The Apostles' Doctrine
Luke 24:46-49 (King James Version)
46And
said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to
suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47And that repentance
and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem. 48And ye are witnesses of these things. 49And,
behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the
city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Acts 1:8 (King James Version)
8But
ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and
ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and
in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 2:38 (King James Version)
38Then
Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 4:12 (King James Version)
12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Galatians 1:9 (King James Version)
9as we
said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel
unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Ephesians 2:20 (King James Version)
20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
1 Timothy 1:3 (King James Version)
3As
I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia,
that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
2 Timothy 3:16 (King James Version)
16All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Jeremiah 6:16 (King James Version)
16Thus
saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old
paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest
for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
The Apostles' Doctrine Concerning.....
...The Bible
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, giving a true history of the
creation of heaven and earth, and of all living beings. He has revealed
Himself to humanity as the father(creator), in the Son(Savior), and as
the Holy Ghost (indwelling Spirit)
...God
There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). He is the creator of heaven
and earth, and of all living beings. He has revealed Himself as the
(Creator), in the Son (Savior), and as the Holy Ghost (indwelling
spirit).
...Father
God is a spirit (John 4:24). He is the Eternal One, the creator of all
things, and the Father of all humanity by creation. He is the first and
the last, and beside Him there is no God (Isaiah 43:10) There was no
God formed before Him: neither shall there be after him (Isaiah 43:10)
...Son
Jesus is the Son of God according to the flesh (Romans1:3) and the very
God himself according to the Spirit (Matthew 1:23). Jesus is the Christ
(Matthew 16:16); the Creator of all things (Colossians 1:16-17); God
with us (Matthew 1:23); God made flesh (John 1: 1-14); God manifested
in the flesh (1 timothy 3:16); He which was, which is and which is to
come, The Almighty (Revelation 1:8); the mighty God, everlasting
Father, and Prince of peace ( Isaiah 9:6). Jesus Himself testified of
his deity as God when he said, "he that hath seen me hath seen the
father" (John 14:7-11) and "I and my father are one" (John 10:30).
It took shedding of blood for the remission of the sins of the world
(Hebrews 9:22), but God the Father was a Spirit and had no blood to
shed. Thus He prepared a body of flesh and blood (Hebrews 10:5) and
came to earth as a man in order to save us, for in Isaiah 43:11 He
said, "Beside me there is no Savior." When He came in flesh the angels
sang, "For unto is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which
is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).
...Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost ia third person in the Godhead, the
Spirit of God (the Creator), the Spirit of the resurrected Christ. The
Holy Ghost comes to dwell in the hearts and lives of everyone who
believes and obeys the gospel, as the Comforter, Sustainer, and Keeper
(John 14:16-26; Romans 8:9-11)
...Sin
Sin is the transgression of the law, or commandments of God (1 John
3:4). The guilt of sin has fallen upon all humanity from Adam until now
(Romans 3:23). The wages of sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23;
Revelation 20:14) to all those who refuse to accept salvation as set
forth in the Word of God.
...Salvation
Salvation consists of deliverance from all sin and unrighteousness
through the blood of Jesus Christ. The New Testament experience of
salvation consists of repentance from sin, water baptism in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the
Holy Ghost, after which the Christian is to live a godly life (Acts
2:36-41).
...Water Baptism
Water baptism is an essential part of New Testament salvation and not
merely a symbolic ritual. It is part of entering into the Kingdom of
God (God's church, the bride of Christ), and therefore. It is not
merely a part of a local church membership. (See John 3:5; Galatians
3:27)
...Mode of Baptism
Water baptism is to be administered only by immersion. Paul said, "We
are buried with him [Jesus Christ] by baptism" (Romans 6:4; see
Colossians 2:12), Jesus came up "out of the water" (Mark 1:10), and
Philip and the eunuch went down "into the water" and came up "out of
the water" (acts 8:38-39).
Jesus' death, burial, and
resurrection are applied to our lives when we experienced New Testament
salvation: "Repent [die to sin], and be baptized [be buried] everyone
of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the holy ghost [resurrection power]." (See
Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-7;8:2.)
Sprinkling, pouring, or
infant baptism of any kind cannot be substantiated by the word of God,
but are only human traditions.
...Formula for Water Baptism
The name in which baptism is administered is vitally important, and
this name is Jesus. Jesus' last command to his disciples was, "Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost are not names of separate
persons, but titles of positions held by God. An angelic announcement
revealed God's saving name in the New Testament: "She shall bring forth
a son, and though shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his
people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).
The apostles
understood that Jesus was the name to use at baptism, and from that day
the church of God was established (the Day of Pentecost) until the end
of their ministry, they baptized all nations (Jews- Acts 2:38-41;
Samaritans-Acts8:16; Gentiles- Acts 19:5) in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
In fact, Jesus is the only name given for our
salvation. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved"
(Acts 4:12)
...Baptism of the Holy Ghost
The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the birth of the Spirit (John 3:5).
This spiritual baptism is necessary to put someone into the kingdom of
God (God's church, the bride of Christ) and is evidenced by speaking in
other tongues (other languages) as the Spirit of God give utterance.
