Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Statement of Beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries

Our Statement of Beliefs: Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries

The "Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries" has ONE fundamental Rock on which we receive our doctrines - the living Jesus Christ! We believe whole heartily that Jesus Christ of Nazareth came and died for the remission of sins of all mankind as the ultimate living sacrifice being perfect without sin as the Lamb of God the Father. In doing so, taking away all need for any more physical sacrifice for sins. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, leaving us a perfect example which we should emulate as He has done. Because we know without a doubt that Jesus did not come to abolish His holy and righteous Law (summed up with the Ten Commandments) - cf. Matthew 5:17. And, there is no doubt that all of the apostles kept the Law - such as the seventh-day Sabbath and the annual Sabbaths - as we do. And that those things are good and will never be done away.

2 Timothy 3:13-17 - "But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14) But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. 15) and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures [given by God His complete Holy Bible as a solid foundation to build upon within the WORD OF GOD, the TRUTH OF GOD, and the PLAN OF GOD; always growing in His grace and knowledge cf. 2 Peter 3:18], which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

We strive to have the fruits of the Spirit which are " ... the Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" - Galatians 5:22-23.

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God. The Hebrew word is Elohim, a plural noun inherently meaning “more than one” – a holy Family of intelligent Beings, composed of spirit. The God Family is eternal and all-powerful. The God Family is perfect in love, purpose, and character. The God Family is Lawgiver, Creator, and Sustainer of all substance and life, and upholds and controls the universe. Scripture reveals that the God Family created mankind “after [Their] image and after [Their] likeness.” Therefore, God is the reality of the “image and likeness” from which mankind was created. The God Family presently consists of God the Father and God the Son. These two members of the God Family have the same form, or “image and likeness,” which They have given to human beings, though They are composed wholly of spirit. One of Their purposes is to increase the God Family. According to this Plan and Purpose, They will share Their eternal spiritual existence and Their vast creation with those human beings who will be born again by the resurrection from death into the God Family, thereby inheriting Their magnificent love, glory, and power as sons and daughters of God throughout eternity.

Scriptural References:

Gen. 1:26; Eph. 3:9-21; 1 John 4:8; Dan. 7:9-10; Eph. 1:3-5; 9-10; Rev. 1:14-16; Col. 1:12-27; John 4:24; Psa. 19:1-7; Psa. 8:1-6; Isa. 40:12-28; 57:15: Rom. 1:20.

God the Father

God the Father is the supreme, glorious, divine Spirit Being who is the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. God the Father accomplishes His will through the power of His Holy Spirit. God the Father, who has all power and all authority, is love. He has perfect, holy character and is full of grace and mercy. God the Father is greater than His Son Jesus Christ but shares all that He has with His Son. God the Father sent Jesus Christ, His Son, to reveal the Father’s love and grace and His magnificent Plan for all mankind. God the Father directly calls each individual to salvation, grants repentance, and imparts the Holy Spirit as a begettal, so that the individual becomes a begotten child of God the Father. God the Father Himself personally loves each one He calls and is directly involved in the life of each individual, continually imparting His love, grace, mercy, and blessings so that he or she can develop His loving, perfect, righteous character. He personally hears and answers the prayers of all His begotten children.

Scriptural References:

1 John 4:8, 16; John 6:44; John 8:16-18; John 1:1-2; 17-18; John 14:28; Eph. 3:14-19; John 16:27; Heb. 1:1-2; 2:3-9; Eph. 4:4-6; Matt. 11:27; 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 21:22.

God the Son

Jesus Christ of Nazareth, prior to His human birth, eternally existed with God the Father. All things were created by God the Father through God the Son. The Son is revealed in the Old Testament as the LORD God and Lawgiver, and in the New Testament as the Word of God. In order to become the Savior of all mankind, He willingly divested Himself of His position in the God family, giving up His majesty, glory, and power, to become a fleshly human being, born of the virgin Mary and begotten of God the Father, who directed that He be named Jesus. His full New Covenant name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

As a human being having sinful human flesh, He was subject to the same temptations as every human being – yet He never sinned. As the perfect Lamb of God, He gave Himself to be God the Father’s special, unique sacrifice through the crucifixion as an atonement for the sins of all mankind.

After being dead in the tomb for three days and three nights, He was resurrected unto eternal life through the power of God the Father – becoming the Firstborn from among the dead. He was again invested with the full divine nature and power of the God family. He ascended into the upper heavenly realms (called in Scripture the “third heaven”) to sit at the right hand of God the Father as mankind’s High Priest, Advocate and Intercessor and Head of His Church. Jesus Christ will return to the earth in the power and glory of His Father to establish the kingdom – the government – of God on the earth. As King of kings and Lord of lords, He will rule the earth forever with His brethren – the children of God the Father.

Scriptural References:

John 1:1-3; Phil. 2:6-11; Eph. 1:6-23; Heb. 2:9-14; Heb. 4:14-16; Heb. 5:7-9; Rom. 8:3, 29; Rev. 1:5, 13-16; Rev. 5:9-10; Rom. 5:8; John 3:16; John 17:1-26; 1 John 2:1-2; Rev. 13:8; Col. 1:14-20.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is not a person – or a third member of a so-called trinity. The Holy Spirit is the power by which God the Father and God the Son accomplish Their will. The impregnation of the Holy Spirit from God the Father as a spiritual begettal is granted freely to each believer upon repentance of sins, baptism by immersion, and the laying on of hands. This begettal of the Holy Spirit is the earnestness and assurance of the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ. It is the power of God, which makes each begotten child of God a partaker of the divine nature and imparts the ability to develop the love of God. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit imparts the power to each individual to live in accordance with God’s will and to overcome the temptations of human nature, the world, and Satan the devil. As the spiritually begotten believer seeks to serve and obey God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will lead him or her into all truth that is contained in the Word of God and is essential for salvation.

Scriptural References:

Gen. 1:2; Acts 2:38; John 14:16, 26; Rom. 8:9-14; 1 Cor. 2:9-10; Acts 8:15-17; 19:6; Gal. 5:22-23; 2 Tim. 1:6-7; Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; Isa. 55:1-3; John 7:37-39; 1 John 3:9-11; 1 John 4:4-8; 2 Pet. 1:1-11.

Lucifer – a Fallen Archangel becomes Satan “the adversary.”

Scripture shows that God created three archangels – Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer. Through sin and rebellion, Lucifer became Satan (which in Greek means “adversary”). He was one of the anointed cherubim who covered God’s throne in the upper heavenly realms. He was a magnificent archangel. Apparently, he was eventually assigned to oversee the beautification of the earth and to set up God’s kingdom upon the earth – a position he came to resent. Over time the sin of vanity and pride manifested itself in Lucifer. And through seduction and deception he ultimately recruited a third of the angelic realm to his perverted way; ultimately rebelling and attempting to overthrow the Word (see John 1:1; today known as Jesus the Christ – the Son of God). Violently defeated by God and His righteous angels, Lucifer (now Satan the devil) was “cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” As a result, Satan and his angels (now called demons) are restricted to the earth (though Satan himself still has limited access to the upper heavenly realm; known as the “third heaven”). They wander the earth as perverse, degenerate spirits – seeking to thwart God’s Ultimate Plan.

Scriptural References:

Ez. 28:12-17; Isa. 14:12-14; Jude 1:6; Rev. 12:7-9; Luke 10:18; Jude 1:9.

