The Apostolic Church Bible Study

LESSON 1…...THE ONENESS OF THE GODHEAD	LESSON 9……PRAYER: THE KEY TO VICTORY
LESSON 2……THE ETERNAL PLAN OF GOD: REDEMPTION	LESSON 10…..FASTING
LESSON 3……ENTERING INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD *PART 1: REPENTANCE*	LESSON 11…..SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY
LESSON 4……ENTERING INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD *PART 2: WATER BAPTISM*	LESSON 12…..FINANCES
LESSON 5……ENTERING INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD *PART 3: SPIRIT BAPTISM*	LESSON 13…..PRAISE AND WORSHIP
LESSON 6……8 LEVELS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH	LESSON 14…..HOLINESS: A LIFESTYLE OF WORSHIP
LESSON 7……TRIALS AND BURDENS	LESSON 15…..THE BIBLE: OUR DAILY BREAD
LESSON 8……ENEMIES OF THE SOUL	LESSON 16…..GETTING INVOLVED IN KINGDOM WORK

One of the most misunderstood Bible truths, is the doctrine of the Godhead. The most universally accepted view of the Godhead in denominations today, is the teaching of the Trinity. This view basically states that God is three distinct persons who are co-equal in power, knowledge, and existence. The word trinity is never mentioned in the Bible, but the existence of just One God is mentioned many times in scripture.

24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins; for if you believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

These verses indicate that the understanding that Jesus is God is relevant to salvation, and the only way to know who Jesus is, is by revelation from Jesus Himself. When Jesus asked Peter who men thought that He was in Matthew 16:13-19, the following conversation took place.

13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The very foundation of the church was built on the revelation of who Jesus is, and promises great blessings to those who are built on that revelatory foundation. It is a God given revelation which everyone should be seeking. If you have never received that revelation for yourself, it is our hope that this lesson will help you to receive the knowledge of the Bible doctrine of the Oneness of God.

Many times in our version of the Old Testament the word God or LORD is used in place of the name which was used by the original writers. Some of the Hebrew names for God are:

Elohim. A plural form of Eloah. The word used most often to denote God. The Hebrew plural is intensive, denoting God’s greatness, majesty, and many different attributes, not a plurality of Gods.

Yahweh is the redemptive name of God in the Old Testament, and the name that God used to distinguish Himself from every false god. It means “Self-Existing One” or the “Eternal One.” In the English it was translated as Jehovah because of the way that the Hebrew scribes wrote God’s name in their scrolls. The Hebrew language didn’t use vowels, so instead, when they wrote His name, they used the letters “YHWH.” Because they would not use His name in vain, it was not commonly spoken. After a long period of time had gone by the pronunciation of His name was uncertain. The translators had to guess what vowels went between the letters, and came up with the equivalent of the name Jehovah when translating to the Greek language. So Yahweh (Hebrew) and Jehovah (English) are the same names in different languages.

To take it one step farther, God revealed Himself to Moses as “I Am.” When we say Yahweh we are saying the same thing, only we say “He Is.” So Jehovah or Yahweh simply means “He Is.” Whether God is referring to Himself as the “I Am” or we are referring to Him as “He Is,” both names speak of God as being eternal, or without beginning or end.

God continuously revealed Himself to the Old Testament people in different ways, which caused them to use descriptive words along with the name Jehovah. Remember that Jehovah (Yahweh) was many time translated as LORD. He was called in Genesis 22:14 “Jehovah-jireh,” which means “the LORD will provide.” In Exodus 15:26 He is “Jehovah-rapha,” “the LORD that heals.” In Judges 6:24 He is “Jehovah-shalom,” meaning “the LORD our peace.” Combining a descriptive work of God with the name Jehovah gave a more complete understanding of His name. It told them more about who God was, and His attributes as they were revealed to the people of Israel. We will talk more about this when we look at the God of the New Testament.

