Doctrines

Preface: Part One
- The Word: Introduction
The Communicated Word, The Living Word, The Indwelling Word.

Part Two
- Repentance: Introduction
Repentance From Dead Works, The Message of Repentance

Part Three
- Faith: Introduction
Faith Towards God, Faith For Salvation, The Life of Faith.

Part Four
- Baptisms:Introduction
The Baptism of Suffering, The Baptism in Water
- Part I The Baptism in Water- Part II The Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
- Part I The Baptism in the Holy Spirit, - Part II The Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit.

Part Five
- The Laying on Hands: Introduction
The Laying on of Hands - Part I The Laying on of Hands - Part II

Part Six
- The Resurrection: Introduction
The Resurrection of the Dead - Part I The Resurrection of the Dead - Part II

Part Seven
- The Judgment: Introduction
Eternal Judgment - Part I Eternal Judgment - Part II

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Part One - The Word
The Communicated Word God is a God of communication. His very nature of love requires expression. Before creation there was communication and fellowship only in the Godhead. It was a natural response to man, His highest creature, made in His image. God's thoughts and concepts were put into words understood by man. Later they were written in symbols of a written language and preserved. I Corinthians 2 : 9-16.
The Living Word The Word expresses the essence of God, it is living and life-giving. Those who receive it are conformed to His character and made alive. "For the word of God is living and active……" Hebrews 4:12
The Indwelling Word The communicated, living Word must have a dwelling place. As the divine Logos became flesh and dwelt among us, so must the spoken word find a habitation within us so that it may bring forth the life and character of God. "Let the word of Christ make its house in you," Colossians 3 :16

Part Two - Repentance
Repentance is the missing part of the Gospel being preached today. Man has devised many ways to come to God without turning from his own ways. "Turn ye, turn ye, why will you die ?" this is the message of the Old Testament. The New Testament begins with that fiery prophet preaching, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand !" How one could ever miss the emphasis of this message shows the dullness of man to hear what God is saying. Not only does the Christian life begin with repentance, it must continue in repentance. In other words, the Christian must maintain an attitude of repentance. This could be called a humble attitude or one who is "poor in spirit". For God to do His perfect work the attitude of brokenness before Him is necessary. We are not to be worms of the earth with a sin complex, but open and humble before God and others, ready to acknowledge our faults and sins, ready to accept the responsibility of our attitudes, actions, and being. Humility is born out of repentance. Humility is the ground out of which Christian virtue grows. The message of Repentance Repentance is the message of the Bible. Jehovah of the Old Testament cries out, "Turn back, turn back from your evil ways!" (Ezekiel 33:11) John the Baptist takes up the message, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Matthew 3:2) And Jesus continued the message by saying, "Unless you repent, you will likewise perish!" (Luke 13:3) The message of repentance cannot be ignored without severe consequences. "That repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations," Luke 24:47.

Part Three - Faith
Faith is the basis of our relationship to God. Faith is an attitude of dependence which requires another to fulfill one's deepest needs. It opens the human soul to trust, to give, to love. It forms the basis of all relationships. Unbelief, on the other hand, is man's pride saying, "I do not need anyone." Consequently there is no basis of relationship in unbelief. God, seeking a basis upon which to bring man into relationship to Himself, requires faith. Faith is the substance out of which relationships are formed. Faith opens the door of man's heart to God, and He is free to work in man's life and draw man close to Himself. Repentance prepares man's heart to believe; faith is the channel through which God's grace flows into man's life. Faith toward God We come to the next section in this series on doctrinal foundations, which is "faith toward God". (Note: Hebrews 6:1) Having laid the foundation of His Word and repentance from dead works, faith comes to find life and salvation in God. Faith is the basis upon which one comes to God, "for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him," Hebrews 11:6. He that comes to God must believe. Faith is the basis of this approach and contact. Faith is not an unreal, intangible element, but it is so real that the Bible says faith gives substance. This substance forms the substructure upon which God builds in each of our lives His spiritual house. Faith becomes the very foundation of our relationship to God. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," Hebrews 11:1 KJV. Faith for Salvation Faith is the basis of Salvation. It becomes substance and foundation for salvation. Upon this foundation God works His righteousness and brings forth His salvation. In bringing forth salvation we find two necessary ingredients: faith coming from man and the Word coming from God. The Word of God being mixed with the substance of faith will bring forth life and God's righteousness. This is salvation. "But what does it say? 'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' - that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation," Romans 10:8-10. The Life of Faith The life born out of faith must continue in faith. The Scripture says, "from faith to faith." So faith becomes the substructure of the whole Christian life. Upon this is built a relationship to God by which one comes to know God and to understand His ways. Even though faith is the foundation of this relationship, the weight of one's life must rest solely upon God. God would prove Himself to us in daily experiences as a faithful God who is caring and understanding of our daily relationship with the Lord. One other point needs to be clarified that faith is bringing one's self under submission to God's will and finding that will to be the pleasure of living. "The righteous man shall live by faith," Romans 1:17.

