UPCI CRITIQUE SHEET A Pubilcation of Apologetic Reasearch Coalitin INCORPORATED NAME: Unit

                                                            UPCI 
                                                  CRITIQUE SHEET  

A Pubilcation of Apologetic Reasearch Coalitin           



INCORPORATED  NAME: United Pentecostal Church International, Inc.
COMMON DESCRIPTORS: UPCl, Jesus Only, Oneness, New Issue, Jesus'
                    Name
        FOUNDER(S): Frank Ewart (pronounced "yert'')
 CURRENT PRESIDENT: Nathaniel A. Urshan
        MEMBERSHIP: 460,000
      DISTRIBUTlON: North America, Africa, Europe (some Slavic
                    countries) 
      HEADQUARTERS: Hazelwood, MO [USA]
        PERIODICAL: Pentecosta Herald
         PUBLISHER: Word Aflame Press


                              HISTORY

The origin of the modern-day practice of baptism with the
pronouncement "Jesus," as opposed to baptism "in the name
of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit," can be
historically linked to R.E. McAlister, April, 1913. The
personal "revelation'' experience which supposedly
confirmed this newly reintroduced baptismal formula began
with John G. Scheppe, 1913. From this recent baptismal
practice and subsequent revelation, Frank Ewart, in 1914,
created the Oneness doctrine of God, which in reality is
a reoccurrence of a heretical view of God that was
excommunicated from the Christian churches in the third
century.  Ewart taught, as all Oneness people believe
today, that Jesus is God the Father, Jesus is the Son and
Jesus is the Holy Spirit. Due to this heretical view oi
God and Jesus, Ewart's doctrinal heirs were expelled from
the Assemblies of God in October of 1916. All Oneness   
organizations, including the UPCl, can be traced to this  split off
of the Assemblies of God. Most black           organizations regard
Elder G. T. Haywood as their        founder, while essentially all
white organizations can be  traced back to D.O.C.Opperman.   


                UPCI BELIEF SYSTEM                                
 
          
REVELATION: While claiming the Bible as the "only
infallible guide" it is evident that the UPCl
depends on an extra-Biblical revelation.  They
believe that "ln the year 1914 came the # on the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ." That is to say, in
the year 1914 there came from God a new revelation,
a new meaning, to some key passages in the
Christian scriptures regarding God, Jesus and
baptism.

         


GODHEAD: The UPCl denies the Christian view of God (One
God, three persons).  They hold that Jesus is the only #
in the Godhead and that he has merely manifested himself in three
different 'modes' or 'offices.' For this reason they are regarded
as 'Modal Monarchianist;' i.e., the 'monarch,' God, manifests     
 himself in different 'modes.' It is claimed that during the Old
testament period Jesus put on  the mask of the Father.   Later,
when he came to earth,  he put on the mask of the Son. And today,
Jesus has put  on the mask of the Holy Spirit. To every UPCl
adherent,  Jesus is God the Father and Jesus is the Son of God and 
Jesus is the Holy Spirit.

CHRISTOLOGY: there are at least three competing views of Jesus
Christ within the UPCI. The most dominant view holds that
Jesus(God) was inside Jesus(man).  When asked to explain Jesus'
prayers to the Father, an UPCl member would claim that one Jesus,
Jesus(man) prayed to another separate and distinct Jesus,
Jesus(God), which was inside of him.

AATONEMENT: There are four requirements for salvation in the UPCl.
First, you must have faith in Jesus(God). Second, you must be
baptized to earn your salvation. And when you are baptized, the
baptismal formula must contain the word "Jesus,'' as opposed to
baptism in "the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" or you
will go to hell.  Third, you must speak in tongues to be a child of
God. Even if you accepted Jesus as the Lord of your life and were
baptized with their own Jesus' name formula, if you do not speak in
tongues, you will still spend eternity in hell-fire.  Fourth, to
retain your salvation it is essential that you keep their holiness
standards; e.g., women cannot cut their hair or wear slacks, men
cannot have facial hair, etc.

