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MAN WAS CREATED with a righteous nature, for Genesis 1:27 tells us, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” However, though Adam and Eve possessed a pure bias or inclination to do right, there existed in them the potential to do otherwise. Their free will and rational capacities made it possible for them to choose wrongly, and when faced with the temptation described in Genesis 3, they chose to yield.
The third chapter of Genesis depicts the separation of humankind from God, as the beauty of the creation account related in the first two chapters of Genesis was marred by disobedience, guilt, punishment, and eventually, death.
The original sin was an act of free will in which the man and woman that God had created in His own image deliberately, responsibly, and with adequate understanding of the consequences, chose to disobey the single restraint God had placed upon them. God’s commandment that they were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil constituted no deprivation, but it did represent man’s subordination to God’s authority. Their act of defiance and self-will corrupted the holy character with which God originally had endowed them.
It is important to note that the woman was tempted from the outside, by the devil’s insinuation, rather than from any evil inclination or moral defect. Satan preyed upon her natural, God-given desires (physical hunger, the appeal of beauty, a desire for knowledge). By sowing doubt as to the truth of God’s word and maligning His character and motives, Satan enticed the woman to disobey God and to encourage her husband to do likewise.
As a result of their disobedience in the Garden, Adam and Eve lost their state of innocence and holiness, and were separated from God. Their choice, which plunged all their descendants into a depraved condition, is referred to as the Fall of Man.
There were immediate consequences as a result of the Fall. The relationship that Adam and Eve had previously experienced with God was severed. Their nature was changed from one of righteousness to one of corruption. God had ordained that “in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17), so from that point forward, man would experience spiritual death and physical death. Ultimately, barring intervention by some redemptive force, both of these deaths would become eternal in nature.
As punishment, God declared that the serpent would be cursed; the woman would know sorrow in childbearing, and would be in subjection to and dependent upon her husband; the ground would be cursed; all of nature would suffer; man would be required to toil in sorrow to make a living; and Adam and Eve would be banished from the Garden.1
One of the clear lessons in the first chapter of Genesis is that like produces like. Repeatedly the Bible states that each living plant and creature reproduced after its kind. That also became true of fallen man. Genesis 5:3 says, “And Adam . . . begat a son in his own likeness, after his image.” The children born into this world of Adam were in his image, not God’s image. Because of the Fall, Adam’s original sin was transmitted to the whole human race, so every person born into the world has an unholy inclination and moral basis.2 John 3:6 states, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” The Bible makes it very clear that, as a result of being born with a sinful nature, every individual also eventually chooses sin.
1 See Genesis 3:14-19, 24.
2 See Romans 5:12-21; 6:23; and 1 Corinthians 15:21-22.
THE WORD SIN is a religious term that indicates both willful, defiant acts that transgress divine law, and the underlying condition of opposition to divine law from which those sinful acts spring. (The “law” in this usage is the divine principle of basic right and wrong, not “the Law” as the Old Testament ceremonial and sacrificial system.) Sin separates man from God, and is the root of all opposition to and conflict with Him.
Sin is universal. The Bible is clear that every person born into this world is a sinner by birth (Psalm 51:5) and by choice (Romans 3:23).
The first usage in Scripture of the word sin is found in Genesis 4:7. In the original Hebrew, the word translated as sin meant “an offence.” A number of other words are also translated sin in the Scriptures. For example, the Greek word harmartia means “to miss the mark,” and implies an inward condition of sin out of which acts of sin originate.1 Asebeia, also translated ungodliness (see Romans 1:18), denotes a refusal to worship God as God. Parabisis has the meaning of “going aside,” and refers to a definite breach or transgression of God’s law.2 Other words translated sin express the condition of being unpersuadable, a refusal to hear, lawlessness, and unbelief.
The topic of sin is mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible, starting with the original sin when Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. In that first act of rebellion against God, Adam and Eve deliberately chose to do wrong. As a result, the pure nature with which they had been created was corrupted, and their sinful nature was transmitted to all of their descendants. Thus, sin is both a state of being, and an act of transgressing. Because of the sinful nature inherited from Adam, the entire human race is instinctively inclined toward evil from the moment of birth.3 As individuals grow and begin making conscious choices regarding their behavior, each one eventually chooses to do wrong and commits acts of sin.
The Word of God describes sin as the “transgression” of God’s law (1 John 3:4), and in 1 John 5:17, we read, “All unrighteousness is sin.” Many specific evils are identified in the New Testament as sinful. Some of these include: adultery, fornication, murder (Mark 7:21); thievery, greed, deceit, lust, envy, blasphemy, pride (Mark 7:22); homosexuality (Romans 1:26-27); malice, malignity (Romans 1:29); backbiting, spite, pride, lying, disobedience (Romans 1:30); lack of mercy (Romans 1:31); vengeance (Romans 12:17); immorality, impurity, indecency, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, hostility, heresy (Galatians 5:19-20); unbelief (Hebrews 3:12); hypocrisy (1 Peter 2:1); and rebellion (2 Peter 2:10).4
It is important to recognize that there is a difference between acts of sin, and actions that are the result of human behavior or infirmity, rather than moral failure. To commit an act of sin, there must be both knowledge of the law of God and a willful and defiant breaking of that law; such actions spring from the carnal nature. However, there may be other actions that spring from human frailties or limitations that are not themselves sinful. The physical, emotional, and mental capacities of man were affected by the fall, and at times strain, exhaustion, disease, or mistakes in judgment can result in offenses, or other manifestations of human weakness. Age-related infirmity or dementia can also distort judgment and result in actions for which the individual is not responsible.
The Bible also makes a distinction between sin and temptation.5 Temptation itself is not sin; yielding to temptation is sin. God does not forsake His own because they are tempted. Rather, He gives the grace and strength to stand fast in times of temptation.
Scripture teaches that it is possible for individuals to live lives free from sin, stating unequivocally that “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin” (1 John 3:9; see also verses 4-10). Zacharias, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, spoke of God’s promise “that we . . . might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life" (Luke 1:74-75). Jesus told the woman taken in adultery, “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). He came to break the power of sin, for we read, “He shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21; see also 1 John 3:8). Paul asked the question in Romans 6:11-18, “What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?” His emphatic answer, “God forbid,” is clear evidence that it is God’s will for every Christian to live victoriously without sin.
While a victorious life without sin is possible, the Bible is clear in affirming that the relationship with God can be severed. Individuals who have been born again can choose to go back into sin, the same as Adam and Eve in their righteous state chose to commit sin. The prophet Ezekiel addressed this issue when he said, “When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die” (Ezekiel 18:26). However, it is possible for one who has turned away from God to be restored again to salvation and a right relationship with God. We read, “If he [the wicked] turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die (Ezekiel 33:14-15).
Scriptures warn that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Sin that is not repented of will lead to eternal separation from God and eternal punishment.
IT MAY BE DIFFICULT at times to distinguish between actions that spring from the carnal nature, and those that are done as a result of human infirmity. It is important to remember that sin is an action of deliberate enmity and rebellion toward God. As ministers, we must point individuals to the vital necessity of being honest with themselves and with God, who alone knows the heart. If a person has committed an act of willful defiance toward God, he must not rationalize or excuse his behavior, but acknowledge and repent of his wrongdoing before God. Neglect, or an incremental lessening of commitment to God, can also result in a state of sinfulness. Estrangement from God can be the product of drifting with disinterest into a lukewarm condition with a seared conscience.
We must take care that references to the “flesh” are based upon an accurate understanding of the word itself. The word flesh, translated from the Greek word sarx, can refer to human nature, with its physical, mental, and emotional limitations, or it can refer to the sinful (carnal) nature. Paul uses sarx at times, (for example, in Romans 1:3 and 9:3) when he was referring to nothing more than the human condition. In other places, such as throughout Romans 7 and 8, sarx bears strong moral implications. In those instances and many others, the sinful nature is contrasted with the spiritual nature which has been purged from sin. When the word is used in a moral sense, the flesh can be purified through entire sanctification. On the other hand, when used to describe the human condition, the flesh is describing the fact that we remain mortal beings subject to physical, mental, and emotional limitations, which often have no moral bearing.
We teach that infants and young children who have not reached the age of accountability are covered by the Atoning Blood, the same as we who have come under its pardoning influences through repentance and the exercise of faith in God. “By the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men . . .” (Romans 5:18). These who are innocent of acts of defiance to God have not yet rejected the free gift offered to all and are therefore covered by the Blood. If they die in that state of innocence they are immediately received into the presence of God to enjoy His fellowship forever.
1 Paul frequently used this word. See Romans 3:9; 5:12-20; 6:1-2; 7:7-9, 11 and others.
2 Some examples of its use are found in Romans 4:15; Hebrews 2:2; 9:15.
3 See Psalm 51:5; John 3:6-7; Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:13.
4 There are other sinful deeds identified in Scripture, but even this relatively short list establishes the kind of behavior that cannot exist in a Christian life.
5 The word temptation in this context refers to an allurement to sin. The same word is also used at times to mean the trial or testing of our faith. We find an illustration of the two different usages in James 1. By reading verses 3-4, we can see that the “divers temptations” mentioned in verse 2 refer to the testing of our faith. Verse 14, however, refers to the testing of our integrity, as evidenced by verse 15. God promises in every temptation [trial or testing of our faith] to make “a way to escape,” that we may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13), but we must flee temptation that is an enticement to sin.
