Standing Firm

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. [1 Corinthians 16:13]

Biblical TeachingsPodcast Episode

Doctrine #7: Ordinances of the Church

Cathy

So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. [Acts 20:28-30]

As we have been talking about through these foundations there is importance in understanding sound doctrine. That first layer of the foundation begins with the inherent Word of God. You MUST know what the Word of God says.

This is where your life of wisdom and knowing what the Word of God says or you could easily be sitting in a lukewarm, fluffy church. As Acts 20:28-30 indicate there will be people in the pulpit that will be distorting the truth and will be false teachers.

  • If there is distortion in the scriptures the church is going to look different than what God originally designed, it to be.
  • If scripture is interpreted based on feelings or a personal preference, then the Word will become ineffective.
  • If the entire message about sin, repentance, living holy, and redemption isn’t spoken about in its entirety then the Word is watered down and people’s lives are not going to be transformed.
  • If you sit in a service or listen to a message and the scripture isn’t even used – RUN.

Hebrews 4:12 says, for the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

LUKEWARM-FLUFFY CHURCHES

If you are sitting under a pastor that preaches the Word, as Hebrews 4:12 says it should change you, it should cut to your soul, it should transform you. You should not be in the same place spiritually as you were one year ago. If you are the same person in December 2023 as you were in December 2022, that is a problem. You are in a lukewarm fluffy church. God hates “so called believers” that are lukewarm, and He certainly is not pleased with a church that is.

I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! [Revelation 3:15-16]

Ok moving on

Benefits of Sound Doctrine

  1. Sound doctrine will produce a church that allows the Holy Spirit to lead.
  2. Sound doctrine will provide power and supernatural workings of the Holy Spirit.
  3. Sound doctrine provides a life of peace, prosperity, and purpose.
  4. Sound doctrine gives you a solid foundation for everything in your life.
  5. Sound doctrine prevents you from living in fear and anxiety.
  6. Sound doctrine will give you a boldness in the Holy Spirit.
  7. Sound doctrine will give you a firm foundation to speak from.
  8. Sound doctrine will help prevent you from receiving the antichrist spirit.
  9. Sound doctrine gives you discernment about heaven and hell.
  10. Sound doctrine will allow you to live a holy life.
  11. Sound doctrine will keep you from falling away from the faith.
  12. Sound doctrine will prevent you from being deceived.
  13. Sound doctrine will help you from going insane in this crazy world.
  14. Sound doctrine will help you to STAND FIRM.

BAPTISM

Baptism is demonstrated by Jesus, and it is a command for believers to be baptized.

Peter replied, Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [Acts 2:38]

  • Baptism into the body of Christ should be done in water.
  • Baptisms should be full immersion, not a sprinkling.
  • Baptism is an essential part of salvation.
  • Baptism is an act of obedience to the Lord.
  • It’s a public demonstration where you have chosen the gift!
  • There should be multiple baptisms every week, because so many people are coming to the Lord.

Does this happen in churches today? Nope, again, sadly many churches don’t even offer baptisms. The awful statistics show that in most churches there is 1 baptism in every 3 years (holy smokernies). There is also a debate in today’s society on how to baptize. Again, my friends go back to Doctrine #1 – go to the Word.

So why is baptism commanded? What does it do? What is the significance?

BAPTISM IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

Baptism is a beautiful experience that symbolizes our new life in Jesus. The benefit is the separation from the devil, sin, and the world’s influence. It’s the process of burying our sin nature and going into our new life. We all need to be born again. We need to get Adam’s sin out and get Jesus in us!!

And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. [1 Peter 3:21]

  • When you are standing in the water you are in sin.
  • When you go under the water, the full immersion, you are being cleansed of your sins.
  • When you are raised up out of the water, this symbolizes the new life (in the spirit) that you have in Christ.
    • You are now a new creation.
    • All the sin nature is buried, dead, left in the grave.
    • You leave all of that stinky sin in the water.
    • YOU HAVE A NEW LIFE IN JESUS!!!!

When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. [Colossians 2:11-13]

This is a huge significance in the life of a believer because of the public proclamation. It also is a demonstration that you have buried your sin nature, you confirm that you want to dedicate your life to living holy, and you cannot back slide once you bury the sin nature.

NOTE: IF, you choose to bring up that dead sin nature, dead things stink, and you will be a stench to God.

As Acts 2:38 states you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as a new believer. The Holy Spirit is what will help us live the holy life, become a living sacrifice, give us wisdom and guidance.

BAPTISIM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

This is a second baptism that is the biblical doctrines for a believer. If you remember before Jesus ascended into heaven after rising from the grave, He told his disciples not to go out and preach the Word until they were baptized in the Holy Spirit power. The same is true for us, we must be baptized in with the Holy Spirit power to do the work of the Lord with effect.

Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. [Act 1:4-5]

There is a difference between the gift of the Holy Spirit and being baptized in the Holy Spriit. This is a separate experience from becoming a believer. This can happen right after you accept the Lord, or it can happen several years later. Either way this is something that should be present in your church and body of believers.

  • Being baptized in the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to become and able to be used by God.
  • Being baptized in the Holy Spirit allows the spirit to flow through us.
  • Being baptized in the Holy Spirit is given by the Father.
  • Being baptized in the Holy Spirit gives us the power and supernatural abilities just as Jesus had.

Evidence of being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

  • This is when our prayer language is established.
  • This is speaking in an unknown language to the Lord in prayer.
  • This is not public speaking for others, this is prayer for self-edification.
  • The Holy Spirit prays and speaks on our behalf.
  • A sharp discernment and understanding of the Word.
  • Supernatural energy, health, and power.

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. [Acts 2:1-4]

***Listen to podcast for further information on this.

BAPTISM IN FIRE

There is a third baptism, that should also be present in the church that you attend. This baptism is rarely talked about, especially in this day of age we are living in, because it involves the progressive process of sanctification.

  • Baptism in fire is by the Holy Spirit, administered to our soul, mind, and body.
  • Baptism in fire is where true believers are separated from the world.
  • Baptism in fire is separating the wheat from the chaff.
  • Baptism in fire is where the where the human spirit is spotless and made into the image of God- the world cannot see this spirt.
  • Baptism in fire is the flesh being crucified daily, you choose to be a living sacrifice, deny fleshy desires.
  • Baptism in fire is speaking the Word and the devil is being stomped on.
  • Baptism in fire is physically shown through sanctification to become more like God and living that holy life.

I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire. [Matthew 3:11-12]

FIRE IS APPLIED BY THE WORD: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. [2 Timothy 3:16]

FIRE IS APPLIED IN THE MIND: Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. [Romans 12:2]

FIRE IS APPLIED BY SELF DENIAL: Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Mark 8:34]

FIRE IS APPLIED BY PRUNING: He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. [John 15:2-3]

HOLY COMMUNION

This is another sacred experience we experience together in the body of Christ. It is divine sharing and remembrance of ALL the Jesus has done for us. Bread and red wine should be used and nothing else should be substituted in its place. Taking communion is also a time of self-reflection and examination of how we are living. This is a practice set aside for those that are living in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. [1 Corinthians 11:23-28]

 

× Text Me Today!