There are a number of scriptures in the Old Testament that state that there is only One God. Let’s start with Deuteronomy 6:4.

This was taught to every Jewish child at an early age. Isaiah 43:10, 11 gives the words of Jehovah concerning Himself.

10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

Isaiah records the statement of God that He is the only God and Savior. The book of Isaiah is full of revelation concerning who and what God is. It records in chapter 44 verses 6 & 24,

6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.

The prophet Zechariah talks about God’s place in the end-times in chapter 14 verse 9.

9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

There are too many verses in the Old Testament to reference them all. But, it is clearly stated that only one God is Creator, Redeemer, King, the First and the Last. and our Savior. Many have tried to say that the name “Elohim,” which is a plural word, is in reference to a trinity of the Godhead. Yet the rest of the phrasing in the surrounding verses refer to God in the singular.

Does the Bible contradict itself? No. How then do we explain this portion of Scripture which refers to a plural “us” and a singular “him?” We know the Bible says that God is a Spirit. Were Adam and Eve spirit, or flesh, or were they both? Adam was made of the dust of the ground, which became his flesh, and then God breathed into Adam the breath of life, which came from the Spirit of God, making Adam both flesh and spirit. Was God flesh and Spirit? Not yet. God has all foreknowledge and is not restricted in time as we are. Knowing that man would sin and that He would have to become our Savior, God looked ahead into future time, and saw what He would look like as a man dwelling on this earth. After He decided what He would look like, He made Adam in His likeness, which was the image of Jesus, who was both flesh and God (Spirit). Colossians 1:15 says,

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.

The “us” referred to in Genesis 1:26 is God and the man Christ Jesus, who is God manifested in flesh. We do not have two different persons, but we have God coming to earth as a man in an earthly body. The fleshly body of Jesus is what is called the Son of God. Since Jesus was the express image of God, when God made us in Jesus’ image, He was making us in His own image.

The New Testament is also full of references that speak of only One God. Matthew 1:21-23 gives us the knowledge of who Jesus is very clearly stated.

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

These verses are a powerful revelation of who Jesus is. The name “Jesus” is a combination of the names “Yahweh” and “Joshua.” Jesus’ name literally means “Yahweh is Salvation,” or “He is Salvation.” Jesus received His name because He was the Savior and was identified as God with us. God came to be with us as a man so that He could die for us and save us from our sins.

16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Paul wrote a warning to the Colossian church concerning who Jesus is in Colossians 2:8-10.

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

All three of these portions of New Testament writing let us know that God came to earth in the form of a man. It says God was manifested, which means He was made visible, or He showed Himself to us in a fleshly form. The name Jesus could never have been used by God if He had not come in the flesh. The name Jesus described the new role that God would play in relationship to mankind’s need. Only flesh and blood could die, and God said that blood was the only thing that could buy the remission of our sin in Hebrews 9:22.

22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Since the Spirit of God had no blood to shed, God formed a body for Himself by overshadowing the virgin Mary. That body was made for the purpose of becoming our Redeemer. In Old Testament law, only a near kinsman could redeem a person, or the land, when they were sold out side of the family. God became one of us so that He could be our near kinsman and buy our salvation. The name “Jesus” is a combination of “Jehovah” and “our salvation.” He was called Jesus because Jehovah had become our salvation. Only by dying and shedding His blood could that happen.

The Word then went on to say that God put every thing that there was of the Godhead in the physical body of Jesus. When we have Jesus, we have every thing we need for salvation. His very name means “salvation.”

So, we find that the same Jehovah, who was God of the Old Testament, is still the God of the New Testament embodied in the man Jesus Christ.

Just as the Old Testament only revealed to us One God, the New Testament does exactly the same. In John 10:30 Jesus says,

Jesus says that He is the Father by being One with Him. Ephesians 4:5, 6 helps to make it clearer.