THE ATONEMENT OF Jesus Christ is a theme that runs through the entire Bible, perhaps occupying more space in the Holy Scriptures than any other single subject. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated atonement literally means “a covering.” Figuratively, it carries the thought of appeasement, pardoning, purging, and reconciling. In the New Testament, the word atonement is found only once, in Romans 5:11; the Greek word is translated reconciliation in other instances. Both terms indicate the reconciliation of man to God made possible through the Perfect Sacrifice, Jesus Christ. Without the covering for sin provided through Jesus’ death, there could be no possibility of reconciliation. Thus, the atonement is fundamental to the Gospel message; it makes forgiveness for sins possible.
The nature of the atonement can be described in specific words which point to Christ’s vicarious accomplishments: sacrifice, redemption, propitiation, reconciliation, and substitution.
Sacrifice: The sacrifice of Jesus Christ was repeatedly promised for the salvation of fallen humanity, beginning with Genesis 3:15, for Christ was “…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). It was prefigured in the ceremonial sacrifices of the Levitical Law and Tabernacle worship,1 and emphasized in prophecy from the Garden of Eden to the Cross.2 These promises, types, and prophecies were interpreted for us through the writings of the New Testament authors.3
Redemption: In the New Testament, three different Greek words are translated redemption: agorazo, which means “to purchase in the market,” exagorazo, which means “to purchase out of the market,” and lutroo, which means “to loosen and set free.”
The concept of redemption, as explained in Leviticus 25:47-49, has to do with the setting free through the payment of a ransom price or penalty one who is enslaved. Christ, through His death on the cross, paid the price for us who were “sold under sin” (Romans 7:14). We are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver or gold, but “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-20). If a slave in Old Testament times preferred to remain a slave, redemption was not forced upon him, and the same is true of the redemption offered by Jesus Christ. Sinners must accept the provision Christ made for their deliverance, or receive eternal damnation.4
Propitiation: The Bible plainly teaches that Christ died as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world. The word propitiation signifies expiation, or making amends for wrongdoing or guilt. God is eternally righteous, and because of His righteousness, He cannot overlook sin or excuse the guilty—doing so would compromise His righteous nature. Justice demands that a penalty be paid for an offense, so Christ died in our stead, suffering the penalty for our sins. The Innocent Blood was shed for us, that we, the guilty ones, might be pardoned and made free.5 Christ’s death was the conciliation or appeasement by which it becomes consistent with God’s character and government to pardon sinners.
Reconciliation: The concept of reconciliation is also a theme of the Atonement, and is closely related to propitiation in regard to what it accomplishes. Adam’s sin separated or alienated man from God (see Isaiah 59:2), but Jesus’ death brought about reconciliation between God and man. We read in Colossians 1:21-22, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.”6
Substitution: The substitutionary aspect of the Atonement was clearly prefigured in the Old Testament. When God chose the harmless, gentle lamb as the principal animal for sacrifice, He was teaching His people that they were forgiven and spared only because innocent blood was shed in their stead. The scapegoat taken into the wilderness on the annual Day of Atonement represented Christ, who took the condemnation and curse of sin upon Himself. The slaying of the Passover lamb (see Exodus 12:3-7) looked ahead to the time when Christ, our Passover Lamb, was “sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7).7 All the types and shadows recorded in the Old Testament found their culmination at Calvary, when Christ “suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).
The Atonement provides for sanctification. We read, “Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate” (Hebrews 13:12). Sanctification completely eradicates and destroys the nature of sin, cleansing from all carnality and making one holy within.8
Divine healing is also included in the Atonement of Christ, for we read in Isaiah 53:5 that “with his stripes we are healed.” That thought is repeated by Peter when he said of Christ, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).9
There is wonderful power in the Blood of the Lamb. Through the Blood, we overcome temptation, adversity, and oppression (see Revelation 12:10-11). We are strengthened, spiritually and physically, by the Blood of the Holy One. The Blood is essential and can never be set aside or replaced.
EXTREME CALVINISTIC TEACHING holds that Christ died only for the elect, using the truth of God’s perfect foreknowledge to set forth the mistaken idea of a limited Atonement. This teaching stipulates that Christ died for chosen people who had been given to Him by the Father. Scripture, however, is clear that Christ died for all. We read that “the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11-14; see also John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; Hebrews 2:9 and 2 Peter 3:9). However, while the extent of Christ’s sacrifice is unlimited, the Atonement is conditional upon the repentance of man. As free moral agents, people can reject the grace of God and refuse to avail themselves of the benefits of Christ’s atonement, but the provision of salvation is universal.
For a description of the distinction between Calvinistic and Arminian teachings, refer to the following section.
1 Exodus 12:13; Leviticus 1:1-4; 6:6-7; 16:15-17
2 Psalm 22:16-18; Isaiah 53:1-12; Zechariah 11:12; 13:6
3 John 3:14-15 in reference to Numbers 21:8-9; Hebrews 13:11-12; 1 Peter 1:10-12
4 Passages that deal with the death of Christ as a ransom for sinners include Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Galatians 3:13.
5 Romans 3:25-26; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:2; 4:10
6 See also Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; and Ephesians 2:14-16.
7 Scriptures emphasizing the substitutionary aspect of Christ’s death include Isaiah 53:6; Luke 22:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 2:9; and 1 Peter 2:24.
8 See the section of this manual on Entire Sanctification for a more complete summary of this subject.
9 It is clearly shown by Matthew 8:16-17 that this includes healing of physical ailments and disease. See the section of this manual on Divine Healing for a more complete summary of this subject.
WITHIN THE BROAD SCOPE of the history of Christian theology, Arminianism and Calvinism share both history and many Biblical doctrines. However, they offer radically different interpretations of Scriptures related to salvation through Jesus Christ. Calvinism, which is built upon the religious teachings of John Calvin (1509-1564), emphasizes the omnipotence of God and the salvation of the elect by God’s grace alone. Arminianism is based upon the original beliefs of the theologian Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609),1 but can also include teachings of John Wesley and others. The Apostolic Faith subscribes most closely to the Wesleyan view of Arminianism.2 Following is a chart which briefly states the five main points of difference between Calvinistic teaching and Arminian (and Apostolic Faith) teaching.
Total Depravity: Man is totally depraved, spiritually dead, and unable to repent. His will is in bondage to his evil nature. God must initiate the work of repentance.
Unconditional Election: God chose only certain individuals for salvation. His decision was based on His sovereignty, and not upon the foreseen response of any person’s repentance and faith.
Limited Atonement: When Christ gave His life upon the Cross, it was only for the elect, and for no one else.
Irresistible Grace: Grace is extended only to the elect. God’s call to the elect cannot be resisted and always results in conversion.
Perseverance of the Saints: God preserves His elect so they persevere to the end. No chosen person will ever be lost; once you are saved, you are always saved.
Free Will: Man is a sinner who has the free will to yield to God’s Spirit and be regenerated, or to resist God’s grace and perish.
Conditional Election: God chose all humanity to be made righteous by His grace, but His foreknowledge identifies those for election whom He knew would respond with repentance and faith.
Unlimited Atonement: When Christ gave His life upon the Cross, it was for everyone. He made provision for the salvation of all, but guaranteed it only to those who accept His offer with repentance and faith.
Resistible Grace: Grace is extended to all, but saving grace can be resisted because God will not overrule man’s free will. Conversion results when man believes and receives God’s offered grace.
Assurance and Security: Those who have been truly saved can lose their salvation by turning away from the faith. However, believers have assurance and security in continued obedience and faithfulness to God.
1 In his written works, Arminius quotes from some Christian theologians dating back to the first century who taught that grace is extended to all, but that man, by his own free will, may turn away from the faith. In defending himself to those who accused him of heresy, he also demonstrated that there were at least some Christian leaders in every age since the time of Christ who taught that man can and should live holy in this life.
2 It should be noted that there is a variety of approaches under the general headings of Calvinism and Arminianism; proponents on both sides are not in universal agreement regarding how they apply these doctrines.
REPENTENCE IS GODLY SORROW for sin with a renunciation of sin. It goes beyond mere regret or even sincere remorse. In the Old Testament, the word translated repent means “to turn back; to change one’s mind.” The Greek word translated repentance in the New Testament means “compunction for guilt,” and by implication, “reversal.” Thus, the Biblical concept of repentance indicates a change of mind that results in a reversal of action or direction.1
Acknowledging one’s sin is a starting point, but confession alone does not necessarily indicate true repentance. Sometimes when an individual is apprehended in a sin or is facing the consequences of wrongdoings, he will admit his misdeed but still experience no remorse. There is a vast difference between the person who is sorry because he or she was caught, and the one who is sincerely penitent before God even when the sins are not known publicly.
The Bible is full of exhortations to repentance.2 When a person comes to the Lord to be saved, he is desperately in need of forgiveness. His sins separate him from God and if not forgiven, will cause him to go into a lost eternity. A truly repentant individual experiences a deep distaste for sin and a heartfelt desire to be completely forgiven by God at any cost. Repentance is the sinner’s key to the Kingdom of Heaven—it is the only way to approach God and receive divine favor.3 Forgiveness does not come until the sinner repents and completely renounces his rebellion against God, asking for forgiveness.
Genuine, heartfelt repentance is not a mere ritual; the emotions, intellect, and will are all involved. A sinner’s emotions are evidenced by a feeling of revulsion and personal accountability for sinning against God. The intellect brings about a change of mind, attitude, and purpose. Finally, the will makes a determination to confess and forsake sins. A Biblical example is found in the parable of the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15. The son’s emotions caused him to feel shame and to regret leaving his father’s house, his intellect assessed the fact that his circumstances had altered for the worse as a result of his actions, and his will caused him to determine that he would return to his father and plead to be taken back into the home as a hired servant.
