Sub-Topic: The Basic Doctrines of Jesus Christ Bequeathed to His Church.
John 14:26; 1 John 2:27.
Having taught the third Bible doctrine, we are going to begin teaching the fourth and fifth doctrines as outlined below:
The Fourth Doctrine: God’s Call to Holiness.
1 Peter 1:15–16; 2:9; 2 Peter 3:11–14; Hebrews 12:14–15.
Our God is holy, and whoever would walk with Him must, therefore, be holy as He is. This is His demand, and it has remained uncompromised throughout the ages of mankind’s existence and interactions with Him.
(For an in-depth study of this doctrine click the link below:
https://joeachi.cw.center/a-peaceful-and-pure-heart-the-proof-of-a-holy-life/).
Although the word ‘holy’ is first mentioned in the Holy Bible in Exodus 3:5, it has, nevertheless, been expressed throughout the Holy Scriptures using other words, such as JUST in Genesis 6:9, where Noah was adjudged to be a just man before God. Another word is PERFECT, as in Genesis 17:1, where God demanded Abraham to walk perfectly before Him.
Other words that denote holiness are BLAMELESS in 2 Peter 3:14; FAULTLESS in Jude 1:24; PURITY in 1 Timothy 4:12; 5:2, and so on.
What, though, does it mean to be holy?
The word ‘holy’ is an adjective, which means that it is used to describe the state or nature of a person (noun) with whom it is associated.
God’s Word says to us, His people, in 1 Peter 1:15–16:
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
Because holiness is a state of being, it, therefore, means that there is a process to attaining it. In this study, we have outlined three ancillary doctrines that help the Christian attain this ‘holy’ state of being.
They are as follows:
1.The Doctrine of Restitution
God’s Word teaches about restitution in Leviticus 6:1–5, thus:
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbor in that which was delivered him to keep or in fellowship, or a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbor, Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.”
From the above Scripture, to make restitution means to restore (or return) to its rightful owner whatever a person has stolen from them or taken without their consent.
After salvation, a Christian must demonstrate their willingness to live right by first of all restoring to their rightful owners (or to the appropriate authorities) all things they have acquired wrongfully.
This is necessary so that:
A. They can thereby bear fruits that show they have truly repented.
Matthew 3:8: “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:”
B. They can have a conscience free of guilt before God and mankind.
Acts 24:16:
“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.”
C. They can have a good report in the sight of all people, even before those whom they have previously wronged.
1 Timothy 3:7 and 3 John 1:12, which says:
“Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record, and ye know that our record is true.”
2.The Doctrine of Sanctification
To sanctify means to set something or someone apart as sacred for God’s use.
Anyone whose desire is to be holy must set themselves apart (or sanctify themselves) from the sins of the world and all satanic influences.
See 1 Peter 2:11:
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul”.
See also John 17:16–19; 2 Corinthians 7:1.
3.The Doctrine of Righteous Works
Good works are commended by God to be practised by those who must walk with Him because they are the outward demonstration of the work of grace that was done in their spirit when they became saved.
Ephesians 2:8–10 says:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
See also the following Scriptures:
Matthew 5:16; Acts 9:36; 2 Timothy 3:17; Titus 2:7; 3:8, 14.
“Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 1 Peter 2:12.
The three doctrines above are the harbingers of a holy life because they all involve actions taken through grace and with the help of the Holy Spirit to facilitate or foster a good working relationship with God and mankind.
Those who want to be holy without doing the above must remember the Word of God in James 2:20, 26, which says:
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
The Fifth Doctrine: The Ministry of the Holy Ghost.
John 14:15–17, 25–26; 15:26–27; 16:12–14; Acts 4:31; 10:36–38.
In John 14:15–17, Jesus Christ, our Lord, promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to all who love Him and live by His Word. He promised that the Holy Spirit, when He is given to the believer, will remain with them and live in them forever. However, we must also remember that the condition for obtaining the promise of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15–17) is also the same condition that enables us to enjoy His continued presence in our lives.
(For an in-depth study of this doctrine click the link below:
https://joeachi.cw.center/the-place-of-the-holy-spirit-in-the-believer/)
What, though, should we expect the Holy Spirit to do in our lives as soon as we receive Him from God, as Jesus Christ promised? John 14:25–26 reveals to us that the Holy Spirit will remind us of the teachings and instructions of Jesus Christ to His followers and also teach us the truths we need to know about God’s will so that we may live and walk according to it.
See also John 16:12–13:
“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”
According to John 15:26–27, the essence of His (the Holy Spirit’s) revealing the will of God to us and reminding us of the teachings of Jesus Christ is to enable us to bear witness to the world about Jesus Christ and His saving grace, so that they might repent and have eternal life through Him.
The continued presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer depends on their willingness to continue living according to this revealed will of God. If, at any time, we stop living according to the will of God, the Holy Spirit will depart from us unless we genuinely repent and live according to the will of God once again.
To live according to the will of God entails doing all that Jesus Christ did while He lived and walked among mankind on earth. This cannot be possible without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives because it was also by His anointing and power that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, did the works which God commanded Him to do on earth for the salvation of mankind.
The book of Acts 10:36–38 bears this record, thus:
“The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”
This same Holy Spirit of God is the source of the power and boldness of the believer in whose life He dwells consistently. His presence in their lives enables them to do the work of God efficiently and effectively.
Acts 4:31:
“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”
In teaching about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian believer, we must also, of necessity, teach the ancillary doctrines associated with Him, which are as follows:
- Holy Ghost Baptism
- Fruit of the Holy Spirit
- Spiritual Gifts by the Holy Spirit
1.HOLY GHOST BAPTISM
” I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Matthew 3:11–12.
