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The
Bible • God • Sin • Salvation • Water Baptism
Baptism of the Holy Ghost • Tongues • Holiness
Divine Healing • Second Coming of Christ • Resurrection
• Judgement
The
Bible
The Bible is the inspired Word of God,
giving a true history of the creation of heaven, earth, and humanity
and containing a correct prophecy of the ages to come regarding
heaven, earth, and the destiny of humanity. Moreover, there is no
salvation outside of what is taught in its pages.
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God
There is only one God
(Deuteronomy 6:4). He is the creator of heaven and earth, and of all
living beings. He has revealed Himself to humanity as the Father
(Creator), in the son (Savior), and as the Holy Ghost (indwelling
Spirit).
- The Father
God
is a Spirit (John 4:24). He is the Eternal One, the Creator of all
things, and the Father of all humanity by creation. He is the
First and the Last, and beside Him there is no God (Isaiah
44:6).There was no God formed before Him; neither shall be there
any after Him (Isaiah 43:10).
- The Son
Jesus
is the Son of God according to the flesh (Romans 1:3) and the very
God Himself according to the Spirit (Matthew 1:23). Jesus is the
Christ (Matthew 16:16); the creator of all things (Colossians
1:16-17); God with us (Matthew 1:23); God made flesh (John
1:1-14); God manifested in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16);He which
was, which is, and which is to come, the Almighty (Revelation
1:8);the mighty God, everlasting Father, and Prince of peace
(Isaiah 9:6). Jesus Himself testified of His identity as God when
He said, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John
14:7-11) and "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30).It took
shedding of blood for the remission of the sins of the world
(Hebrews 9:22), but God the Father was a Spirit and had no blood
to shed. Thus He prepared a body of flesh and blood (Hebrews
10:5)and came to earth as a man in order to save us, for in Isaiah
43:11 He said, "Beside me there is no Saviour." When He came in
flesh the angels sang, "For unto you is born this day in the city
of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).
- The Holy
Ghost
The Holy Ghost is not a third person in
the Godhead, but rather the Spirit of God (the Creator), the
Spirit of the resurrected Christ. The Holy Ghost comes to dwell in
the hearts and lives of everyone who believes and obeys the
gospel, as the comforter, Sustainer, and keeper (John 14:16-26;
Romans 8:9-11).
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Sin
Sin is the transgression of the
law, or commandments of God (I John 3:4). The guilt of sin has
fallen upon all humanity from Adam until now (Romans 3:23). The
wages of sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:14) to all
those fuse to accept salvation as set forth in the Word of
God.
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Salvation
Salvation consists of
deliverance from all sin and unrighteousness through the blood of
Jesus Christ. The New Testament experience of salvation consists of
repentance from sin, water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost,
after which the Christian is to live a godly life (Acts
2:36-41).
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Water
Baptism
Water baptism is an essential part of New
Testament salvation and not merely a symbolic ritual. It is part of
entering into the kingdom of God (God's church, the bride of
Christ), and therefore, it is not merely a part of local church
membership. (See John 3:5; Galatians 3:27).
- Mode of
Baptism
Water baptism is to be administered
only by immersion. Paul said, "We are buried with him [Jesus
Christ] by baptism (Romans 6:4; see Colossians 2:12), Jesus came
up "out of the water" (Mark 1:10), and Philip and the eunuch went
down "into the water" and came up "out of the water" (Acts
8:38-39).Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection are applied to our
lives when we experience New Testament salvation: "Repent [death
to sin], and be baptized [burial] every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost [resurrection]." (See Acts 2:38; Romans
6:1-7; 8:2).Sprinkling, pouring, or infant baptism of any kind
cannot be substantiated by the Word of God, but are only human
traditions.
- Formula for
Baptism
The name in which baptism is
administered is vitally important, and this name is Jesus.Jesus'
last command to His disciples was, "Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19). We should notice that He
said name (singular) not names. As previously explained, Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost are not names of separate persons, but titles
of positions held by God. An angelic announcement revealed God's
saving name in the New Testament: "She shall bring forth a son,
and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people
from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).The apostles understood that Jesus
was the name to use at baptism, and from the day that the church
of God was established (the Day of Pentecost) until the end of
their ministry, they baptized all nations (Jews--Acts 8:16;
Gentiles--Acts 19:5) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.In fact,
Jesus is the only name given for our salvation. "Neither is there
salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
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Baptism of the
Holy Ghost
The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the
birth of the Spirit (John 3:5). This spiritual baptism is necessary
to put someone into the kingdom of God (God's church, the bride of
Christ) and is evidenced by speaking in other tongues (other
languages) as the Spirit of God give utterance.It was prophesied by
Joel (Joel 2:28-29) and Isaiah (Isaiah 28:11), foretold by John the
Baptist (Matthew 3:11), purchased by the blood of Jesus, and
promised by Him to His disciples (John 14:26; 15:16). The Holy Ghost
was first poured out on the Day of Pentecost upon the Jews (Acts
2:1-4), then upon the Samaritans (Acts 8:17), and later upon the
Gentiles (Acts 10:44-46; 19:6). "The promise is unto you, and to
your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the
Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39).