Our Enemy and Deceiver

The archenemy of Almighty God and His people is Satan the devil. He is crafty and seeks to destroy through deceit – just as he did with Adam and Eve. Moreover, it is Satan’s evil spirit that is the power behind carnal human nature. He goes about seeking to spiritually devour God’s elect. He is the accuser of the brethren and is the father of lies. At this time, Satan is the “god” of this present evil age – he is the unseen ruler of this evil world. And as such, has all of mankind in the grip of massive deception – especially in the area of religion. He even has his own ministers who appear to the world as “ministers of righteousness” – but they only do his work of deception. As begotten children of God, we are to have no undue fear of Satan the devil – for he can only do what God allows. However, Scripture warns God’s people of the devil’s “fiery darts” of temptation, promising that if we diligently resist Satan, he must flee from us. Ultimately, remaining close to God is the only way to overcome the “wicked one.”

Scriptural References:

Gen. 3:1-5; John 8:44; Eph. 2:2-3; 1 Pet. 5:8; Rev. 12:10; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 6:12; Rev. 12:9; 1 John 5:19; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; Eph. 6:11, 16; James 4:7; 1 John 2:13-14.

All of Satan the devil’s works are to be ultimately destroyed – he himself will not be. He will ultimately be ineffective and abolished. Our Lord Jesus Christ qualified to replace Satan the devil upon the throne of this earth. At the glorious and powerful return of Jesus Christ Satan will be bound throughout the one-thousand-year reign of Christ and the saints. Afterward, Satan will be released for “a little season” – to test the nations at the end of the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ. Finally, he and his demons will be confined to the “blackness of darkness” forever and ever.

Scriptural References:

Matt. 4:1-11; Rev. 20:1-3; 7-10; Lev. 16:20-22; Jude 1:13; Heb. 2:14.

To Note: The word destroy in Heb. 2:14 in Greek is katargeō, meaning “to nullify, abolish, make ineffective.”

The Nature of Mankind

The Word (the Spokesman) of the Elohim – the God Family (who later became Jesus Christ) – personally created Adam and Eve with His own hands. He created them “male and female” in the image and likeness of God – the Elohim. But a little lower than the angels. Human beings are made of flesh and blood and do not have inherent immortality. However, at creation, God gave a spirit essence to the human brain called the “spirit of man.” This spiritual dimension within the human brain imparts reasoning power and intellect and gives human beings the capacity to think, speak, reason, learn, write, plan, devise, create, build, control, teach, choose, worship, build character, and experience every emotion.

God made every male and female with the capacity to express intimate, personal love for each other as husband and wife, and through this physical union, to create children after their own kind, producing families, tribes, and nations.

Adam and Eve were created sinless, but with a nature that was subject to temptation. God gave them the freedom to choose between obedience and life, or disobedience and death. After they sinned by partaking of the forbidden tree – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – God sentenced them to suffer the pain and sorrow of living with a sinful nature and finally to reap the penalty of death. This penalty of death was passed on to all mankind by the physical inheritance of sinful human nature. Human nature is inherently and naturally hostile to God and is not subject to His Law – His Commandments.

From birth, human nature is a mixture of good and evil. When a person dies, his or her conscious thoughts cease. The physical body returns to the dust of the earth, and the spirit of man goes back to God. Only through God the Father’s gracious and merciful plan of salvation through Jesus Christ is it possible for a person to be redeemed and saved from this sinful nature of death. God’s ultimate purpose for each human being is complete reconciliation with God the Father through Jesus Christ so that he or she may enter into the family of God as a literal son or daughter of God, sharing the same eternal existence as God.

Scriptural References:

Gen. 1:26-27; Psa. 8:3-6; Zech. 12:1; Gen. 2:7-25; 3:1-19; 1 Cor. 2:11; Ezek. 18:4, 20; Mark 7:21-22; Rom. 8:7-8; Heb. 9:27; Eccl. 3:19-21; 1 Cor. 15:21-22; 44-56; Rev. 21:7; 1 John 3:1-3; Phil. 3:21; Heb. 2:7; Job 32:8.

The Laws and Commandments of God

The Laws and Commandments of God as revealed in both the Old Testament and the New Testament are a holy and perfect set of principles based on the love of God. God’s Laws and Commandments are designed to teach mankind how to love and worship God and how to love his neighbor. God has made known His Laws and Commandments to the world from the beginning and requires all mankind to keep them. The Laws and Commandments of God define what sin is, and where there is no law there is no sin. No one could be counted as a sinner, or under sin, if God did not require all the people of the world to keep His Laws and Commandments. 

Scripture shows that God judges all nations according to their obedience or disobedience to His Laws, bringing blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience or sin. Because of sin and wickedness in the patriarch Noah’s time, God destroyed the world with the Flood. The men of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because they were sinners before God. The Ninevites were a Gentile nation not in covenant with God, but God warned them through His prophet Jonah of His impending judgment for their sins. The inhabitants of the land of Canaan were expelled because of their religious and sexual sins. The people of Israel, God’s chosen nation, also sinned grievously against God and were sent into captivity. Through sin and disobedience to God’s Laws and Commandments, the whole world has become guilty before Him. Generation after generation has yielded to the sinfulness of human nature and has utterly failed to meet even the minimum requirements of the letter of the Law. While God has always required mankind to keep His Laws and Commandments in the letter of the Law, He desires that every human being learn to worship Him in the spirit of the Law. The full spiritual intent of God’s Laws is that each one learns to love God with all the heart, mind, soul, being, and strength; and to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Scripture reveals that obedience to God’s Laws in the spirit is a condition for receiving eternal life. Only through the gift of the Holy Spirit is this obedience made possible. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, each Christian can have the Laws and Commandments of God written in his or her heart and mind and can learn to walk daily in the spiritual obedience that God desires. 

The Laws and Commandments of God are not contrary to grace and faith but are truly established by faith. 

Scriptural References:

Gen. 3:11-13; 4:7-11; Gen. 6:5-13; 15:16; Lev. 18:5; Jer. 18:7-10; Ezek. 20:11, 13, 21; Prov. 4:4; Deut. 28:1-13; Deut. 4:1-13; 6:1-4; Gal. 3:11; Rom. 10:5; Rom. 3:9-22; 4:13-16; Rom. 2:11-13; Matt. 22:36-40; Psa. 19:1-7; Psa. 111:10; John 14:15-24; Psa. 119; 1 John 2:4-6; Matt. 4:4; Isa. 42:21; 1 John 3:4; Mat. 5:17-20; 1 John 5:2-3; 2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 8:10-12; 10:16-22; Rev. 22:14; Rev. 12:17; 14:12.

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments, spoken by God to Israel, are the foundation of all of God’s Laws. They have been in effect from the beginning of mankind, over 3,000 years before their pronouncement at Mt. Sinai. Their written form is the summation of the spiritual laws which function at all times, whether a person is aware of them or not. Obedience to these commandments brings blessings, and disobedience brings curses. The Ten Commandments teach us how to express love toward God and our fellowman. They must be obeyed as a condition for receiving eternal life. 

Scriptural References:

Ex. 20:1-17; Deut. 5:6-21; Deut. 30:15-20; Matt. 19:16-22; Rom. 7:7-14; Matt. 22:36-40; 1 John 3:22-24; Rom. 13:8-10; 2 John 6-10.

The Weekly Sabbath 

Known as Saturday today, is the seventh day of the week. In the beginning, the Sabbath was created by God. He blessed and sanctified the seventh day at creation as a special day for rest and fellowship with Him. The Sabbath is a memorial of creation and was made for all mankind. It was the commanded day of weekly worship for 3,000 years before the Ten Commandments were given to Israel. The Fourth Commandment is a reminder to observe and to keep the Sabbath day holy. As Lord God of the Old Testament, Jesus Christ created the Sabbath by resting on the very first seventh day and by blessing and sanctifying it. 

