Bible Scripture Reference  ;

Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Proverbs 4:25-27

Pro 4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Pro 4:26  Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Pro 4:27  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

2 Corinthians 5:7For we walk by faith, not by sight

1 Peter 2:24 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.

Matthew 11:28 – 30

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Proverbs 25:2

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

2 Timothy 2:15-16

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

1 Timothy 4:7

1 Timothy 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

Hebrews 5:14

Hebrews 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Acts 27:22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

Isaiah 58:6-9

Isaiah 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Isaiah 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

Isaiah 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

2 Corinthians 6:4-5

2 Corinthians 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

2 Corinthians 6:5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Hebrews 11:1  NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

Romans 4:17-22

Romans 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Romans 4:18  Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

Romans 4:19  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:

Romans 4:20  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

Romans 4:21  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Romans 4:22  And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

2 Corinthians 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Colossians 2:15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

Ephesians 4:25-27

Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Ephesians 4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Ephesians 4:27  Neither give place to the devil.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:8-9

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Peter 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Acts 8:5-8

Act 8:5  Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

Act 8:6  And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

Act 8:7  For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

Act 8:8  And there was great joy in that city.

Acts 11:11-14

Act 11:11  And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.

Act 11:12  And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:

Act 11:13  And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;

Act 11:14  Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

Hebrew 11:7-8

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Zephaniah 3:17The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

John 16:23-24

Joh 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

Joh 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

1 Chronicles 28:4Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:

Isaiah 11:3 MSG Fear-of-GOD will be all his joy and delight. He won’t judge by appearances, won’t decide on the basis of hearsay.

Psalm 15:1-3 GNB

Psa 15:1  LORD, who may enter your Temple? Who may worship on Zion, your sacred hill?

Psa 15:2  Those who obey God in everything and always do what is right, whose words are true and sincere,

Psa 15:3  and who do not slander others. They do no wrong to their friends nor spread rumors about their neighbors.

Ephesians 4:31-32

Eph 4:31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Titus 3:1-2

Tit 3:1  Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

Tit 3:2  To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

Romans 4:13

Rom 4:13  For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Joel 2:28

Joe 2:28  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

Isaiah 43:26

Isa 43:26  Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

James 5:17

Jam 5:17  Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

1 John 5:11-12

1Jo 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

1Jo 5:12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

John 3:16; 17:3

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 17:3

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Luke 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

Romans 5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Psalm 1:1-3

Psa 1:1  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psa 1:2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psa 1:3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Isaiah 54:2-3

Isa 54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;

Isa 54:3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Proverbs 15:23A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!

Isaiah 50:4

The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

Colossians 4:6

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Ecclesiastes 8:4

Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?

Job 22:28

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

Revelation 5:10

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Galatians 5:6

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

1 Thessalonians 5:8

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

1 Thessalonians 1:3

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father

John 16:33

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Romans 14:17

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

John 1:16

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

Ephesians 4:7

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Hebrews 12:17 MSG

You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing–but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.

Romans 8:1; 9:8

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 9:8

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Isaiah 54:17

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

1 John 5:4

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Hebrews 13:5

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Matthew 28:20

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Jeremiah 32:17,

Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:

Jeremiah 32: 27

Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Genesis 18:14

Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Luke 1:37

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Luke 18:27

And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

John 14:26 AMP

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.

John 14:16-17

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:17  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.

2 Corinthians 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. <The second epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi, a city of Macedonia, by Titus and Lucas.>

Psalm 118:8-9

Psa 118:8  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

Psa 118:9  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

Psalm 125:1 

A Song of degrees. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

Isaiah 55:11

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

2 Samuel 22:2-4

2Sa 22:2  And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

2Sa 22:3  The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

2Sa 22:4  I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

Romans 5:18-19

Rom 5:18  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Rom 5:19  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Ephesians 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ

1 Peter 3:9

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Acts 16:6-7

Act 16:6  Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

Act 16:7  After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

Ephesians 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

1 Peter 3:9

1Pe 3:9  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Romans 4:13-22 (KJV)

13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

2 Samuel 22:2-4 (KJV)

2 And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

4 I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

1 John 4:4 (KJV)

4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

2 Timothy 3:16 KJV)

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

THE NEW CREATION IS COMPLETE IN HIM (Colossians 2:9-19; 1 John 3:2)

Colossians 2:9-10, “for in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in him, which is the head of all principalities and powers”. In Christ, you cannot lack anything: as for wisdom, the bible says,” Christ has been made unto us wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:30), as for health, the bible says, “by his stripes we were healed” (1 Peter 2:24), as for wealth the Bible says, “God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by CHRIST JESUS” (Philippians 4:19).

