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The Doctrine of Authority
The Bible is the final authority, its the Word of God and is inspired by him, and reveals what God is like, his love for mankind, and his plan of Salvation, and what is to come and how to live our Christian life. Here is a few items to consider about the Bible:
This book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its doctrines are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are unchangeable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, comfort to cheer you. It is the traveller's map, the pilgrims staff, the pilots compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of Hell disclosed, CHRIST IS ITS SUBJECT, its design is our good, the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the soul, guide the Spirit. Read it slowly, prayerfully, and often. It will show you the meaning of life, will be opened in judgement, and be remembered forever. It involves a high responsibility, will reward the believer, and condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.
The Doctrine of God
There is one true God, (Deuteronomy 6:4) who revealed himself to Israel as I AM, there is however three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. This doctrine is called the Trinity. Christians sometimes are accused by others of worshipping three gods, but lets look at what the bible teaches, it states that there is one God who has revealed himself in three persons, and these three persons are the one God. The Scriptures say there is one God, in the Old Testament (Hear, O Israel, The Lord is our God, the Lord is One.) (Deuteronomy 6:4) and (This is what the Lord says--Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty, I am the first and I am the last, apart from me there is no God) (Isaiah 44:6) and the New Testament says (For there is One God) (1 Timothy 2:5) even though God is one in being or nature he is also three persons (Let us make man in our image (Genesis 1:26) and (the Lord God said The man has now become like one of us) (Genesis 3:22) God is speaking of himself in the plural, meaning more than one, he could not be speaking to angels, because angels did not help God to create, and they could not create either, the bible teaches that Jesus Christ and not the angels created all things (John 1:3 Colossians 1:16 Hebrews 1:2) the bible also teaches that the three persons of the Godhead are mentioned as God, the Father is named as God in (Galatians 1:1) Jesus the Son, is named as God,( the Word was God ) (John 1:1) and Jesus also was calling God his own Father making Himself equal with God, (John 5:18) the Holy Spirit is named God also, (Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit you have not lied to men but to God) (Acts 5:3&4).
So the facts of the bible teaching are that there is One God, this God has a plural personality, this One God is called the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit all distinct personalities we must come to the conclusion that the one true God consists of three persons therefore we have the doctrine of the Trinity. Although this is difficult to understand, it is what the bible teaches and is the closest that we can come to explaining the infinite God, with our finite mind the mystery of God's being, the good news though is we can know God in a personal way through Jesus Christ.
The Person of Christ
Who was Jesus? Let us look at the facts of who Jesus really was: Jesus was God in human flesh, He was supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, he was fully God and fully man.
Jesus was human
He grew up physically and intellectually. (Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men) (Luke 2:52) He desired food, got tired, slept, wept, died, he possessed all the attributes of humanity. while the bible makes it clear He was human, it also makes it clear that He was God.
Jesus was God
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.( John 1:1) Jesus said to him, he who has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14:9) Jesus said to them, Truly truly, I say to you ,before Abraham was born I Am (John 8:58) ...while we wait for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. ( Titus 2:13) I and the Father are One (John 10:30)
Some of the works attributed to Jesus as well as to God are: Christ created all things ( John 1:3 Colossians 1:16 Hebrews 1:10) Christ upholds all things (Colossians 1:17) Christ forgives Sin (Mark 2:5-12 Luke 24:47) Christ bestows Eternal Life (1 John 5:11) Christ Will raise the dead at the Resurrection (John 5:21&11:25)Christ will be the Judge of all men (John 5:22&27, 2 Corinthians 5:10) Christ exercised authority over nature (Mark 4:39-41) Christ knew the thoughts of people (Luke 6:8)
Christ possesses the metaphysical attributes of God
1. Self Existence
Christ is not dependent on anyone or anything for his existence, in fact all life is dependent on him (I AM the life,) (John 14:6) He does not say I have but I AM, Moses asked God concerning the Israelites who shall I say that sent me, God answered tell them I AM sent you. (Exodus 3:14) This statement by Jesus is saying that He is God and therefore self existent.