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ proclaimed that He is Lord of the Sabbath day. During His ministry on earth, He reaffirmed the sacredness of the Sabbath and taught its proper observance. Jesus Christ, Himself showed by example that it is right to do good on the Sabbath day, in addition to resting from one’s physical labor and secular business. The apostles of Jesus Christ and the early New Testament Church observed the Sabbath and taught Gentile Christians to observe it. The keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath is a special sign of the covenant between God and His people. God commands that it be observed from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. During this holy time, Christians are commanded to rest from their labor and to assemble to worship God and to receive instruction from His Word. Observance of the seventh-day Sabbath is essential for salvation and for true fellowship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. 

Scriptural References:

Gen. 2:1-3; Mark 2:27-28; Ex. 20:8-10; Ex. 31:13-17; Isa. 58:13-14; Isa. 56:1-7; Isa. 66:23; Ezek. 20:12, 20; Lev. 23:1-3; Luke 4:4; Acts 13:42-44; Acts 17:2; Acts 18:4, 11; Acts 19:8-10; Heb. 4:4-10.

Clean and Unclean Meats

As Creator, God has provided not only plants but also animals to be food for mankind. However, God did not create all animal flesh to be eaten by human beings. Because God desires that mankind sustain good health, He has revealed to all mankind which animal flesh is good for consumption. This knowledge was made known from creation as shown in the account of patriarch Noah and the Great Flood.

In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, God clearly specified which animal meats are fit for human consumption – and which are not. The classification of “clean” or “unclean” is easily identifiable by the characteristics that God created in the animals. Any warm-blooded mammal that has split hooves and chews its cud is clean to eat. All other warm-blooded mammals are unclean. Of the creatures which live in the waters, only fish with fins and scales are clean to eat; all others are unclean. Of the fowl of the air, God forbids the eating the flesh of any fowl that is a scavenger. All reptiles are unclean, as are all insects (except locusts, grasshoppers, and certain beetles).

Contrary to the belief of many professing Christians, the New Testament does not nullify God’s Law of clean and unclean meats. The dispute between Jesus Christ and the Pharisees (Mark 7) was not about the eating of clean or unclean meats. Rather, it concerned Jesus’ disciples eating food with unwashed hands. Also, the vision which the apostle Peter had, which is recorded in Acts 10, was given to reveal that no human is to be called “common or unclean.” It was not an authorization by God to change His Law of clean and unclean meats. The apostle Paul upheld the Law of clean and unclean meats as a requirement for Christians. He describes the meats that Christians are permitted to eat as those “foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” – 1 Tim. 4:3. “’ Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.’” – John 17:17. The apostle Paul continued, “For every creature of God designated for human consumption is good, and nothing to be refused, if it is received with thanksgiving. Because it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer.” – v. 4 New English Translation.

Scriptural References:

Lev. 11:1-31; Deut. 14:3-20; Mark 7:1-16; Acts 10:1-28; 1 Tim. 4:3-5; Isa. 66:17: Gen. 7:2; 8:20.

The Scriptural Principle of Tithing

God created the earth and all the resources of the earth from which all physical wealth is derived. Although God owns all the resources of land and sea, He has given all these things to mankind to use and to enjoy. By using what God has created, mankind is able to grow food, raise animals, harvest the forests, fish the oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams, and mine the earth and the sea. Because God has given all these things to mankind, He requires that men acknowledge Him as the Almighty Provider and Sustainer. Scriptures reveal that God instituted the principle of tithing in addition to freewill offerings at creation as a perpetual way for mankind to honor Him.

The Old Testament declares that tithes and freewill offerings belong to Almighty God and are “holy unto the Lord.” The account of Abel’s offering unto God in the Book of Genesis also makes it clear that this practice was in existence since creation and was not restricted to only God’s covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai. Before the official establishment of the Old Covenant, tithes and offerings to God were given to Melchizedek – the Priest of the Most High God. The Book of Genesis records that Abram (later to be called Abraham) gave tithes (which means one-tenth of his annual produce earnings) to Melchizedek. Isaac and Jacob certainly gave tithes and offerings to Melchizedek as well. When God established His covenant (agreement) with the house of Israel, the tithes and freewill offerings were transferred to the Levitical Priesthood. God said, “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel …” – Num. 18:21 NKJV. Under the Old Covenant, God required His people to give Him a tenth of the firstfruits of their harvest and the firstborn of their livestock as well as a tenth of the increase they derived from their crops, livestock, or even mining precious minerals from the earth, and profit from merchandising. God said through the prophet Malachi that the priests were violating God’s command by offering polluted offerings and robbing Almighty God. Also, those who did not give tithes and freewill offerings to the Levites as God had commanded were robbing God.

Under the New Covenant (see cf. Heb. 8:13), the Priesthood of Melchizedek has replaced the Levitical Priesthood, and the Scriptural authority to receive tithes and freewill offerings of God has been transferred back to the order of Melchizedek. Jesus Christ – who is sitting at the right hand of God the Father – now holds the eternal office of High Priest of the order of Melchizedek. Christians give their tithes and freewill offerings to support the Work of Jesus Christ through His Church – or they are robbing God. In following the Scriptural principle of tithing, each Christian is individually responsible (not the Church as a whole) to determine his or her true increase. Jesus stated, “’ Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’” – Matt. 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:19-26. Thus revealing that taxes should be paid to “Caesar” (to the civil governments). Taxes are excluded in determining one’s increase. Also excluded are expenses related to one’s business or employment, which would equate to one’s net income. Christians whose incomes are so limited that their entire net income does not meet a true increase in God’s eyes are not required to tithe or give a freewill offering. The giving of money is not required for salvation. However, if God has financially blessed a Christian, he or she should be willing to joyfully give as led by the Holy Spirit.

Each Christian should give from the heart in a willing attitude of love and service, according to the blessings that God has bestowed – both spiritually and physically. God has promised to bless those who tithe and give freewill offerings with all sufficiency in all things.

Scriptural References:

Gen. 1:26-28; Deut. 8:1-18; Gen. 4:3-7; Num. 18:1-29; Mal. 3:7-11; Heb. 7:1-10; 1 Sam. 2:12-17; Mal. 1:6-14; 2:1-10; Matt. 5:17-20; 6:9-21; 22:21.

Sin

Sin is the transgression of the holy Law – the Commandments of God, whether in the letter or the spirit of the Law. Therefore, sin is lawlessness or anti-law. Sin is also a defilement of one’s conscience. When a person knows to do good and doesn’t do it, it is sin. The ultimate penalty for sin is eternal death. Upon deep and sincere repentance toward God, one’s sins will be forgiven by faith in the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the payment of those sins through the mercy of God the Father. The only unpardonable sin is the acceptance of and then the complete and willful rejection of God’s salvation, the willful rejection of and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of God the Father, and despising the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as an unholy thing. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the sin of condemning the works of God the Father, accomplished through the power of His Holy Spirit, and attributing such works to Satan the devil. When a person has committed the unpardonable sin, his or her conscience is seared with a hot iron, and it is impossible to be convicted by the Holy Spirit and be led to repentance. God’s judgment for the unpardonable sin is the second death, or eternal death, from which there is no resurrection.

