AGCSOF – TEXTS March 12, 2015 The AGC Statement of Faith and Explanatory Papers
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AGCSOF – TEXTS
March 12, 2015
The AGC Statement of Faith and
Explanatory Papers
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Table of Contents
Section Page Introduction ii The AGC Statement of Faith 1 The Scriptures 4 God 6
The Father 9 The Son 11
The Holy Spirit 13 Angels 15 Mankind 17 Redemption/Salvation 19 The Church 22 The End Times 24
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Introduction
The following pages are intended to explain and support the AGC Statement of Faith. In them we intend to provide a brief explanation of the Statement of Faith in terms of [1] what it means, [2] why we believe it, and [3] why it is important.
The entire Statement of Faith is located on pages 1 – 3. Beginning on page 4, each section of the Statement of Faith will be divided and numbered so that the explanations can be directly related back to the appropriate statement in the Statement of Faith for ease of reference.
All Bible citations are from the NIV [1984] unless otherwise noted.
It is important for us to recognize that we in the AGC are not the only ones who believe these truths, and that we have brothers and sisters in Christ who do not agree with all that we believe. Our Statement of Faith defines us as an organization; it does not set out what every Christian believes. Nor is it intended to criticize those brothers and sisters who believe differently in some areas. We well recognize their interpretations and love them as part of the Family of God.
It is our prayer that these pages will help our churches to understand the Statement of Faith and encourage them to teach it systematically to their congregations.
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Statement of Faith
for the
ASSOCIATED GOSPEL CHURCHES
The Scriptures
The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the complete Word of God. As originally given, it is verbally inspired, without error, and entirely trustworthy. The Bible constitutes supreme authority in all matters of faith, teaching, and behaviour. The Bible has Jesus Christ as its focus and fulfillment.
2 Peter 1:16-‐21, 2 Timothy 3:16-‐17, Luke 24:27, Matthew 5:17-‐18
God
God is the Creator and Sovereign Lord of all. The Lord our God is one God who eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three have the same perfect nature and attributes. Each Person of the Godhead is worthy of the same worship, confidence, and obedience.
Genesis 1, Psalm 8, Psalm 2, Romans 8:28-‐30, Deuteronomy 6:4, Matt. 28:19-‐20
• The Father– God the Father loves the world. He sent His Son into the world to save sinners. He raised Jesus from the dead, exalted Him – putting all things under his power -‐-‐ and together with Him has sent the Holy Spirit.
Luke 3:22, John 3:16, 1 John 4:14, 1 Peter 1:21, Philippians 2:9-‐11, John 14:26
• The Son– God the Son became God incarnate as Jesus the Messiah. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and lived a sinless life. He was crucified, raised bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven where He reigns as King and serves as our High Priest and Advocate.
He will return as King of kings and Lord of lords to set up His earthly Kingdom.
John 1:1, John 1:14, Matthew 1:22-‐23, Isaiah 7:14, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Corinthians 15: 3-‐4 Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 7:25, Revelation 22:12-‐13
• The Holy Spirit– God the Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ in all that He does. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. At the moment of salvation He regenerates, baptizes, indwells, gifts and empowers for Christ-‐like living and service.
John 16:8-‐15, Titus 3:5-‐6,
1 Corinthians 12:11,13, Romans 8:9-‐14, Galatians 5:22-‐25
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Angels
God created angels for His glory and service. Some rebelled under the leadership of their fellow angel, Satan, and are opposed to God and His purposes. Though Satan is still active he has been defeated by the Lord Jesus Christ and will be committed forever to the lake of fire with all the fallen angels.
Hebrews 1:14, Jude 6, Hebrews 2:14-‐15, Revelation 20:10; Ephesians 6:12
Mankind
Human beings are created in the image of God. The first humans, Adam and Eve, were disobedient to the will of God with the consequence that every aspect of their human nature became sinful and corrupt. Thus, being spiritually dead, they became subject to physical death and the power of Satan. The image of God is distorted in all humanity, with the exception of Jesus, as we inherit a sinful nature at conception. Therefore we are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God and under His condemnation.
Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2:16-‐17, Genesis 3:6, Ephesians 2:1-‐3, Romans 3:9-‐10, Psalms 51:5, John 3:36; Romans 5:12-‐14
Redemption/Salvation
Redemption is accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was made to be sin and died in our place as an acceptable sacrifice to God. His atoning death is sufficient for all and effective for every person who repents and believes in Him, resulting in a reconciled relationship with God.
Salvation is available by grace through faith. This salvation is not our own doing. It is the gift of God.
Salvation includes being declared righteous by God [justification], being transformed into the likeness of Christ [sanctification], and being fully restored to the image of God [glorification]. This Salvation which includes our new birth and eternal inheritance is kept by God’s power. It is therefore impossible for the saved to lose their salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-‐9, Romans 5:6-‐10, Galatians 3:13, 1 Peter 1:18-‐19, 1 Peter 2:24, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 5:1, John 17:17-‐19, 1 John 3:2, John 5:24, John 10:27-‐30,
Romans 8:28-‐39, 1 Peter 1:3-‐5; 1 Timothy 4:10
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The Church
The Church consists of all the redeemed who are united by the Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ, of which Jesus is the Head. Local assemblies of believers are visible representations of the Church that gather regularly for the purpose of worship, which includes instruction in the Word, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer.
