© Copyright November 22, 2002, Bernie L. Gillespie. All rights Reserved.

No part of this paper may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author.

 Part Two 

The UPCI View of Faith 

        How does the biblical idea of faith relate to salvation and to the meaning of Acts 2:38? The UPCI has one answer to this question. Let us take a closer look at faith as they understand it.¹ In reading much UPCI literature, I find many confused and conflicted statements about faith. Here is an example of the many I found: 

The basic meaning of faith is “trust, confidence, reliance, allegiance to, or belief in.” . . . Faith is not salvation, but the channel by which salvation is communicated to us: . . . Faith is not forgiveness of sins, not the remission of sins, nor is it the baptism of the Holy Ghost. But these elements of salvation can only be appropriated by faith and its companion, obedience. Faith motivates obedience, and obedience applies faith to the need. But since neither faith nor obedience constitute salvation, we must not be deceived into being satisfied with either or both. They are means to salvation, not the end product. They bring us to Christ, who creates the miracle of regeneration in us. . . . Regardless of our status or relationship with God, we must have faith. Our response to His Word must be one of active acceptance – a recognition not only of God’s provision, but His willingness to apply it to our lives as well. . . . While the intellect deals with the substance of faith, it is the heart, the seat of emotions, that conceives faith and produces the fruit of righteousness (Romans 10:8-10). . . .  It is only when a person can “feel” with his heart what he understands with his mind that faith brings the imputed righteousness of God.² 

        My point in quoting this source is not merely to disagree with every statement, (though I definitely disagree with some of them). It is to give an example of how conflicting statements are often held together in the confusing UPCI teaching about faith. 

        Despite their array of definitions for faith, the UPCI writers and preachers tend to vacillate between two kinds of faith when speaking of faith’s relationship to Acts 2:38. The first kind of faith is “initial” faith and it consists of the knowledge of the Gospel and Acts 2:38. The second kind of faith is what they call faith-as-obedience, particularly, obedience to Acts 2:38. It is important to notice that they set up a polarized notion of the nature of faith.³ At one extreme (end of the spectrum) is the simplest form of faith - initial faith. At the other, is the most robust (as they see it) form of faith - obedience (see box A). It is this “obedience-as-faith” which is seen as “saving faith.” These extremes are often set in opposition to one another in UPCI thought.

 Box A 

The rest of this chapter can be purchased in the book Faith is the Essential Response to Acts 2:38