THE NEW CREATION HAS ETERNAL LIFE (John 3:16, John 5:24; 2 Timothy 1:9-10; 1 John 5:11-12)

What is eternal life? Is it possible for a man to live forever and not see death? These are the questions we need to ponder on as we discuss Eternal Life?

Eternal Life is God’s kind of life, an everlasting life, a life that cannot be cut short by anything like disease, sickness or death. It is not acquired after a man is dead like some people think.

Eternal life is a gift from God

The bible says in Romans 5:21, “That as sin hath reigned unto death even so grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ”.  Romans 6:23, says, “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ”. Eternal life is a gift of God. It is imparted into our spirit the moment we got born again. God’s love for man brought about the gift of eternal life and this life is in His son Jesus. (1 John 5:11-12).

Death has been abolished.

The bible says (2 Timothy 1:10) Jesus Christ abolished death and hath bought life and mortality to light, through the gospel.  Immortality here means “eternal life” or “everlasting life”.  Legally, death has no hold on the New Creation. Death reigned over the fallen human race and the ordinary man had a life span of 70 years or at most 100 years span. But the recreated human spirit has an everlasting life. Jesus brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, He lets us know that in John: 5:24, that he that hears His Word and believes on Him that sent Him hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life. He says, “HAS PASSED not WILL PASS”.

This lets us know that the moment we get born again we pass from death to life; everlasting life, a life above sickness and death. We do not work for it, just as a newborn baby does not work for its life; we inherited God’s kind of life because we are born of Him. WE ARE BORN OF GOD. God is immortal (1 Timothy 1:17) and Christ has brought life and immortality to us.

GOD’S REASON’S FOR SALVATION (Gen 12:1-2; Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8)

In Genesis 12:1-2, “Now the Lord had said unto Abram get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father’s house unto a land that I will show thee: And I will make thee a great nation and I will bless thee and make thy name great and shall be a blessing”.

The call of Abram can be likened to our translation from the kingdom of darkness into God’s kingdom. Abram was told to leave his country and kindred where there was idol worship unto a place where God alone is to be worshiped. God also promised to blessed Abram and make his name great and we through Christ have received this promise for the bible says in Genesis 13:16. Now to Abraham and his seed was the promise made, he did not say to “his seeds” as of many but as of one, to thy seed which is Christ.

To be blessed is to be empowered to prosper in all things:  health, wealth, relationships or friendships etc. Also from Genesis 12:3, God said that “through thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed”.  Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-20 commissions us to bless the families of the earth by preaching the Gospel.

We are saved for the following reasons, amongst others:

a)     That we may be a source of blessing to all.

b)     That we may escape the destruction that is to come, etc.

WHAT IS TRUTH (2 Corinthians 5:7; John 17:17)

John 17:17 makes us know that the Word of God is truth.  Sight is anything we can perceive with our physical senses i.e. smell, touch, sight, hear and taste.

Sight and truth may not always agree e.g. a Christian may have all the symptoms of malaria but in truth he has been healed by the stripes of our Lord Jesus (Isaiah 53:5).  Jonah speaking in Jonah 2:8 said, “they that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” Lying vanities here refers to things that can be seen, perceived, smelt and touched etc, but don’t align with God’s Word (the truth). However it is also possible for the sight to align with God’s word e.g. a Christian full of health, wealth and wisdom.

CONCLUSION

The Christian is the one who is born of God, by confessing Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour.  This process of rebirth is what is called ‘born again’.

CLASS REVIEW

Who is really a Christian and how is he related to God?

