This is a continuation of comparing what I believe with the Assemblies of God Statement of 16 Fundamental Truths. We’re ready for number four.
- THE FALL OF MAN
Man was created good and upright; for God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness.” However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God.
Genesis 1:26,27
Genesis 2:17
Genesis 3:6
Romans 5:12-19
After each day of creation, God said it was good. The first time He said something wasn’t good was when man was alone. When the rich young ruler called the Messiah good, His response was that no one is good except God. The Scriptures are clear that man was created good but lost that goodness through disobedience. Yes, man has fallen.
- THE SALVATION OF MAN
Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
Conditions to Salvation
Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God, according to the hope of eternal life.
Luke 24:47
John 3:3
Romans 10:13-15
Ephesians 2:8
Titus 2:11
Titus 3:5-7
The Evidence of Salvation
The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit.
Romans 8:16
The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness.
Ephesians 4:24
Titus 2:12
Yes. Salvation is through faith in the Messiah only. By the shedding of His blood, He paid the ultimate sacrifice for our transgressions (sins). There are no other means of salvation. As for the regeneration and renewing, or the justification and sanctification, along with the evidence of salvation, I hope to make further posts on these topics.
- THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH
BAPTISM IN WATER
The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Saviour and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life.
Matthew 28:19
Mark 16:16
Acts 10:47,48
Romans 6:4
HOLY COMMUNION
The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements –bread and the fruit of the vine– is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4), a memorial of his suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26), and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26), and is enjoined on all believers “till He come!”
Yes and yes. The Great Commission tells us to baptize new believers, and Yeshua said at the Lord’s Supper that we are to do ‘this’ in remembrance of Him.
- THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.
Luke 24:49
Acts 1:4
Acts 1:8
1 Corinthians 12:1-31
This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth.
Acts 8:12-17
Acts 10:44-46
Acts 11:14-16
Acts 15:7-9
With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as:
an overflowing fullness of the Spirit, John 7:37-39, Acts 4:8,
a deepened reverence for God, Acts 2:43, Hebrews 12:28,
an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work, Acts 2:42
and a more active love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost, Mark 16:20
As someone who has experienced all of this, I certainly believe it. That does not mean that I believe every touted manifestation of the Spirit. I was born and raised in a Pentecostal church and have been in many alike churches. I’ve seen my share of abuses that come from claiming the gifts of the Spirit, especially when it comes to speaking in tongues. But that is the next topic.
- THE INITIAL PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance.
Acts 2:4
The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues, but is different in purpose and use.
1 Corinthians 12:4-10
1 Corinthians 12:28
This was really pushed on us as teenagers. Sadly, there were a few churches (and I’m sure there still are) that believe that if you cannot speak in tongues, then you are not really saved. This idea might have originated from the text of Acts 19 where Paul asked if the people had received the Holy Spirit and they hadn’t heard about it. They were baptized into John’s baptism, but when they were baptized in the name of Jesus and Paul laid his hands on them, they were filled and began speaking in tongues. The notion is that when they were baptized in the name of Jesus, they started speaking in tongues, and that is when they were truly saved. I think this would be an interesting debate topic. Were they saved at John’s baptism and later received the Spirit when baptized in the name of Jesus? Or were they just being prepared for salvation with John’s baptism?
That may be a topic for another time, but it’s not something we’ll get into here. And it’s a good place to end part two. More to come.
