Do Oneness Pentecostals Teach Salvation by Works?

Summary

Summary prepared by Acts 2:38 Life from the transcript below — the preacher’s words follow in full.

The denial — saved by grace through faith, and grace is God's work

• The question posed (in the host's frame): one criticism oneness pentecostals frequently hear is: that we preach salvation by works. This often comes up when we talk about water baptism. Because oneness pentecostals insist that water baptism is part of the full salvation ('one is pentecostals insist', as the frame's word runs). Then the critics often will point to ephesians (the passage as the frame gives it). And they'll say: well, paul said — for by grace you've been saved, through faith. And that not of yourselves. It is the gift of god. Not of works, lest anyone should boast. How should oneness pentecostals respond, to this accusation? The answer: we absolutely deny the accusation of work salvation. We believe that we're saved by grace, through faith. But we believe that you actually receive something. It's the new birth experience. It's the acts (the pinpoint as he gives it) message: of repentance, water baptism in the name of jesus christ, the baptism of the holy spirit, with the initial sign of speaking in tongues. But that is not our works. That is god's work in us, that we receive by grace through faith. So let me give you a little explanation, from ephesians. Grace is — i mean ('grace is mean', as heard) — it simply means: salvation is a gift. Grace is god's gift to us. I would also add that grace is god's work in us. It's not passive. It's active. Titus (the pinpoint as he gives it) says: the grace of god, that brings salvation, has appeared to all men. And teaches us that, denying ungodliness ('ungodly bless', as heard), we should live soberly, righteously, and holy ('godly', as the reading's word runs in sense), in this present world. So grace is our teacher. Grace works in us. The way we receive this gift is through faith. No, we cannot earn our salvation. We could not pay for it. We do not deserve it — because of our lineage, our family, our race. There are no qualifications, by which we could earn, or deserve, salvation. So we firmly establish: we're saved by grace, through faith. But faith is our positive response to god. Faith is how we accept god's grace. Even though jesus died for the whole world, the whole world is not automatically saved. Because people must make a choice, to receive god's grace. Now, i would hasten to add: god always initiates the process. We never just decide we're going to be saved. We're always responding to god's grace. God's grace draws us. God's grace enables us to believe him, and repent. Without god's grace, we couldn't even do that. But, as i said, the grace of god, that brings salvation, has appeared to everyone. So, because of christ's sacrifice, god reaches out to every human being. And i do believe: at some point or another, in everyone's life, there's a witness. That if they will respond to that witness, then god would lead them into further truth, so that they could be saved. Cornelius is a good example. He did not have the fullness of truth. But (he) responded to what he knew. He prayed. And god made a way for him to be saved. So god speaks to everyone: through creation — romans (the chapter as he gives it); through conscience — romans (the chapter as he gives it). That's grace. But we must respond.

Scriptures: Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 2:38; Titus 2:11; Romans 1; Romans 2