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Again we see that there is only One God and He is in everything. Revelation 1:8 is Jesus speaking to John saying,

8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

There can only be one first and one last and Jesus says that He is it. The same Jesus that John saw in chapter one of Revelation he also saw in Revelation 4:2.

2 And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

All of the above scriptures refer to only one God. There can only be one first, and one last. John only saw one God sitting on the throne of heaven. So why is there so much confusion about the idea of a trinity of persons in the Godhead? Let’s look at Matthew 28:19 for the answer.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

This verse is the foundation of trinity teaching. It would appear to refer to God as consisting of three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. So let’s look at the command and how it was obeyed in Acts 2:38.

38 Then 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.

It would seem, at first glance, that Peter misunderstood what Jesus told the disciples to do. But, look at Jesus’ command to baptize. He said to baptize in a name (singular). So what is the name of the Father, and the Holy Ghost? We already know that the name of the Son is Jesus. Let’s read Isaiah 9:6 for some insight concerning the Father’s name.

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

The son who was given was Jesus, and He is also the Everlasting Father. Jesus said concerning Himself in John 5:43,

43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

Jesus came having the Father’s name as His own name. He said to Philip in John 14:8, 9,

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

Since Jehovah is one of the Father’s names, and Jesus came in that name (Jehovah is salvation), the Father’s name must be Jesus. Since Isaiah said that the Son who would be given, would be called “The everlasting Father”, Jesus must be the Father, for surely He is the Son that was given. Jesus told Philip that He was the Father.

We can easily determine that the name of the Father is Jesus. But, what is the name of the Holy Ghost? Again Jesus is speaking in John 14:17, 18.

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Jesus said that He would come back as the Comforter and would dwell in the disciples. Paul told the Roman church in Romans 8:9,

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Notice how Paul called the Spirit of God the Spirit of Christ also. Christ is a reference to Jesus; therefore, the Spirit in us must be the Spirit of Jesus. More reference of this truth is found in 2 Corinthians 3:17.

17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Further proof of the fact that Jesus is the indwelling Spirit of God is found in Colossians 1:27.

27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

The Spirit in us is the Spirit of Christ, and the Christ is Jesus. 1 Peter 1:11 speaks of the Spirit of Christ as being in the Old Testament prophets.

11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

Can there be any doubt that the Spirit that dwells in us, which we call the Holy Ghost, is Jesus. He said He would come to us. The Bible says it is Christ in us and that Jesus is that Spirit. In II Peter 1:21,22 it says that the Old Testament writers were moved by the Holy Ghost, yet, the Bible says that it was the Spirit of Christ in them. So, we know that the name of the Holy Ghost is Jesus. All the fullness of the Godhead is in Jesus, who is the One God, manifested in three offices. He was the Father in creation, the Son in redemption, and the Holy Ghost in habitation.

Many people have a hard time accepting the Oneness of God because they cannot understand the dual nature of Jesus. They say, “If there are not at least two persons, who was Jesus talking to when he prayed in the garden?” You will hear many similar questions, but they can all be answered by understanding the dual nature of Jesus. Jesus was both man and God in one body. The part of Jesus that was flesh would get hungry, thirsty, and cold, and would have to pray for divine strength. The part that was God was the Bread of Life, the Living Waters, and the One who answers prayers. Was Jesus talking to Himself? No, the flesh was talking to the Spirit, the man to God. Look at the statements of Jesus in the Gospels to prove this to yourself. When Jesus said “I thirst” who was talking? The man. When He said, “Before Abraham was, I am” God was talking.

The hardest thing to conceive is not that God is One, but how He made a physical body to dwell in that was fully man and fully God. God made a man so perfect that He would be able to die for our sins. Because God was the Father of the man, Jesus, Jesus had undefiled blood. We get our blood type from our father, so Jesus’ blood was untouched by the sin of Adam. As a man, His Father was God. Being the Spirit of the Everlasting God, He was the Father.

