A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

The Finished Work Controversy
result, the majority of Pentecostals adopted basically the
Keswick position of two experiences—conversion and
baptism of the Holy Spirit as an endowment of power—
yet with the important distinction of tongues as the initial
evidence of the Spirit.
Of equal importance is the contribution that Durham
made toward the development of the Jesus Name movement.
Although he died a little over one year before its
emergence, he set the stage for Oneness Pentecostal theology
in several important ways:
1. He taught that we can receive all the benefits of the
Atonement by repentance and faith, without waiting for a
subsequent experience. While he retained the idea of two
experiences (conversion and Spirit baptism), he acknowledged
that when there is full scriptural understanding and
faith we can expect the baptism of the Spirit to come
immediately.
2. While some Pentecostals during and after his day
sought to modify the distinctive doctrine of the Holy
Ghost baptism, Durham staunchly affirmed the original
teaching of Parham and Seymour that receiving the Holy
Ghost is necessary to enter into the New Testament
church and that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence.
3. He established Acts 2:38 as the paradigm for New
Testament salvation, and he equated the three steps of
repentance, water baptism, and the baptism of the Holy
Ghost with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus
Christ.
4. He stressed the importance of water baptism, and
he exalted the name of Jesus.
5. He had a major influence on future leaders of the
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