The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances: Believer’s Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Though not the means of salvation, these ordinances testify of the gospel.
The Church has been entrusted with the task of global discipleship as found in the Great Commission.
Matthew 16:17-‐18, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Acts 2:42 1 Corinthians 11:23-‐28, Luke 22:19-‐20, Romans 6:3, Matthew 28:19-‐20
End Times
At a time known only to God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ will return bodily and in glory, receive His own, and establish His earthly thousand year reign.
God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world.
The unsaved will be cast into the lake of fire to suffer eternal conscious punishment. The saved of all ages will be forever with the Lord.
God will rule over His Kingdom in the new heaven and the new earth for all eternity.
Matthew 24:36, Acts 1:7, Mark 13:26, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-‐17, John 14:1-‐3,Revelation 20:1-‐15, Revelation 14:11, 1 Corinthians 15:50-‐54, Revelation 21:1 Revelation 22:1-‐5
June 2013
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THE SCRIPTURES [1] The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the complete Word of God.
[2] As originally given, it is verbally inspired, without error, and entirely trustworthy.
[3] The Bible constitutes supreme authority in all matters of faith, teaching, and behaviour.
[4] The Bible has Jesus Christ as its focus and fulfillment.
2 Peter 1:16-‐21, 2 Timothy 3:16-‐17, Luke 24:27, Matthew 5:17-‐18
………………………
[1] The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the complete Word of God.
We believe that the Bible, consisting of the 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 Books of the New Testament is God’s special revelation to humanity. This does not suggest that God is now silent nor does it deny that God still speaks today. Very simply it states that what God deemed necessary for humanity to know about Himself and His creation has been recorded for us in the Bible. The idea of the word “verbal” is not to suggest in any way the concept of dictation; rather it emphasizes that inspiration goes right down to the very words that have been employed.
According to 2 Timothy 3:16 and 17, God gave it to us so we would know what to believe [“teaching”] and how to behave [“rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”] so that we would be fully prepared for all the demands of life and ministry that cross our paths [“thoroughly equipped for every good work”].
[2] As originally given, it is verbally inspired, without error, and entirely trustworthy.
The Bible speaks about both the process and product of Inspiration. The process involved the Holy Spirit superintending the writing of Scripture [both Old and New Testaments] in a way that prevented human interference with what God wanted recorded for His people. This is affirmed by Peter when he wrote “above all, you must understand that no prophecy of scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” [2 Peter 1:20-‐21]. This process guaranteed that the product would then be called “inspired” or “God-‐breathed” [2 Timothy 3:16-‐17]. This last expression teaches us that the Bible is really the product of God’s creative work and therefore we believe that the original manuscripts were without error. Some would argue that since we do not have the originals today, this is not important. Nothing can be further from the truth. The doctrine of inerrancy is intricately tied up in the nature and character of God Himself. To deny inerrancy is to suggest that God does make mistakes, and elevates the interpreter to the level of determining when and where He did so.
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[3] The Bible constitutes supreme authority in all matters of faith, teaching, and behaviour.
Since the Bible is the Word of God, it is tantamount to God personally speaking to each of us. When we read it, it is as though we are standing face to face with God, listening to what He wants to say to us. Its authority is the authority of God Himself, and therefore the supreme authority for all matters. In it, God teaches us what to believe and how to behave. To reject any or all of it is to reject Him and refuse His rule over our lives.
Since these things are true, we can emphatically state that the Bible is …
ð Accurate [Inerrant, infallible] – Comprehensive – Authoritative -‐-‐ It is accurate in all that it presents. This is an outgrowth of its inerrancy. Charles Ryrie in Basic Theology says inerrancy "means that the Bible tells the truth, which may include approximations, free quotations, the language of appearances, and different accounts of the same event as long as these do not contradict."
This is our understanding of the phrase “As originally given, it is … without error.”
ð comprehensive in that it touches on every area of life. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:96 “To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless.” There is no aspect of life that is not covered by the Bible. This is not to say that it speaks about every possible specific detail of life. It is to say that there are precepts, principles and parameters that address every life situation that one might face.
ð authoritative for all and to its authority all are accountable.
[4] The Bible has Jesus Christ as its focus and fulfillment.
The primary focal point of the entire Bible is Jesus. Jesus Himself stated, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me” [John 5:39].
From Genesis to Revelation He and His work as the Incarnate God is its theme.
ð The Old Testament prophesies His entry into the world as the Redeemer King [the Messiah].
ð The Gospels highlight aspects of His life and teaching. ð Acts teaches us about His ongoing ministry as He continues to build His Church. ð The Epistles set out His teaching for His Church. ð Revelation looks to encourage His Church in the face of tough times with the truth that
He will come again and wrap up history as we now know it.
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GOD
[1] God is the Creator
[2] and Sovereign Lord of all.
[3] The Lord our God is one God who eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three have the same perfect nature and attributes. Each Person of the Godhead is worthy of the same worship, confidence, and obedience.