Repentance is not a means of earning salvation; rather, it places a sinner in a position to receive God’s forgiveness. Psalm 51 provides a Scriptural example of this point, and is generally ascribed to David, in the context of his sin with Bathsheba. God directed the prophet Nathan to confront David with his sin, and the accusatory words, “Thou art the man” (2 Samuel 12:7), brought David to a place of confession and repentance before God. His desperate cry “I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight,” (Psalm 51:3-4) reveal his agonized response to the realization of his sin. His willingness to call upon God in the depths of his despair opened the door to God’s forgiveness.
No one can repent and come to God on his own, for Jesus himself said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him” (John 6:44). Repentance is something that God gives—it is a gift of His grace.4 God’s longsuffering and goodness leads us to repentance, for he is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
God promises to forgive those who are truly penitent. Isaiah 55:7 says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” When one turns to God with all of his heart, true repentance brings the abundant joy and peace of salvation into the life. Salvation results from turning from sin in genuine, faith-based repentance towards the Lord Jesus Christ.5
The prayer of repentance does not need to be long and elaborate, but it must be heartfelt and sincere. One man whose prayer is recorded in Luke 18:13 said simply, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” That prayer was accepted, for Jesus said, “This man went down to his house justified” (Luke 18:14).
While repentance does not earn salvation, repentance unto salvation does result in a change in behavior. That is why John the Baptist called people to “bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (Matthew 3:8).6 A person who has truly repented of his sins will find salvation and deliverance, resulting in a changed life. This is the new creation spoken of in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” The transformed life is evidence of salvation which was accessed by repentance.7
When a sinner repents, there is joy in Heaven that a lost soul has been redeemed (see Luke 15:7, 10).
There is a vast difference between true repentance and the “believe and accept” approach to salvation. The Bible plainly teaches the necessity of renunciation of sin and godly sorrow for it, rather than a mere mental acceptance of God’s offer of salvation.
True repentance also serves as a remedy to “sinning Christian” theology. Continuing in even occasional sin is inconsistent with the complete revulsion for sin that was part of repentance, without which salvation could not be received.
1 Psalm 38:18; Proverbs 28:13; Ezekiel 18:21
2 Some examples of exhortations to repentance are Ezekiel 14:6; 18:31-32; Joel 2:12-13; Matthew 4:17; Acts 17:30.
3 Ezekiel 33:11; Luke 13:3; Acts 3:19; 8:22
4 Acts 5:31; 11:18
5 Psalm 32:5; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10; 1 John 1:9
6 See also Luke 3:8-14.
7 Zacchaeus is an example of one whose behavior was proof that his repentance was genuine. See Luke 19:8-9.
JUSTIFICATION IS THE ACT of God’s free grace whereby a sinner receives remission of his sins and stands before God as though he had never sinned. It is also a state of being that exists when a person has been judicially pardoned by God and thus absolved from the penalty of sin.
Justification, the opposite of condemnation, occurs when God cancels the guilt and forgives the transgressions of a sinner. We read in Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” God looks upon the sacrifice Jesus made on Calvary, and accepts that sacrifice as a substitute for the repentant sinner paying his own penalty. For Christ’s sake, God forgives, and freely justifies the sinner.1
There are many terms used in Scripture that refer to different aspects of the same work of grace.
Saved/Salvation: In Acts 16:30, the Philippian jailer fell down before Paul and Silas and inquired in desperation, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” The word saved comes from a Greek word meaning “delivered” or “made whole.” The angel of the Lord who appeared to Joseph told him that Mary would bring forth a Child conceived by the Holy Ghost, and declared, “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
Conversion: Jesus used the word converted when He instructed His disciples, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). To be converted means “to turn quite around, or reverse.” At conversion, sins are blotted out and a person is changed completely by the power of God (see Acts 3:19).
Adoption: The Greek word translated adoption means “the placing of a son” and refers to the declaratory act of God by which the repentant sinner, being justified by faith in Jesus Christ, is received into the family of God. Adoption denotes a legal act by which a person is accorded all the rights and privileges of a birth child, and occurs the moment an individual is born again.2
Regeneration/Born again/New birth: The word regeneration literally means, “to be born again,” and refers to the spiritual change that takes place in a person when he comes into possession of new life in Christ. Jesus told a ruler of the Jews named Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The phrase born again means “born from above.” Jesus, using the universally familiar example of physical birth, was illustrating the necessity of spiritual rebirth.
God extends the offer of salvation and eternal life to every individual. We read, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37), and “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). However, each person must choose whether or not he will accept God’s offer and receive salvation for his soul.
To be justified one must do more than accept Christ, join a church, or strive to live up to Christian principles.3 The steps for receiving salvation are laid out in God’s Word.
Acknowledge the need. The first step toward receiving forgiveness is realizing the need for it. The Bible says that all have sinned. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). A sinner must recognize the fact that he is a sinner and doomed to Hell unless completely changed by God’s mercy. He must comprehend that he is in a perilous condition, in desperate need of God’s intervention to save him from eternal damnation.
Repent and confess.4 When a sinner comes to God with genuine sorrow for committed sins and confesses them, asking God to forgive, God will forgive. God’s Word promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Repentance does not earn God’s forgiveness, but rather, it is the condition of the human heart required by God before forgiveness can be granted.
Forsake sin. The sinner who comes to God for forgiveness must be willing to turn away from past sins and to purpose never to go back to them. As one turns from sin and his own ways, God’s pardon is offered in abundance.
Ask. The repentant sinner must invite Jesus Christ into his heart and life and surrender to Him, yielding complete control of his life. Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).
Believe. When a sinner comes to God for mercy and forgiveness, the gap between them must be spanned by faith. “He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). When a repentant sinner looks to Christ’s atoning work at Calvary, faith takes hold and he receives salvation through the redeeming power of Christ.5
There are immediate results when an individual is born again. The repentant sinner passes from death into life, having been translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of God (Colossians 1:12-14). His name is written in Heaven (Luke 10:20), and he stands before God as though he had never sinned. His sins are forgiven and removed as “far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12), and cast “into the depth of the sea” (Micah 7:19).
Inwardly, the saved person experiences immediate freedom from condemnation, which brings an assurance and confidence in his heart (Romans 8:1; 1 John 3:21). The “Spirit itself beareth witness” (Romans 8:16), assuring the new believer that he has been born again. Motives and desires are transformed, and the sense of inner emptiness vanishes. Salvation causes a new believer in Christ to “have peace with God” (Romans 5:1), and instills a deep love for God and for other people.
There are also external evidences of salvation. God’s Word states, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The newborn believer is a new creation whose life style changes in a moment of time. The wrong things that were once loved are hated; the right things that were once hated are loved. When the Blood of Jesus is applied, sinful habits and appetites are broken, never to return as long as the Christian stays true and obedient to God. Sin no longer has dominion, and, being truly born of God, he will sense the need to make restitution.6
One of the results of salvation is that a victorious life is made possible. We read in 1 John 3:9-10, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” The nature of God and the nature of sin cannot co-exist; they are so radically different that it is impossible to make a composite of the two. Thus, at justification, a person is empowered to live free from committing sin.
A follower of Christ must continue to walk in obedience to the light of God’s Word in order to retain his salvation (see John 8:31; 1 John 3:24). If he does not, that light becomes darkness—and how great is that darkness! The only way for a newborn Christian to retain his freedom from spiritual death is by continuing to abhor and reject all sin. When the justified person walks conscientiously in the light as it is revealed to him, he is a disciple of Christ, a son of God, an heir of God and joint-heir with Christ, and a candidate for many rich blessings from the Throne of God.7
It is possible for Christians to unwittingly lapse into errors or grieve the Spirit in some way through ignorance, thoughtlessness, neglect, or carelessness. Children are especially vulnerable to this. A good minister will carefully shepherd these individuals, encouraging them not to conclude that they have backslidden if in fact they have not. When a person has not sinned (by committing an act of willful defiance toward God), even though the remorse for his failure may be great indeed, he need not cast away his confidence. The wise minister will exhort that one to pray for forgiveness of his neglect, carelessness, or doubt, and urge him to learn through his experiences and move forward.
1 Other Scriptures that refer to justification and pardon include Isaiah 55:7; Acts 13:39; Romans 3:21-26; 1 Corinthians 6:11; and Galatians 3:24.
2 Scriptures that reference adoption include Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:4-6 and Ephesians 1:5.
3 “Accepting Christ” is an expression used in many churches to describe how one becomes a Christian, perhaps based on the Biblical expression “received him” in such verses as John 1:12; 4:45; 6:21 and Luke 8:40. While it is necessary to “receive” Him, Christ must also receive the sinner. Since the phrase “accept Christ” does not clearly indicate the need to repent and confess, forsake sin, and commit to following all that Jesus represents and teaches, we tend to avoid use of the phrase in the context of seeking salvation.
4 Refer to the section on Repentance Toward God in this manual for a more complete description of this topic.
5 See also Ephesians 2:8-9.
6 Refer to the section on Restitution in this manual for a more complete description of this topic.
7 John 1:12; 8:31; Romans 8:16-17; 1 John 3:1
ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION is a second, instantaneous, and definite work of God’s grace, which is subsequent to salvation. It is accomplished in the believer through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ. Sanctification is also a state of being that exists when a person has experienced the eradication of the sin nature.