Scriptural References:

1 John 3:4; Rom. 7:12-14; 1 John 1:5-2:2; Acts 2:38; Eph. 1:7; Eph. 1:7; 2:1-10; 1 John 5:17; Jas. 2:10-11; 4:12; Gal. 5:19-21; Rom. 6:23; Rom. 14:23; Acts 3:19; Matt. 12:31-32; Heb. 6:4-6; Gal. 1:8-9; Heb. 10:26-27 Rev. 20:14-15; Rev. 21:8.

The Righteousness of the Law

God is both Creator and Lawgiver. When God created mankind, He also established righteous Laws that govern man’s relationship with Him and with his fellowman. The Laws of God draw a clear line between actions that are good and righteous in God’s eyes as opposed to acts that are evil and sinful. Without God’s Laws, there would be no sin. Scripture declares that “where there is no law there is no sin ... for by the Law is the knowledge of sin.” The biblical record of the sins of Adam and Eve, and the nations that descended from them, makes it clear that God’s Laws have been obligatory upon mankind from the beginning. In Old Testament times, a man or woman who kept the commandments of God, fulfilling His requirements in the letter of the Law, was counted righteous before God. This type of righteousness, which was earned by doing the works of the law, brought many physical and material blessings from God — health and prosperity, deliverance from enemies, peace, and long life. When God covenanted with Israel, He proclaimed through Moses that those who kept His Laws and Commandments “shall live in them” because they would be spared the punishment and curses that were appointed for lawbreakers — including death by capital punishment. Although the righteousness of the Law resulted in many blessings to the obedient, fulfilling the letter of the Law did not and could not earn eternal salvation. The promise of salvation and eternal life is God's free and undeserved gift and is offered only through the righteousness of faith. The required righteousness of the letter of the Law was a “schoolmaster” or tutor to reveal the sinfulness and weakness of human nature and to point to the need for higher righteousness — the righteousness of faith. 

Scriptural References:

Gen. 3:11-13; 4:7-11; Gen. 6:5-13; 15:16; Lev. 18:5; Jer. 18:7-10; Ezek. 20:11, 13, 21; Prov. 4:4; Deut. 28:1-13; Deut. 4:1-13; 6:1-4; Gal. 3:11; Rom. 10:5; Rom. 3:9-22; 4:13-16; Rom. 2:11-13.

The Annual Feasts and Holy Days

Scripture teaches that there are seven annual feasts and holy days, which were ordained by God to be observed as special commanded convocations. These feasts and holy days portray God’s plan of salvation for mankind. The observance of these holy convocations is a sign between God and His people. God’s annual feasts and holy days were observed by His people during Old Testament times. 

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ’s entire ministry was centered around the spiritual meaning of these holy days. The New Testament apostolic Church faithfully observed these annual feasts and holy days. Scripture reveals that they will be observed by all mankind after the return of Jesus Christ. 

As the holy days are annual Sabbath days, they may fall on any day of the week (except Pentecost, which always falls on a Sunday). When a holy day falls on a weekly Sabbath, the special observance of the annual holy day takes precedence. God’s feasts and holy days are to be observed from sunset to sunset in accordance with the Calculated Hebrew Calendar as preserved by the Levitical Jews. 

The seven annual feasts and holy days are as follows: 

1) Passover. 14th day of the first month* 

2) Unleavened Bread (7 days). 15th through 21st days of the first month (the 15th & 21st are holy days).

3) Pentecost. Annually.* Fifty days are counted, beginning with the first day of the week during the Days of Unleavened Bread. The feast is observed on the fiftieth day, which always falls on the first day of the week. 

4) Trumpets. 1st day of the seventh month. 

5) Atonement. 10th day of the seventh month 

6) Tabernacles (7 days) 15th through 21st days of the seventh month (the15th is a holy day) 

7) Last Great Day. 22nd day of the seventh month (a holy day) 

**Not a holy day **

Scriptural References:

Lev. 23; Ex. 23:14-17; 31:13; Ex. 12:1-20; John 7:37; Matt. 26:17-18; 1 Cor. 5:7-8; Acts 2:1; Acts 18:21; Acts 20:16; 1 Cor. 16:8; Zech. 14:16-19; Isa. 66:23.

The Grace of God

Grace is the free and undeserved gift of God the Father through Jesus Christ. The grace of God is the greatest expression of God the Father’s love and all-encompassing mercy. Grace is more than the forgiveness of sins. To be under grace means to be continually receiving God’s divine love, unmerited favor, blessing, gracious care, help, goodwill, benefits, gifts, and great goodness. God the Father is the ultimate source from which grace comes to the believer. The ONLY MEANS by which grace is granted to the believer is through the birth, the life, the crucifixion, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the perfect sacrifice of God the Father. The believer enters the grace of God through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his or her sins. God the Father grants grace to each believer upon repentance of sins and baptism by immersion – which is an outward sign of repentance. Through grace, the believers’ sins are forgiven and the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to him or her. Grace establishes a new spiritual relationship between the believer and God the Father and Jesus Christ. Through the unearned and unmerited gift of grace, the believer is not only chosen, called, forgiven, and accepted by God the Father through His Beloved Son but also begotten with the Holy Spirit, making him or her a begotten child of God and an heir of eternal life.

From this point, the spiritually begotten son or daughter begins a new life under grace. Grace DOES NOT grant a license to practice sin by ignoring or rejecting the holy Commandments of God. Only those who keep His Commandments can abide in His love and remain under His grace. Every believer who receives the grace of God has a personal obligation to God the Father and Jesus Christ to forsake his or her old, sinful thoughts and practices and to live a new life, daily growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. For every believer who lives under grace, Jesus Christ acts as Redeemer, High Priest and Advocate. If the believer commits sin, He intercedes to propitiate the Father and to obtain His mercy and grace. The grace of God, which comes through Jesus Christ, keeps the repentant believer in a continual state of blamelessness and sinlessness.

Scriptural References:

Eph. 2:4-10; 4:7; 1 John 3:6-8; Rom. 5:1-11, 15-18; Rom. 3:22-25; 2:4; Gal. 2:20; Rom. 4:1-13; Psa. 103:2-4; Gal. 1:15; Gal. 5:1-4; Isa. 55:6-7; Jude 1:4, 21; Gen. 6:8; 2 Tim. 1:9; 1 Cor. 15:10; Rom. 11:5-6; Eph. 1:3-9; Eph. 3:1-21; 1 Pet. 5:10.

The Holy Bible  

The Holy Bible is the Word of God. God directly inspired His chosen servants by the power of His Holy Spirit to record the Scriptures for all mankind. The Holy Bible consists of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament was written in the Hebrew language and preserved by the Masoretes, the Levites who were appointed by the prophet Ezra as the official guardians of the Old Testament. The New Testament was written and preserved in the Koiné Greek language by the original apostles of Jesus Christ. The apostle John completed the New Testament just before his death, writing the Book of Revelation as the final Book of the Bible. God has preserved the New Testament text through the Greek-speaking Church. Called the Byzantine Text, it was the official text of the Greek-speaking Church, after the days of the apostles, from A.D. 312-1453. This text, also known as The Stephens Text of 1550, was used to translate the New Testament into English for the King James Version in 1611. The Holy Bible contains vital spiritual knowledge revealed by God, which man cannot discover for himself. It also records the essential outline of history from the beginning of creation to Abraham, and from Abraham to the birth of Jesus Christ, and from the birth of Jesus Christ to the end of the apostolic era in approximately A.D. 100. The Book of Revelation reveals major events prophesied to take place from the end of the apostolic era to the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth. The Holy Bible is the very foundation of knowledge, imparting an understanding of salvation through Jesus Christ and showing mankind how to live God’s Way of life in both the letter and the spirit of His Law. True Christianity is based on the entire Word of God as it applies to the individual Christian and to the Church. 