Genesis 1, Psalm 8, Psalm 2, Romans 8:28-‐30, Deuteronomy 6:4, Matt. 28:19-‐20
………………………
[1] God is the Creator By faith we believe [as clearly stated in Hebrews 11] that God exists and has created absolutely everything. Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:11; God, the Creator, has revealed Himself to us through creation itself [called natural revelation] and through the Scriptures [called special revelation]. Through both of these means we get to know about God. For example: Natural Revelation Psalm 19 describes for us very poetically the truth that creation testifies to the existence of God. The initial assertion, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of His hands,” echoes through the corridors of time. It screams out ‘God is and has spoken in creation!’ Verse 2 tells us this revelation is a daily experience and verse 3 reminds us that it is available to every people group on earth. The conclusion comes in verse 4, which affirms there is no place on earth that does not have this testimony to God’s existence. But this revelation is limited in what it teaches us about God. In Romans 1 Paul teaches us that two things can be known from creation: [1] that God exists, and [2] that He has the power to create all that we see. He then argues that these truths are clearly seen. Special Revelation God has not left us to this limited revelation of Himself. He took the initiative and provided special revelation so that we could in fact know more about Him, but even greater than that, so that we could be reconciled to Him and know Him. This special revelation is found in the 66 books of the Bible, which, as noted above in the statement on the Scriptures, contains all we need to know about what He wants us to believe and how He wants us to behave. King David in Psalm 19 also addressed this special revelation in verses 7-‐11.
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Through this special revelation we understand much more about the nature and character of God. It is in the Bible that we learn of His eternality, His sovereignty, His holiness, His justice, His mercy, His grace, His goodness, His love, His covenant loyalty, His redemptive activity, His care for His people, etc. [2] and Sovereign Lord of all.
The Bible teaches that He is the sovereign Lord over all. In His wisdom, He has put together a plan that is designed to bring Him maximum glory and is presently unfolding day by day. That plan includes everything that is and all that occurs in the universe. Nothing occurs that is not part of the overall plan or of which He is unaware – nothing takes Him by surprise. Consider the statement of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:35:
34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35 All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”
[3] The Lord our God is one God who eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three have the same perfect nature and attributes. Each Person of the Godhead is worthy of the same worship, confidence, and obedience.
Scripture teaches us that there is only one true God. Deuteronomy 6:4 declares “Hear O Israel. Jehovah is our God; Jehovah is one.” At the same time, it affirms that The Father, often referred to simply as God, is God, that the Son is God [John 1] and that the Holy Spirit is God [Acts 5]. At this point there are seemingly two alternatives: [1] that God simply refers to Himself and appears in three different ways at different times [referred to as modalism] or [2] that God is a tri-‐une Being. The first of these alternatives does not square with the Scriptures. There are a number of instances in which all three are involved in the same event [consider the baptism of Jesus, or the Great Commission]. This teaching is hard to get our heads around. While we have difficulty understanding this tri-‐unity, or explaining it, the Scriptures teach us that there is only one God and at the same time it teaches us that this one God is a composite Being consisting of three separate and distinct persons. These three persons are revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These are not three modes in which He appears. Rather, it is the truth that He is one God existing in three Persons. If the human eye could look on each of these separately, the mind would immediately register “That’s GOD!” and fall down in worship. Each possesses all the same characteristics and each, while having a distinct personality, possess all the nature, rights and prerogatives of deity.
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ð What one knows – they all know ð What one sees – they all see ð What one understands – they all understand ð What one loves – they all love ð What one hates – they all hate ð What one is capable of – they are all capable of ð What one is – they all are
One of the things we need to understand is that God has sought to tell us about Himself in terms that we can understand. The designations of the Triune God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit are for our benefit and are not eternal designations. They set out for us the working relationship that exists between them in terms of the outworking of His sovereign plan of redemption. There are a couple of things that often tend to cause people to question this doctrine. The first is that the term “Trinity” is not found in the Bible. This is true. The second is that we just can’t comprehend the Three-‐in-‐One concept. At that point, we must simply acknowledge …
ð the word Trinity is a term that was coined many years ago to explain what the Bible does teach about God.
ð while we may not be able to fully comprehend the concept, that should not overly concern us.
Since the Bible is God-‐breathed, and is God’s revelation to us about what to believe and how to behave, and it sets out teaching that tells us there is only one God, and that those spoken of in its pages as Father, Son and Holy Spirit are each God then our only recourse is to believe what God has said, whether we can fully understand it or not.
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THE FATHER
[1] God the Father loves the world. [2] He sent His Son into the world to save sinners. [3] He raised Jesus from the dead, exalted Him – putting all things under his power – [4] and together with Him has sent the Holy Spirit.
Luke 3:22, John 3:16, 1 John 4:14, 1 Peter 1:21, Philippians 2:9-‐11, John 14:26
………………………
The term Father certainly is one that helps us understand truth about God. The Bible says that He created us and in that sense He is the Father of everyone. Jesus calls Him “Father” and speaks of Him as “your Father.” The term Father speaks of responsibility and authority in virtually every culture on earth. As the Father, He exercises wisdom and sound judgment, plans His work and works His plan, loves, cares for, provides for, teaches, directs, encourages, exhorts, rebukes, disciplines, etc. -‐-‐ all the things that we discover are part of our own expectations and roles as fathers. There are several significant roles He has that are highlighted in our Statement of Faith. These are not the only things He does, but do represent His role as Father. [1] God the Father loves the world. John 3:16 makes this abundantly clear – “For God so loved the world he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The idea here is that God has committed Himself to work for the spiritual and eternal well-‐being of those who are alienated from Him, hostile toward Him and bound for an eternity apart from Him. In love He provided the means by which the world could be reconciled to Himself. [2] He sent His Son into the world to save sinners. Part of God’s commitment to work for the spiritual well-‐being of the world involved Him setting in place a plan of redemption that involved His Son [the Second Person of the Trinity] leaving His heavenly dwelling place, and entering human history as God Incarnate in order to make salvation for sinners possible. Jesus said “The Son of man came to seek and to save the lost” [Luke 19:10]. For this reason He is called “the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe” [1 Timothy 4:10]. “Here is a
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trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” [1 Timothy 1:15]. [3] He raised Jesus from the dead, exalted Him – putting all things under his power – Following Jesus’ death on the cross, having paid in full the penalty for sin and having been put in the grave, the Father raised Him up and subsequently answered Jesus’ prayer of John 17:1 by glorifying Him and exalting Him by means of the Ascension to a position of power which He maintains to this day. In this position He is, “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every title that can be given, not only in the present age, but in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the Church …” [Ephesians 1:21-‐22] [4] and together with Him has sent the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that Jesus asked the Father to send the Spirit [John 14:16] and that Jesus then affirmed that both He [John 15:26] and the Father [John 14:26] would send the Spirit to His followers.