The word sanctify, along with the words translated saint, holy, and hallowed, are derived from the Greek word hagios, which means “holy.” For this reason, the experience of sanctification is also sometimes referred to as “holiness.” The verb sanctify has three basic meanings: “to make holy or purify,” “to consecrate or to separate from ungodliness and dedicate to God,” and finally, “to hallow.” A study of these words reveals that sanctification is the purification of the heart of a person—a dedication to God and an eradication of the sin nature. A holy and sanctified person, then, is one who first has been consecrated and set apart to serve God, and subsequently cleansed from his old sin nature. Sanctification also is shown in passages that refer to cleansing, perfection, perfect love, or purity of heart.1
Sanctification, or holiness, is clearly commanded by Scripture. In the Old Testament, God commanded Abraham, “Walk before me, and be thou perfect” (Genesis 17:1). The word translated perfect in this verse carries with it the meanings “complete,” “full,” “without spot,” “sound,” “undefiled,” and “upright.” (Thus, the phrases “entire sanctification” or “sanctified wholly” are wonderful examples of the original Hebrew meaning being translated accurately into modern English.) God’s command was not issued when Abraham was first called to believe and follow the Lord into the land of Canaan; this was about twenty-three or twenty-four years later. The time had come when God wanted Abraham to draw yet nearer to Him, so He said, “Walk before me, and be thou perfect.”
God pointed His chosen people, the nation of Israel, to sanctification, instructing them, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 20:7). That command is reiterated in the New Testament in 1 Peter 1:16, “Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
In the New Testament, Paul expressed his desire to believers of the Early Church that the “God of peace sanctify you wholly” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). As with the Old Testament word translated perfect, the word translated wholly is very expressive: it means “complete to the end,” “through and through,” “all in all,” or “in every part.” There is no implication that God would sanctify them gradually or partially, so the experience of sanctification is often referred to as “entire sanctification.” The experience of sanctification is complete; it is not obtained progressively. In many New Testament references to sanctification and holiness, the definite nature of sanctification is evidenced in the original Greek text by the aorist tense of the verb, which indicates a specific and completed act rather than an ongoing one.2 Though spiritual growth continues throughout a Christian’s life, the cleansing work of sanctification is not a gradual process; it is accomplished in an instant.
The necessity for a second work of grace which cleanses and purifies is made evident by the twofold nature of sin: acts of sin (committed sins or transgressions), and the inward principle of sin (inherited depravity, or the carnal or Adamic nature).3 In Scripture, outward sins or transgressions are usually indicated by the plural word sins. Inward depravity is usually referred to by the singular form, sin. Just as there are two aspects of sin, there are two separate applications of the Blood of Christ as remedies: justification, which pardons the transgressions of the penitent sinner; and sanctification, which cleanses his heart of the inward sin principle. Forgiveness is offered for actual committed sins, while cleansing is offered for the Adamic nature.4
Entire sanctification destroys the “body of sin” (Romans 6:6)—which is also referred to as the carnal mind, the sin nature, or the old man—taking out the inclination or bent to sinning. It provides cleansing from the pollution of inbred original sin, and makes one holy within. The lost moral image of God, in which man was originally created is restored “after the image of him that created him” (Colossians 3:10), and unity of purpose is established with God, for we read, “both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one” (Hebrews 2:11). Sanctification “casteth out fear” [fear being the opposite of bold confidence in God] (1 John 4:18) and causes believers to be “made perfect in one” (John 17:23) with other believers as well as with God.
While the carnal nature is eradicated at sanctification, the experience does not result in the absolute perfection of the believer in the same sense that God is absolutely perfect. Neither does sanctification bring about Adamic perfection—regenerated and sanctified individuals do not return to the state of created innocence which Adam had prior to the Fall. And sanctification does not remove the limitations and frailties that accompany humanity which were brought about by the Fall; people are not mentally, physically, or emotionally perfect as a result of sanctification, but morally perfect. Sanctification provides a perfect heart—a state of living where a person loves the Lord with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength; where every deed is motivated by devotion to God. The sanctified heart seeks after God and His will. Sanctified individuals cultivate purity in spirit, soul, and body, and they turn away from anything that would contaminate any part of their beings.
Sanctification does not eliminate the possibility of being tempted. Although Adam was created in a pure, moral state, he still was subject to temptation. Adam had the power to overrule what he knew was right; he did so and chose to do evil. The sanctified person can still choose to overrule what he knows is right, and fall back into sin.
Many Old Testament incidents, types, and personal experiences portray the doctrine of entire sanctification.5 In the Tabernacle worship, the trespass offering looked ahead to the provision made by Christ’s death for the forgiveness of outward sins (see Leviticus 6:17). In contrast, the sin offering was a type of the shedding of His Blood for the sanctification of the justified soul (see Leviticus 9:3,15 and Hebrews 13:11-13). No mention was made of actual wrongdoings when the sin offering was presented. These two separate and distinct offerings typify the twofold provision made when the Son of God died as an atonement for both sinful acts and the state of sin.
The experience of sanctification was taught to the Early Church. Jesus prayed for His disciples that they might be sanctified (see John 17:16-23). Before the Day of Pentecost, the 120 were in one accord, indicating that they had been sanctified (see Acts 2:1). Paul was concerned that the believers in Thessalonica be sanctified, stating, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
Ephesians 5:25-27 declares that Jesus died, “that he might sanctify and cleanse it [the Church] with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” The purpose of sanctification is to make the Church what it ought to be in the sight of God. Those who know their sins have been forgiven can be sanctified and a part of the “glorious church” made up of individuals who are “holy and without blemish.”
SOME PENTECOSTAL organizations object to the doctrine of entire sanctification, saying that two works of grace are not necessary for God entirely to cleanse and pardon—that God is fully capable of destroying all sin in one application. This teaching has its roots in a 1910 sermon entitled “The Finished Work of Calvary,” preached by William Howard Durham at a mid-western Pentecostal convention. His finished work teaching seeks to nullify the doctrinal truth that sanctification is a crisis experience subsequent to and distinct from conversion. This was a change of position from those who initially received the Pentecostal experience at the Azusa Street revival in 1906 through 1909; the fact that three definite spiritual experiences (justification, entire sanctification, and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost) were taught there is well documented in the papers published at the Azusa mission. (See the Apostolic Faith website at www.apostolicfaith.org/library/azusa-papers to view copies of those early papers.)
IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT that we understand the distinction between humanity and carnality. In reference to the topic of sanctification, the term humanity deals with the physical, mental and emotional limitations that are the result of the Fall. Sanctification does not bring about a perfection of our faculties but of our moral nature; as long as we are in this world our judgment, choices, and behaviors can be impaired by our humanity. The term carnality, on the other hand, deals with the nature of sin present in every unsanctified individual which instinctively inclines them toward evil. It may be difficult at times to distinguish between offenses that are the result of humanity and those which spring from carnality, but we must be aware that there is a vast difference in the sight of God.
Similarly, there is a difference between purity and maturity. Purity answers to carnality, while maturity answers to humanity. While the Bible clearly teaches a definite and instantaneous experience of sanctification which results in inward purity, the sanctified individual should continue to grow and mature as a Christian throughout his life.
1 Some examples are Leviticus 20:7-8; Matthew 5:48; Luke 1:74-75; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 John 3:3.
2 An example is found in Acts 15:9, where Peter stated to the Apostles and elders at Jerusalem that God “put no difference between us [the Jewish followers of Christ] and them [the Gentile converts], purifying their hearts by faith.” The original Greek word translated purifying shows that this cleansing was a definite act, completed at a time previous to the outpouring of the Spirit at the house of Cornelius. Other verses showing sanctification as a definite, instantaneous act include Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Galatians 5:24; Ephesians 4:22, 24 and Colossians 3:5.
3 The inward nature or principle of sin has been inherited since the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden, and is often referred to as the Adamic nature. See the section of this manual on The Nature of Sin for a more complete summary of this subject.
4 The Apostle John addresses the two-fold sin problem and presents the two-fold remedy in 1 John 1:7-9 where he says, “If we confess our sins, [committed sins] he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins [salvation], and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [sanctification].”
5 One example illustrating that David had knowledge of the twofold nature of sin and God’s two-fold plan for deliverance is found in Psalm 51:1-7. While in verse 1 David pleads for mercy and admits his transgressions [acts of sin], he also asks God to “wash me throughly [completely] . . . and cleanse me” (verse 2) which speaks to the nature of sin. In verses 3 and 4 he again refers to his transgressions and the evil he has done in the sight of God [acts of sin], and in verse 7 pleads with God to “purge” him, referring to his inward nature.
THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST is the experience of the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, coming into a sanctified person’s life to endue that one with power for God’s service.1 The word baptize means “to be immersed; to be totally covered” and can be understood by looking at the physical act of water baptism. When an individual is baptized in water after he has been saved, he goes down into the water and the water completely covers him. He is immersed. When one receives the baptism of the Holy Ghost, he is totally immersed and covered and filled with the Holy Ghost.
Jesus himself used the word baptism in connection with the outpouring of the Holy Ghost. He explained to His disciples that just as John had baptized with water, they would be baptized with the Holy Ghost.2 The word baptize gave His followers an idea of what they were to expect—that they would be immersed in the Holy Ghost.
In order to be filled with the Holy Ghost, a person first must be justified by faith. Scripture is clear that the Holy Spirit is not given to the unconverted. When the multitude asked the disciples following Pentecost, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter’s response was, “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” (Acts 2:37-38).3 A second prerequisite for receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost is sanctification, which occurs when the saved person goes deeper in consecration, setting himself apart unto God, and God purges his heart from the inherited nature of sin. The clean, sanctified individual is then prepared to receive the Holy Spirit. (See Jesus’ prayer for His followers in John 17 in conjunction with Acts 2:1.)
