Mark 12:29

 

 There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). He is the Creator of heaven and earth and of all living beings. He has revealed Himself to humanity as the Father (Creator), as the Son (Savior) and as the Holy Ghost (indwelling Spirit).

 

 God is a Spirit (John 4:24). He is the Eternal One, the Creator of all things. He is the First and the Last and beside Him there is no God (Isaiah 44:6). He is Emmanuel, meaning God with us (Matthew 16:16). God was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-14); He was manifested in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16); He is Jesus, the Son of God according to the flesh (Romans 1:3) and the very God Himself according to the Spirit (Matthew 1:23). He is Almighty (Revelation 1:8). The scriptures tell us in Isaiah 9:6, 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, Counselor the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

 Jesus testified of His identity as God when He said, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father (John 14:7-11) and I and my Father are one (John 10:30).

 It took the shedding of blood for the remission of the sins of the world (Hebrews 9:22). God as a Spirit had no blood to shed, thus He prepared a body of flesh and blood (Hebrews 10:5) and came to earth as a man in order to save us, for in Isaiah 43:11, He said, Beside me there in no Savior.

 

 The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God and the resurrected Christ. The Holy Ghost comes to dwell in the hearts and lives of everyone who believes and obeys the gospel. Gods Spirit is the Comforter, Sustainer, and Keeper. (John 14:16-26; Romans 8:9-11)

 

 Salvation consists of deliverance from all sin and unrighteousness through the blood of Jesus Christ. The New Testament experience of salvation consists of 1. faith in Jesus Christ and believing that His sacrificial death is the only remedy for sin (John 3:16, John 6:47, Heb.9:13-14, 1 Pet. 1:18-19)2. repentance [turning away from] of sin (Luke 13:3, Act 3:19) 3. water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remissionof sins (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5), and 4. the baptism of the Holy Ghost (John 3:5-6, Acts 2:4, 38; 10:44-46), after which the Christian is to live a godly life (John 14:12; Acts 26:20, Titus 2:11-12).

 

 Water baptism is to be administered only by immersion. Paul said, We are buried with Him [Jesus Christ] by baptism (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12), Jesus came up out of the water (Mark 1:10), and Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and came up out of the water (Acts 8:38-39)

 Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection are applied to our lives when we experience New Testament salvation; Repent [death to sin], and be baptized [burial] 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 [resurrection]. (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-7; 8:2)

 The name in which baptism is administered is vitally important, and this name is Jesus. The apostles understood that Jesus was the name to use at baptism, and from the day the church of God was established until the end of their ministry, they baptized all nations (Jews, Acts 2:38-41; Samaritans, Acts 8:16; Gentiles, Acts 10:8; 19:5) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the birth of the Spirit (John 3:5). The Holy Ghost was first given on the Day Pentecost to the Jews (Acts 2:1-4), and later upon the Gentiles (Acts 10:44-46; 19:6). The promise on the Day of Pentecost was that the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call (Acts 2:39). The sign of receiving the Holy Ghost is speaking in tongues. This means speaking miraculously in a language unknown to the one speaking. It happens as Gods Spirit gives the utterance.

 

 After we are forgiven of sin, Jesus' expectation is that we, Go, and sin no more (John 8:11). We are commanded to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world (Titus 2:12) and warned that without holiness no one shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

 We must present ourselves as holy unto God (Romans 12:1), cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1), and separate ourselves from all worldliness (James 4:4). No one can live a holy life by his or her own power but only through the Holy Spirit. Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you (Acts 1:8). Because we are human and do err, we have the promise that we will receive forgiveness of sins if we will confess them (1 John 1:9).

 

Jesus Christ will return to the earth to catch the church away (I Thessalonians 4:16, 17) which will reign with Him for eternity. The sins of those who reject Jesus as Savior will damn themselves to eternal separation from God. (Mark 16:16, John 3:5).