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THE SON [1] God the Son became God incarnate as Jesus the Messiah. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and lived a sinless life.
[2] He was crucified, raised bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven where He reigns as King and serves as our High Priest and Advocate.
[3] He will return as King of kings and Lord of lords to set up His earthly Kingdom John 1:1, John 1:14, Matthew 1:22-‐23, Isaiah 7:14, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Corinthians 15: 3-‐4
Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 7:25, Revelation 22:12-‐13
[1] God the Son became God incarnate as Jesus the Messiah. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and lived a sinless life. Our use of the term “God the Son” is a reference to the eternally pre-‐existent Second Person of the Tri-‐une Godhead. John chapter 1 refers to Him as the Word, and makes several clear and strong statements about Him.
ð At the time of Creation He continually existed (“in the beginning the Word was”) ð At the time of Creation He continually existed as God (“The Word was God”) ð The Word created anything and everything that has ever been created, pointing to the
fact the He is not a created being (John 1:3) ð He is self-‐existent (“In Him was life”)
As a result, being both deity and humanity, He is 100% the God-‐Man. The Old Testament Scriptures spoke of a coming Redeemer-‐King [though not always in those terms] from Genesis 3:15 forward. In the spirit of progressive revelation, more information and detail was given over time. At the outset, He was only referred to as “the seed of the woman” [Genesis 3:15], and in time He was subsequently revealed as prophet, priest, and king. We believe that Isaiah 7:14 [cited by Matthew in 1:25] teaches us that this Redeemer-‐King/Messiah would be born supernaturally by means of a virgin birth and that the child born would be God with us [Immanuel]. His description in Isaiah 9:6,7 tells us six things would be true of this Messiah.
ð Wonderful – that is, beyond human comprehension ð Counselor – full of wisdom and insight ð The Mighty God – a clear reference to the Child being God incarnate – compare Isaiah
10:20-‐21 where the term The Mighty God is used to refer to Jehovah ð Everlasting Father – (literally translated as Father of Eternities) which is a clear
reference to Him being the Creator
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ð Prince of Peace – The one who alone is able to transform the chaos of our world, created by sin, into true and full shalom
ð King – He would reign on David’s throne forever with justice and righteousness [2] He was crucified, raised bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven where He reigns as King and serves as our High Priest and Advocate. These descriptions describe Him as fully God and fully man. The patriarch Job cried out [Job 9] for a mediator, one who could bridge the gap between God and man by reaching out with one hand and touching God because He is God, and grabbing man with the other hand because He is also man. In 1 Timothy 2:5 Paul describes Jesus as that mediator. As that mediator, Jesus laid down His life on the cross of Calvary, submitting Himself not only to the will of the Father, but to the will of sinful humanity for the sole purpose of making reconciliation with God possible for the human race. On the third day after His crucifixion, Jesus was raised from the dead, following which He ministered to His disciples, showing Himself to be alive by many convincing proofs. 40 days later they watched as the heavens opened to receive Jesus as He ascended to His present position. Acts 13:32 cites Psalm 2, which speaks about the enthronement of the Messiah [compare the parallelism with Psalm 2:6 -‐ “I have installed my King”], indicating that the ascension was part of His enthronement ceremony at which time all things were put under His power. From that throne He also serves as the believer’s Advocate and High Priest [1 John 2:2, Hebrews 7:25], a ministry by which He defends His people before God when we sin, and at the same time guarantees our security as His people. [3] He will return as King of kings and Lord of lords to set up His earthly Kingdom When this age has run its course, Jesus will return and transition the present form of His kingdom into an earthly kingdom over which He will reign in righteousness and justice. At the close of that kingdom period, He will hand the kingdom over to the Father who will transition it into its eternal form.
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THE HOLY SPIRIT [1] God the Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ in all that He does. [2] He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. [3] At the moment of salvation He regenerates, baptizes, indwells, gifts and empowers for Christ-‐like living and service.