The baptism of the Holy Spirit was typified in the Old Testament. For example, the three areas of the Tabernacle were a picture of the three experiences. The brazen altar in the outer court, where the trespass offering was killed, was a type of justification. The blood of the sin offering was taken into the Holy Place and perfect communion with God was established—a type of sanctification.4 The Shekinah (Glory) dwelt in the Holy of Holies, and likewise the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in sanctified believers when they receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Another portrayal of the baptism of the Holy Ghost is seen at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, where the power of the Holy Spirit fell so mightily that the priests could not minister because of the glory of the Lord.5
The outpouring of the Holy Ghost was foretold by the Old Testament prophet Joel. Some eight hundred years before Christ, he wrote of the baptism of the Holy Spirit: “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month….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: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:23, 28-29). Joel may not have fully understood the prophecy that he gave, but his words were spoken by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and later were quoted by Peter in reference to the Pentecost outpouring (Acts 2:16).
Before Jesus’ crucifixion, He promised the gift of the Holy Spirit, telling His disciples, “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” (John 14:16). He went on to say, “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).
Just before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He instructed His disciples to “wait for the promise of the Father,” promising them that they would be “baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:4-5). Following Christ’s ascension, a group of 120 people gathered in an upper room in the city of Jerusalem in obedience to Jesus’ command. The 120 were saved individuals who had been with Christ when He went up into the clouds, and were obviously committed to following His instructions since they continued in prayer and supplication. Jesus had prayed for them to be sanctified and to experience the unity He shared with the Father, “that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (John 17:21). Before the Spirit fell upon them, we find that they were all in the Upper Room “with one accord, in one place” (Acts 2:1), which is evidence that Jesus’ prayer for them had been answered and they had been sanctified.
Fifty days after Jesus’ crucifixion and ten days after His ascension, the power of God descended upon those sanctified believers in the Upper Room, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:1-4 records the event, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
God made His presence known to this group of believers in an outstanding way in this initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The coming of the Spirit was accompanied by two manifestations: the sound of a rushing mighty wind, and the appearance of cloven tongues like as of fire. John the Baptist had foretold One who would baptize “with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matthew 3:11), and the two physical evidences were a graphic portrayal of the coming of the Spirit.
Those who had been filled began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance. People from faraway countries who were in the city for the Day of Pentecost recognized their own native tongues, and were amazed to hear the believers speaking in these languages they had never learned. Seeing their astonishment, Peter stood and declared that this was what had been prophesied by the prophet Joel—the Holy Ghost had descended upon the disciples in Jerusalem. Peter’s sermon that day resulted in the salvation of three thousand souls.6
When the disciples received the infilling of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, they immediately began to teach that it was the gift of power which every true believer should seek and receive, preaching 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).7 In the years following the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost continued to be poured out upon believers. Scripture records some of those instances. For example, about eight years after the initial outpouring in the Upper Room, the Spirit was poured out upon Gentiles in the household of Cornelius. Those who accompanied the Apostle Peter to Cornelius’ home immediately recognized that the believers gathered there had received the Holy Ghost, “for they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God” (Acts 10:46). In Acts 19:6, we read of the Holy Ghost falling on a group of believers at Ephesus, and when that occurred, “they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” All received the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. This outpouring occurred about nineteen years after the initial outpouring.
Speaking in a previously unlearned language is still the initial evidence of the empowering of the Holy Spirit today. As at Pentecost and in other Scriptural accounts, the speaking in other tongues which accompanies the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not gibberish or unintelligible mutterings, but a distinguishable language. It is not a special unknown prayer language.
The outpourings that empowered Jesus’ followers in New Testament times was the Early Rain prophesied by Joel. The prophet also foretold that there would be a Latter Rain, when God would again pour the Holy Spirit upon all nationalities.8 This was to take place in the time of the end, shortly before the coming of the Lord. In periods prior to the 20th century, God poured out His Spirit on individuals here and there. However, those were only “sprinklings” of the latter rain prophesied in Scripture. In April of 1906, the Latter Rain began to fall in Los Angeles, California, and miraculously spread around the world in a very short time. The same evidence of speaking in tongues accompanied the experience as at the descent of the Early Rain.
AS TIME GOES BY, words of a language sometimes assume new meanings or connotations. In the past, the word “experimental” was sometimes used when referring to salvation, sanctification, or the baptism of the Holy Ghost, to indicate that these were definite experiences with God. However, in current usage the word “experimental” indicates an attempt to find out whether or not an action will be effective, with an implication of tentativeness. Thus, the word “experiential” currently would more accurately portray the definite nature of the three foundational experiences.
SOME RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS insist that if any of the physical manifestations of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost are to be considered necessary today, all of them must be considered necessary—by that argument seeking to prove that it is not necessary for one who receives the baptism to speak in an unknown tongue. They point out that one of the signs given on the Day of Pentecost was the sound from Heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind. While that sound may not be as apparent to the natural ear now, we have often sensed, by our spiritual natures, that same movement of the Spirit of God coming into the midst of a tarrying group to fill and empower someone for service. In the original outpouring, there appeared “cloven tongues like as of fire” which sat upon each of them. The visible flames were not mentioned in subsequent New Testament outpourings, but the work of the Holy Spirit and the evidences in the life of the recipient are the same now as they were back then.
1 Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8. Note that the terms Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit are interchangeable in Scripture; they are both translated from the same Greek word in the original text. Refer to the section on God the Holy Ghost for a more complete description of the nature and work of the Holy Spirit.
2 See Acts 1:5.
3 See also 1 Corinthians 2:14.
4 See Hebrews 13:11-12.
5 Compare 2 Chronicles 5:11-14 with Acts 2:14, 43. Parallels are seen in these great events. There were 120 priests in the Temple and 120 disciples in the Upper Room. Both of these groups of individuals exhibited the fruits of a sanctified life. The glory of the Lord filled both locations. The priests did not wait by course, as they were being led by God, and the Spirit-empowered disciples likewise went out to follow a greater Leadership after the outpouring of the Holy Ghost. Both groups were filled with praises to God.
6 Peter’s sermon is found in Acts 2:14-41.
7 See Acts 19:2 for another example of an admonition to believers to receive the Holy Ghost.
8 Joel 2:21-32; Acts 2:16-21, 38-39
THE WORD CHURCH as used in the New Testament is a translation of the compound Greek word ecclesia, taken from ek (meaning “out”) and kaleo (“to call or summon”) and simply meaning “called out ones.” It suggests the assembly of those who have been summoned out from their residence or places of occupation, and is especially used to indicate a religious congregation or assembly. Ecclesia occurs 118 times in the New Testament, being translated as church 115 times, and as assembly three times.1
The true Church of Jesus Christ, sometimes called the “Invisible Church,”2 is made up of individuals whose names have been “written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27), and who live pure, exemplary lives in accordance with God’s Word. The Church is built by Jesus Christ himself (Matthew 16:17-18) and is His visible representation on earth. Its importance is seen in the infinite love Jesus had for it, in that “he hath purchased [it] with his own blood” (Acts 20:28), and “gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25).
The Invisible Church is perfect in purity, “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; . . . holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). One of its most important identifying marks is unity—the members of this Church are one body of believers, led by one Spirit, have one calling, and serve one Lord.3 Paul said that the Church, which he referred to as “the household of God,” was built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, “Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:19-21).
The Church is alluded to in Scripture as the Body of Christ, of which He is its Head.4 Its members will make up the Bride of Christ,5 and will be “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:8). Other New Testament Scriptures refer to the Church as a royal priesthood,6 a spiritual building or house,7 and the Church of the Firstborn.8 God’s people are identified as the habitation of God,9 the light of the world,10 the salt of the earth,11 the flock of God,12 the children and heirs of God,13 and branches of the True Vine.14
Inherent throughout Scripture is the concept that God’s people should participate in local gatherings of believers. These local bodies are sometimes referred to as the “visible” church, to differentiate them from the Invisible Church of all the ages. The visible church consists of ecclesiastical communities whose members are known and whose assemblies are public, organized for the purpose of proclaiming and promoting the Gospel of the kingdom of God.
Gatherings or convocations of God’s people were emphasized in Old Testament times. The Children of Israel were required to attend three annual feasts, as well as other assemblies. These were times when all normal daily work was to be subjugated to spiritual concerns.15 Attendance was required.16 These were times of cleansing, fasting, humility, sacrifice and offerings, worship, and earnest prayer.17
Many examples of religious assemblies are found in the Old Testament writings. Moses pitched the Tabernacle of the congregation outside of the camp, and instructed everyone who sought the Lord to go there to meet Him.18 Samuel required all of Israel to gather at Mizpah in a solemn assembly, where he prayed for them and they fasted and confessed their sins.19 Hezekiah ordered the cleansing of the sanctuary, and decreed that all the people were to gather to make offerings to God and worship Him.20 Josiah called a solemn assembly, and led the people in entering into a covenant with the Lord to walk in all His ways.21 Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Joel also called for assemblies of the people, leading them in fasting, seeking the Lord, and dedication of themselves to Him.22
In the New Testament, Jesus taught the importance of believers meeting together, telling His disciples that “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20). Jesus called the Apostles to be the initial leaders of His church, instructing and preparing them for the larger ministry they and the other believers would have after the empowering of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost. Local gatherings of believers began immediately after the crucifixion. These churches had recognized forms of worship and service,23 appointed leaders and roles,24 and had participation requirements and the authority to exercise discipline.25 Examples of these principles exist through the Acts of the Apostles, as well as the Epistles.26
The visible church’s mission is to proclaim the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.27 It is God’s agent to equip His people to do His work and build up the body of Christ.28 It is instructed to preach the pure Word of God, and is given authority to administer the ordinances of water baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and washing of the disciples feet.29
The visible church is enjoined to exercise discipline, exemplify love, exercise spiritual gifts, glorify God in all things, edify the flock, teach what Jesus commanded, be an enlightening and restraining influence in the world, minister to those in need, promote good and oppose evil, and to evangelize the world.30 It is to provide a place of fellowship where Christians can be devoted to one another and honor one another, instruct one another, be kind and compassionate to one another, encourage one another, and love one another.31
The existence of the true Church does not depend on manmade forms or rituals, on edifices or implements of worship, on the favor of governments or ruling bodies, or on any actions or dispensations from the hand of man. It has often existed and even thrived when all these things were taken from it; though challenged, ridiculed, banned, and defied, it continues to exist, dependent upon nothing but the presence of God and His Spirit.