Without understanding the Oneness of God, it is hard to understand our salvation. We are baptized into the name of the one God, (Jesus) both in water and Spirit. If we did not know that God’s revealed name is Jesus, we wouldn’t understand why, without fail, we obey the command of Acts 2:38. Acts 4:12 says,

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

For an even fuller understanding on the doctrine of the Oneness of God, I recommend that you read Bro. David Bernard’s outstanding book, “The ONENESS of God,” which is available in our bookstore.

After mankind was created in the image of God and given dominion over the earth, Lucifer came to Eve in the form of a serpent and tempted her to disobey God. He used the same deception he has used with many people today, which was to tell her that they could be gods just like God. The disobedience of Adam and Eve brought curses on the earth, upon themselves, and on Satan. But in the same breath as the curse, God gave a promise. It is recorded in Genesis 3:15.

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

God did not leave man without hope. God gave the promise of a child to be born that would crush the head of Satan. That is why the chosen people of God, the Israelites, always looked for a Messiah to come and save them. One man brought sin into the world, and only a man could correct the situation. Romans 5:19 says,

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

II. THE LAW COULD NOT REMIT SINS

God revealed to mankind that He required bloodshed for forgiveness of sin when He clothed Adam and Eve in coats of skins. It was confirmed again in the Law of Moses when God required the blood of lambs, bulls, and goats for the sins of the people. But the blood of animals would never take away our sins. It only put off God’s judgment until Christ came and was crucified for us. Hebrews 10:4, 10 confirms that the Law was not the ultimate answer, but Jesus was.

4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Whereas the blood of the slain animals under the days of the Law only caused sins to be rolled ahead another year, the blood of Jesus brought remission of sins, which means that they are removed. Matthew 26:28 says,

28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

The years had dragged on and on without man having any remission of sins. The old covenant could only bring the knowledge of sin and the futility of trying to be good enough. When it seemed that men would give up all hope, Jesus came on the scene to bring in a new covenant. The promised seed of the woman had come to crush the serpent’s head and restore man’s right to be free from Satan’s rule.

It took the blood of a sinless man to bring remission of sins, and only Jesus was sinless because He was God in the flesh. Let’s read 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

Whereas the priests of the Old Testament had to offer the blood of animals often, it only took once for Jesus to be sacrificed for sins to take care of all sins, whether past, present, or future according to Hebrews 9:22, 26.

22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

When Jesus’ blood was shed on Calvary, it went beyond time and space into God’s eternal throne room to take care of any sin ever committed by any one who would seek God’s salvation with a repentant heart. Because it was as a man that Jesus died and was resurrected, as a man He won the right for all men to have resurrection power available to them. He became our kinsman redeemer. Under Old Testament law, only a near family member could redeem a person or property back into the family’s possession, as in the story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz.

God had planned to become a man and die for humanity before Adam and Eve were ever created. In God’s plan, Jesus was offered as the sacrifice for man’s sin from the very beginning of time. Revelation 13:8 says,

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

God’s redemption plan was part of the foundation of all creation. God made mankind with redemption in His mind. How can we ever understand the love of God that caused Him to make us in His image, knowing that we would sin, requiring Him to become a man, and die for us? We should praise Jesus daily for all He has done for us in buying our salvation.

When men died before Calvary they either went to hell because of disobedience to God, or they went to paradise to wait for the redemption of their soul and body. In both places death was in control. Luke 16:19-31 tells us a story that shows where men went before Calvary.

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

After Jesus died on the cross, the Bible says graves opened and resurrected people walked the streets of Jerusalem. Jesus’ blood met God’s demand for a blood sacrifice to remit sins. Those who were saved in the Old Testament were now free from their sins, and could go on to heaven to be with God. Death and the grave no longer had power over the children of God. The bodies of believers would die, but their souls were free to go to the presence of God in heaven. The eternal torment of hell was no longer the future for those who followed Jesus. They were redeemed. To redeem something means to buy back what belonged to you that became lost. Jesus bought back our freedom from Satan, sin, death, hell, and the grave. 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 gives us a great description of this victory which Jesus won for us.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Thank God for the blood of Jesus that washes away all of our sins, and gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The redemption plan of God has paved the way for us to have eternal life in Heaven, and victory in this present life. We will live with Jesus forever, giving thanks to Him for all He has done for us.

