God, as the triune Godhead, of the Father, the Word and of the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:7-8) existed since the beginning and is the creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1) that we live in today. That the beginning of the world came forth by the Word (John 1:1) and Jesus was the word manifested in the flesh (John 1:14). The Word is for the believer’s instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16) and it stands forever (Isaiah 40:8) as the infallible truth of life (John 17:17). In the universe God has created, there are two realms co-existing; one visible and one invisible (Colossians 1:15-17), one spiritual and one natural (1 Corinthians 15:46), one eternal and one temporal (2 Corinthians 4:18). That the world we see is made by the unseen world (Hebrews 11:3) and as believers, we are to lay up treasures in the unseen, invisible, spiritual and eternal realm (Matthew 6:19-20)
2. RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LIVING GOD
God, like a father, loved us first (1 John 4:19) and is the true living God who enables us to establish a relationship with Him through the Holy Spirit (John 14:20-21). He is our Heavenly Father who speaks to us (Isaiah 30:21) and supplies all our needs (Philippians 4:19). He corrects us for our benefit (Proverbs 3:12) that we may be partakers of His holiness (Hebrews 12:10) and He promises to forgive us if we confess our wrongdoings (1 John 1:9). He gives us good gifts (Luke 11:13) and He helps us if we call unto Him (Isaiah 41:10). We recognise His voice (John 10:27) and He reasons with us (Isaiah 1:18) and because we are His children, we can cry out to Him, “Abba, Father!” (Galatians 4:6) for we know He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7)
3. THE FIRST AND LAST ADAM
God made man, the first Adam, in His image and breathed His Spirit into him, giving Adam life (Genesis 2:7) and set him apart, placing him inside the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8) so that He may commune with Adam and his generations as a special people to Himself. Through Adam's choice to disobey God, following Eve, they both became spiritually dead and separated from God (Genesis 2:17) and were thus banished from the garden (Genesis 3:24). God's plans have not changed; He still wants a holy nation, a special people to Himself (1 Peter 2:9) to commune with. God is a spirit (John 4:23) and our relationship with Him can now be reestablished by the life-giving spirit of the last Adam, that is Christ (1 Corinthians 15:45), who became the atonement and sacrifice for our sins.
4. THE doctrine of baptisms
Believers are enabled to enter into the kingdom of God when we are born again of water and of the spirit (John 3:5). The baptism of water symbolises our burial with Christ unto death (Romans 6:4) and symbolises the washing of our sins from a repentant heart. The Holy Spirit baptism of fire (Matthew 3:11) is for those who thirst (John 7:37), those who ask (Luke 11:13) and those who believe on Jesus (Acts 19:4). By the baptism of the spirit, believers are adopted as children of God (John 1:12), unified as one into the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:4) and are sealed with a seed of promise to bear fruits to God (Romans 7:4). These are fruits of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), righteousness, truth (Ephesians 5:9) and holiness (Romans 6:22)
5. by grace through faith
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17) in the spirit-filled believer, not as a cloak for sin but as a bondservant of God (1 Peter 2:15-16) not to be entangled again with a yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1). A spirit-filled believer is to be not just a hearer, but a doer of the word (James 1:22) saved by the gift and grace of God through the operation of faith (Ephesians 2:8). Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1) that comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17) to produce works of faith (James 2:26) so that we may obtain a good testimony to receive the promise (Hebrews 11:39) and to please God (Hebrews 11:6)
6. SANCTIFICATIOn BY THE SPIRIT
God sanctifies us by delivering our souls (Psalm 116:4) and healing our wounds (Psalm 147:3) according to our willingness (Isaiah 1:16-19). We are to set Christ apart in our hearts and be ready to testify to the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15) that our whole spirit, soul and body may be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23). By the Spirit, we are sanctified when we believe in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13) that is contained in God's words (John 17:17-19) which cleanses us in both the flesh and the spirit to perfect holiness (2 Corinthians 7:1) so that we may become vessels of honour, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work (2 Timothy 2:21)
7. walking in the spirit
The Holy Spirit in a believer's life is evident in a love of God (Romans 5:5) and a life not according to the flesh but according to the spirit (Romans 8:1). As believers, we receive power when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) and are distributed gifts by the same Spirit as He wills (1 Cor 12:11). There are diversities of gifts and we are to use our gifts (Romans 12:6) and the manifestations of the Spirit for the profit of all (1 Cor 12:7). The Holy Spirit gives us utterance (Acts 2:4), He enables us to discern (1 Cor 2:14) and pray according to the will of God (Romans 8:27). He dwells in us (Romans 8:11) and through Him we hear by faith (Galatians 3:5), allowing Him to lead us (Matthew 4:1), guide us (John 16:13) and teach us (John 14:26). By the Holy Spirit, we worship God (John 4:23), speak to Him (1 Corinthians 14:2), intercede for others (John 11:33) and prove in ourselves what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).
8. love fulfils the law
God is the architect of love and the author of marriage between man and his bride (Genesis 2:24) and between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:25). There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for his friends (John.15:13) just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5:25). God is love (1 John 4:8) and is defined as love that edifies (1 Corinthians 8), that is patient and kind, that is not jealous, does not envy and is not proud (1 Corinthians 13:4). Love is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Romans 13:8) meaning we are to unselfishly love not just in word or in tongue, but in our deeds and in truth (1 John 3:18). Love is the greatest gift that surpasses all gifts because without love, we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Finally, love fulfills the law (Romans 13:10) and we are to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind and with all our strength (Mark 12:30).
9. the command of christ
Christ is the resurrection and life and whosoever believes in Him will not die (John 11:25-26) but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Christ ordered his disciples to go into the world to preach the gospel and baptize those who believe. And these signs follow those who believe: In His name we will cast out demons; we will speak with new tongues, we will take up serpents; and if we drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt us; we will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)