The future of the Church is glorious, for it will be caught away in the Rapture, when the Lord himself “shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The Church will be presented without spot before God the Father’s throne and will enjoy abundant privileges throughout eternity.32
1 Figures from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.
2 The “Invisible Church” is so titled because its complete membership is noted only by Him who searches the heart, since “the Lord knoweth them that are his” (2 Timothy 2:19).
3 Ephesians 4:4-6
4 Colossians 1:18
5 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:7-9
6 1 Peter 2:9-10
7 1 Corinthians 3:9; Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:4-7
8 Hebrews 12:23
9 Ephesians 2:22
10 1 Thessalonians 5:5
11 Matthew 5:13
12 Luke 12:32; John 10:7-16
13 Romans 8:16-17; 1 John 3:10
14 John 15:1-10
15 See the instruction of Leviticus 23:34-36, Numbers 29:35, and Deuteronomy 16:8.
16 This is evident in a number of Old Testament gatherings, but is definitely expressed in Joel 2:16.
17 2 Chronicles 29:5; Joel 2:15; Numbers 10:10; 15:3; Nehemiah 9:1-3
18 Exodus 33:7
19 1 Samuel 7:5-6
20 2 Chronicles 29:3-5, 27-29
21 2 Chronicles 34:29-32
22 Ezra 6:16-18; 8:21-23; Nehemiah 8:2-6; Joel 1:13-15; 2:15-17
23 Chapters 12-14 of 1 Corinthians
24 Philippians 1:1; Acts 20:17; 1 Timothy 4:14
25 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
26 For example, see Romans 16:1, 5; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; Galatians 1:1-2; Philippians 1:1, and many more.
27 Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:8; 2:41-47
28 Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Jude 1:20
29 Matthew 25:34-36; 28:19; John 13:14-15; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 4:14
30 John 13:34-35; Ephesians 3:21; 4:11-12; Hebrews 13:17
31 Romans 12:10; 15:14; Ephesians 4:32; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 John 3:11
32 1 Corinthians 6:2; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; Revelation 1:6; 3:21; 20:4, 6
AS THE OMNIPOTENT CREATOR, God has made provision for every need of human beings, including healing of the physical body. Disease, pain, and death entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned. However, in His atonement on Calvary, Jesus provided for our healing as well as paying the penalty for our sins.
The prophet Isaiah foretold, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). The word translated griefs is used in reference to physical sickness and disease in 2 Chronicles 16:12; 21:15, 18-19, and Isaiah 38:9. Sorrows is used in Job 33:19 to denote physical pain. So this verse could be translated, “Surely he hath borne our sicknesses and carried our pain.”
Isaiah continues, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). The verb healed, meaning “to mend or cure,” has a connotation of being made whole. While the prophet saw Christ’s future suffering in such clarity that he spoke of it in the past tense, he indicated that with His stripes we “are healed,” the verb tense reflecting an ongoing or continuing action.
In the New Testament, Peter quoted from Isaiah’s prophecy. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,… by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). In stating that Jesus’ stripes brought healing, Peter used the Greek word iaomai. In the vast majority of cases where this word is used in the New Testament, it indicates physical healing.1
In Matthew 8:16-17, Matthew also quoted from Isaiah’s prophecy: “They brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”2 Matthew simply recorded that Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy by physically healing the sick, giving proof that both Isaiah and Peter were talking about physical healing. Matthew used two specific words to make clear this truth: infirmities (from the Greek word astheneias, meaning the “consequences of sickness”) and diseases (from the Greek word nosous, meaning “sicknesses”).
The Old Testament contains many references to God’s power and willingness to heal. God gave the first recorded promise of divine healing soon after He brought the Israelites out of Egypt, telling them, “I am the Lord that healeth thee” (Exodus 15:26), and He subsequently undertook for them many times.3 When the Children of Israel sinned and God sent poisonous snakes among them as punishment, Moses was commanded to make a bronze serpent and lift it up on a pole so that those who had been bitten could look upon it and be healed (see Numbers 21:5-9).
Many other miracles of healing and even raising of the dead are recorded in the Old Testament. For example, a dead child was restored to life through the prayer of Elijah (1 Kings 17:22). Naaman the leper received healing when he obeyed Elisha’s command to wash seven times in the Jordan River (2 Kings 5:14). God healed King Hezekiah in response to his prayer, and added fifteen years to his life (2 Kings 20:6).
In Psalm 103, the Psalmist David gives praise for the fact that God “healeth all thy diseases” (Psalm 103:3). In other psalms, too, both physical and spiritual healing are referenced as coming from God.
In the New Testament era, much of Jesus’ ministry on earth involved healing those who were physically afflicted; miracles of healing were an important part of the works God sent Jesus to do.4 Jesus’ miracles authenticated His teaching and preaching, showing that He truly was from God.5
After John the Baptist was imprisoned, he began to experience doubt as to whether Jesus really was the Promised One. Jesus responded by calling attention to the fact that “the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised . . . ” (Luke 7:22). John knew that these miracles were the very acts that the prophets had said the Messiah would do.
As word of Jesus’ ministry spread, multitudes came to hear Him and to be healed. He never turned any away, but “healed them all” (Matthew 12:15). He cleansed the lepers, restored sight to the blind, gave hearing to the deaf, and speech to the mute. He cast out devils, cured fevers, and even raised the dead. No sickness or disease was beyond His ability to cure.6
Divine healing continued to be an integral part of the Gospel through the ministry of the Early Church. Jesus sent out the Twelve, and later seventy of His disciples, to preach and to heal the sick. Just before His ascension, He promised, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; . . . they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17-18). The disciples were to take God’s message into all the world, but it had to be in His name—according to God’s character and will. Requests made in His name today, including those for healing, must align with His desires and eternal purpose for each individual.
We live in a world where evil impacts the health and welfare of all. The Fall brought upon mankind the realities of sickness, aging, accidents, and other physical calamities. Intemperate living and sinful lifestyles have led to human illness in many forms: addictions, diseases, some types of mental and emotional disturbances, stress-related conditions, etc. However, even those who serve God are not immune to disease and affliction. Although the Apostle Paul was a man of faith and spiritual power, he endured affliction. Paul prayed three times for the removal of his “thorn in the flesh.” God refused, but He let Paul know that the trial would be accompanied by His enduring grace. (See 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.)
Sickness can be the result of judgment or of the activity of Satan.7 However, there are numerous other reasons given in Scripture for why affliction occurs.8
A study of Jesus’ healing ministry reveals some requirements for receiving healing. In most cases, a desire to be healed is expressed, either by the individual himself or by the one bringing that person to the Lord. In Matthew 20:30-34, we read that two blind men sitting by the wayside heard that Jesus was passing by and cried out to Him for mercy. Jesus stopped and asked them, “What will ye that I shall do unto you?” When they responded that they wanted their eyes to be opened, He “had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.”9
A desire for God’s divine intervention must be accompanied by a belief that God is able to heal. When Jesus was approached by a Roman centurion on behalf of his servant who was “grievously tormented,” He agreed to come and heal the servant. However, the centurion indicated that if Jesus would just say the word, he knew his servant would be healed. Jesus commended the centurion’s faith, saying, “As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” The servant was healed “in the selfsame hour.” (See Matthew 8:5-13.)
The Bible makes it clear that faith in God must also be accompanied by a willingness to obey Him.10 Many times Jesus required people to take an action that would demonstrate their obedience to Him before healing them. For example, a blind man was told to wash in the pool of Siloam (John 9:7), and the ten lepers were told to go and show themselves to the priests (Luke 17:14).
In James 5:13-14, God’s Word gives instructions for those who are afflicted. We read, “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. . . Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” It is instructive that the Bible puts the burden on the sick person to approach the ministry and request prayer. The afflicted individual takes the first step by indicating a desire to follow God’s Word in this matter.
The process outlined in these verses is clear. As ministers, we are instructed to anoint the sick individual with oil.11 The oil has been consecrated by prayer, and the anointing is done in the name of the Lord, in obedience to His Word. We take a bit of oil on a finger and put it on the sick individual’s forehead. We place a hand on the head of the one who has come for prayer, and offer a simple, audible prayer asking God to undertake. As we look Heaven’s way, we submit to God’s will, in peaceful assurance that whatever He does will be for the sick person’s ultimate good.12
There may be times when healing does not come because of a spiritual hindrance. Scripture indicates that a lack of faith (James 1:6-7), the need for prayer and fasting (Mark 9:28-29), sin in the life (Jeremiah 5:25), or praying with a wrong motive (James 4:3) can stand in the way of an answer to prayer. Yet, a lack of instant healing is not necessarily an indication that any of these conditions exist. It may be that instantaneous healing is not the will of God in a particular case.
While we do not know how God will answer in each situation, Scripture indicates that extraordinary cures will occur. God will be glorified by the healing of bodies. James concludes his instructions by saying, “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:15). If a sick person’s heart is reaching God’s way and he confesses his sins, God promises to forgive.
God can and often does heal miraculously, without any human intervention. Or doctors and medical treatment may assist the natural healing power invested in the human body by the Creator. No matter what God ordains in each situation, it is the privilege of afflicted believers to look to Him in faith as their Healer.
