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Articles of Faith
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.
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).
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).
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).
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).
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.
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).
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).
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).
Tongues
1. 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.
2. 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.
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,
Modestly 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).
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).
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).
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.)
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).
The law-the Word of God
The judge-the righteous God
To be judged-our souls
What will the sentence be?
Life's opportunities past!
Reaping day at last!
Two verdicts pend:
Life or death!
The following references actually show us
historically that the Roman Catholic Church in
the second century changed the way that people
were baptized. From that point on, people
continued to follow their tradition and they
still are today.
We will always baptize in the Name of Jesus
Christ for the Remission of sin, just as the
early church did.
BRITANICA ENCYCLOPEDIA The baptismal formula
was changed from the name of Jesus Christ to the
words Father, Son & Holy Ghost by the Catholic
Church in the Second Century. – 11th Edit., Vol.
3, pg. 365-366.
CANNEY ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION The early
church always baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus until development of the Trinity Doctrine
in the Second Century.
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA Here the Catholics
acknowledged that baptism was changed by the
Catholic Church. – Vol. 2, pg. 263.
HASTINGS ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION Christian
baptism was administered using the words, "in
the name of Jesus." – Vol. 2, pg. 377. Baptism
was always in the name of Lord Jesus until time
of Justin Martyr when Triune formula used. –
Vol. 2, pg. 389. NAME was an ancient synonym for
"person." Payment was always made in the name of
some person referring to ownership. Therefore
one being baptized in Jesus’ name became His
personal property. "Ye are Christ’s." – Vol. 2,
pg. 377 on Acts 2:38.
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