Jesus had a conversation with a man named Nicodemus that is important to listen in on if we are to know how to enter into the kingdom of God. Let’s read a part of this conversation in John 3:3-6.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Jesus plainly told Nicodemus that the only way to enter the kingdom of God is to be born into it. We call it being “born again.” Being born again involves a birth of water and Spirit, which refers to water baptism and being filled with the Holy Ghost. But before a man can be born again, which is a spiritual rebirth, he must first die to his old nature, which is the fleshly nature. That is where repentance comes into action in the new birth process.

Repentance is more than being sorry for sins we commit, it involves a complete turning away from sin. A good lesson in repentance comes to us from Genesis 6:6, 7.

6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

When God repented, He destroyed the thing that caused Him to repent. We also need to destroy the sins in our life that cause us to need to repent. True repentance is the beginning of entering into God’s kingdom. God will not accept a person who has not repented of their sin and rebellion against God, but the person who will repent will always be accepted by God. Ezekiel 18:20-23 tells us how God feels about a repentant sinner.

20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

God will forgive a person who repents of their wickedness and obeys God’s laws because He is not glad about anyone dying lost. God loves mankind in an indescribable way. The only way to escape the death penalty of sin is to repent.

Often repentance is thought of in a negative context, since it involves an act of humility. The positive side, of course, is that through repentance we are able to escape the fires of an eternal hell. Repentance is therefore a gift from God. Romans 2:4 says,

4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Because God is patient with us, He does not rush to judge us, but instead, He bears with us through all the wrong we do while constantly trying to draw us to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 more clearly tells us God’s willingness to forgive us so we do not perish.

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The fact that repentance is God’s gift does not mean that we do not have to do something. God’s Spirit is drawing us to Him, but we must choose to repent of our sins. God will not remove our power of choice and make us repent. He will put us in a situation where we can choose whether or not to repent, but we do the choosing.

On the day of Pentecost a group of Jewish men and women asked Peter what to do to be saved. Peter answered them in Acts 2:38.

38 Then 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.

Peter’s first command was to repent. You can go down in water baptism all you want, but if you have not repented, you are just a wet sinner. God only honors a repentant heart. God gives a promise in Isaiah 57:15 that is worth taking note of.

15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Repentance is the essence of contriteness and humility. God will not abide with us if we lack these attributes. The opposite side of humility is pride, and pride is what caused God to expel Satan from Heaven. Pride is also the only reason we have for not repenting. God will not honor pride because it is sin. James 2:6-10 gives us this warning.

6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

The only way to come into God’s kingdom is through a true sorrow for our past sinfulness. We are to come to God with a desire to be cleansed, and He will draw toward us in forgiveness. After we come in humility God will lift us up. But if we have a proud heart God will resist us. Being resisted by God is not a desirable place to be.

If you have ever studied the furniture in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, you know that the first piece of furniture you came to was the brazen altar. It represented Jesus death on the cross in type and shadow. It also represented our approach to God though repentance. We take part in Jesus death through our repentance. Let me again emphasize that repentance is the first thing we must do to approach God. We then go on to water baptism in Jesus’ name, and receiving the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. These will be covered in the next two lessons.