Faith always includes obedience

• Now, here's the important point. Faith always includes obedience ('gr faith always includes obedience', as the fragment runs at the turn). There are two sides of the same coin. You can't say: i believe. But i'm not gonna obey what i believe. That doesn't even make sense. And in fact, the bible teaches that faith includes obedience. Romans (the passage as he gives it) says: the gospel brings salvation by faith. And the just shall live by faith. So that's another statement, much like ephesians (the passage he has been expounding). But in that same chapter, romans (the pinpoint as he gives it): paul says that he was called as an apostle, to bring people to the obedience of faith. And then in romans (the pinpoint as he gives it) — same book, same writer, same inspiration (of) the spirit — (it) says that you were — past tense — servants of sin. So we were sinners. But we've been delivered. So that would be another explanation of salvation: we're being delivered by the doctrine. Because we're delivered, because we obeyed, from the heart, the doctrine that was delivered to us. So romans (the first chapter) says: the gospel of jesus christ brings salvation, to everyone who believes. That's faith. Romans (the later chapter) says: we have salvation, because we've obeyed, from the heart. That's obedience. The obedience of faith. Likewise, in second thessalonians (the pinpoint as he gives it), paul states that: when jesus christ comes back, he's going to judge all those who know not god, and obey not the gospel of jesus christ. So: to believe is to obey. In our maybe western culture (as heard), we might say: well, you can think something, and agree to that. And that's believing, even though you don't act on it. But in the bible, there's no such distinction. If you really believe something, you will act. If you don't act, that means you didn't really believe. Dietrich bonhoeffer — a german theologian, who was executed by the nazis — he made this profound statement, in his book, the cost of discipleship: only he who believes is obedient. So only if you really believe, will you proceed to obey. But then the second part is — it is even more profound: only he who believes is obedient. But only he who is obedient believes. So the test of your faith is not what you say. The test of the faith is how you respond. If we're talking right here, and you say: well, brother bernard, i believe you. But i don't believe your words. Well, that's obviously contradictory. If you believe me, that means you believe my words. Well, if my words call for action: so if i say, the building is on fire. Run, right now. Flee. If you really believe me, you won't just sit there and smile, and say: that's nice, thanks for the info. You will actually run. And if you didn't run, i can safely conclude you didn't really believe me. (The host's 'sure' stands fused.) Because in that context, believing doesn't mean verbal agreement, or verbal profession. Agreement means action. So when the bible says: repent, or you'll all perish — that's what jesus said, in luke (the pinpoint as he gives it) — the proper response (is not to) say: well, i believe on jesus. But i'm not going to do what he said. That's not faith.

Scriptures: Romans 1:16-17; Romans 1:5; Romans 6:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Luke 13:3

The bank illustration — and baptism as meeting the condition

• Here's another example. Let's say i tell you: i will give you a hundred thousand dollars, if you show up tomorrow morning, at commerce bank, here in saint louis — wherever it is. And if you do that, i'll give you a hundred thousand dollars. Well, in that illustration, that's grace. It's a gift. And if you show up, and receive it: that's faith. You believed me. You didn't earn it. You didn't do 100 000 (dollars') worth of work. Even if it took you 30 minutes to get there, that wasn't 100 000 (dollars') worth of work. But if — so if you show up, i can safely say: you believe me. And so you receive it. You receive it by grace, through faith. But notice: that faith caused you to obey, to meet the condition of the promise. Now, if you show up, and i say: i change my mind. I'm not going to give it. I lied to you. You can't sue me. Because it wasn't a right. You didn't earn it. You don't deserve it, by law. It's not — you're not entitled to it. It's purely grace. If you don't show up, and i'm waiting there half an hour: then i can safely assume you didn't really believe me. Because i'm assuming — am i correct, that you would absolutely want a hundred thousand dollars? So we're not considering that you might not even desire it. No, you would be there. Right? If you really believed it. And you would go early. You wouldn't wake (at) the last minute. You wouldn't just look on your map, and say: well, it takes me 15 minutes. No, you would probably go 45 minutes (early). Or i'd probably sleep overnight. You'd probably see it, right? (as he words the close of the exchange). So, but notice, in that analogy: that was not works. That was simply you showing up, to receive the promise. You're simply meeting the condition. So the bible says: by grace are we saved, through faith. So we must trust god. Well, what do we trust god (for)? And also, in my analogy, you actually get a 100 000 (dollar) check. You know, something actually happens. You have money in your bank. So when the bible commands — it's not an option — repent. In fact, mark (the pinpoint as his settled citation gives it) — jesus began preaching: repent, and believe the gospel. So if you're going to believe the gospel, the first thing you do is repent. When you repent, you're confessing your sins to god. You're surrendering your life to god. But it's god who actually forgives you. And god who changes your heart. So who's doing the work? God. You're just showing up. You're just praying the prayer of faith. When you're baptized in the name of jesus christ: the water doesn't wash away your sins. The preacher doesn't wash away your sins. Your good works don't wash away your sins. I mean, if that were the case, you could just take a bath, or go jump in the lake and swim, and say: i did it. But no. When you're baptized, you're simply saying: the bible says — repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of jesus christ, for the remission of sins. (The pinpoint as he gives it.) Ananias told paul ('ananias topal', as heard): arise, and be baptized, washing away your sins — and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the lord. And that's acts (the pinpoint as he gives it). So basically: when we read that — we hear that preached — we believe it. So what do we do? We really believe it. So we show up. We say: preacher, baptize me. We're not doing the works. We're meeting the conditions. We're responding in faith. We're doing what the word says. Who actually does the work? Jesus. He washes away sins, by his blood. That's why we always call the name of jesus, when baptized. Because it's not us. It's not the preacher. It's jesus. If jesus really isn't the savior: well, we're going to be lost. You know, if buddha is the savior, we're sunk, because we're calling on jesus. Now, i'm being facetious there. But my point is: it's god who's doing the work. And likewise, when we receive the holy spirit, we're not doing any good works. Speaking in tongues is god working in us. It's not our doing. It's god's doing. In fact, (the day-of-pentecost passage) again says: ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost. So the gift — it's grace. (The two namings of that passage as 'acts 2 30' are settled in the refs mark.)