How can you describe the New Creation: power, dominion and authority?

What is God’s reason for salvation?

What is truth?

What is Zion and how is it related to Christians?

What is the total relationship of the New Creature with all other beings on earth (both converted and the unconverted), all the terrestrial beings.

What does dominion mean to you?

Once a person accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour he is immediately given power to become a son of God.

Discuss:

WHAT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS

Righteousness is the nature of God. It is the ability to stand in the presence of God without fear or any sense of inferiority or condemnation. Righteousness is a free gift from God. You cannot earn by working for it or by doing something to obtain it. It is a free gift made available to all through substitution work of our Lord Jesus Christ. God’s righteousness comes through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

You cannot grow or increase in righteousness but you can grow in the consciousness of your righteousness. This helps the communication of your faith become effective and productive (Philemon 1:6).

HOW IS RIGHTEOUSNESS OBTAINED?

It is a gift Romans 5:17; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 10:1-4; 2 Corinthians 4:1. We are born of God and just as a dog give birth to a dog, with its nature and attributes, God gave birth to us with his nature (righteousness) and attributes (the fruit of the spirit).

There is an erroneous belief that righteousness is the complete absence of sin, but righteousness is not sinless. A man no matter how well he barks or walks on his two legs and hands cannot be called a dog. Likewise, no matter how well a monkey or a dog walks on their legs they cannot be called men. Righteousness is not based on our inability to sin. The bible says in Galatians 2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God for if righteousness could come by the law then Christ died in vain”.  2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”.

We have God’s kind of life

Animals, trees and other living things have their own kind of life. The lifespan of a chicken is different from that of a mortal man. The life span of a tree is different from that of a dog. Now if we are sons of God, we have the same quality of life, the indestructible life of God.

YOUR RIGHTS IN CHRIST

(Luke 4:18, Galatians 2:4)

The introductory part of Pastor Chris’s book, “Your rights in Christ” highlights the Liberty we have in Christ. The word Liberty as used in Luke 4:18 means to release those that were bruised. Pastor Chris postulates that the word liberty has two meanings. Liberty as in Luke 4:18 means to set free, to release while liberty in Galatians 5:13 and Galatians 2:4 means right, synonymous with authority, a legal right. We have freedom that empowers us with a legal right. (Rights – a just claim to authority).

In Galatians 4:7 the bible says, “Thou art no more a servant but a son”. A son has rights that the servants do not have. The servant might not have information concerning his masters business but the son does.

WHAT ARE THESE RIGHTS?

These rights can be categorized into the three:  the right to choose, live and rule.

The right to choose (Deuteronomy 30:19; Philippians 1:21 – 25)

The New Creation is not a programmed robot; he has the right to choose. Christianity is not a religion were you loose your right to choose. You have the right to choose between life and death, but the unbeliever is subjected to death already, He has no right he is under bondage.  Paul tells us of his dilemma on how he was caught between two options to make a choice to die and be with Christ, or to live and fulfil the gospel. In John 5, the bible records that Jesus asked the man who had been infirmed for 38 years; if he wanted to be healed (Will thou be made whole, Verse 6). Many instances have shown that many are ignorant of their rights in this life. Some say, maybe God put the sickness on me to make me humble, but that is absolutely wrong because His will for us is to prosper and be in good health even as our soul prospers (3 John 2).  We have the right to choose.

The right to live (John 11:25-26; 2 Tim 1:10; 1 Cor 15:26,; Heb 11:5)

Because we have believed in Jesus Christ we have the right to live. The bible says, whoever believes in him shall never die (Amplified Bible says shall never die at all). This scripture in John 11:25-26 speaks of physical death. Yes many have quoted the scripture saying and it is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgement (Hebrews 9:27). From this scripture, they say every human being must die but we know that we have been crucified with Christ and therefore the life, which we now live in the flesh we live by the faith of the Son of God.