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Tongues
Speaking in other tongues as the Spirit of God
gives utterance is the manifestation God has given as the definite,
indisputable, supernatural witness or sign of the baptism of the
Holy Ghost (Acts 2:4; 10:46; 19:6).It was prophesied by the prophet
Isaiah as the rest and the refreshing (Isaiah 28:11-12), foretold by
Jesus as a sign that would follow believers of the gospel (Mark
16:17), and experience by Jews and Gentiles alike.
The gift of "divers kinds of tongues," mentioned by Paul in I
Corinthians 12:1-12 and concerning which he gave regulations in I
Corinthians 14:1-40, is given by both for self-edification (I
Corinthians 14:4) and for the edification of the church (I
Corinthians 14:27-28).In church meetings the gift of tongues is used
to give a public message, and it is to be interpreted. Since this
gift can be misused in public, it needs proper regulation (I
Corinthians 14:23-28). Not all believers exercise the gift of
tongues, which is different in function from tongues given by God as
the initial witness of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.Paul said,
"Forbid not to speak with tongues" (I Corinthians 14:39) and "I
thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all" (I Corinthians
14:8). Who dares to teach or preach to the contrary?
Speaking in tongues means speaking miraculously in a language
unknown to the speaker, as the Spirit gives utterance. Tongues can
be classified in two ways, according to function: (1)speaking in
other tongues as the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy
Ghost and (2)the gift of tongues as mentioned in I Corinthians.
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Holiness
After we are saved from
sin, we are commanded, "Go, and sin no more" (John 8:11).We are
commanded to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present
world (Titus 2:12) and warned that without holiness no one shall see
the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).We must present ourselves as holy unto God
(Romans 12:1), cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh
and spirit (II Corinthians 7:1), and separate ourselves from all
worldliness (James 4:4).If the righteous scarcely be saved, where
shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (I Peter 4:18).No one can
live a holy life by his own power, but only through the Holy Spirit.
"Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you"
(Acts 1:8).
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Divine
Healing
God has made Himself known through the
ages by miraculous healings and has made special provisions in the
age of grace to heal all who will come to Him in faith and
obedience. Divine healing was purchased for us by the blood of Jesus
Christ, especially by His stripes (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:16-17; I
Peter 2:24).Jesus went everywhere healing those who were sick
(Matthew 4:23-24), and He commanded His disciples to do the same
(Matthew 10:8). He said concerning those who believe the gospel,
"They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark
16:18). Mighty healings and miracles followed the disciples wherever
the gospel was preached.
There is no sickness or disease too hard
for God. Any of us, our children, or our friends can be healed by
the power of God."Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders
of the church; and let them pray over him , anointing him with oil
in the name of the Lord shall raise him up: and if he have committed
sins they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another,
and pray one for another, that ye may be healed" (James
5:14-16).
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Second Coming of
Christ
Jesus Christ is coming back to earth in
bodily form, just as He went away (Acts 1:11). He will catch away a
holy people (His bride, His church) who have accepted redemption
through His blood, by birth of water and of the Spirit, and who are
found faithful when He comes."For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with
the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be
with the Lord" (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)."One shall be taken and the
other left" (Luke 17:36). Will we be ready?The signs of His coming
are everywhere. The days of peril are here indeed, with forms of
godliness void of the power of God; society and politics corrupted;
and people's hearts filled with pride, blasphemies, unholiness, love
of evil, and love of pleasures (II Timothy 3:1-13). These things,
together with multitudes running to and fro, the increase of
knowledge (Daniel 12:4), the persecution of the Jews and their
return to Palestine (Luke 21:24), and scores of other things are
starting signs that Jesus' coming is drawing near.Wars, rumors of
wars, famines, earthquakes, storms, floods, distress of nations,
perplexity, and people's hearts failing them for fear are sounding
the solemn alarm that Jesus' coming is at hand (Matthew 24:6; Luke
21:25-28)."Prepare to meet thy God" (Amos 4:12).
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Resurrection
There will be a
resurrection of all the dead, both just and unjust. "Marvel not
this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in graves
shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done
good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil,
unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29)."And I saw the
dead, small and great, stand before God . . . and the sea gave up
the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them" (Revelation 20:12-13)> (See also Daniel 12:2;
I Corinthians 15:13-23.)
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Judgment
"It is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). For this
reason there will be a resurrection for everyone. "For we must all
appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may
receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done,
whether it be good or bad" (II Corinthians 5:10).
The eternal
destiny of every soul shall be determined by a just God who knows
the secrets of everyone's heart. "And before him shall be gathered
all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a
shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the
sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the
King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world. . . .Then shall he also say unto them on the left hand,
Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the
devil and his angels. . . . And these shall go away into everlasting
punishment; but the righteous into life eternal" (Matthew 25:32-34,
41, 46).
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