Howard Goss and the New Birth

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I would like to address some comments made by Bro. Cary Robison concerning
modern Apostolic history and the new birth message.

Many Oneness believers that were affiliated with the Pentecostal Church
Incoroporated (PCI) did not believe in the essentiality of baptism for
salvation.  Their understanding of salvation was still influenced by basic
Arminian teachings but was modified to replace trinitarian baptism with
baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  They still, however, believed
that salvation took place at repentance.  Baptism was an act of faith and
obedience, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost was an added blessing.

The Pentecostal Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ did believe in the Acts
2.38 plan of salvation which included a belief in the actual remission of sins
at the time of baptism.

Certainly, the wording of the statement of faith does evidence certain vari-
ations in the perception and meaning of salvational doctrine.

However, Bro. Howard Goss DID emphatically believe in the full salvation
experience of repentance, baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins and the infilling of the Holy Ghost.  His belief in the
salvational aspect of baptism in the name of the Lord was very strong indeed.
Bro. Goss was initially baptised in the name of Jesus under the ministry of
Bro. Charles Parham, who was trinitarian.  Bro. Goss was rebaptised in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ after he received the revelation of the mighty God in
Christ.  My pastor, Elder F.R. Martin, was a friend of the late Bro. Goss.  I
asked him about Bro. Goss's belief.  He said that Bro. Goss did believe in
the necessity of baptism, even though he continued fellowship with other One-
ness (non-UPC) believers who did not believe in its necessity.

Really, all that matters in the end is not what Apostolics in the formative,
organisational years thought, but what the Lord Jesus has taught us through
the Word.  Clearly, the Bible teaches that baptism is essential and effectual
if administered in the all-powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ!

All Honour to Christ Jesus.



Matthew Shaw
00mcshaw@bsu.edu