Death is by choice

The bible says in Romans 6:9, death has no dominion over us. Death is a choice because Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality. The questions that a lot of people ask is that why do some Christians still die.  The scripture says in 1 Corinthians 15:26 that the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.  Death is still in existence. It has only been abolished but not yet destroyed. Being abolished means it has no legal right upon us but except we lay down our lives, we have the right to live. (John 10:17-18). A man could live without the sting of death like Enoch and Elijah, who never physically died.

The right to rule (Rom 5:17; Rev 1:5; 1 Pet 2:9; Eccl 8:4)

The bible says we are kings and priests, and as kings we have the right to rule. To reign means to rule, to govern.  We must walk with the mentality of a king, a peculiar people and a chosen generation. God has given us the divine ability to cause changes. As kings our words are powerful when we speak, we speak words of power.  The bible says, “Ye are gods” (Psalms 82:6)

Exercise:  Exercise your rights in Christ by speaking the right words

YOUR INHERITENCE IN CHRIST

The New Creation has an inheritance in Christ. Galatians 4:7 says “wherefore thou art no more servants, but sons, and if sons, then heirs of God through Christ”.  If Heirs, then what is our inheritance? By the reason of Jesus’ Death, a will came into effect. Our inheritance is our legal possession. No one can revoke the will that has been written about our inheritance (Hebrews 9:15). What are the things that are rightly yours?  A man died in poverty because he did not know that His late father left him a huge inheritance. What are our inheritances?

All things are yours (Eph 1:11; 1 Cor 3:21; Psalm 115:16; Rom 4:13)

Firstly, we must understand that according to scriptures we have obtained an inheritance. Colossians says giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saint in light and 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 tells us that all things are ours. Everything your mind can receive is yours whether death or life, wealth, health, joy, houses, education, all things are yours. Abraham received the promise as the heir of the world and the promise was also to his seed.  Now our inheritance can be classified into general, which is all things, and the specifically into three, which are: divine health, prosperity and abundance, and deliverance.

a. Divine Health (Isaiah 53:4-5; 1 Peter 2:24; 3 John 2)

God’s will for us is to be in good health. In Isaiah 53:4-5 and 1Peter 2:24, God affirmed divine healing and divine health to us. Isaiah 53:4-5 was a prophecy on health for the ordinary people. The bible says in verse 5 with his stripes we are healed.  By the stripes of a man they had not yet seen or known.

Divine healing

While divine healing is for the unsaved, divine heath is for the believer (1 Peter 2:24). For we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness by whose stripes we were healed. It means we have already been healed because the scripture has been fulfilled. Therefore, we have divine health as our inheritance. It is God’s will for us to prosper and be in good health even as our souls prosper. Sin brings diseases, sickness and death. But we are the righteousness of God and sin has no dominion over us. Health denotes freedom from sickness, it means fitness, well-being and wholeness

b. Prosperity and abundance (3 John 22; 2Cor 8:9; 1 Tim 6:17)

Someone said “I really don’t want to be too rich”.  But the bible says God wants us to prosper and to have abundance. To prosper means to flourish. Poverty is a state of lack. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says Jesus became poor so that we through his poverty might become rich. He has given us all things to enjoy (1Tim 6:17). God wants us to have in abundance so that we can be a blessing to others.

c. Deliverance (Col 1:12-13; Mark 16:17)

God has delivered us and so it is wrong for a child of God to seek deliverance. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

The bible says God has translated us into the kingdom of his son. He hath delivered us from the power of darkness. (The Amplified Bible says “and has drawn us to himself”) and hath translated us unto the kingdom of his dear son. We have the power to cast out demons not for them to possess us.

YOU ARE GOD’S ADDRESS (Col 1:27; Eph 2:21 – 22; 1 Cor 6:19)

An address is a place of residence. The New Creation is God’s house, His address. Acts 17:28 let us know that. He dwells in us, and that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Colossians states that Christ in us is the Hope of glory.

His extension (Jer 51:20-22; Acts 1:8)

Bible says we are God’s extension, the extension of his manifested presence on earth. We execute justice, maintain peace through our prayers and reshape situations.  Acts 1:8 says we shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes. That power is that dynamic ability to cause changes. (See also Psalms 149:6-9).  This honour has all the saints of God.