                       CHRISTIAN RESPONSE

REVELATION: Certainly one of the most questionable doctrines of the
UPCI surfaces when one is asked by an UPCI member if he has yet
"received the revelation."
This phrase acts as an UPCl buzz word and is a shorthand notation
for an extra-biblical revelation.  It is taught that the Holy
Spirit, through a crises, existential encounter, will "reveal'' a
second, 'correct' meaning of specific scriptures, different from
the proposition expressed in these passages.  For instance, when
one compares Acts 2:38, alleged baptism pronouncing the word
'Jesus" and Matthew 28:19, baptism in the 'name' (singular) of the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will give a
'revelation' of the hidden meanings that Jesus is the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit. This peculiar doctrine should be contrasted
sharply with the Christian doctrine of the 'illumination' of the
Holy Spirit. Christians have never held that the illumination of
the Holy Spirit is a type of decorder for hidden second meanings in
scripture.  Rather, Christians have always taught that as we read
the scriptures the Holy Spirit 'convinces us of the truth-hood' of
the passage being read.

GODHEAD: The Christian Church has always taught that within the
nature of the one God. there are three persons, not modes or
manifestations.  This can be historically traced from the disciples
through the early Church fathers to the council of Nicea, 325 A.D.
The UPCl doctrine of the Godhead is actually a reoccurrence of the
'Sabellian' heresy.  When Sabellianism was introduced in the late
second and early third century it was quickly exposed and renounced
by the Christian Church. Not one person before Sabellius at the end
of second century and the beginning of the third century can be
found teaching the UPCl doctrine that Jesus is God the Father and
Jesus is the Son of God and Jesus is the Holy Spirit.

CHRISTOLOGY: UPCl Christology, Jesus(God) inside Jesus(man), is a
very old heresy, called 'Nestorianism,' which was expelled from the
Christian Church in the fifth century.  As you can readily see, the
UPCl position requires not one Jesus but rather two Jesus,' since
Jesus(God) and Jesus(man) pray to each other, have conversations
with each other, etc.  Contrary to UPCl doctrine, Christian
Churches have always taught there is only # Jesus, who is true God
and true man: a very critical distinction.  Jesus does not pray to
Himself or to another Jesus. Therefore, the Jesus of the UPCl is
certainly "another Jesus" and is therefore foreign to the true
Jesus presented to us in scripture.  That UPCl Christology is
incompatible with the Christian revelation can best be pointed up
by comparing scriptures such as Hebrews 1: 1 -15, Rev. chapters 5
& #, etc.  with the UPCl's Nestorian model of Jesus, moreover,
there is no way the UPCl model of Jesus can be reconciled with
     And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with
     the glory which I had with thee before the world was.  (John
     17:5, KJV)

The speaker of this prayer, Jesus Christ, is praying to another
person other than Himself. The person to whom He is praying is His
"Father." Therefore, the peaker of this prayer must be the Father's
son, the on of God. Obviously, Jesus cannot be the Father to whom
He is praying as the UPCl would have us believe. econd, notice for
what the speaker is praying, namely, he "glory" which "l had with
thee." Clearly, the speaker of this prayer shared glory with His
Father.  Yet, scripture indicates that God does not share His glory
with another (ls.42:8). Therefore, it is easy to conclude that the
speaker of this prayer, the Son of God, shares the same essence,
Godhood, as the other person to whom He is praying.  Most important
of all, note when the speaker shared glory with His Father, the
person to whom He is praying.  The UPCl teaches that Jesus(Son),
the person praying here, did not exist before is birth at
Bethlehem. In direct opposition to this, the peaker, Jesus Christ,
declares that He shared glory # #e Father "before the world was." 


No Greek scholar ever living, that I am aware of, has maintained
that one ffice is here praying to another office.

ATONEMENT: In diametric opposition to the UPCl, the hristian Church
has always taught that salvation is itained by "grace through
faith," alone (Eph.2:8,9). The Christian Church always baptized
exclusively in the name of the "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" for
the first four centuries (Matt.28: 19). In the fourth century,
Jesus' name baptism was introduced but promptly rejected. While
speaking in tongues has sporadically exhibited itself throughout
Church history, the Christian church has never taught that it was
necessary for salvation as the UPCl does.  It must be recognized
that #e UPCl's demand to keep their holiness standards for heir
members to retain salvation is an attempt to put people "under the
law" which is heavily condemned by the apostle Paul where he
emphatically states: 

     O Foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you should
     not obey the truth...?  This only would I learn of you,
     Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the
     hearing of faith?  Are ye so foolish?  Having begun in the
     Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? ...Even as
     Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for
     righteousness.  Know ye therefore, that they who are of faith,
     the same are the sons of Abraham. (Gal. 3:1-7,KJV)