Why I'm No Longer a Oneness Pentecostal: Part Four

by E.L.

Oneness Pentecostals and atheists have something in common, a belief that they appeared from nowhere with no outside assistance. While atheists rob God of the honor He deserves, Apostolics rob the millions of Christians who preexisted their movement of the honor they are due. Prominent Apostolic authors, like Thomas Weisser and Marvin Arnold, write that there has never been a day since Pentecost without a group of Jesus Name- baptizing, tongue-talking Oneness believers. They promote the doctrine of an unbroken chain of succession.

Below is audio of Thomas Weisser speaking at a Oneness Pentecostal Symposium run by the UPCI many years ago. It takes a few minutes before he comes on and his part ends about the 40:52 mark. It is followed by two responses and then an open forum.

This amounts to intellectual theft because there is no evidence of any group in history who believed and preached three step Water/Spirit doctrine. There has never been another group who interpreted Acts 2:38 as modern Apostolics do. There has never existed another group who emphasized those doctrines while also denying the Trinity.

The truth is, modern Apostolics have their origins in Methodism. The Oneness movement developed in the early 1900s. It's barely a century old. The men who birthed the movement used the same Bible all other Protestant Christians read. They sang the hymns Trinitarians composed. Their preachers used commentaries and word studies developed by Trinitarians. Most modern Apostolics still do.

Oneness Pentecostals enjoy the fruits of Christendom, while at the same time believing that those who produced that fruit are as hell-bound as atheists. They attend Israel Houghton concerts but believe he's lost. They sail on Gaither cruises but would never consider him saved. They quote Wesley, Spurgeon, Edwards and Moody but would never allow those men, or others who believe as they did, to grace their platform.

Oneness Pentecostals speak of heritage and old paths, but reject their true origins. This is somewhat similar to an atheist who denies God's existence or a child who disowns her parents. It's an egotistical view of self.

I am no longer Oneness Pentecostal because I value the contributions of those who predated the modern Apostolic church. I value every martyr who lost his head and every martyr who was burned at the stake, while clinging to faith in Jesus.

I am Bunyan's "Christian."
I am Edwards' "Sinner in the hands of an angry God."
I am Luther's 95 Theses.
I am a product of Fannie May Crosby's "Blessed Assurance."
I sing with joy John Newton's "Amazing Grace."

None of those Christians were baptized correctly according to the modern Apostolic method. None spoke in tongues. Yet we all relish their contributions.

My roots in Oneness Pentecostalism are mere offshoots of a variety of Christian theologies. To believe otherwise is to deny my heritage.

Read part five.

This writing is the copyright of E.L. and is reprinted on this site by permission. View all of his available articles here.

Page added February 10, 2015

HOME / CONTACT / HOW DO I HELP? / OLD FEEDBACK / EXPERIENCES / UPC MEMBERS SPEAK / ARTICLES / BOOKS / ISSUES / LOIS' WRITINGS / ORGANIZATIONS / OTHER SITES /
WHY THIS SITE? / STATEMENT OF BELIEFS / WHAT IS SPIRITUAL ABUSE? / OPEN LETTER /
UPC BELIEFS / HISTORY OF UPC / APOSTOLIC CONGRESS / DEVOTIONALS/  SUPPORT GROUP/