1 Corinthians 12:11,13, Romans 8:9-‐14, Galatians 5:22-‐25
………………………
[1] God the Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ in all that He does. When Jesus was ready to leave earth and return to the Father, He told His followers that He and the Father would send the Holy Spirit to them [John 14:16,26]. He would be referred to by different titles, among them The Counselor [parakletos] and The Spirit of Truth. Among the many things that the Holy Spirit would accomplish is the task of testifying about Jesus [the same root term as Jesus used about His followers in Acts 1:8 that speaks about telling what we know to be true about Jesus]. John 16:13-‐14 carries that idea further and teaches us that in doing that, He will not promote Himself, but will glorify Jesus in all that He does. [2] He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. Another of the Spirit’s significant roles that Jesus highlighted in the John 14-‐16 passage is to present the truth in a powerful way that will bring people to the point of understanding their sinfulness, as He impresses God’s standard of righteousness on their hearts and minds, and their accountability to God for every aspect of their lives [John 16:8-‐11]. [3] At the moment of salvation He regenerates, baptizes, indwells, gifts and empowers for Christ-‐like living and service. There are a number of other ministries the Holy Spirit carries out. While this is not an exhaustive list, these are extremely important in the life of the believer.
ð He regenerates – Jesus spoke to Nicodemus [John 3] about his need of being “born again” or “born from above.” He was speaking about the need of spiritual birth, sometimes referred to as regeneration. This regeneration is accomplished by the Spirit of God. Paul wrote in Titus 3:4-‐6 “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.”
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ð He baptizes – Jesus informed His disciples in Acts 1:5 that they would “be baptized with
the Holy Spirit.” This first occurred on the Day of Pentecost [Acts 2] and subsequently occurs whenever a person comes to faith. The Apostle Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 12:13 what this really means when he writes “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” The baptizing ministry of the Holy Spirit is what unites all believers into the Body of Christ.
ð He gifts and empowers for Christ-‐like living and service – There are a number of
passages in the New Testament that speak to the fact that the Holy Spirit grants enablement to the believer for life and ministry. Acts 1:8 – Jesus promised that when the Holy Spirit arrived and baptized believers into the Body of Christ, they would be empowered to be His witnesses. Romans 12 – Paul teaches that God, in His grace, has provided a variety of gifts to believers for ministry to and in the Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12 – Paul provides a more extensive listing of gifts that have been provided by the Holy Spirit and in verse 7 affirms that these are for the common good of the Body. Ephesians 4 – Having called the Body of Christ to walk in unity, Paul teaches us that Christ has done two things to make that unity possible. [1] He has given gifts to people [vv. 7-‐8] and [2] He has given gifted people to the Church [v. 11]. These are designed “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” [vv. 12-‐13]. 1 Peter 4:10 – Peter reminds us that we are given these gifts “to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
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ANGELS [1] God created angels for His glory and service. [2] Some rebelled under the leadership of their fellow angel, Satan, and are opposed to God and His purposes. [3] Though Satan is still active he has been defeated by the Lord Jesus Christ and will be committed forever to the lake of fire with all the fallen angels.
Hebrews 1:14, Jude 6, Hebrews 2:14-‐15, Revelation 20:10; Ephesians 6:12
………………………
[1] God created angels for His glory and service. God, as the eternal, sovereign Creator, has created all things for His own purposes and glory. This includes what the Bible calls “angels.” What we know from the Bible is that angels are real beings created to worship and serve God.
ð Isaiah 6:1-‐3 pictures angelic beings surrounding the throne of God in worship, crying “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty.”
ð Revelation 4:8 describes similar beings who “never stop saying “Holy, holy, holy is the
LORD God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”
ð Hebrews 1:14 presents them as “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.”
Their ministry can be seen throughout the pages of Scripture as they communicate God’s revelation, protect and deliver God’s people, escort the dying to heaven, etc. [2] Some rebelled under the leadership of their fellow angel, Satan, and are opposed to God and His purposes. Among these angelic beings was one who deemed that he would replace God in the lives of other created beings. He is known by several names in the Scriptures, among which are the Devil, Satan, Lucifer, that Old Serpent, the Destroyer. Whether Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 describe his rebellion or not, they do in fact describe a situation very much like his. In his rebellion, he convinced a number of other angels to follow him as their leader. They are described in the Bible as “angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home …” [Jude 6]. Of these, some are described as “rulers … authorities … powers of this dark world … and … spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” [Ephesians 6:12]. Some are referred to as “evil spirits and demons” and others are “kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day” [Jude 6].
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[3] Though Satan is still active he has been defeated by the Lord Jesus Christ and will be committed forever to the lake of fire with all the fallen angels.
Satan is alive and active. He and his henchmen are constantly seeking to undermine the Word of God, destroy the Church of God and engage in battle against the people of God. He is, however, a defeated foe. The Lord has set in motion the crushing of his head [see Genesis 3:15 and Romans 16:20] by His own crucifixion. Revelation 20:10 describes his final doom with the words “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” This lake of fire is described by Jesus as “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” [Matthew 25:41].
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MANKIND
[1] Human beings are created in the image of God. [2] The first humans, Adam and Eve, were disobedient to the will of God with the consequence that every aspect of their human nature became sinful and corrupt. Thus, being spiritually dead, they became subject to physical death and the power of Satan. [3] The image of God is distorted in all humanity, with the exception of Jesus, as we inherit a sinful nature at conception. Therefore we are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God and under His condemnation.
Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2:16-‐17, Genesis 3:6, Ephesians 2:1-‐3, Romans 3:9-‐10, Psalms 51:5, John 3:36; Romans 5:12-‐14
………………………
[1] Human beings are created in the image of God. During creation week as recorded in Genesis 1, we discover that there was something very unique about the creation of mankind. That uniqueness lay in the purpose for which mankind was created. Genesis 1:26-‐28 tells us that God had chosen to have mankind serve as His representatives on earth, and to exercise authority and dominion over the created order. All of that is wrapped up in the phrase “created in the image of God.” That tells us that men and women – as the representatives of God – were created as equals, fully capable of accurately and consistently representing God in the way they thought, spoke and acted. [2] The first humans, Adam and Eve, were disobedient to the will of God with the consequence that every aspect of their human nature became sinful and corrupt. Thus, being spiritually dead, they became subject to physical death and the power of Satan. Genesis 3 records for us our first parents’ act of walking away from God. God had given them specific instruction and they violated that command. God had told Adam that the day they disobeyed, they would die, and die they did. Instantly they died spiritually [Romans 6:23 – “the wages of sin is death”] and began to die physically. Spiritual death alienated them from God “in whom is life.” Their sinfulness affected every area of their lives to such an extent that in Genesis 6 God said “every inclination of the thoughts of his [mankind’s] heart was only evil all the time” [Genesis 6:5]. God Himself later described it this way “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” [Jeremiah 17:9]. Given the general rule of nature within God’s creation, everything reproduces “after its kind” and so we read that Adam and Eve produced sinful offspring. This is in keeping with what Paul says in Ephesians 2 when he writes about us being “dead in trespasses and sins … and … by nature objects of wrath” [Ephesians 2:1-‐3]. Paul summarizes this teaching by saying “through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners” [Romans 5:19].
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As spiritually dead people, we are enemies of God [Romans 5:6-‐10] and under the direction and rule of the Devil [1 John 2:19; Ephesians 2:2]. [3] The image of God is distorted in all humanity, with the exception of Jesus, as we inherit a sinful nature at conception. Therefore we are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God and under His condemnation. Due to the deliberate disobedience and rebellion of Adam and Eve, mankind’s ability to accurately and consistently represent God as “the image of God” was severely hindered. This does not mean that humanity was no longer God’s representative, only that humanity could not longer do it accurately and consistently. David understood and confessed that he was a sinner from the moment of conception [Psalm 51:5]. Paul understood and taught that all humanity is born with a sinful nature [“by nature objects of wrath” – Ephesians 2:3] who lived “gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature” – Ephesians 2:3] alienated from God [“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior” – Colossians 1:21], under the rule and dominion of Satan [“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” – Ephesians 2:1-‐2], and therefore is “condemned already” [John 3:18]. Mankind has a bent toward evil, such that our sinful nature causes sinful thoughts and actions as noted in the passages cited above. Paul says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” [Romans 3;23]. Mankind is under condemnation because of both a sinful nature and the sinful choices they make. The only exception to this is the Lord Jesus Himself who was born of a virgin [Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:25] and from contamination – “she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” [Matthew 1:18b, cp. Luke 1:35]. Of Him we read in the Bible that He was tempted in every way, just as we are “yet was without sin” [Hebrews 4:15]. Paul declares very emphatically “God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us … “ [2 Corinthians 5:21a]. These verses teach that Jesus had no sinful nature and committed no sin.
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REDEMPTION/SALVATION [1] Redemption is accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was made to be sin and died in our place as an acceptable sacrifice to God. His atoning death is sufficient for all and effective for every person who repents and believes in Him, resulting in a reconciled relationship with God.
[2] Salvation is available by grace through faith. This salvation is not our own doing. It is the gift of God.
[3] Salvation includes being declared righteous by God [justification], being transformed into the likeness of Christ [sanctification], and being fully restored to the image of God [glorification]. This salvation, which includes our new birth and eternal inheritance, is kept by God’s power. It is therefore impossible for the saved to lose their salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-‐9, Romans 5:6-‐10, Galatians 3:13, 1 Peter 1:18-‐19, 1 Peter 2:24, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 5:1, John 17:17-‐19, 1 John 3:2, John 5:24, John 10:27-‐30,
Romans 8:28-‐39, 1 Peter 1:3-‐5; 1 Timothy 4:10
………………………
[1] Redemption is accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was made to be sin and died in our place as an acceptable sacrifice to God. His atoning death is sufficient for all and effective for every person who repents and believes in Him, resulting in a reconciled relationship with God. God originally created mankind with the purpose of being His representatives. When they sinned and walked away from God, they were in need of reconciliation to God. God already had a plan of salvation in place that would pay the wages of their sin [redemption] and provide reconciliation to Himself. The patriarch Job struggled with how it might be possible for sinful man to be right with God [Job 9:2] and realized that what was needed to make it happen was a mediator – someone who could bridge the gap between a holy God and sinful humanity – someone who could reach out with one hand and take a hold of God because He was God, and reach out with the other hand and grasp man because He was human. As the God-‐Man, Christ could be that mediator. In 1 Timothy 2:5 the Apostle Paul declares “There is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.” God, says the Apostle Paul, “was reconciling the world to himself in Christ” because “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God” [2 Corinthians 5:19, 21]. The new birth, which produces this salvation grants to the believing sinner “eternal life” [John 3:3,5,16] which Jesus defined for us in John 17:3 when He said “This is eternal life: that they
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may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” This eternal life is really a reconciled relationship with God. [2] Salvation is available by grace through faith. This salvation is not our own doing. It is the gift of God.
