Expert: Elder Greg Madden - 3/17/2010

Question
In Choo Thomas`s web site, she qoutes " remember, none of our "salvations" are secure until the end. I wonder if she has read Romans 10 v 9-13. I only ask this question because she attends a "Assemblies of God" fellowship. Also, what are your views on the subject of Oneness Pentecostalism, which I believe started in 1913-1914, by an Assemblies of God minister,  by the name of John G. Scheppe. Many thanks for taking the time to read this e-mail. Yours truly...Terry Griffiths   U.K.

Answer
Terry,

Thank you for your questions and the opportunity to help.

Though I am not familar with Choo Thomas, I would say that you are correct in your reading of Romans 10:9-13. However, though we can as Believers walk in the assurance of our salvation, we must also understand that God will never violate our freewill. Therefore we will always have the choise to choose to serve God, or to walk away from His love.

As to "Oneness Pentecostalism", I would have to say that I disagree with their view of salvation (how one recieves salvation) more than their view of the Godhead. Let me exsplain...

Most who claim Oneness teach that a Christian recieves salvation through a three step process based primarily on one Spripture, Acts 2:38;
1. Repentance. A persoan must repent, turn from, and be sorry for thier sin. But this does not bring salvation yet.
2. Jesus Name only water baptism. A person who have repented must then be baptised in water. However their baptism is only valid IF it is a Jesus Name only baptism (not Father, Son, and Holy Ghost). Once again, this does not complete the salvation process yet.
3. Recieve the Holy Spirit baptism, and speak in tongues. Oneness teach that until tongues is spoken salvation is not yet recieved.

Once this three step are complete then, and only then, is the person saved. However Terry, it is important to understand that not all who claim to be Oneness believe this.

So what does Acts 2:38 truly teach? Let take a look at it...
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  

Notice in these Scriptures that the crowd did not ask Peter "What shall we do to be saved?" This was a general question not a specific question. Unlike the jailer who asked Paul in Acts 16:39 "Sirs what must I do to be saved?". These people were convicted in their hearts and asked Peter "What shall we do?" Notice his answer...

First he said to repent. What does it mean to repent? Repentance is defined as..."to change one's mind, i.e. to repent, to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins, to ask forgiveness, turn from sin to Christ through faith" You see David, if a person does not repent, then baptism does nothing for them but get them wet!

Second he said to be baptized. This was not a suggestion, but a command of the Lord Jesus for all who would follow Him (Matt. 28:19).

Thirdly he said that they need to be filled with the Holy Ghost. Jesus also commanded His disciples to “..tarry until ye be endued with power..” (Luke 24:49). Those who have repented from their sins are acceptable candidates for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Notice that the very Scripture that those people use (Acts 2:38) does not teach this formula. The Bible does command us to do these things (to repent from our sins, to be baptized in water, and to be filled with the Holy Ghost). But Scripture teach us that salvation is by faith through grace.

Ephesians 2:8,9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  
Not of works, lest any man should boast.  

Also notice that Act 2:38 says "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ 'for' the remission of sins..." Remission is defined as "release from bondage or imprisonment forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty ".

But notice the word "for" comes before the word "remission" The word "for" in this Scripture is defined as "because of". For example, "For" could have two meanings. If you saw a poster saying "Jesse James wanted for robbery", "for" could mean Jesse is wanted so he can commit a robbery, or is wanted because he has committed a robbery. The later sense is the correct one. So too is this passage, the word "for" signifies an action in the past. Otherwise, it would violate the entire tenor of the NT teaching on salvation by grace and not by works.

Terry, I am not saying that baptism is not a command of our Lord to be followed. It most certainly is! Too many have deemphasized it importance. Christ commands, not suggests, that we follow Him in water baptism. It is a vital part of our walk of faith.

Col. 2:12
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Salvation is God's grace, received through faith...

Romans 10:9,10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

So yes, Acts 2:38 (like all Scriptures) is to be "obeyed". However, like all Scriptures it is to be taken in context, and to be understood, so that the Believer can properly obey the Text. Acts 2:38 is the Peter answering a question (under the inspiration of the Spirit). The question is a general question "What shall we do?". The answer is the same; "Repent (change your mind and turn to God), be baptized because you have repented, and be receive the Holy Spirit baptism."

Now as to the Oneness view of the Godhead (nature of God) let me see if I can explain what the Bile teaches...

The Bibles teaches us that there is one God, and that His nature is described as trinity. Though I believe that the word "triune" best describes the nature of God. You see, too many who believe in the trinity teach the plurality of God so strong that they are more tri-theists (the belief in 3 gods) than Trinitarians. While on the other side, those who emphases the unity of Gods nature (Oneness) so strong they fall into the false teaching of "modalism" (that God changed from Father, then to Son, then to Holy Spirit: ergo modes, or modalism).

The Bible teaches us that there is one God. The Word declares that He is the eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, sovereign, and immutable triune God; and it declares the unity of the Godhead where three personalities, equal in every divine perfection and attribute, execute distinct, harmonious offices, in the great work of redemption.

This does not mean that there are three "people" called God, but rather a way of saying God eternally exists in three personally distinct ways. Scriptures declare that there is only one God, Who is eternally (past, present, and future) manifested/revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

2 Cor. 13:14, John 1:1,2, Rev. 4:2-5 & 5:1-7

1 John 5:7
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

The Father - Co-existent, co-eternal, and co-equal with the Son and the Holy Spirit. He is the Creator and Giver of life. He is God revealed as Father in creation.
Scripture References: Isa. 43:10; 44:8, John 3:16, James 1:17, John 4:24

The Son - Co-existent, co-eternal, and co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus was conceived by the Spirit and born of a virgin, to take upon Himself the form of man. By becoming obedient unto death, Jesus bore the curse of sin, sickness and sorrow redeeming us back to Himself. He arose the third day and ascended unto heaven, there He sits on the right hand of the Father, where He ever lives to make intercession for us. He is God revealed as Son in redemption.
Scripture References: John 1:1-3, Matt. 1:23 , 1 Tim. 2:5, Eph. 2:18 , Phil. 2:6-11

The Holy Spirit - Co-existent, co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and the Son. Sent by the Father, through the Son, He reproves the world of sin, prepares the church for Christ's return, and empowers the believer to follow the Lord. He is God revealed as Holy Ghost in regeneration.
Scripture References: John 14:26 ; 15:26 ; 16:8

Another way of understanding this definition of the nature of God, is to understand His attributes. By attributes I mean His omniscience (He knows all things), His omnipotence (He is all powerful), and His omnipresence’s (He is everywhere at the same time, and at all times). His omnipresence’s allows us to (in a very simplistic way) to see how He can be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the same time. Being omnipresent He is not only everywhere at the same time, He is everywhere at every time. God is here, now, at this present time. But He is also in the future. He is already there because He is not limited by time. He is also in the past. You see, time is linier. Time had a starting point (Gen. 1:1) and it will come to an end (Rev. 10:6). But God is eternal. He has no beginning, and He will have no end. Therefore time itself existents within God, God is not limited within time. Therefore the One God is the Father, Son, and Spirit eternally (in the past, in the present, and in the future). I know this is deep, but it does help understand how the One true and Living God is eternally manifested as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Terry, please let me know if this helps, or if you have any further questions.

Elder Greg Madden