2. Eternal
When used of created things Eternal means without end-when used to say that God is Eternal it means without beginning or end its a state of being outside time, e.g.. eternity in Heaven is not in a time zone, its a state of existence without time. Christ is Eternal, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) (The life appeared we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and appeared to us. (1 John 1:2)
3.All Knowing (Omniscient)
This means having all knowledge the disciples said of Christ (Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions, this makes us believe that you came from God) ( John 16:30) ( In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and Knowledge) (Colossians 2:3) and (John 4:16-19)
4.All Powerful (Omnipotent)
This means God can do everything nothing is Impossible for him, (Jesus looked at them and said, with man this is impossible but not with God, all things are possible with God.) (Mark 10:27) Christ is called the Almighty( I Am the Alpha and Omega, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty) (Revelation 1:8) (Isaiah 41:4)
5. Present everywhere (Omnipresent)
This means God is everywhere, there is no place where He is not present. It doesn't mean that God is everything or in everything, God is separate from his creation. But it does mean He is everywhere. Christ applied this to Himself (For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:20) ( And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age) ( Matthew 28:20)
Christ possessed the moral attributes of God
1. Holy
This means that God is pure, He cannot sin, He is unspoiled by evil or sin by act or nature. Christ also possessed this attribute (The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God) (Luke 1:35)
2.Truth
Truth is the quality of having no fault with words or actions, no deceit or lies in your character. God is Truth, Christ also applied this to himself. he claimed to be the Truth. (I am the way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, but through me.) (John 14:6) ( And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is Holy, and True, who has the key of David, what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open) (Revelation 3:7)
3. Love
This means that love unconditional, is an attribute of God. (Whoever does not love, does not know God, because God is love) (1 John 4:8) (For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him, shall not perish, but have eternal life) (John 3:16) Christ practiced this also, (A new command I give you, Love one another, as I have loved you so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another,) (John 13:34&35)
4. Righteous
God is a righteous or just God. Righteousness means a standard, God's standard of love, justice, holiness, is what he expects of us. God can only accept righteous people before him, He alone is perfectly righteous, no one can match that, that's why we need Christ's righteousness because only his righteousness is accepted before God, that righteousness is imputed to us when we believe in Christ, Christ's death being a substitute for ours. (For if by the trespass of one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ) (Romans 5:17) (My little children, I write this to you so that you will not sin, but if anyone does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence Jesus Christ the righteous one.) (1 John 2:1)
Jesus received worship as God
God is worshipped in the psalms (Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our maker) (Psalm 95:6) Jesus also was worshipped, (Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews, we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him) (Matthew 2:2) (Then the man said Lord I believe, and he worshipped him) (John 9:38) (Suddenly Jesus met them, greetings he said, they came to him, clasped his feet, and worshipped him) (Matthew 28:9)
Jesus is God
There is one God (1 Corinthians 8:6)
God is Creator (Genesis 1:1)( Job 33:4) (Isaiah 40:28)
Jesus is Creator (John 1:1-3) (Colossians 1:16&17) (Hebrews 1:10-12)
God is First and Last (Isaiah 41:4, 44:6 48:12)
Jesus is First and Last (Revelation 1:17, 2:8, 22:13)
God is I AM (Exodus 3:14) (Isaiah 43:10)
Jesus is I AM (John 8:24, 13:19, 14:6)
God is Judge (Genesis 18:25) (Psalm 96:13)
Jesus is Judge (2 Timothy 4:1) (2 Corinthians 5:10)
God is King (Isaiah 44:6) (Jeremiah 10:10)
Jesus is King (Matthew 2:2) (John 19:21)
God is Light (Psalm 27:1) (Isaiah 60:20)
Jesus is Light (John 1:9, 8:12)
God is Saviour (Psalm 106:21) (Isaiah 43:11)
Jesus is Saviour (John 4:42) (Acts 4:12) (1 John 4:14)
God is Shepherd (Psalm 23:1, 100:3)
Jesus is Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20) (1Peter 5:4)
The teaching as you can see from reading the Scriptures regarding the Person of Christ is very clear that He was fully God and fully man, any other teaching denying this is heresy, and not true Christian teaching, this is a fundamental doctrine regarding the deity and person of Christ.