BELIEF IN THE BIBLE DOCTRINE of divine healing does not oppose nor compete with professional medical care. The acceptance or refusal of medical assistance is a personal choice, not a Bible doctrine.
As ministers, it is not our role to offer advice regarding the utilization or refusal of professional medical care. The church may be held legally responsible if the minister either preaches or counsels that one should not have medical treatment, especially when a minor is involved.
It is true that the Bible indicts King Asa because, when he was afflicted, “he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians” (2 Chronicles 16:12). However, King Asa had previously sought help from Syria in an act of unbelief and disobedience (see 2 Chronicles 16:7). He was condemned because he refused to seek the Lord, not because he solicited the assistance of physicians.
We are to support and pray for one who seeks medical care just as we support and pray for one who decides not to obtain medical care. Choosing professional medical assistance cannot be automatically viewed as an indicator that one is abandoning God. As ministers, we pray for the sick with anticipation that God will heal, and if they remain sick, that God will encourage their faith as they continue to rely upon Him.
We also gain nothing by speaking in a disparaging manner of the medical profession and the care they do their best to provide.
WE MUST BE CAREFUL when preaching the Bible accounts of the physically and mentally impaired that we in no way disrespect members of our audience who have physical or mental handicaps. If we lack sensitivity, we risk causing great offense by referring in a negative manner to individuals with physical or mental disabilities.
1 The only two exceptions, where the word could possibly be referencing spiritual healing, are Matthew 13:15 and John 12:40, both of which are quoting from Isaiah 6:9-10.
2 Jesus healed people before His crucifixion, but that does not negate the fact that healing was provided through the Atonement. Scripture also records that Jesus also forgave sins before His death on the cross. (See Matthew 9:2, 6-7; Luke 7:48-50.) Healings that took place prior to Christ’s death foreshadowed the price He would pay at Calvary, just as healings that take place in our day look back in faith to that event.
3 Deuteronomy 8:4; 2 Chronicles 30:20; Psalm 107:20.
4 See John 9:3-4.
5 An example is found in Mark 2:1-12, when four friends brought a palsied man to the Lord. The first words Jesus spoke were, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee” (verse 5). Jesus knew that the scribes who heard His words questioned His authority to forgive sins, so He proved his authority by subsequently healing the sick man.
6 See Matthew 4:23.
7 Examples include Genesis 19:11; Exodus 9:8-11; 2 Kings 5:26-27; Luke 13:16; Acts 13:10-11; 1 Corinthians 11:28-30.
8 There are many reasons why suffering may come to a Christian. Job was declared “perfect and upright” in the sight of God, yet God allowed Satan to afflict him tremendously for His own purposes. Some of the reasons given in Scripture include: the normal decline of physical health that occurs in old age (Genesis 48:10), or the result of rigorous duties (see Philippians 2:25-30). At times, affliction may be permitted in order to display God’s power (John 9:3), or for a person’s personal spiritual growth or refinement (Psalm 119:71). It may come to prove God’s power to deliver (Psalm 34:19), to bring us back from wandering (Psalm 119:67), to allow us to experience God’s comfort (Psalm 119:75-76), to teach us how to comfort others who are afflicted (2 Corinthians 1:4), for our spiritual refinement (Isaiah 48:10), or for our eternal gain (2 Corinthians 4:17).
9 Other examples of individuals who expressed a desire for healing can be found in Mark 10:46-52 and John 5:5-9.
10 An Old Testament example is found in Deuteronomy 7:12 and 15.
11 The oil itself carries no supernatural or curative powers, but is used in anointing to symbolize God’s Spirit. James 5:13-14 is a New Testament example where faith is accompanied by a willingness to obey (see footnote 10).
12 For further information regarding our ministering to the sick, see the section of this manual titled Ministering to the Sick and Shut In.
ONE OF THE PRIMARY PURPOSES of the Apostolic Faith organization since our inception has been to lead men and women to the place of repentance and forgiveness for sin, and to an understanding of the Latter Rain Gospel. This necessitates being alert to opportunities to expand our outreach into new fields.
Typically, establishing a church in a new area begins with interest expressed in our organization. The initial contact may have occurred when an individual or group received Gospel literature printed by the Apostolic Faith, visited our church website, or had a personal contact with someone connected to this work. Often, there is a period of correspondence with headquarters, in which the Biblical doctrines and practices upheld by this organization are explained in greater detail. Gradually, this correspondence provides insight about the group’s understanding of our doctrinal position and its willingness to follow the practices and guidelines of the Apostolic Faith work. In time, this may lead to a visit from a representative of headquarters, at which time the possibility of the group becoming a part of the organization may be explored as the Spirit leads.
In a case where a group of associated groups or church congregations has expressed interest in becoming a part of the Apostolic Faith, it may take a number of visits from a headquarters representative before we can be assured that they are all one with us in doctrine and are willing to adopt our methods of operation. This Minister’s Manual may serve as a basis for explaining in detail what we stand for and how we operate. Leaders of the congregations can also be encouraged to view the services posted on our organization’s website as a means of gaining understanding about how we conduct our services.
Meetings in Homes and Temporary Facilities
Many Apostolic Faith branch churches started from gatherings of believers in private homes. We encourage this method, especially in locations where there are only a few believers. Holding Bible studies, prayer meetings, or even simple church services in a home, and inviting neighbors, friends, and relatives to attend, is in accord with the pattern established in Scripture. Members of the Early Church taught the Gospel in private homes as well as in larger assemblies.<sup>1<sup> In some towns, private homes served as meeting places for smaller churches,<sup>2<sup> while at other times, groups simply gathered in a home. According to Acts 10, it was in one such meeting in the home of the Roman centurion Cornelius that God revealed to Peter that the Gospel message was for all who would believe in Jesus Christ.
Obviously, any home meetings held under the auspices of the Apostolic Faith organization must uphold the doctrines and practices of this organization, and operate under the supervision of the nearest District Superintendent.
Church services in homes usually are quite simple. Sometimes they are structured along the lines of a Sunday school class or informal Bible study. If there are enough people present, the program may consist of singing, perhaps a testimony or two, Bible reading, a brief message, and a time of prayer. In some cases, small groups have found that watching services on the corporate website at www.apostolicfaith.org/video-archive can be a real blessing and uplift. Workers from an Apostolic Faith branch church can also go, whenever that is possible, to support the efforts of those holding meetings in areas where there is no established church as yet.
If space constraints permit, those who attend home meetings should be encouraged to invite others who might be interested in gathering with the group of believers. If the numbers grow and a solid foundation of workers develops, it may be possible in time to secure a larger facility where Gospel services could be held.
Most new churches meet at least for a time in rented facilities such as schools, hotel conference rooms, or community centers. Though the meeting location is temporary, those in charge should make every effort to create a warm and inviting environment. The facility should be clean, provide comfortable seating and adequate parking, and be equipped with a suitable sound system. Signage directing visitors to the meeting area, along with flowers and a display of Gospel literature, can help to create a friendly atmosphere. The goal should be to make visitors feel welcome and encourage them to come again.
Evangelistic programs/outreaches
Conducting evangelistic campaigns is another form of outreach into a new field that has brought fruitful results in the Apostolic Faith organization. Typically, we hold campaigns of this nature to ascertain whether there is interest or potential for developing a work in a particular location. In years past, churches of a neighborhood or community nature occasionally have opened their doors to us. However, we have found that it is often best to conduct our campaigns in rented conference rooms or other community facilities, in order to avoid restrictions on our preaching or manner of worship.
A well-organized evangelistic campaign will have at least five major components:
Expansion into new fields takes far more than simply seeing opportunities. We must be certain that our timing and the steps we take toward evangelizing and/or establishing a work in a new location do not get ahead of God. Wherever God guides, He provides. Ultimately, the work will grow and expand according to local response in any given area, and God’s sovereign will. If He wants us to move forward, He will open the doors, and we must always align ourselves with His purpose and timing. When we do, a small seed sown in good soil and watered with prayer can result in a bountiful spiritual harvest for God’s kingdom.
IT IS IMPORTANT for us to remember that while growth is the natural state of a healthy organism, there are different kinds of growth, some of which have nothing to do with numbers. A church can be alive and growing spiritually even though the number of people attending remains constant. If those in the church are growing “in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18), and following His will for their lives, both individually and corporately, that church is experiencing true growth. Conversely, a church can see its numbers increase, and still be spiritually lifeless. While expansion is important and we should always be alert for outreach opportunities, numerical increase in our numbers is not our primary goal.
WE HAVE FOUND that entire sanctification and the sanctity of marriage are two doctrinal teachings that we must explore especially carefully and thoroughly with those who express an interest in becoming a part of the Apostolic Faith work. It is necessary to be certain that we are unified in understanding, as some people who generally agree with our teachings have a slightly or totally different view of these two doctrines.
1 See Acts 5:42 and 20:20.
2 See Romans 16:5, 1 Corinthians 16:19, and Philemon 1:2.
IT IS BIBLICAL for the church to set apart individuals in the ministry for special tasks of leadership.1 In the Apostolic Faith organization this is done through ordination and/or installation. Ordination Services and Installation Services are handled in a similar manner.
