many heard the Word and believed and the number grew to about 5000 (Acts 4:4)

4. More believers were added and they became a multitude (Acts 5:14)

5. The number of the disciples multiplied and even included a great company of the priests (Acts 6:7)

6. People in Samaria were saved and baptized in water, then later received the HGB. (Acts 8:5-17

7. The Ethiopian eunuch was saved so based on that Philip baptized him. Did he later receive the HGB? Our KJV does not say. Some old manuscripts tell it this way:
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”
And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord fell upon the eunuch and the angel of the Lord snatched Philip away,

8. Saul was converted or saved on the road outside Damascus, then three days later received the HGB and was baptized in water (Acts 9:1-19)

9. Cornelius and other Gentiles received the Word preached by Peter and as they rejoiced in their newfound salvation the Holy Spirit fell upon them. Afterwards they were baptized at Peter's command (Acts 10:1-48)

10. A great number believed and turned to the Lord in Antioch (Acts 11:19-26)

11. On Paul's first missionary journey, a great of Jews and Gentiles believed (Acts 14:1)

12. On another missionary journey, a business woman and her household accepted the Gospel and were baptized in water (Acts 16:14-15). Also here the Phillipian jailer and his family believed the Gospel and were baptized in water (Acts 16:31-33). Later in Thessalonica some -a multitude- believed (Acts 17:4). A few at Athens believed (Acts 17:32-34) In Corinth, many believed and were baptized (Acts 18:8)

13. On Paul's third missionary journey we read about the dozen or so folks in Ephesus who heard the message, accepted it, were baptized in water, and the Holy Spirit came upon them when Paul laid his hands upon them (Acts 19:1-6). Paul stayed in Ephesus for a couple of years and many believed and the Word prevailed and this was the founding of the Ephesian church.(Acts 19: 17-20)

These are some examples of people receiving the message of Jesus in the early church. There are 20 or so accounts of how the Gospel was preached and received in the Book of Acts. In some cases it is stated that people followed up their conversion with water baptism and/or Spirit baptism and in some cases it is not said. We need to be careful that we do not read too much into these accounts.

Those of us here who are one-steppers and three-steppers agree that in the early church people believed the Gospel and turned from sin. We agree that people followed up that conversion experience with water baptism and with Spirit baptism. Where we do not agree is when in that process:
folks passed from death to life
they were justified/saved
they were born again
they became part of the NT Church
Nor do we agree that in EVERY case all three steps were completed

[Sam]

Originally Posted by 1399

Is there an Apostolic church that teaches/preaches what Sam believes concerning salvation (one-step, never heard of that before)? Doesn't his theology makes sense when you compare the experiences of the Ethiopian, the Phillipian jailer and the book of Romans to Acts 2:38? His statement kinda puts my mind at ease concerning the welfare of the souls of the non-apostolic Christians I know who have an active relationship with our Savior.

There are ministers and churches who believe the "one-step" doctrine.

Actually, that was the original Apostolic Faith.

Apostolic or Pentecostal folks believed you got saved and then received the HGB (Holy Ghost Baptism). They also began to baptize using the name of Jesus in various combinations and formulas. It was not till later that it became popular among many Apostolic/Pentecostals to teach that justification, salvation, and regeneration did not really happen until all three steps had been completed. In 1945 when the UPC was formed, ministers that we would term "one-steppers" and "three-steppers" came together and agreed that they would accept and respect one another and not contend for individual viewpoints. The new UPC magazine (The Pentecostal Herald) agreed to print articles from both viewpoints. The first General Supt., Foreign Missions Sec, Sunday School Supt. and some on the Board of Presbyters were one-steppers.

There are still "one-steppers" around (probably a lot more than we realize) but often they have been coerced into silence for fear they will be branded as heretics or "weak on the message."

[freeatlast]

Originally Posted by Sam

There are ministers and churches who believe the "one-step" doctrine.

Actually, that was the original Apostolic Faith.

Apostolic or Pentecostal folks believed you got saved and then received the HGB (Holy Ghost Baptism). They also began to baptize using the name of Jesus in various combinations and formulas. It was not till later that it became popular among many Apostolic/Pentecostals to teach that justification, salvation, and regeneration did not really happen until all three steps had been completed. In 1945 when the UPC was formed, ministers that we would term "one-steppers" and "three-steppers" came together and agreed that they would accept and respect one another and not contend for individual viewpoints. The new UPC magazine (The Pentecostal Herald) agreed to print articles from both viewpoints. The first General Supt., Foreign Missions Sec, Sunday School Supt. and some on the Board of Presbyters were one-steppers.

There are still "one-steppers" around (probably a lot more than we realize) but often they have been coerced into silence for fear they will be branded as heretics or "weak on the message."

That's pretty much what we believe and teach in our church..and we are as apostolic as ya can get.

[Fiyahstarter]

Originally Posted by TRFrance

Knowledge of baptismsal forumla is not a requirement to be filled with the Holy Ghost. Neither is knowledge of proper godhead doctrine.

The biblical requirements are repentance and faith. The remaining knowledge is supposed to come afterward.

As we know, even when someone walks into a Oneness church, repents and is filled with the Holy Ghost at the altar, they often don't know much about baptismal formula... that is taught to them by the church members; and they usually know little or nothing about godhead doctrine -- again that is taught to them afterward. It seems fairly clear that accurate knowledge of doctrine is not something God has set as a requirement for the infilling of His spirit.

Now for example if a person receives the HG (in a Trinitarian environment) and still chooses to not accept Jesus name baptism, that is their doing. The scriptures demonstrate Jesus name baptism very clearly. But that's not to say they cant be carried away with man-made doctrines and traditions. Likewise, if they choose to believe the "3-eternal persons in the Godhead" doctrine, again, thats on them. The Holy Ghost never leads anyone to believe in Trinitarianism and/or baptism into God's titles, rather than His name.

The key is that the HG is to lead us into all truth. He doesn't force us -- he leads us into it; but that, of course, requires that we allow ourselves to be led. Not everyone allows themselves to be led into truth... or some are so comfortable in their spiritual comfort zone they're in that they find it hard [or are reluctant], to break away from the traditions that they are surrounded in, in their church environment.

Nice post.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Thank you, sincerely. I will proceed with my Bible at hand and much more caution.