The Atonement
The Death of Christ was a perfect satisfaction to God as a just and substitute punishment for the sins of the world. Therefore as in Adam we had fallen under sin, the curse and death, so we are delivered from sin the curse and death in Jesus Christ. His voluntary suffering and death on the cross for us, being of immense value as the death of one sinless, God and man in one person is a perfect satisfaction to the justice of God, which had condemned us for sin to death, to give us sinners pardon of our sins, and grace to have victory over sin and death.
The resurrection
The doctrine of the bodily resurrection, is so central to Christianity that Paul said if it did not happen then all of our preaching and faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14) The resurrection set Jesus apart from anyone else that ever lived and it would designate him the Son of God. (Romans 1:4) After his crucifixion Jesus appeared to many who were eyewitnesses that he came back to life (Acts 1:3) Writing in his letter to the Corinthians Paul mentions that more than five hundred people had witnessed the resurrected Christ at one time, and most of them were still living when he wrote (1 Corinthians 15:6) This is Paul stating that there is ample proof that Jesus was raised from the dead.
The Deity of the Holy Spirit
Central to the Christian teaching is that the Holy Spirit is God, the third person of the Trinity. The teaching that the Holy Spirit is a person is plainly taught in the bible, He can be Grieved (Ephesians 4:30), Resisted (Acts 7:51) Lied to (Acts 5:3) can also Speak (Acts 21:11) and Teach (Luke 12:12) The Holy Spirit is also spoken of as divine. He is All Powerful (Luke 1:35-37) Also Eternal (Hebrews 9:14) and All Knowing (1 Corinthians 2:10&11) Also if you Lie to the Holy Spirit your lying to God (Acts 5:3&4) The Holy Spirit is also involved in divine works in Creation (Genesis 1:2) (Job 33:4) the New Birth ( John 3:5) the Resurrection of Christ (Romans 8:11) and the Inspiration of the bible (2 Peter 1:20&21) Thus we must conclude that the Holy Spirit is God, and the third person of the Trinity.
The Doctrine of Man
The Doctrine of Man is stated in the first book of the bible God created man in his own image he created him in knowledge, righteousness and holiness with dominion over the creatures, God created the Heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1) and man in his own image (Genesis 1:26) and when He created everything, everything was good. (Genesis 1:31) Man and Woman were placed in perfect environment with all their needs taken care of. They were given only one prohibition they were not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, if so they would die. (Genesis 2:17) But man did eat of the tree, and the result was a fall in different areas. The relationship between God and man was now broken, ( Genesis 3:8) The relationship between man and his fellow man (woman) was severed with both Adam and Eve arguing and trying to put the blame on someone else. (Genesis 3:12&13) and the relationship between man and nature was severed with the ground producing thorns and thistles, and the livestock cursed with man having to work the ground to eat for a living, man's spirit died, but God had a plan which He spoke to Adam, (I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers, he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. (Genesis 3:15) This is the first promise of God of a saviour which springs salvation for all mankind.
The Doctrine of Salvation
The doctrine of salvation is linked with the atoning death of Christ on the cross. Christ's death was satisfactory to God as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, salvation is by grace a free gift of God to all those who believe in Christ. Those who receive Christ by faith have their sins forgiven and become children of God a new creation in Christ Jesus. (For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.) (Ephesians 2:8&9) ( He saved us not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth, and renewal by the Holy Spirit.) (Titus 3:5) (Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name , he gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision, or a husband's will, but born of God) (John 1:12&13) (In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace) (Ephesians 1:7) (Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come) (2 Corinthians 5:17) Since salvation is a free gift from God, no one can add anything to the completed work of Christ to receive it. It is received by faith, and faith alone.
The Doctrine of the Church
The True Church is made up of all those people who have put their trust in Jesus Christ as their saviour. Going to a particular building or place of worship or attending a church service does not make one a member of the true Church. Only the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the repentant sinner qualifies one for membership in the true Church. The Church is the people who have received Christ by faith and have a personal relationship with him. When they receive Christ they are a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people, and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.) (Ephesians 2:19-22) Jesus promised he is coming again for to collect his people, the Church. (For the Lord himself will come down from Heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that we who are still alive and are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words) ( 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)