Ordination Services
Ordination is the public ceremony by which leaders of the church authorize a minister to serve as a pastor or other designated role in the Apostolic Faith work.2 While ordination does vest in that individual the legal authority to perform certain civil duties and conduct business as a representative of the organization, we view the event primarily as a solemn, spiritual charge and commissioning as much as a legal or liturgical rite. It is important as an acknowledgement of the prior divine call, commission, and qualification of the person, though it is not a requirement for serving as a minister.3
In the Apostolic Faith organization, we typically hold ordinations during a regular church service or during an ordinance service. At the appointed time during the meeting, the Superintendent General or the District Superintendent presiding over the ordination ceremony announces to the congregation that the designated minister is to be ordained at that time. Often, he gives a brief explanation of the Scriptural purpose and basis for ordination. Then, in accordance with examples provided in the Word of God,4 members of the ministry and elders lay their hands on the minister, and pray together for divine anointing upon him or her.5 Those who are present join in prayer that God’s blessing will rest upon the life and service of the one being ordained.
We believe that it is the Holy Spirit who confers authority and power for ministry, rather than those who participate in the ordination ceremony. No particular person or group of individuals is essential to the ordination process; it can be done by any minister or ministers who have been granted permission to do so by the leadership of the Apostolic Faith organization.
Installation Services
Installation is similar to ordination in that it is a public ceremony by which leaders in the Apostolic Faith organization appoint a minister to a designated leadership role in our work. The main difference is that an installation does not include legally-issued credentials or certification; rather, it represents a corporate appointment or designation within the organizational structure of the Apostolic Faith. Often, installation appointments relate to supervision of geographic districts where our churches are located, or serving on a Board of Trustees.
In some countries or regions of the Apostolic Faith work, installation services are held for pastors, though this is not required when a minister assumes a pastoral role. At the headquarters church, installation services relate specifically to the appointment of District Superintendents.
The service itself is generally conducted much like an ordination, by the laying on of hands by qualified ministers and elders.
In the United States, the credentials and authorization of both ordained and installed pastors can be revoked at any time by the Superintendent General if the minister’s faith and practice fail to align to the Gospel of Christ, or cease to be in accordance with the doctrines, constitution, and bylaws of the Apostolic Faith organization. In countries outside of the United States, the District Superintendent is authorized to do this.
1 See Acts 1:21-26; 6:1-6; 13:2-3.
2 See the topic Ministerial Credentials and Ordination for more information on this subject.
3 In some cases, individuals in our work have assumed the role of pastor because a sudden vacancy in the pastoral ranks necessitated immediate placement of a minister in a particular location. In those cases, unless the pastoral assignment is designated as being only temporary, the acting pastor may be ordained at a time of the District Superintendent’s choosing. During the interim, he is allowed to perform all of the functions of a pastor except those for which the State requires an ordained minister.
4 See 1 Timothy 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6.
5 In light of the Biblical role of women in the church, the Apostolic Faith organization makes no distinction between men and women in the work of the ministry. Godly women who give evidence of the call of God upon their lives, and who qualify spiritually, are accorded the same privileges as men to labor in the ministry. See the topic Women Preachers for more information on this subject.
MINISTERS MEETINGS are regularly scheduled events in the Apostolic Faith organization. At these sessions, those who serve as ministers and pastors in our work gather to study topics relevant to our ministerial responsibilities, and to hone our abilities through structured training, that we may be “able ministers of the new testament” (2 Corinthians 3:6).
At the headquarters church in Portland, ministers meetings are held every year during the spring special meetings and the summer camp meeting. All ministers and pastors, both active and retired, are encouraged to attend. These times remind us that we are not serving in isolation, no matter what our geographic location or proximity to other Apostolic Faith churches. Rather, we are part of a divinely ordained and God-commissioned group, and we approach the responsibilities of our calling shoulder to shoulder with fellow ministers from around the world. As we share plans and goals and learn together, we come away feeling better equipped and inspired to putting our best efforts into moving the Gospel forward.<sup>1<sup>
In addition to the sessions held during special meetings and camp meeting, the ministerial staff in Portland meets from time to time throughout the year. Ministers meetings are also held during regional camp meetings and at district meetings, and should be held in individual churches where there are several on the local ministerial staff. Even if there are only two or three ministers at a given location, it is a good plan to meet occasionally to discuss ideas, plans, and details of the work.
Godly counsel is of particular benefit to those of us in the ministry. We need one another! Often the issues which face us cannot be shared with our families or the flock of God, but Scripture records numerous examples of spiritual leaders who conferred with each other regarding matters affecting the church. For example, the disciples discussed with elders of the early church the appointment of deacons to care for the widows (Acts 6), the prophets and teachers at Antioch sought God’s direction together until the Spirit revealed that Barnabas and Saul were to be sent out as missionaries (Acts 13), and the apostles and elders in Jerusalem came together to confer about the danger of reverting to the law of Moses (Acts 15).
All of us can learn from the experiences of others. When we face challenges in our work for the Lord, those challenges are not unique—very likely some of our peers have been through similar circumstances. Older ministers can offer insights and perspective based upon years of experience in the Gospel. Proverbs 27:17 tells us that “Iron sharpens iron,” and the guidance and advice of seasoned Gospel veterans is an invaluable resource. Ministers meetings are one venue where we can tap into that experience.
The ministers meetings held in Portland during special meetings and camp meeting have an annual theme. Over the years, these themes have included: Higher Ground, Sharing God’s Love, Follow Me, Hold the Fort, America’s Mission Field, Lessons in Leadership, The Art of Preaching, God Gave the Increase, and Equipped to Serve. Individual sessions under these headings have developed topics such as evangelism, helping troubled people, marriage and family issues, financial planning, enduring hardness, ministerial protocol, holding funerals, and a wide range of other topics. Various ministers are selected to act as facilitators/speakers for the sessions. In many cases, handouts and topic summaries are distributed to attendees. Transcripts and videos of these sessions are posted on the minister’s page of the website at www.apostolicfaith.org.
In conclusion, the benefit of gathering together as ministers is much more than information shared or techniques we learn. An additional benefit comes in the cultivating of our unity of purpose. We are persuaded that this work has a unique calling in the world, and that the teachings and way of life the Latter Rain Gospel advocates are relevant today. Ministers meetings help us to keep moving forward with a unified purpose. Unity is not a goal that can be achieved once and then relegated to the sidelines for a number of years. It requires a constant process of communicating, adapting, evaluating, and learning. To walk in unity, we must have a shared understanding of how we operate, and ministers meetings are one of the ways we achieve this.
<sup2>1<sup2> For more information regarding interaction between pastors and ministers, see the section of this manual titled Relationships with Other Ministers.
THOSE OF US who serve as pastors in the Apostolic Faith organization occasionally hold meetings specifically for the people of God who are part of our church. We refer to these gatherings as “Workers Meetings.” At times, we open such meetings to all who are involved in any capacity in the work of the Lord. In other circumstances, we invite only a particular group, such as the ushers, Sunday school teachers, or musicians. While our workers meetings may include instruction and challenge, our goal always should be to uplift, appreciate, and inspire our companions in ministry, remembering that we are all “labourers together with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9).<sup>1<sup>
Workers meetings are held for a variety of purposes.
Plan. When the local church undertakes a construction project, seasonal program, or community outreach, planning must occur. We often gather small groups of individuals from the church family who have appropriate skills or backgrounds, and work with them to establish direction, discuss implementation, assign tasks, and track progress, for Scripture tells us, “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established” (Proverbs 15:22).
Through the years, workers meetings have sometimes been held to discuss the purchase of a piece of property, securing of a different facility, refurbishing the sanctuary, or other business matters. We recommend using ordinance meetings as a time to accomplish this.
Inform. Those who are involved in the work obviously have an interest in the forward movement of the Gospel, so it is appropriate to bring them up-to-date occasionally on what has been happening in other locations around the world. Presentations related to a newly-emerging branch of the international work, the outreach at headquarters, or a particular missionary trip goal has proved to be a blessing and inspiration to the people of God. We have found that the more the people of God are informed about a particular outreach, the more wholeheartedly they will support it.
Encourage. Challenges come to every congregation. In such times, we may feel a need to gather those who carry the burden of the work and do what we can to encourage hearts. There are many Scriptural precedents for this. When the Children of Israel faced the Red Sea, Moses reassured them, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13). On the eve of crossing over into Canaan, Joshua encouraged the people that God “will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites” (Joshua 3:10). The Apostle Paul’s letters often included words of support to his fellow workers. Encouragement has strengthened many an individual and group to overcome hard places.
Equip. As pastors, we have a responsibility to facilitate the efforts of the workers in the church. Meetings with groups such as Sunday school teachers, custodial staff, greeters, and musicians will help us understand their challenges and respond to their needs as God directs. In the spiritual realm, workers meetings offer a setting where we can teach and equip those involved in the work to be good altar workers, to give a strong testimony, to be friendly and welcoming to visitors, and other “family matters” of this nature.
Admonish. The New Testament is full of admonitions given by the Apostles to various groups in the Early Church. Peter taught, “All of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Paul exhorted believers in Philippi to “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27), and instructed the Ephesian church to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). We too have a charge to “reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2). Admonitions given in a group setting may eliminate the necessity of dealing personally with challenges that could otherwise come up. It will also band the workers together as a united force for God, and in unity there is strength.
Warn. There may be times when, as shepherds of the flock, we must identify errors that could threaten the spiritual well-being of our congregations. Paul cautioned the elders at Ephesus, declaring that after his departure “grievous wolves [shall] enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also, of your own selves shall men arise…” (Acts 20:29-30). Like Paul, we must warn the people of God about harmful influences that can come from both outside and inside the church. Workers meetings traditionally have been the place where this is done, as such matters are best handled when only the family of God is present.
In conclusion, laboring together in the church with the saints of God requires unity, cooperation, and commitment to a common purpose. Workers meetings are one way we can cultivate these attributes, and thus influence God’s people to continue to move forward in alignment with God’s purposes for our organization.
<sup2>1<sup2> For more about our connection with those in our congregations, see the topic Relationship with Workers in the Church in this manual.
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