Daniel Sidney Warner - Doctrines and Beliefs

Doctrines and Beliefs

Although he did not consider himself to be a theologian as such, Warner's theology was rooted in several sources. He seems to have been an avid reader, and had friends across a broad spectrum of denominations from which he gleaned his insights. From the Wesleyan tradition he took his view of salvation. From the Winebrennarian Church of God he gained his view of the Church. From the Anabaptists, he picked up non-resistance and non-conformity, and from the Adventists he took some of his eschatology. His two prominent teachings stand out as the "one Church": all believers are members of the church of God. He taught in his booklet "What the Church of God Is and What it is Not" that the call to join various bodies must be of the Antichrist. He wrote, "Therefore the multiplicity of sects, falsely called churches, are not God’s church."

His other prominent theme was that of holiness.

The following is an overview of the main doctrines that characterized Warner's life and teachings:

• One Church called the "Church of God", which is composed of all the "saved" people; no membership list
• Holiness of life-freedom from sin; a life dedicated to the Kingdom of God and its mission. This was accomplished by a "second, definite, work of grace"; the baptism of the Holy Ghost that purified the heart of the sin nature
• Against "Babylon"; that is, all false religion that held a different name or espoused teachings outside or independent of the Word of God
• The imminent second coming of Christ
• Non-resistance; non-participation in the military
• Separation from "the world" in actions, beliefs, and lifestyle, which included modesty of dress without added adornment of jewelry, cosmetics, neckties, etc., and opposition to membership in secret societies
• Foot washing, baptism by immersion, and the Lord's Supper as ordinances
• Leadership led by the Holy Ghost, rather than "man-rule" that dictates what the local minister can preach, with no official ministerial training or salaries, permitting women in the ministry
• Divine healing by faith without the assistance of doctors
• Marriage as "one man-one woman" for life, with no remarriage while the first spouse remained alive. For some second marriages already consumed before conversion, the couple was left to decide for themselves if they should separate