It was prophesied by Joel (Joel 2:287-29) and Isaiah (Isaiah 28:11),
foretold by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:11), purchased by the blood of
Jesus, and promised by Him to His disciples (John 14:26;15:26). The
Holy Ghost was first poured out on the Day of Pentecost upon the Jews
(Acts 2:1-4), then upon the Samaritans ( Acts 8:17), and later upon the
Gentiles (Acts 10:44-46; 19:6). "The promise is unto you, and to your
children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our
God shall call" (acts 2:39).
...Tongues
Speaking in tongues means speaking miraculously in a language unknown
to the speaker, as the Spirit of God gives utterance. Tongues can be
classified in two ways, according to function: (1) speaking in other
tongues as the initial evidence of baptism of the Holy Ghost and (2)
the gift of tongues as mentioned in 1 Corinthians.
1. Speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance is the
manifestation God has given as the definite, indisputable, supernatural
witness or sign of the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:4; 10:46;
19:6).
It was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah as the
rest and the refreshing (Isaiah 28:11-12), foretold by Jesus as a sign
that would follow believers of the gospel (Mark 16:17), and experienced
by Jews and Gentiles alike.
2. The gift of "divers
tongues," mentioned by Paul in 1Corinthians 12:1-10 and concerning
which he gave regulations in 1 Corinthians 14:1-40, is given both for
self-edification (1Corinthians 14:4) and for the edification of the
church (1 Corinthians 14:27-28).
In church meetings
the gift of tongues is used to give a public message, and it is to be
interpreted. Since this gift can be misused in public, it needs proper
regulation (1Corinthians 14:23-28). Not all believers exercise the gift
of tongues, which is different in function from tongues given by God an
the initial witness of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Paul said, "Forbid not to speak with tongues" (1Corinthians 14:39) and
" I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all" (1 Corinthians
14:18). Who dares to teach or preach in the contrary?
...Holiness
After
we are saved from sin, we are commanded,"Go, and sin no more" (John
8:11). We are commanded to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this
present world (Titus 2:12) and warned that without holiness no one
shall see the Lord ( Hebrews 12:14).
We must
present ourselves as Holy unto God (Romans12:1), cleanse ourselves from
all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians7:1), and separate
ourselves from all worldliness (James 4:4).
If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (1Peter 4:18).
No one can live a holy life by his own power, but only through the Holy
Spirit. " Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you" (Acts 1:8).
...Divine Healing
Gos has made Himself known through the ages by miraculous healings and
has made special provisions in the age of Grace to heal all who will
come to Him in faith and obedience. Divine healing
was purchased for us by the blood of Jesus Christ, especially by His stripes (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:8 6-1 7; 1 Peter 2:24).
Jesus went everywhere healing those who were sick ( Matthew 4:23-24).
He commanded His disciples to do the same ( Matthew 10:8). He said
concerning those who believe the gospel, "They shall lay hands on the
sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:18). Mighty healings and
miracles followed the disciples wherever the gospel was preached.
There is no sickness or disease too hard for God. Any of us, our
children, or our friends can be healed by the power of God. Is any sick
among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray
over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the
prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up:
and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him. Confess your
faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed"
(James 5:14-16).
...Second Coming of Christ
Jesus Christ is coming back to earth in bodily form, just as He went
away(Acts 1:11). He will catch away a holy people (His bride, His
church) who have accepted redemption through His blood, by birth of
water and of the Spirit, and who are found faithful when He comes.
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord"(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
"One shall be taken and the other left" Luke 17:36). Will we be ready?
The signs of His coming are everywhere. The days of peril are here
indeed, with forms of godliness void of the power of God; society and
politics corrupted; and people's hearts filled with pride, blasphemies,
unholiness, love of evil, and love of pleasures (2 Timothy 3:1-13).
These things, together with multitudes running to and fro, the increase
of knowledge (Daniel 12:4), the persecution of the Jews and their
return to Palestine (Luke 21:24), and scores of other things are
startling signs that Jesus' coming is drawing near.
Wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, storms, floods, distress of
nations, perplexity, and people's hearts failing them for fear are
sounding the solemn alarms that Jesus' coming is at hand ( Matthew
24:6; Luke 21:25-28). "Prepare to meet thy God" (Amos 4:12).
... Resurrection
There will be a resurrection of all the dead, both just and unjust.
"Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in which all that are in
the grave shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have
done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil,
unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29)
"
and I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God ... and the sea
gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the
dead which were in them" ( Revelation20:12-13). (See also Daniel 12:2;
1 Corinthians 15:13-23.)
... Judgment
"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment"
(Hebrews 9:27). For this reason there will be a resurrection for
everyone. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to
that he has done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10).
The eternal destiny of every soul shall be determined by a just God who
knows the secrets of everyone's heart. "And before him shall be
gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a
shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep
on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say
unto them on his right hand, Come Ye blessed of my father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.... Then
shall he also say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his
angels.... And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but
the righteous into life eternal" (Matthew 25:32-34, 41, 46).
The law.......... the Word of God,
The judge......the righteous God,
To be judged..............our souls,
What will the sentence be?
Life's opportunities past!
Reaping day at last!
Two verdicts pend: Life or death!
By this booklet from
Penecostal Publishing