Part Four - Baptisms
In discussing the subject of baptisms as found in Hebrews 6:2, some would immediately question this in light of Ephesians 4:5, which says there is "one baptism". The question of one baptism must be put in the context of the Scripture which teaches, "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body…. And we were all made to drink of one Spirit." (I Corinthians 12:13) The one baptism by the Spirit immerses us into the body of Christ, for "there is one body and one Spirit …. One Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:4-5) The Spirit is the agent and the body of Christ is the element of this baptism. This happens when one "drinks of the Spirit" at salvation, the Spirit entering in joins one to the body of Christ. It is a spiritual drink that brings spiritual life; it is a spiritual baptism that unites one to a spiritual body. The church also is commanded to baptize those who believe. This is an outward act symbolic of the inward work of the Spirit. It is a public declaration, "I am joined into Christ in His death and resurrection; I have died to sin and have been raised to walk in a new life." It is a baptism of believers. The Baptism of Suffering There is a vein of teaching going throughout the church today which says, "Since He suffered, then we don't!" Forgotten entirely is the principle of the Scripture which says, "If indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him."(Romans 8:17) Jesus Said the servant should be life his master. Jesus suffered to bring many sons to glory, and suffering is still required to extend the Kingdom of God, to sustain the body of Christ, and to come to full maturity and obedience. The suffering church of the end-time will be the glorious church at His coming. The Bride of Christ will rise up in beauty and splendor and welcome the Bridegroom. Christ is coming for a victorious church. "Area you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" Mathew 20:22
The Baptism in Water: Water baptism began with John the Baptist, a prophet who appeared on the banks of the Jordan River calling a nation to repentance, saying, "Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight," Mathew 3:14. Those who received his message confessed their sins publicly and were baptized in the river as an evidence of their repentance. Repentance and baptism was the preparation required for the coming of the Messiah. John's baptism was the initiation of a new age; God was about to do something different. "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since then the gospel of the Kingdom of God is preached," Luke 16:16. John's calling was to announce what God was about to do and prepare the people to receive it. No longer a nation and its law was to be proclaimed, but the proclamation of the kingdom of God which was to extend far beyond the borders of the Jewish nation, yet it was to begin within the nation. Mattew 3: 1 - 17 The baptism in water symbolizes the two-fold work of God for the believer. First, God breaks the power of indwelling sin through the death of His Son. Second, He imparts His divine life through the resurrection. Here we have the power of sin broken in the believer's life and new life that comes forth in righteousness. The secret of the victorious life is being united with Christ in His death and resurrection. As the scripture says, "Christ in you, the hope of Glory." Colossians 1 :27. Romans 6: 1-23 The Baptism in the Holy Spirit There are six passages in the New Testament where the phrase "baptism in the Holy Spirit" is found. In each of these passages, the baptism in water is compared and parallel to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The six passages are : Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3 : 16, John 1:33, Acts 1:5; and Acts 11:16. So we conclude that the word "baptism" has the same meaning and significance in both contexts. In the first context, water is the element in which a person is immersed; whereas in the second context, the Holy Spirit is the element in which a person is immersed and Jesus Christ is the Baptizer. "For John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now," Acts 1:5.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Sometimes confusion comes as one tries to equate salvation with the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures are plain about the work of regeneration coming by the Holy Spirit and I believe the Bible reaches that one who is born again has the Holy Spirit, but if we stop here we leave out the outpouring of the Spirit, but if we stop here we leave out the outpouring of the Spirit as promised by the Father. I see the work of the Spirit in two aspects: The inward work of the Spirit bringing forth life and salvation; the outward work of the Spirit coming upon a believer empowering him for the work of the Lord. I also find the Scriptures speaking of two gifts: The Gift of Salvation and the Gift of the Holy Spirit. "And Peter said to them, 'Repent and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,' " Acts 2:38. The Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit There is confusion in the minds of most Christians concerning the gifts and fruit of the Spirit. The traditional Church would deny the gifts for our day and measure the fullness of the Spirit by the fruit of the Spirit. Consequently, the fruit is emphasized and most teaching comes forth on what we are to be. But we are not just to be, we are to do; and this balance come as the gifts of the Spirit are give their proper place. For it is by the gifts of the Spirit that the ministry of the church is released. "Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you," I Timothy 4:14.