Jesus gave instruction to His disciples shortly before His death. He let them know what was expected from them and said in Luke 9:23, 24,

23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

If I were trying to get a following, I probably would not tell them what Jesus did. But Jesus did not hold back any punches. To be a Christian involves a lifetime of self-denial, and the giving up our own will, to obey God’s will for us. This sacrifice does not come without a promise of blessing. Jesus said that if we would give up our life, that He would give us eternal life. Jesus set the example for us by coming to earth in such a humble form, and enduring great humiliation for us by dying for us. If God would do this, how can we do less? Jesus said to His disciples in John 13:16,

16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

We certainly are not greater then Jesus, so we must also be humble before God. That is what repentance is about. It has to be in our hearts every day. But we are still dealing with a rebellious nature in our flesh that has to be dealt with every day. Paul talked about this in 1 Corinthians 15:31 when he said,

31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Paul knew that he had to die to his flesh every day if he was going to be saved. The flesh is an enemy that has to die for us to live. Paul went on to talk about a principle of God’s kingdom that we must understand in verses 42-45.

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Our flesh will never enter Heaven because it is sinful and corrupt. It has to die so that our spiritual man can live. Part of this dying process is repentance, the other part is the literal death of our body. Through repentance we have access to God’s Spirit, which is the resurrection power of God in us. Through repentance we put off the fleshly man and put on the spiritual man.

One reason why we must make repentance a lifestyle is because we have to continue on in God’s ways to remain in fellowship with God. We read about the positive side of repentance in Ezekiel 18, but we must also read about the consequences of leaving our repentant state. Verse 24 says,

24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

What a sobering thought. We can lose all that we have gained through repentance by turning back to our sins.

The Bible is full of examples of men who did not repent and were destroyed. There were kings like Saul, Ahab, Menasseh, and others who would not follow God’s laws, and because of their pride, they were killed, and Israel went away from God. Other kings like David, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and men like them, brought revival and the favor of God to the nation. America is in dire need of such men today if we are going to have God’s help and favor.

Because only a humble and contrite person can dwell with God, and only through repentance can we go on to the new birth, it is imperative that we give repentance the proper attention in our lives. We must not put it off, but we need to repent today while we have the opportunity. We do not know if we will have tomorrow, so let’s do what is right today. God will not turn away from a person, or a nation, who will approach Him in repentance.

In referring to the last lesson, we want to remember that Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3-5, that a man had to be born again of water and Spirit in order to enter the kingdom of God. Later on in the book of Acts, Peter preached that men should repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins, and that they would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38).

None of this teaching was foreign to the Jews as they were familiar with the furniture of the Tabernacle, in which the second piece one came to was the brazen laver. This was where the priests were to wash before entering the Holy Place or the Holy of Holies. If they did not wash, God would kill them. Just as the laver was the next place after the brazen altar to stop in order to obey God’s commands, baptism is the next step after repentance.

There is a common teaching in some denominations today that says that water baptism is not an essential part of salvation. We need to see what the Bible has to say concerning this matter, because it is the final word on spiritual truths. Let’s read Mark 16:16.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

This is a very simple verse, and easy to understand. It plainly says that belief and baptism are both required to be saved. We will also look at 1 Peter 3:20, 21 concerning this subject.

20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Peter referred back to the great flood, Noah, and his family, who were the only people of that time who were saved. Peter said that they were saved by water, which seems confusing since the water destroyed the earth and all the life on it. But at the same time the water was destroying the wickedness of the world, it was cleansing planet earth of all the wickedness that had prevailed before the flood, thereby removing God’s judgment.

When Noah and his family walked out of the ark, they entered a new world and a new life. The old world was dead, and the sin was washed away. The same thing happens to us at baptism; we are buried in water and come up out of the water a new creature, with our sins washed away. Because our sins are washed away, we have a clear conscience towards God. God makes it as though we had never sinned. Paul gave an account of his conversion and told what Ananias said to him after praying for Paul to receive his sight. Let’s read Acts 22:16 and hear this conversation.

16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Ananias instructed Paul that baptism was for the cleansing of sin. These verses confirm that baptism is absolutely necessary to salvation.

A covenant is the same as a contract with God. God told Abraham to come out of the idolatry that he was living in and to follow Him to a land of promise. Let’s read Genesis 12:1-3.

1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

This was an everlasting covenant that God made with Abraham and all of Abraham’s descendants. God reconfirmed the promise in Genesis 22:17.