Scriptural References:

2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Deut. 8:3; Psa. 111:7-10; Psa. 119; Psa. 12:6; 19:7-9; Prov. 30:5;  Matt. 1:1-17; 4:4;  Gal. 1:8-12; Eph. 2:19-20;  Luke 4:4;  Rev. 1:1-3; 22:18-19; John 6:63; 2 Tim. 1:9-14; 1 Cor. 14:37.

The Love of God 

The love of God is revealed in that the God Family created mankind in Their image and Their likeness and gave them dominion over the entire earth, which They had bountifully created for them. God the Father’s profound spiritual love is fully manifested to mankind through His overall plan as revealed in the New Testament in the life, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. In His supreme love, God the Father offers every human being the opportunity to be born into the God Family through the resurrection from death, becoming a literal child of God the Father, with the same form and spiritual composition as God the Father and God the Son. God’s love and reconciliation is now extended to those He is calling and will be extended to all mankind according to His plan. God the Father’s love is manifested toward those He has now called by His grace and mercy daily bestowed through Jesus Christ, His continuing intervention and blessings, and the care with which He chastens them. 

Scriptural References:

Deut. 4:37; John 3:16; Rom. 5:7-8; 1 John 3:1; Psa. 145:8; 1 John 4:8-10, 16; Heb. 12:6; John 16:27; 14:21; Eph. 2:4-10.

Our Love Toward God

We love God because He first loved us. Our love for God is a result of God the Father’s calling through the power of the Holy Spirit, which opens our minds to understand the greatness and goodness of God’s love and the sinfulness of our own nature. God the Father leads us to genuine repentance and acceptance of the sacrifice and blood of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. We manifest our repentance and our faith in Jesus Christ by being baptized in water, symbolically burying the old self into the death of Jesus Christ, and rising to walk in newness of life. Through the laying on of hands, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to us as a spiritual begettal from God the Father, imparting the love of God into our hearts. The capacity to truly love God comes through His Spirit within us. We are individually to love God the Father and Jesus Christ with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul, all our strength, and all our being. Jesus said that anyone who does not love God more than all others is not worthy of Him. Our love and our complete devotion to God the Father and Jesus Christ are manifested by our willingness to live by every word of God and to keep all His commandments. 

Scriptural References:

1 John 4:16-19; 5:2-3; Matt. 22:37-38; Eph. 5:1-2; Rom. 5:5; 1 John 2:5, 15; 2 John 6; John 14:15-24; Gal. 5:22; Psa. 97:10; Deut. 6:5; Deut. 13:3; Matt. 10:37-38.

The Gospel

The very word “gospel” means good news. The Gospel is the wonderful, good news Message of God’s Master Plan of salvation for all mankind through the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ – “the Christ, the Son of the living God” – cf. Matt. 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20.

The New Testament calls this Message the Gospel of grace. The Gospel of grace is the good news that Jesus Christ is the Savior – the Messiah – of the world and that through His blood all who repent and believe on Him may have their sins forgiven and may enter into the family of God. The Gospel is also a Message about the soon-coming kingdom of God on E A R T H.

It is the glorious, good news that when Jesus Christ returns to the earth, He will set up His kingdom – His government. He will rule all nations as King of kings and Lord of lords. The saints who are given eternal life at the first resurrection – who are changed from mortal to immortal – will be co-heirs with Christ and will be given authority to rule His kingdom as kings and priests alongside Jesus Christ. Through preaching the Gospel, God is preparing saints for His kingdom by calling those whom He chooses to repentance and conversion. As Jesus said, “’ this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, …’” – Matt. 24:14 NKJV.

Scriptural References:

Acts 20:24; John 3:16; 1 John 2:1-2; Mark 1:14-15; Rom. 10:8-18; Mark 16:15-16; Matt. 28:19-20; Isa. 9:6-7; Acts 11:19-21; Rom. 8:16-17; 1 Cor. 15.

The Church of God

The spiritual Body of Christ. The Church of God is portrayed in the Holy Bible as the spiritual Body of Christ. God the Father has appointed Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church in all things. The true Church of God is made up of all who have been called by God the Father, who have accepted His Son Jesus Christ as personal Savior, who have repented of their sins, who have been baptized by immersion, and who have received the Holy Spirit of God as a begettal from God the Father. These individuals are spiritual brethren and members of one Church – the spiritual Body of Christ – although they may be widely scattered throughout the world.

It is by one and the same Spirit – the Holy Spirit of God the Father – that each one has been baptized into the Body of Christ. This spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father is the basis of all true Christian fellowship. Jesus described Himself to His disciples as “the true vine” and the Father as “the husbandman.” All true Christians are branches of the true Vine and must remain attached to the Vine in order to grow spiritually.

While there is only one spiritual Body of Christ, its members are scattered in numerous local fellowships and individual ministries around the world. Since all members of the Body of Christ have the Spirit of God, God does not limit Himself to work through any single organization. Every group or ministry that is a part of the Body of Christ will manifest the fruits of God’s Holy Spirit, bear the name of God, and will be keeping His Commandments as spiritually magnified by Jesus Christ. The primary function of the Church of God is to nurture the brethren of Jesus Christ with spiritual food from God’s living Word so that they may grow up into the fullness of the stature of Jesus Christ.

The Church of God also has the commission from God to preach repentance and salvation through Jesus Christ in all the world and to preach the good news of the coming kingdom and government of God in preparation for the return of Jesus Christ to rule on the earth.

Scriptural References:

Eph. 1:22-23; John 21:15-17; Eph. 4:4-6, 11-16; Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Cor. 12:6-13; Acts 2:47; Matt. 24:14; Rom. 8:9, 28-29; John 15:1-8; Heb. 2:9-18; Rev. 1:12-20.

NOTE: To “bear the name of God” is to be a witness that our God is God. For what a begotten child of God does in his or her life declares God. If the believer who bears His holy name does not live up to His name’s reputation, we break God’s Commandments and profane the name of God. A true Christian represents God the Father and Jesus Christ, bearing Their glorious and holy name as God the Father’s begotten children.

Scriptural References:

1 Cor. 1:9; Rev. 2:12-13; Psa. 18:1-3; Isa. 43:10-12; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 5:11-21.

The Ministry of the New Testament Church of God

The New Testament Church of God has a ministry that is patterned after the instructions of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament. Those who serve in this ministry do not exalt themselves over their brethren by exercising authority or rank but strive to serve their brethren in humility and love.

The ordained elders of the New Testament Church of God understand that they have been called by God the Father to spiritual service to fulfill the needs of their brethren. An elder may serve as a minister, a teacher, a pastor, an evangelist, or in other needed capacities. The function that each elder fulfills varies according to the measure of the gift of Jesus Christ. The qualifications of elders are found in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. His love of the brethren and of God the Father and Jesus Christ is evidence that God has called a man to be an elder. An ordained elder must maintain an attitude of true conversion and dedication to God the Father and Jesus Christ. He must have a deep desire to serve the brethren of God and the ability to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The purpose of the ministry is to edify or build up the Body of Christ. It is the responsibility of the ministry to teach and preserve the true doctrines of the Holy Bible, to serve the spiritual needs of the brethren, and to provide leadership within the local congregations. Those who are ordained to evangelize also have a responsibility to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to unbelievers, to teach all who will listen, and to baptize in all nations.