Part Five - The Laying on of Hands
The doctrine of the laying on of hands becomes important when one reads the Scripture, "Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thus share responsibility for the sins of others," I Timothy 5 :22. The laying of hands upon others is so significant that the Scriptures set forth a doctrine on this practice. There are five different purposes for laying on hands found in the New Testament. The Laying on of Hands The hands are significant in the ministry of the Spirit. Spiritual power and authority are transmitted through the hands. This is especially significant when men are placed in positions of authority. The laying on of hands publicly acknowledges what the Spirit is saying and in obedience men are set apart for that which the Spirit has called. It is an act of obedience to the Holy Spirit on the part of the church and on the part of the person or persons set apart. The laying on of hands is a definite act that sets theses apart and at the same time, spiritual grace, wisdom, and power are transmitted for the task. "The Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them,'" Acts 13:2. The Laying on of Hands The Holy Spirit has chosen the hands to be His instruments of work. In the Gospels one finds Jesus laying His hands on the sick and commanding others to do likewise. In the Book of Acts the apostles and disciples laid hands on the sick. Hands were laid on believers to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. So we see, in carrying out the work of the Spirit, the hands are significant. "Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands," I Timothy 2 :8.

Part Six - The Resurrection
Christianity is the only religion that teaches a resurrection. Even among the Jews, the resurrection was a disputed doctrine. The best that Satan can offer man is a teaching on reincarnation, by which man struggles until he is finally free of the body and then able to enter into supreme bliss and happiness. Their salvation comes by being free from the body. Contrary to this, Christian teaching includes the body as a part of salvation. Salvation is not complete until the body is redeemed from death. So as Eastern thought invades our day, one must be careful to see clearly that the body is a part of God's total redemption for man. The Resurrection of the Dead Salvation includes the redemption of the body from sin and death. God's salvation is complete, including the spirit, soul, and body. Sin, as a spiritual principle, has its effects on the physical body of man. As a result of sin, death and decay came into the body of man, and the body has become the instrument of sin with all its greed, lust, and pride. So God's salvation would be incomplete if it did not include the body. "We ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body," Roman 8:23.
The Resurrection of the Dead: What kind of body will we have after the resurrection ? We shall find that life after death is not in the form of some nebulous spirit which wanders through the universe, but there will be definite form and substance brought forth in the resurrection. That substance which decays in the ground may change forms, but it will never cease to exist as matter. God is able to bring forth disintegrated matter to its original form, yet that resurrected body will have some changes. I Corinthians 15: 35-53.

Part Seven - The Judgment
It is the common view among Christians that the righteous will stand with the wicked is judgment. I believe that as the scriptures teach two resurrections, they also teach two judgments. Not that God is partial, but that God has already judged the sins of His people and they "have passed from death to life;" they have been justified and stand without condemnation from the point of their faith and salvation in Christ. Salvation is not a reward; it is a gift. Works can never earn it; our standing with Christ can never be merited by good works. Grace is the basis of our acceptance; Jesus Christ is the Mediator of our Salvation, and the believer stands justified on the basis of His Work. So Judgment has already come to the believer's sins; Christ has suffered that. The Scriptures say, "He who believes in Him is not judged," John 3:18. Again, god is not partial; He is Just who will only judge sin once. Eternal Judgment - I The Principle of judgment is treated as a bad dream that one would dismiss from his mind. Distortions and fear confuse the whole issue. I endeavor to set forth some clear principles of judgment that will help us to accept our responsibility before God and define the justice of God. Those who refuse to consider the judgment of God either are refusing to accept their own responsibility as a creature, or else have declared open rebellion against God. Secular humanism is open rebellion against God. Refusing to recognize God as man's beginning makes man a creature of chance and responsible to no one. Thus, man actually becomes his own god. Now the principle of judgment rests upon personal and moral responsibility. Responsibility is acknowledging that one is answerable and accountable to someone. Refusing to be responsible indicates either immaturity or rebellion against authority. One only matures as responsibility is accepted. So the principle of judgment that rests on beig responsible is necessary in man's development. Another principle upon which judgment rests is the justice of God. God has made Himself responsible to judge sin and wickedness. Without this attitude, that which disintegrates and destroys all that is good, would become the accepted principle by which to live. Judgment makes us admit there is right and there is wrong; that there is good and there is bad. The society that refuses judgment also refuses to distinguish between right and wrong between good and bad; hence comes the moral and social breakdown of a society. There must be certain standards by which a society can judge itself, and render judgment for those who refuse those standards. God's judgment holds up a divine standard by which man is to be measured. For the sinner, this becomes a fearful and terrible thought. "And in as much as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this comes judgment," Hebrews 9:27.
Eternal Judgment- II The Scriptures speak of the Judgment Seat of Christ and a Great white Throne Judgment. I believe these two descriptions speak of two separate judgments, which are future events. I will attempt to show that the Judgment Seat of Christ has to do with God's people, whereas the Great White Throne is the scene where all the wicked are brought before the throne of god to be judged. "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt," Daniel 12:2.