Paul makes it very clear that there is absolutely nothing any person can do to earn or buy his salvation. It is totally “by grace … through faith.” It is not deserved, and ONLY appropriated through faith. It is “not from yourselves … not by works, so that no one can boast” [Ephesians 2:8-‐9]. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteousness things we had done, but because of his mercy” [Titus 3:4-‐5]. [3] Salvation includes being declared righteous by God [justification], being transformed into the likeness of Christ [sanctification], and being fully restored to the image of God [glorification]. This salvation, which includes our new birth and eternal inheritance, is kept by God’s power. It is therefore impossible for the saved to lose their salvation.
There are three important terms in this section that summarize different aspects of the salvation that God has provided for us in Christ.
ð Justification – the term used for justification is a bookkeeping term that tells us that when a sinner repents of sin and trusts Christ’s work at Calvary, God puts it down in His accounting ledger that this person is declared to be just and treated by Him as righteous. This essentially means that God no longer sees the long list of sinful activity this person has done in the past, but sees the person through Jesus – the Righteous One – who paid for that sin. He has been reconciled to God and has a right standing before Him.
ð Sanctification – is the work of the Spirit of God, using the Word of God [John 17:17 –
“Sanctify them by the truth, your word is the truth”] and the people of God -‐-‐ to bring about those changes in the believer’s life that will conform him or her to the likeness of Christ.
ð Glorification – is the final stage of our salvation when the work of God in our lives is
fully accomplished. This occurs when we appear in His immediate presence. John wrote that we can’t really comprehend all that is entailed in our future but that “we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” [1 John3:2].
Peter helps us understand that the new birth grants us an unending hope … and eternal inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” because we are “shielded by God’s power” and that inheritance is reserved in heaven for us as we await the completion of our salvation [1 Peter 1:5]. While there is a lot of debate over the matter of eternal security, 1 John 2:2 teaches us that Jesus is our Advocate, covering for us when we sin. Hebrews 7:25 reminds us that staying
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saved has no more to do with us than getting saved in the first place. We are saved eternally [“completely,” “to the uttermost”] because Jesus is at the right hand of the Father praying for us 24/7. An interesting passage of Scripture to ponder in this regard as well is Romans 8:28-‐30. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” This passage teaches us that salvation is a package deal with God from beginning to end. He starts it and finishes it. Paul reiterated this same thought in Philippians 1:6 when he wrote … “being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus.” The Apostle had that confidence, and so should the believer today. Another passage that emphasizes this great truth is 1 Thessalonians 5:23-‐24. “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you if faithful and he will do it.”
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THE CHURCH
The Church
[1] The Church consists of all the redeemed who are united by the Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ, of which Jesus is the Head. Local assemblies of believers are visible representations of the Church that gather regularly for the purpose of worship, which includes instruction in the Word, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer.
[2] The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances: Believer’s Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Though not the means of salvation, these ordinances testify of the gospel.
[3] The Church has been entrusted with the task of global discipleship as found in the Great Commission.
Matthew 16:17-‐18, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Acts 2:42 1 Corinthians 11:23-‐28, Luke 22:19-‐20, Romans 6:3, Matthew 28:19-‐20
………………………
[1] The Church consists of all the redeemed who are united by the Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ, of which Jesus is the Head. Local assemblies of believers are visible representations of the Church that gather regularly for the purpose of worship, which includes instruction in the Word, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer.
Matthew 16 records for us the first announcement of the future Church. In that passage Jesus addresses the following facts:
ð It is HIS Church. ð HE will build it. ð HE will build it on the basis of divine revelation. ð All the Satanic attacks to stop HIM will fail.
Shortly before His ascension, Jesus instructed His Apostles, who would form the foundation of the Church [Ephesians 2:20-‐22] that their new marching orders meant to penetrate every people group on earth with the Good News from God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Following its birth [Acts 2], the Holy Spirit, who formed believers into the Body of Christ [1 Corinthians 12:13], began to work in and through the Church and cause spiritual and numerical growth. Persecution aided in accomplishing the mandate that Jesus had given them, as missionaries were sent out to new locations to preach Christ and establish churches [book of Acts]. As these local churches grew they put in place godly leaders [Elders], and other godly people to assist in the varied needs that arose, so the Elders could focus on their primary role of leadership.
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In the Book of Ephesians, which is primarily about the Church, Paul speaks of the Church as a community of blessed people [Ephesians 1:3-‐14] who have been formed into the Body of Christ. These blessed people, who were all previously dead in trespasses and sins but have now been made alive in Christ [i.e., they were saved!], came from a varied ethnic background [Ephesians 2:11-‐15]. It is in this same letter that Paul affirms Jesus’ headship over the Church when he wrote “God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body ….” Right from the start, the Church discovered that a framework was needed, and they committed themselves to “the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer” [Acts 2:42]. [2] The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances: Believer’s Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Though not the means of salvation, these ordinances testify of the gospel.
There are two very special occasions in the Gospels on which Jesus gave specific instruction to His disciples that pertained to symbolic practices to be carried out by them and His Church. Each of these practices relates back to Jesus and His cross work at Calvary. These are what we refer to as ordinances. The first of these is baptism. Jesus instructed His disciples to do this when He issued the Great Commission. Baptism is a mark of identification in which an individual identifies with Christ in death, burial and resurrection [Romans 6:3].
The second is Communion [The Lord’s Table, The Lord’s Supper, Eucharist]. It is a proclamation that an individual is in right relationship with Jesus, having appropriated the cleansing and forgiveness available through Jesus’ death.
