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 who refuse 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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