GOD’S MIRROR PRINCIPLE (James 1:22-25; 2Cor 3:17,18)

A mirror is used to see ones image. It is a reflector; it shows the exact representation of the image before it. The bible lets us know that, God’s word is his mirror and when we look into it we see our true reflection; that God says we are. The mirror has the power to reflect change in a person’s life. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord”. It does not matter how you feel or see yourself, it is what the mirror shows you that you are. James 1:22-25 talks about being doers of the word and not a forgetful hearer.  It gives us a clear picture of a man who is not a doer of the word. The bible says such a person is like a man who beholds his natural face in a glass and straight away forgets what manner of man he was. A lot of Christians forget who they are because they do not dwell on the Word.

As we read the Word we become transformed, we become changed. We become more like Jesus, Romans 8:29 says He predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. Note that the Word will do nothing until you act on it. The Word reveals who we really are.

OPERATION OF THE FIVE SENSES (2 Cor 5:7; 2 Cor 4:18)

The senses include hearing, seeing, talking, smelling and feeling. They are in the physical perception, but the Lord wants us to live by faith. Physical perception connotes carnality and the bible says they that are in the flesh cannot please God, Romans 8:6-8. But the New Creation is not in the flesh but in the spirit. The bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:7 that, “we walk by faith and not by sight”. You must develop or grow your faith by hearing the Word of God. Pastor Chris points out in the book “The oil and the mantle”, that whenever a man turns his eyes to the physical, he loses sight of God and this is what happens to a lot of Christians.

Faith in Jesus Christ alone is all that we need to live the Christian life. In the last paragraph of page 26 of the book, it further says “God has called us to live the life of faith or the walk of faith”. Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen”. We are not looking out to see something, we believe because God has said it. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “While we look not at the things which are seen, for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal.

CONCLUSION

A Christian is the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. He has the eternal life, which is God’s kind of life. He has the right to rule, to live and to choose. He has inheritance in Christ: all things, divine health, prosperity and abundance, and deliverance.  He is the dwelling place of God.

CLASS REVIEW

What is righteousness and how does one become righteous?

What is eternal life?  Who has eternal life and how is it gotten?

State and explain the rights of a Christian in Christ?

State and explain the inheritance of a Christian in Christ?

Where does God live? What is the importance of this knowledge to the Christian?

How do you relate God’s Word with the mirror?

What is the difference between working in faith and sight?

Now faith is the substance of things _____________ for, the ____________ of things not seen.

CRITICAL POINTS TO REMEMBER

Though the bible refers to the devil as the god of this world. However, Jesus spoiled principalities and powers and made a show of them openly, but in Ephesians 3:17 it says, “Christ dwells in my heart by faith and it is expressly declared that I am of God and that greater is He (Christ) that is in me than he that is in the world. (1 john 4:4)

John 17:17 makes us know that the Word of God is truth. Sight is anything we can perceive with our physical senses i.e. smell, touch, sight, sound and taste.  Hence sight and truth may not always agree, thus as a Christian I may have all the symptoms of malaria but in truth I have been healed by the stripes of Jesus Christ.

Righteousness is the nature of God. It’s my ability to stand in the presence of God without fear or any sense of inferiority or condemnation. Therefore it is a facelift made available to me through the substitution work of our Lord Jesus in which I have faith.

Because I have believed in Jesus Christ. I have the right to live because I have eternal life. The Bible says whoever believes in Him shall never die

Also the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS BY PASTOR CHRIS

i) TAPES

The authority of a believer

An Inheritance for you

Understanding righteousness

ii) BOOKS

Your Rights in Christ

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

The Holy Spirit, which is the third person of the Godhead, is the Spirit of God and the Power of God. He is that Spirit that proceeds from the father and is made manifest where the father pleases and in the same wholeness of God as He is on the throne. The Holy Spirit is not in any way lesser than God the Father or God the Son.  He is co-equal with God; He is Himself God in all of God’s Omnipotence.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON

Until we begin to appreciate the Holy Spirit as a person and relate to him as such, we’ll not be able to enjoy the full benefit of his presence. He is a person with a purpose to reveal to us the things that God has prepared for us that love Him, and that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God (1Corinthians 2: 9 – 10 & 12).