[3] The Church has been entrusted with the task of global discipleship as found in the Great Commission.
The Great Commission [Matthew 28:1-‐20] was given on the authority of Christ to His followers giving them instructions to follow as Jesus built His Church through the ministry He entrusted to them. The Commission involves moving out on Jesus’ authority to every people group on the face of the earth …
ð Evangelizing unbelievers by being witnesses of Christ – telling what He has done and what He will do for them if they believe – and proclaiming repentance for the forgiveness of sins
ð Embracing those who believe and welcoming them into the local church [in those days through baptism] through the integration of these believers into already existing churches or through church planting
ð Equipping those believers by providing an environment to prepare them for all the demands of life and ministry that God may bring their way and where [1] worship, [2] growth [through education, encouragement, and accountability] and [3] service can occur
ð Enlisting them into ministry roles in keeping with their giftedness as they live as Kingdom People.
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THE END TIMES [1] At a time known only to God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ will return bodily and in glory, receive His own, and establish His earthly thousand year reign.
[2] God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world.
[3] The unsaved will be cast into the lake of fire to suffer eternal conscious punishment. The saved of all ages will be forever with the Lord.
[4] God will rule over His Kingdom in the new heaven and the new earth for all eternity.
Matthew 24:36, Acts 1:7, Mark 13:26, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-‐17, John 14:1-‐3,Revelation 20:1-‐15, Revelation 14:11, 1 Corinthians 15:50-‐54, Revelation 21:1 Revelation 22:1-‐5
………………………
[1] At a time known only to God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ will return bodily and in glory, receive His own, and establish His earthly thousand year reign.
The Scriptures are clear that Jesus will return. He promised His disciples that He would come [John 14:3]. The angels proclaimed “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” [Acts 1:11]. On that point there is very little disagreement among believers. He left bodily, He will return bodily. He left visibly, He will return visibly [Matthew 24: 27,30]. He left gloriously, He will return gloriously [Matthew 24: 30].
At the time of His return [which no one knows except the Father] [Matthew 24:36; Acts 1:7] He will gather His people [Matthew 24:31] and establish His earthly kingdom [Revelation 20:1-‐6]. While there is disagreement over the timing of His return and over whether there will be an earthly kingdom or not, all believers can and should rally together on the fact of His return.
It is clear from Scripture that when a person believes he is transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light – the kingdom God’s Son [Colossians 1:12-‐13]. There is a present form and reality to Jesus’ kingdom.
At the close of the present form of the kingdom, Jesus will return to earth and bring history to its final chapter, culminating in His literal reign on the earth. The only place in Scripture where the length of this period is designated is Revelation chapter 20 where it is specified as being 1000 years in duration [hence the name millennium is used to describe it]. While a lot of discussion has occurred specifically over this period of 1000 years, we believe that an earthly kingdom is in keeping with the overall teaching of the Bible and is essential to God’s plan.
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It is important to realize the fact that God …
ð will bring to realization all the hopes and expectations in His original promise to Abraham
ð will demonstrate His faithfulness to His character, His Word and His People
ð will bring history to a viable end. [2] God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world.
At the outset of earthly history, God established the fact of His creation’s accountability to Himself [Genesis 1:31]. He speaks about judgment throughout the pages of the Bible. Following the millennium will come a time of judgment. This will involve the resurrection of the dead [Revelation 20:11-‐15] and appearance before God’s judgment throne. The dead will be judged out of God’s eternal ledger, which serves as evidence of the lives that had been lived.
[3] The unsaved will be cast into the lake of fire to suffer eternal conscious punishment. The saved of all ages will be forever with the Lord.
The outcome of God’s judgment at that time will be allocating people to their eternal destiny. To Daniel it was revealed that “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake [resurrection]: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt” [Daniel 12:2].
The Bible indicates that there are two eternal destinies: one for the righteous and one for the unrighteous. There is a principal truth expressed by Jesus in Matthew 25 that the righteous will “inherit the kingdom prepared for [them] since the creation of the world” [Matthew 25:34] and the unrighteous will be delivered “into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” [Matthew 25:41].
That lake of fire is described as “the second death” for all those whose names are not written in the Book of Life [Revelation 20:15]. It is a place where the inhabitants “will be tormented day and night for ever and ever” [Revelation 20:10], and “the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever” [Revelation 14:11].
The lake of fire image is used to describe the intense painfulness of eternal separation from God. The use of the term ‘torment’ speaks of pain and suffering, which points to an awareness and consciousness. The torment is said to last forever and ever – eternally. This is not the language of extinction or annihilation. It is the language of ongoing suffering for all eternity. Some would argue that ‘eternal conscious punishment’ seems inconsistent with a God of love. It is, however, consistent with a God of holiness whose very holy character governs all that He does. In love, He offered an alternative. In holiness He demands and will carry out justice.
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[4] God will rule over His Kingdom in the new heaven and the new earth for all eternity.
Following the millennial reign and the judgment, Christ will turn His kingdom over to the Father [1 Corinthians 15:24-‐28]. “Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he ‘has put everything under his feet.’ Now when it says that ‘everything’ has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.” At that point, the new heavens and new earth will be established [Revelation 21:1] and time as we know it will be transitioned to eternity where “the righteous will shine like the brightness of the heavens … like the stars of heaven for ever and ever” [Daniel 12:3].
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