Scriptural References:

John 15:16; Matt. 20:20-28; Matt. 28:19-20; Tit. 1:5-9; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 1 Pet. 5:1-10; John 21:15-17; Matt. 24:14; Eph. 4:11-13; John 13:14-16; Heb. 13:7, 17; Luke 22:24-26; Acts 13:3, 14:23; 1 Tim. 5:22; 2 Tim. 1:6-14; II Tim. 2:1-4, 14-26; 2 Tim. 3:14-4:4; Jer. 23:28.

Salvation 

Salvation is the gift of God the Father by His grace and is granted to the believer through faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation cannot be earned by works of Law, for there are conditions that must be met in order to receive the gift of salvation. God requires that one repent of sin, which is the transgression of His Laws and Commandments, and believe on His Son Jesus Christ, whose blood paid the penalty for the sins of all mankind. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Author and Finisher of eternal salvation for all who believe on Him. Through the blood of Jesus Christ and the acceptance of His sacrifice, the believer is reconciled to God the Father, having his or her sins completely forgiven and forgotten. 

By the grace of God, the believer is saved from the penalty of sin, which is eternal death and is granted the gift of eternal life through the begettal of the Holy Spirit from God the Father. Salvation begins when God the Father opens a person’s mind to spiritual understanding, which leads to repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ as personal Savior. 

After being baptized by full immersion in water, the believer is granted the gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. The believer then begins a new life of obedience to God through faith, working out his or her own salvation by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit and in harmony with God’s Word. It is a lifelong process of spiritual growth. Scripture reveals that there are three distinct stages in the process of salvation:

1) The believer has been saved from past sins and from Satan the devil (Eph. 2:1-10). 

2) The believer is then being saved as he or she continues in the Word of God — the Gospel — in loving obedience by faith (1 Cor. 1:18; 15:2).

 3) The believer will ultimately be saved at the resurrection (Rom. 7:24-25; I Cor. 15:12-57; 1 Tim. 3:14-16). 

The believer’s salvation will not be completed until he or she is resurrected from the dead through the power of God and is born again as a spirit being into the Family of God. In God’s time and plan, everyone will have an opportunity for salvation. 

Scriptural References:

Eph. 2:4-10; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 7:10; John 6:44-45; Rom. 2:4; Rom. 6:4-6; 1 Thes. 4:14-17; Heb. 11:6; 1 Cor. 15:42, 52; Acts 8:12, 15-17; Acts 11:18; 1 Tim. 2:4; Mark 16:16; Rom. 5:6-10; Rom. 4:21-25; Acts 19:5-6; Heb. 12:1-4; Rev. 20:6.

The Kingdom of God

The kingdom of God is the government of the family of God. The kingdom of God is ruling the universe. However, the kingdom of God is not now ruling over the earth. All beings who have the Spirit of God are under the rule of God the Father through the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God will be instituted on the earth at the glorious and powerful return of Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. At that time, the Millennium will begin and the immortal spirit saints – the sons and daughters of God – will co-rule as kings and priests with Christ Jesus in the kingdom of God. So, after God the Father and Jesus Christ bring the New Jerusalem from the upper heavenly realms to earth, the kingdom of God will be established and begin to spread throughout the nations of the earth.

Scriptural References:

Rev. 2:26; Dan. 2:44; Mic. 4:1-4; Rev. 3:12; Heb. 11:13-16; I Cor. 15:50-54; Rev. 5:10; Isa. 11:1-10; Col. 1:13; Rev. 21; Isa. 66:22-23; John 3:3-7.

Faith

Faith is the knowledge of an active belief in the existence and power of the living God and His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. Faith is a gift from God and a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit as a begotten child of God the Father, true believers are granted the indwelling presence of Jesus Christ and the very faith of Jesus Christ. This faith is the actual spiritual substance of God’s Holy Spirit, which gives the believer the assurance and the confidence that what God has promised, He will deliver. The fruits of righteousness in the believer’s life will continually manifest the true faith of Jesus Christ that is imparted by God to each believer. Faith is made perfect by doing good works that God the Father has ordained through Jesus Christ. This active and living faith is absolutely essential for salvation and eternal life. While true faith will produce good works in the believer’s life, these good works do not earn salvation. The good works that are done through faith are not the cause but the result of God’s gift of salvation to the believer.

Scriptural References:

Heb. 11:1-6; Gal. 5:22; Gal. 2:20; 3:1-14; Eph. 2:4-10; Rom. 4:20-21; James 2:14-22; 1 Pet. 1:1-9; Rom. 1:17; Phil. 1:6; 3:3-19; 1 Cor. 13:2; Tit. 1:16; Rev. 14:12; Luke 7:50; Matt. 8:1-13; James 5:14-15.

Justification

Justification is freely granted to the called and repentant believer by God the Father through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Justification takes place when the believers’ sins are removed by the blood of Jesus Christ and he or she is put into right standing with God the Father. In order to receive God’s gift of justification, a person must repent toward Almighty God, believe in the sacrifice and blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and be baptized by immersion. The believer is then cleansed from sin and is without condemnation, placing him or her in right standing with God the Father. This state of justification is called the “gift of righteousness” because God the Father freely imputes the righteousness of Jesus Christ to the believer.

Scriptural References:

Rom. 2:13; Rom. 4:5-8, 24-25; Rom. 5:1-10, 17-21; Rom. 3:24-31; 1 Cor. 6:11; Rom. 8:28-30.

The Righteousness of Faith 

The righteousness of faith is the gift of righteousness, which the believer receives through the abundance of the Father’s grace. It is called “the righteousness of faith” because only through the faith of Jesus Christ is it possible to partake of this righteousness. When a believer is justified by faith in Jesus Christ and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit as a begettal from God the Father, the Father imputes to the believer the very righteousness of Jesus Christ so that “grace might reign through righteousness into eternal life, through Jesus Christ.” This imputed righteousness is the gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ and cannot be earned by doing works of Law. 

The righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is imputed to the believer by God the Father, far exceeds the righteousness required by the letter of the Law. In His perfect righteousness, Jesus Christ not only observed the letter of the Law but also fulfilled every one of His Father’s Commandments in the full spirit of the Law. His spiritual obedience was so perfect, pure, and wholehearted that He always did those things that pleased God the Father. This perfect righteousness was accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit, which He received without measure from the Father. By His personal example and His teachings, Jesus magnified the Laws and Commandments of God and revealed the fullness of their intent and meaning. He showed that the spirit of the Law does not nullify the letter of the Law but requires fuller spiritual obedience. This spiritual obedience is beyond the capability of the natural mind and human will and can only be accomplished through Jesus Christ. Scripture reveals that when the believer is begotten with the Holy Spirit of God the Father, he or she begins to receive the very mind of Christ. With Christ’s mind, the believer is strengthened to live by every word of God in the full spirit of the Law, not just in the letter. With “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” the believer begins to have the Laws and Commandments of God written upon his or her mind. Thus the Laws and Commandments of God are established with their full, true spiritual meaning through grace and the gift of the righteousness of faith. This gift of spiritual righteousness, which God grants to the believer, gives him or her the power to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit unto eternal life. Through the righteousness of faith, the believer is truly fulfilling the Scripture, “The just shall live by faith.” 