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE HOLY SPIRT IS A PERSON?

A person has a will, emotion and intellect: A will to determine or to take action, emotion to express feelings, and intellect to understand, apprehend or perceive. The Holy Spirit has all of these three.

His will is to dwell in us so that we could have the fullness of his benefits. The Holy Spirit has an unlimited reservoir of intelligence as evidenced in His revelation of hidden wisdom and through revelation of deep truths of God to us (1Corinthians.2:10). The Holy Spirit could be angry, grieved and blasphemed(Ephesians 4:30). He loves us with an everlasting love and has shed His love abroad in our heart (Romans 5:5).

EXERCISE: List other scriptures which help us prove that the Holy Spirit is a person

HE IS ALLOS-PARAKLETORS’ i.e. another comforter of the same kind (John 14:16-20).

The character of the Holy Spirit is properly described in the Greek word, Allos-Parakletos’. The word ‘Allos-Parakletos’ has seven synonyms: Comforter, Counsellor, Teacher, Helper, Strengthener, Intercessor and standby.

SEVEN SYNONYMS OF “PARAKLETOS” (THE COMFORTER- HOLY SPIRIT )AS RELATED TO THE CRHISTIAN I.E. WHO HE IS TO THE CHRISTIAN.

He is the Comforter(John 14:16; 2 Cor 1:3)

As a comforter, the Holy Spirit was sent primarily to comfort God’s people. We (Christians) live in a world that is largely anti-God. God, knowing the opposition and persecution we would face as Christians, sent the Holy Spirit to be our source of comfort. The early disciples during the time of persecution walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit; and they were greatly multiplied (Acts 9:31).

He is the Counsellor (Is11:2;Rom 8:14)

Have you ever been faced with a moment of great decision?  The guidance of the Holy Spirit is available to every child of God. We should all expect the Holy Spirit to be our guide.  After all, for as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God (Romans 8:14) Proverbs 20:27 says, “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly”.  To live in continuous victory, we must be led by the Spirit of God.

He is the Helper (Romans 8:26)

Help as define by oxford-advanced learner’s dictionary means “to make it easier for somebody to do something, to assist somebody. The Holy Spirit as our helper assists us to do all that God has called us to do. He makes it easy for us to live successfully as Christians in this corrupt world. There are times when you are faced with a great task and you are wondering how you would succeed. Be sure of this, you are not walking alone. Foe example, Believers’ Loveworld is a ministry that God has marvellously helped. In just a short time of our starting, we have achieved so much, if it were not for the help of the Holy Spirit; we would not have achieved so much. We are conscious of this fact, that is why we know that what we have done so far is just the beginning. With His help, there is no telling what we can do and where we can go.  Glory to God!

He is the Strengthener (Phil 4:13; Is 11:2)

God’s Spirit gives strength to man. Paul declared that he could do all things through Christ who strengthens him. Isaiah 11:2 calls Him the Spirit of might. In the Old Testament, men like David, Samson, Elijah etc, did mighty things by the power of the Spirit. In our days we can do much more. I heard the story of a woman whose son got involved in a car accident, when she got to the car she single handily lifted up the car and rescued the son. People who saw her were amazed. Afterwards four strong men couldn’t lift up the car. The Holy Spirit resident in our spirit is a source of great strength. If we stay full of Him, we can never experience defeat in our lives.

He is the Intercessor (Romans 8:26)

An intercessor is one who stands in the gap for another.  According to Romans 8:26, “we don’t always know what to pray for as we ought to…”We can’t possibly know in our natural mind everything we should pray about in every circumstance and situation. The Holy Spirit assists us in our prayers with groaning that cannot be uttered in articulate speech.