17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

What a wonderful promise to Abraham and his seed to come after him. He and his children had God as their friend and protector. But what about the rest of the people of the earth? Were they all doomed to die lost because they were not natural Jews and had no relationship with God? Notice that God referred to seed in number as the sand and as the stars. Abraham was promised two types of seed; a natural seed and a spiritual seed. Paul referred to the spiritual seed in Galatians 3:27-29.

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

When we are baptized, we are placed into the body of Christ, to whom God was referring when He promised Abraham that in his seed all the world would be blessed. It does not matter what is our nationality, gender, or status in life, because when we are in Christ, we are the spiritual seed of Abraham and heirs to all of the promises that God gave to him. It was God’s covenant with Abraham that brought salvation to mankind.

To show Abraham the seriousness of the covenant between he and God, God gave him a token of the covenant. This token, or sign, was circumcision. We read about this in Genesis 17:1-14.

1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

Notice that even a person who was a slave or servant that was not born a Jew could enter into this covenant with God. The person who was not circumcised was cut off, or lost, if you will.

What about Abraham’s spiritual seed, should they be circumcised? The circumcision given to Abraham was for the natural seed and took place in the flesh. It was also a blood covenant, which is the strongest kind of covenant. The spiritual seed have a spiritual circumcision which is of the heart, which if God is consistent must also be a blood covenant. We read about it in Colossians 2:8-12.

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

These verses show us that spiritual circumcision is baptism. The blood for the covenant comes through the blood of Jesus who died for us. Hebrews 9:22 declares,

22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Since Peter said that baptism in Jesus’ name was for the remission of sins, it must be here where we have His blood applied to our sins, because only blood can remit sins. In fact, what made the covenant of circumcision so powerful was the fact that it was a blood covenant. Likewise, what makes water baptism so powerful is that it is also a blood covenant.

When two parties enter into a blood covenant, what we call being blood brothers, they are both committing all of their possessions to be available for the other person’s use. Each man’s enemies become the enemies of the other man. If one party of the covenant fails to uphold their end, under blood covenant laws they are worthy of death.

When we came to God in repentance, we died to our fleshly nature that was ruling our lives. The only thing to do with a dead man is to bury him. Let’s read Romans 6:4-7 for a clearer look at this matter.

4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

When we are baptized, our old sinful nature is nailed to Jesus’ cross to be destroyed. When we are dead to sin, we are also free from sin. So when we are placed in the waters of baptism, an old, dead man is buried, but a new, resurrected man comes forth out of the water to live forever with God. This is why we expect that people will receive the Holy Ghost when they are baptized because it is the next step following water baptism.

Some might question whether Peter understood Jesus’ command about baptism recorded in Matthew 28:19. It says,

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

We covered this matter at length in Lesson One on the Oneness of the Godhead. We discovered that there is only one name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, which is the name of Jesus.

Luke records the same command in Luke 24:46-49 which sheds more light on why Peter preached baptism in Jesus’ name.

46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

49 And, 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.

It appears that Peter did exactly what Jesus said. He began by calling for repentance. Next, Peter commanded that all men should be baptized in Jesus’ name for the remission of sins. Then, he told them about the promise of the Father, which is the gift of the Holy Ghost, that 120 people had just received in the city of Jerusalem, as Jesus had said would happen.

From that day forward the only record we have of people being baptized is in the name of Jesus. Let’s read Acts 8:16.

16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

In all three Scriptures people were baptized in Jesus’ name. It is the only proper way to be baptized according to the Bible. Jesus’ name is so important to the fulfillment of our salvation that Acts 4:12 records,

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The name spoken of is Jesus. Why is Jesus’ name so important to the new birth experience? Because the name reveals who God is; Jesus! John says this about His name in John 1:12.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

When we are baptized in the name of Jesus, it is an act of believing on His name. In other words, our faith is resting on the fact that His name will cause our sins to be remitted. His name literally means “Jehovah has become our salvation.”