After repentance, it is necessary for a Christian to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. This is necessary because, without this second baptism, the will of God cannot be fully manifested in their lives. This will of God is clearly revealed in Ezekiel 36:25–27, which says:
“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”
Living according to the will of God cannot be possible without the enabling power of His Holy Spirit in us. That is the primary reason why a believer needs the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In fact, this experience is so important that, without it, our identity with Jesus Christ would be in absolute doubt. See the following Scriptures: Romans 8:9; Ephesians 4:30.
“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.” Romans 8:9.
How can we, then, receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
It is by choice. Even though God has promised to give Him to us, if we are unwilling to accept Him into our lives, God will not send Him to us.
On the other hand, even if we are willing to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, if we do not meet God’s requirements for this baptism, He will not give us the Holy Ghost either.
The first condition is to repent of our sins, be baptized with water, and have absolute faith in God through Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38–39; Luke 3:7–14.
The second condition is to live a life of love and obedience to Jesus Christ. See Acts 5:32, which says:
“And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”
John 14:15–17 also says the same thing, as follows:
I
“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 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.”
The question has earlier been asked: How Can We Receive the Holy Ghost Baptism?
The answer is simple: by asking the Baptizer (Jesus Christ), in simple, childlike faith, to baptize us with the Holy Ghost, provided that we, on our part, have met the basic conditions God demands for this baptism, which are outlined in Ezekiel 36:25–27, as follows:
- Salvation: Verse 25.
- Sanctification: Verse 26.
- A consistent thirst and hunger to walk with God and to see His will fulfilled in our lives and the world at large: Verse 27.
When a person’s life consistently meets and reflects the above criteria, they are ready for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Let them ask the Baptizer Himself for it, because in Luke 11:13, He said:
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
God is willing to give us the Holy Spirit! This should inspire us to ask in faith and trust Him to fulfil His promise.
“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (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.)”
John 7:38–39.
Since the baptism of the Holy Spirit is God’s promise to the believer, we, as true believers, need not worry about whether He will keep His promise. Rather, we should be concerned about whether or not we can meet the conditions outlined above.
How can we know if we have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
The truth is that neither the baptised Christian nor those who know them can fail to notice the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. It is impossible to! It is like saying that you cannot tell whether the sun is shining at midday, even when it is obvious that you are standing right under it!
The truth is that if you are in doubt as to whether or not you have been baptised in the Holy Ghost, then it is most likely that you have not been baptised, unless you have been wrongly indoctrinated on this subject. The signs of His presence in the true believer are so obvious that they CANNOT be mistaken for anything else.
1 Samuel 10:6 says:
“And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, AND THOU SHALT BE TURNED INTO ANOTHER MAN.”
It is not possible to be transformed and not know it.
There are two immediate gifts of the Spirit that those who are baptised in the Holy Spirit usually manifest: speaking in tongues and prophecy. However, even these gifts are not the most authentic evidence of being baptised in the Holy Ghost because, as gifts, they can still be present in the lives of some backslidden or lukewarm Christians long after they have lost the very presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, said:
“Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
“And in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
So, while speaking in tongues and prophesying can be noticeable evidence of being baptised in the Holy Ghost, the most authentic and unequivocal evidence of being baptised in the Holy Ghost is the ninefold fruit of the Spirit, because these CANNOT be manifested in a person’s character UNLESS the Holy Spirit is ACTIVELY living INSIDE them. These nine aspects of the fruit are revealed in Galatians 5:22–23:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance…”
Having said the foregoing, however, I must also stress the point that it is not every Christian that can manifest the gift of speaking in tongues or prophecy upon receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost, because the Holy Scriptures say so in 1 Corinthians 12:29–30:
“Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?”
We must understand that when the baptism of the Holy Spirit is administered by Jesus Christ in the life of a true believer, He comes complete with all His attributes into their lives, which are: His gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7–11), His calling (Ephesians 4:11–12), and His fruit (Galatians 5:22–23).
However, while some of these attributes of the Holy Spirit are easily noticeable because they are loud, others, though present in the believer, are manifested over time because they cannot be heard but are noticed only in active service.
For instance, the gift of teaching is noticeable only when a person possessing it teaches. The same applies to the gifts of healing, the working of miracles, apostleship, and so on. The same also applies to the fruit of the Holy Spirit: it cannot be heard but is seen in the life of the baptised believer.
The disparity between these attributes of the Holy Spirit has led some Bible scholars and/or teachers to assume that the only evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost is speaking in tongues and prophesying, as is evident in the following quoted Scriptures:
- Acts 19:6:
“And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they SPAKE WITH TONGUES, and PROPHESIED.” - Acts 10:44, 46:
“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. For they heard them SPEAK WITH TONGUES, and MAGNIFY GOD (possibly prophesying)…”
However, speaking in tongues and prophesying are just two of the many signs that show that a person has been baptised in the Holy Ghost. But, as has already been pointed out, the most authentic and enduring signs of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in a Christian are not the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit, but the nine aspects of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
A believer who has asked the Lord to baptise them with the Holy Ghost must look out for the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in their life because these manifestations ought to be evident unless, of course, they have not met the conditions for the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”
2 Timothy 1:6.
However, if they are sure that these signs are manifesting in their lives, they should deploy the gifts within them by working for God’s Kingdom whenever and wherever duty beckons.
“And let it be when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.” 1 Samuel 10:7.
TO BE CONTINUED.