He is the Teacher (1 Cor 2:9-11; 1 John 2:20; John 16:13)

As a teacher, the Holy Spirit carried on the ministry of Jesus, which was to a large extent a teaching ministry. When we receive the Holy Spirit, He indwells our spirit man; He serves as a teacher to our spirit. We must realize that the things of God cannot be understood by the natural mind, but they are revealed to our spirits; it is with our spirit that we contact God. As a teacher, He reveals to us the hidden mysteries of the kingdom of God. Non-Christians cannot understand why we do the things we do. But we have unction from the Holy one and we know all things. Most times, when I want to study God’s Word I pray this simple prayer, “O blessed Holy Spirit, unveil the truth unto my spirit that I may stand in the fullness of the provision of my father, for He is my father, I love Him and He Loves me”. He has made studying God’s Word a joyful experience for me.

He is the Standby (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Anytime we are in church during a service and there is an interruption in power supply, we always put on our standby generator.  The Holy Spirit is also referred to as the standby, in John 14:17, Jesus said the Holy Spirit shall be in us and with us. Paul went through different experiences that revealed certain weaknesses in his life.  The good thing was that even in the midst of his weakness, the Holy Spirit was at hand to strengthen him. We can also enjoy this ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. There are times when we are overwhelmed by issues and circumstances that reveal weaknesses in us. At such times we should remember the Holy Spirit as our standby.  God has promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

EVERY CHRISTIAN CAN RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

The scriptures let us know that the Spirit has been poured out on all flesh (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17).  This means the Holy Spirit has been made available for all to receive. The only requirement for receiving the Holy Spirit is for one to be born again.  (Acts 2:38-39). The Holy Spirit responds to hunger and fills those Christians who desire Him (Luke 11:13; Isaiah 44:3).

FELLOWSHIP WITH THE SPIRIT

Fellowship is explained in the Chamber’s English dictionary as “Companionship”. The dictionary further calls it a “Lying together”. It is a relationship, a process that circles around two or more individuals. It is an affair. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit is a love affair between the Spirit of God and us. The word fellowship is best described by the Greek work “Koinonia”. Koinonia is an all round word for fellowship, which gives a further insight into three words:  Communication, Communion and Transportation.

Communication

It is the transference of information between two or more individual with feedback. In our fellowship with the Holy Spirit, we are engaged in communication with Him. A communication that comes about as a result of our relationship with him.  We speak to Him knowing that he will surely answer (1 John 5:14-15).

Communion

This is oneness, togetherness, a binding, a gluing and identification. Communion with the Holy Spirit tells us who we are, and that we are one with Him, “For by one spirit we are all baptized into one body and have all been made to drink into one spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13).

Transportation

This is the conveyance (movement) of goods and people from one place to another. You may ask how this concerns the Christian and his relationship with the Holy Spirit. There are times when you fellowship with the Holy Spirit and He will carry you (John 13:12).

THE HOLY SPIRIT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN THE CHRISTIAN’S LIFE

The life of the Christian should be different, and this can be made possible only by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:12-13, Jesus Himself said, “I have yet many things to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth…” The unbeliever does not know the things to come, but the Holy Spirit reveals this to the Christian. The Christian is the man that has hope in this world.

The Holy Spirit makes the life of the Christian fruitful.  Without Him, the life of the Christian is like a flower that does not receive daily nutrient. (Isaiah 32:15). This is the difference between the Spirit filled Christian and the Christian that is not filled with the Holy Spirit. With the infilling of the Holy Spirit, any dryness in the Christian turns to fruitfulness and fruitfulness to abundance (forest). The person of the Holy Spirit is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

HIS MINISTRY THROUGH CHRISTIANS

It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can be effective witnesses of the death, burial and resurrection of

our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ said to his disciples that they would receive power. After the Holy Spirit is come upon them (Acts 1:8). This power is to enable them fulfil the ministry that he has called them into. All Christians have been called into this ministry (Ephesians 4:12); Luke 4:17-18 records our function or responsibilities in this ministry. The Holy Spirit empowers all Christians to do the following:

a)     Preach the Gospel to the poor.

b)     Heal the broken hearted

c)      Preach deliverance to the captives

d)     Recovery of sight to the blind

e)     Set at liberty them that are bruised

CONCLUSION

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. He helps the Christians to live victorious lives, through His character: Comforter, Counsellor, Teacher, Helpers, Strengtheners, Intercessor and Standby. It is very vital for a Christian to be intimately related to Him, by constantly fellowshipping with Him.