Scriptures: Mark 1:15; Acts 22:16

Jesus linked belief to the acts; Peter's report; the summary

• And by the way, i can tie all this back: peter, on the day of pentecost, preached with the support of the 12 apostles (the day-of-pentecost passage). But they were only teaching what jesus had already said. So i quoted (the mark passage): repent, and believe the gospel. So jesus associated — if you believe the gospel, first thing you'll do is repent. Mark (the pinpoint as he gives it), again, the words of jesus: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. So jesus said: if you believe, the next logical step, in expressing your faith, is: you'll be baptized. And then john (the chapter as he gives it): jesus cried out — he that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. And then john adds: but this spake he of the spirit, with (that) which they that believed on him should receive. Because the holy ghost is not yet given, because jesus is not yet glorified. So john explains: when you truly believe, you'll receive the holy spirit. So jesus himself linked belief — with repentance, water baptism, receiving the holy spirit. Another example is in acts (the chapter as he gives it), when the apostle peter was reporting back to the elders (and) the apostles, in jerusalem: why did you go preach (to) the gentile household of cornelius? And why did you have fellowship? He said: well, god sent me. He recounts the story, in (the chapter). And then he recounts how god poured out the holy spirit upon them. And then he said: i baptized them. How could i forbid water, when god is the one who filled him ('them', in sense) with the spirit? And so — but in (the chapter's passage as he gives it), the apostle peter explains: when i saw them receive the holy spirit, i remembered how jesus promised this. And i remembered how we received the holy spirit, on the day of pentecost. He said: god gave them the same gift, as he did to us, who believed on the lord jesus christ. So the apostle peter linked believing on the lord jesus christ, directly with the pentecostal experience, of receiving the holy spirit. So my summary is: we believe that we're saved by grace, through faith. But the acts (day-of-pentecost) experience — what we call the new birth, or christian initiation, is another way to say it: christian conversion — repentance, water baptism in jesus' name, receiving the holy ghost — that's the actual event, that happens to you. So it is the application of god's grace. It's the expression of our faith. We respond to the word, in obedience. God does the work. He's the one who saves us. And you'll see, all throughout scripture: faith involves obedience to the word. If you want a detailed description: my book, the new birth, covers this in great detail. Grace. Faith. Obedience. Repentance. Water baptism. And the holy spirit.

Scriptures: Mark 16:16; John 7; Acts 11; Acts 11:15-17

Scripture index: Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 2:38; Titus 2:11; Romans 1; Romans 2; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 1:5; Romans 6:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Luke 13:3; Mark 1:15; Acts 22:16; Mark 16:16; John 7; Acts 11; Acts 11:15-17.