Scriptural References:

Rom. 4:3-8, 13-24; Rom. 5:17-21; Rom. 3:20-31; Rom. 6:1-19; Gal. 2:20-21; Gal. 5:16, 18, 22-25; Col. 1:27-28; Rom. 7:6; Heb. 8:10; Heb. 10:16; Phil. 2:5, 13.

Repentance

Repentance is complete remorse and sorrow for one’s sins, which are the transgressing of God’s Law – the Ten Commandments. Repentance is the first step in the sinner’s reconciliation with God the Father and Jesus Christ. True repentance begins when God the Father opens a person’s mind to understand that he or she is a sinner against God the Father and that his or her own sins had a part in crucifying Jesus Christ.

The graciousness of God the Father leads each sinner to repentance. Repentance moves each one to confess his or her sins to God the Father and to ask for forgiveness, remission and pardon for those sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. True, deep, godly repentance will produce a profound change in a person’s mind and attitude, called conversion, which will result in a continuing desire to live by every Word of God. The truly repentant person will turn from evil thoughts and ungodly practices and will seek to conform his or her life to the will of God as revealed in the Holy Bible and as led by the Holy Spirit.

Confession and repentance of sins is an ongoing process in a Christian’s spiritual growth toward the perfection of Jesus Christ.

Scriptural References:

Rom. 2:4; Acts 2:37-38; Luke 24:47; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:5-9; 2 Cor. 7:9-11; Acts 3:19; Jer. 17:5-9; Mark 1:15; Luke 13:3, 5; 2 Tim. 2:25; Psa. 51; Acts 11:18; 1 John 1:6-2; 2 John 6:44-45.

Water Baptism

Upon genuine godly repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal Savior, the believer must be baptized by complete immersion in water for the remission of his or her sins. Water baptism symbolizes the death and burial of each repentant believer – a spiritual conjoining into the death of Jesus Christ. Through this baptismal death, the believer becomes a partaker of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, and His blood is applied as full payment for his or her sins. Rising up out of the water is symbolic of being conjoined into the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When the believer comes up out of the watery grave of baptism, he or she rises to newness of life. In order to become a new person, each baptized believer must be begotten with the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. The believer is then led by the Holy Spirit to walk in loving obedience to God the Father and faith in Jesus Christ.

Scriptural References:

Acts 2:38; Matt. 3:13-16; Matt. 28:19-20; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:12-17; Rom. 6:3-13.

Laying On Of Hands

The laying on of hands is a special act performed by ordained elders in the churches of God while asking God the Father in prayer to confer a spiritual gift or blessing upon someone. The laying on of hands is required for the receiving of God’s Holy Spirit following water baptism, for anointing the sick with oil for healing, for ordination of those selected for spiritual or physical service to the Church, for blessing little children, for a special blessing during a marriage ceremony, and for other special blessings.

Scriptural References:

Acts 8:15-17; Acts 19:5-6; James 5:14-15; Matt. 19:13-15; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 6:6; 13:3.

Baptism of the Spirit

The baptism of the Spirit is the act of receiving the Holy Spirit as a begettal from God the Father. This spiritual begettal is granted to each believer through the laying on of hands after baptism by full immersion in water. Upon receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, the believer becomes a begotten child of God the Father. The baptism of the Holy Spirit places the believer into the spiritual Church of God – the Body of Christ – of which all begotten children of God are members.

Scriptural References:

Matt. 3:11; Acts 2:38: Acts 8:15; Acts 19:6; 1 Cor. 2:12; Rom. 8:9-16; 1 Pet. 1:3; 1 John 3:9, 24.

Sanctification

Sanctification is the act of setting someone or something apart for a holy purpose and use. Christians are in a continuing state of sanctification after repentance, baptism by immersion, the laying on of hands, and the receiving of the Holy Spirit as a begettal from God the Father. In Scripture, Christians are referred to as “saints,” meaning those who have been made holy by the sanctification of God the Father.

Scriptural References:

1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 5:25-27; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 1 Cor. 6:11; Ex. 31:13; 40:9-13; Lev. 21:1, 8; Eph. 1:3-4; Jer. 1:5; John 17:15-19.

Healing

Scripture reveals that God sometimes allows sickness to afflict individuals for a special purpose. With this exception, the sickness that we suffer is the result of physical or spiritual sins. Divine healing is God’s forgiveness of those sins. God the Father personally intervenes when He extends healing to those who call upon Him in times of sickness or injury. This divine intervention can be directed toward anyone at any time, as God wills because Jesus Christ paid the price for healing from every sickness with the stripes of scourging that He received before His crucifixion. When God heals us, our sins are forgiven through the stripes of the sufferings of Jesus Christ. Miracles of healing are often granted. Scripture teaches that one who desires to be healed by God should call for the elders of the Church to anoint him or her with oil in the name of Jesus Christ and to pray for God’s healing and intervention. Trusting God in faith for healing is a personal matter between each individual and God. 

Scriptural References:

Ex. 15:26; Psa. 103:2-3; Matt. 9:27-30; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 Cor. 11:23-30; Matt. 8:1-17; Jas. 5:14-16; Isa. 53:4-5; Mark 16:15-18; 2 Cor. 12:7-10; John 9:1-11.

Raising of Hands

The raising of hands in worship to God the Father and Jesus Christ is accepted. It is, however, not a must. It depends on the person and how God’s Spirit moves the person.

Scriptural References:

Acts 8:17; 1 Tim. 2:8; Psa. 63:4; Lam. 3:41; 1 Kings 8:54; Psa. 28:2; Neh. 8:6; Ezra 9:5; 1 Kings 8:22; Deut. 32:40; 1 Kings 8:38; Psa. 119:48; Ex. 17:11; Neh. 8:6; Lam. 2:19; Luke 24:50; 2 Chron. 6:12-13; Psa. 88:9; Lev. 9:22; Psa. 134:2.

We firmly believe in Faith, Prosperity, Praise, Worship, Healing, and offering a Prophetic Ministry.

Responsibility to the Needy

In this world money is required to fulfill the commands of Jesus Christ to preach the Gospel, to feed the flock of God, and to care for the needs of the Church. Therefore Christians are directed by the Lord Jesus Christ to share their financial resources with those who serve in the ministry of God. The apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? 14) Even so the Lord has [ordained] [Greek diatassō, meaning “commanded”] that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” – 1 Cor. 9:13-14; NKJV. Those who receive support from their brethren are accountable to Almighty God and to the brethren as to how these tithes and offerings are used. Any minister who exhorts financial support from their brethren by using fear, intimidation, compulsion, or guilt, will receive stern judgment from God. God WARNS His servants against exploiting the poor and needy of His flock and of taking their meager provisions. However, God honors and blesses the poor who gives as they are able – no matter how small the amount. Even as Jesus commended the poor and needy widow who gave her mite.

Scriptural References:

1 Cor. 9:1-4; Luke 21:1-4; Luke 19:12-17; Luke 16:10-13; Zech. 7:7-13; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; Luke 10:17; Matt. 24:45-51; 6:19-21; Acts 2:44-45; 4:34-45; Psa. 41:1-3; Prov. 19:17; 28:27; Matt. 26:11; 2 Cor. 9:1-9; Gal. 2:10; James 2:14-17.

A Christians' responsibility to our needy is commanded by Jesus Christ to help support the poor and needy among us with compassion and understanding. A Christian should have an attitude of true love [Greek agapé] and service and should be the basis for all giving. God desires each one whom He has prospered to give cheerfully and willingly from the heart as he or she is able. Those who have an abundance but do not give because of a selfish attitude are guilty of covetousness and are sinning before God.

