Salvation

The UPCI teaches a specific three-part salvation plan derived from Acts 2:38: repentance toward God, water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (not the Trinitarian formula 'Father, Son, and Holy Spirit'), and receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in other tongues. This 'Acts 2:38 plan' is considered the full new birth — the complete experience of salvation as described in John 3:5 ('born of water and Spirit'). All three elements are taught as necessary for salvation, not optional additions to simple faith.

The insistence on Jesus-name-only baptism is the most distinctive element of the UPCI soteriology and the primary practical difference from Trinitarian Pentecostalism. The UPCI holds that baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ — as practiced in the book of Acts — fulfills the command of Matthew 28:19, because 'Father, Son, and Holy Spirit' are titles that find their fullness in the single name 'Jesus.' Baptism using the Trinitarian formula is considered invalid and must be redone.

The UPCI's salvation theology is more demanding than that of most evangelical churches: faith alone is not sufficient, and participation in the correct sacramental experience is required. This understanding is grounded in the UPCI's reading of the New Testament church's practice and in their conviction that the apostles baptized exclusively in the name of Jesus. The doctrine is non-negotiable within UPCI fellowship.