Apostolic Doctrine 1 Timothy 4:16
Take
heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in
doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
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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