Christian Financial Responsibility

Scripture teaches that Christians should be diligent to provide for their families. Any Christian who is able to work but makes no effort to support his or her family “is worse than an unbeliever.” Jesus Christ Himself taught that a Christian should first provide for his or her family before using personal income for other purposes, including offerings to God. Jesus condemned the Jews who gave offerings, or “corban,” to the Temple treasury while neglecting their needy parents. God does not want Christians to neglect the basic needs of their families in order to give tithes and offerings. Those Christians who have a limited income and are able only to meet their basic needs have no actual increase from which to tithe. God desires mercy and not sacrifice. 

Scriptural References:

1 Tim. 5:4, 8, 16; Mark 7:10-13; Prov. 31:10-28; Prov. 27:23-27; Prov. 28:19; Prov. 18:9; Prov. 19:15.

Our Love Toward Brethren

Christians are to have a special love for one another because God the Father and Jesus Christ have individually called and personally love each one. As the begotten children of God, with the Holy Spirit shed abroad into their hearts, all true Christians share a special fellowship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. This fellowship is the foundation for the New Commandment that Jesus gave to His disciples to “' love one another as I have loved you.'” This true Christian love is a sign by which all people can recognize the followers of Jesus Christ. 

Scriptural References:

John 13:34-35; John 15:9-10; 1 John 3:16-17; I John 2:6-11; 5:1-2; 1 John 4:19-21; 2 John 4-6.

The Resurrections

Scripture reveals two distinct types of resurrection from the dead:

1. Restoration to physical life as a fleshly human being.

2. Transformation to eternal life as an immortal spirit being.

Scripture records for us the resurrection of individual persons to physical life at various times by the loving will of God. In the Old Testament, a widow’s son was restored to life through the prayer of the prophet Elijah. Jesus’ raising of His friend Lazarus from the dead - having been dead four days – is a well-known example from the New Testament. There were special acts of mercy by God which extended the physical life of some individuals. Those whom God resurrected in this manner were not given immortality, and all died again. Jesus Christ was the first to be resurrected to immortality by the awesome power of God the Father. To become a human being, Jesus divested Himself of His glory and power as the Lord GOD of the Old Testament. When He was resurrected, He was restored to His full glory, power, and honor as God. Jesus Christ is called the Firstborn among the dead because He is the first of multiple millions who will be resurrected to immortality at His return to earth. When Jesus Christ returns to the earth, all true Christians who have died will be raised incorruptible to eternal life as immortal spirit beings. Those Christians who are alive at His return will be changed instantaneously from flesh to spirit. This transformation to spirit is the new birth – what so many misunderstand; born again. When the holy saints of God – both dead and living – are truly “born again” into the family of God. All the saints will be composed of spirit, as God is composed of spirit – and will be full members of God’s divine family. They will co-rule with Jesus Christ as kings and priests on the E A R T H. 

This resurrection is described in Scripture as the first resurrection.

After the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ and His holy saints, there will be a second resurrection to physical life to all who have died without having received the calling of God or the opportunity to hear of the salvation through Jesus Christ. During this second physical life, each person will have his or her - and only – opportunity for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. Those who fully accept the salvation of God will enter into the family of God as spirit beings. Those who reject salvation through Jesus Christ – and it’s ONLY BEEN THROUGH JESUS CHRIST – will be condemned to eternal death. They will join all the incorrigibly wicked who have died throughout history, who will also be resurrected to physical life – their sentence will be to die in the “lake which burns with fire and brimstone.” This death is the second and final death – from which there is no resurrection.

Scriptural References:

1 Kings 17:17-24; John 11:20-44; Matt. 24:40; Luke 17:34; Mark 5:35-42; 1 Cor. 15:3-4, 20-23; Rom. 1:4; Heb. 2:9-10; John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:23, 35-55; Rev. 20:4-6; Matt. 27:52-53; Rev. 20:11-12; Ezek. 37:1-14; Rev. 20:11-15; 2 Pet. 3:10-12; Matt. 25:41-46.

Eternal Judgment

God is now judging every begotten child of His who has been called in this age. God’s judgment of each individual begins when God opens his or her mind to understand God’s Way of life. With His love, grace, and mercy, God gives to each one who yields to His Holy Spirit the strength and the power to grow in the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – and to overcome “the works of the flesh,” along with this world, and Satan the devil and his demons. God the Father holds each begotten child personally responsible to grow in the knowledge of His living Word and in the spiritual stature and fullness of His Son Jesus Christ. If the called begotten child loves God with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their strength, and with all their mind, and love their neighbor as themselves and is living in faithful obedience to God’s living Word, he or she will have the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to him or her as the gift of God. The called begotten child will then be judged as wholly righteous and blameless before God the Father. All who remain in this imputed righteousness of faith will be in the first resurrection and will receive eternal life at the glorious and powerful return of Jesus Christ.

Those individuals through the ages who are not called by God the Father, or those who had no opportunity for salvation through Jesus Christ during their lifetime will be resurrected to physical life in the second resurrection – often called the “Great White Throne Judgment.” This will take place after the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ and His saints. Everyone who is resurrected in the second resurrection will have the same opportunity for salvation as those who were in the first resurrection. Each one will be taught the way of salvation and will have the opportunity to repent and to accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the remission of his or her sins. Each will be granted the same period of time to choose God’s Way of salvation – apparently the “Great White Throne Judgment” will last 100 years. During this time, all who learn to live in accordance with God’s will, growing in grace and in knowledge and in the very character of Jesus Christ, will receive eternal life. By the end of this period of judgment, all those who have chosen God’s Way will receive eternal life and enter into the family of God – the kingdom of God – as spirit sons and daughters of God. However, all who have rejected their opportunity for salvation and refuse to live God’s Way will be sentenced to the second death – eternal judgment.

All the incorrigibly wicked from the past ages who have committed the unpardonable sin – willfully rejecting and backsliding from the salvation of God – will be resurrected to physical life only to join the living wicked in receiving the sentence of the second death as their eternal judgment. God will destroy all the incorrigibly wicked at the same time in the “lake which burns with fire and brimstone.” This is the second death from which there is no resurrection.

Scriptural References:

1 Pet. 4:17; Mic. 4:1-4; Heb. 10:26-27; Rom. 2:16; Acts 10:42; Rev. 20:11-14; Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 20:5-6; 1 Sam. 16:7; 2 Tim. 4:8; Ezek. 37:12-14; Gal. 5:19, 22; Luke 10:27; Isa. 65:20.

Baptism of Fire

The baptism of fire is NOT a baptism to be sought by spiritually begotten children of God – as some teach. It is a baptism that is reserved for the incorrigibly wicked. The Scriptures reveal that the baptism of fire is the eternal destruction of the vile wicked in the “lake which burns with fire and brimstone.” Those who are cast into this lake of fire will NOT be “tormented day and night forever and ever,” but will be burned up. This is the second death – the permanent death – and God’s final judgment for the unrepentant and for those who have committed the unpardonable sin – those who have rejected God’s Way of salvation through Jesus Christ. All who have hardened their hearts in their iniquities and their rebellion against Almighty God and who have committed the unpardonable sin by knowingly resisting and blaspheming God’s Holy Spirit – therefore making it impossible to now be led to repentance. They together will be destroyed (“perish” – cf. 2 Peter 3:9) together in the “lake which burns with fire and brimstone.”

Scriptural References:

Matt. 3:11-12; Rev. 20:14-15; Mal. 4:1-3; Matt. 12:31-32; Rev. 21:8.

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