When we pray for the sick we pray in Jesus’ name. If we cast out demons, we also pray in His name. It is an act of faith. The same is true with water baptism; it is an act of faith in the power of the name of Jesus.

Romans 6:5, speaking of baptism, said that we were planted in the likeness of His death. Jesus is the only one who has died for us, so it has to be His name we are baptized into. Baptism in any other name would be to be planted in the likeness of someone else’s death. Only Jesus name can save.

There has been great controversy over whether to baptize in Jesus’ name or in the titles of Father, son, and Holy Ghost, But the Biblical and historical record both confirm that Jesus is the only name the Apostles baptized in.

The name of Jesus has all the authority of God wrapped up in it. When we speak His name, it causes hell to tremble because of the power in Jesus’ name. Cherish that name, for it is the source of our salvation. Praise the name of Jesus!

As we come to the final step of the new birth we need to refer one more time to John 3:5 to read what Jesus told Nicodemus concerning entering into the kingdom of God.

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

We have already learned that the first step in the new birth is repentance, or the death of the old man. The second step is to bury the dead man in the waters of baptism in Jesus’ name for the washing away of all sins. The baptismal water is where the blood of Jesus is applied to our old nature, and it is the blood that cleanses us. The last step is receiving the life giving flow of God’s Spirit.

Often things in the spiritual realm mirror the natural realm. Such is the case with the new birth experience. In the natural birth we find water and blood are two elements that are present in the process of bringing a new baby into the world, and we find that water and blood are a major part of the spiritual birth also. You may have heard of a baby who was stillborn. The spirit of life was not in that baby so it was dead at delivery. We need to see the Spirit of life in the new birth process also if we are to have a live birth. And even as every natural new born baby cries as it is being born, so does the spiritual new born cry out as the person speaks in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. We will cover this more later on in the lesson.

Many denominations deny the reality of the baptism of the Holy Ghost for people today as it happened in the book of Acts. Others feel that the gift of the Holy Ghost is real, but it is an extra blessing which is not required for salvation. Once again, we will read what the Bible has to say about the subject. We have already read where Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born of the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God, and let’s also read Romans 8:1-9.

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

When the Bible says that a man is none of Christ’s, it means that person is lost. This is a definite declaration of the requirement of the Spirit of God dwelling in us. This passage shows us that it is the Spirit of God in us that gives us life and sets us free from the law of sin, which is death. It also lets us know that it is necessary to continue walking in the Spirit and not after the flesh. Paul also went on to say in verses 14-16,

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

The only way to be lead of the Spirit is to have Him dwelling in you giving you spiritual direction. When we are filled with God’s Spirit, we have the assurance that we are the children of God, because His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that God has adopted us into His family.

The prophet Joel is often quoted and is one of the strongest promises from God that He would baptize us with His Spirit. It is found in Joel 2:28, 29.

28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

The promise was to all flesh, which means it is to every man, woman, and child alive today. Another prophet named John the Baptist promised Holy Ghost baptism in John 1:32-34.

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

John had been told by God that there was someone coming who would baptize men with the Holy Ghost, and that man was Jesus, the Son of God.

38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Believers did not receive the Holy Ghost until the day of Pentecost, after Jesus had been glorified. Take note that believers have to believe the way the Scriptures say to believe. Many have felt that when a person believes in Jesus Christ as personal Savior, that they automatically receive the Holy Ghost. Believing the way the Bible says means more than a mental ascent that Jesus is Savior. It means following after Him, and obeying all of His commands. This fact is born out in Acts 8:14-17.

14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

These are obvious believers who had not yet received the Holy Ghost, but God was faithful to fulfill the promise of Acts 2:38 because they had repented and been baptized in Jesus’ name.

In Acts 1:4, 5 Jesus gave the last promise to His followers of the gift of His Spirit just before He ascended to Heaven.

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.