Class Review

Who is the Holy Spirit?

What is Trinity?

Name the seven synonyms of the Holy Spirit

Students should be made to explain each synonym

What is the importance of the Holy Spirit?

How can you describe the fellowship of the Holy Spirit?

How does the Holy Spirit minister through Christians?

What brings the knowledge of the Holy Spirit into significance?

What does ALLOS – PARAKLETOS mean?

Is it true that every Christian can receive the Holy Spirit?  Support your argument with a scriptural verse.

Fellowship with just the Holy Spirit is a love affair between us and the Spirit.  Discuss.

The Holy Spirit can make a difference is our lives circumstances and our pursuits. True of False?

States the things the Holy Spirit empowers you to do.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

INTRODUCTION

The Holy Spirit is the most important gift a Christian has ever received. One of the important benefits that come to a Christian when he receives the Holy Spirit is the ability to speak in other tongues. We speak in tongues for the following important reasons and benefits:

TO BUILD UP OUR FAITH (JUDE 20)

As we speak in other tongues we build up our faith. Each believer has been given a measure of faith. This measure can be improved upon through prayers. Speaking in other tongues is an effective way of praying to God because at that time it is your spirit that prays (1 Cor 14:14). Boldness comes to your spirit as you speak in other tongues.

TO GLORIFY GOD (Acts 10:46)

There is a greater depth at which you will worship God when you have the infilling of the Holy Spirit and can worship Him in other tongues. Your mind is no more at work here but you worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). God is a Spirit and we must relate to Him that way.

TO SPEAK MYSTERIES TO GOD (1 Cor 14:2)

Because of the unfruitfulness of the mind (1 Cor 14:14) you speak secret truths and hidden things not obvious to the understanding yet. This means you speak mysteries unto God.  This leads you to receiving divine revelations as you speak them.

IT’S A SIGN OF THE BELIEVER (Mark 16:17)

Jesus said it emphatically that speaking in tongues is a sign of knowing those who have believed.

THE DIFFERENCCE BETWEEN MARK 16:17 AND 1 CORINTHIANS 12:10

In mark 16:17 the signs of the believer is seen and speaking in tongues is a sign that must follow all who believe while in 1 Corinthians 12:10, we see the gifts of the Holy Spirit enumerated. The Holy Spirit to each individual distributes these gifts as He wills (1 Cor. 12:11). These gifts are distributed differently to every individual according to God’s own will (Hebrews 2:4).

Thus the tongues in Mark are a sign for all believers while those in 1 Corinthians are gifts which may not necessarily manifest in every Christian.

CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this class is to establish the students firmly on the principles of the word of God (gospel), so that they will be no more children tossed to and fro and carried by every wind of doctrine. And to disabuse their mind of some wrong basic tenets of the gospel, which they may have had. This class is very important as it forms the cradle of their understanding of ministry. More so a good understanding of this class would make their Christian lives joyous and struggle –free in the Holy Spirit.

MEANING OF DOCRTINE

Doctrine is a set of teachings of the basic tenets of the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Biblically, doctrine is defied in the following scriptures as:

(Deuteronomy 32:2). Translated doctrine as “instructions” culled from the GREEK word LEQACH.

(Acts 16:4). “Ordinances and decrees” culled from the Greek word Dogma

(1 Timothy 4:13, 16 and Titus 2:1). Translated doctrine as” learning and teaching” culled from the Greek word Disdaslia.

BEING ESTABLISHED UPON THE TRUTH (Eph 4:14; Acts 20:28-32)

In John14:6, Jesus said “I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE”, and in John 1:14 he was revealed as the Word of God who became flesh (Matthew 16:15-18). When Peter revealed the person of Jesus by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost “Jesus said, “Thou art Peter” upon this rock I will build my Church’. This Rock literally means ‘THE TRUTH that was revealed. It can be deduced from this that Jesus Christ intended to find and build his church and people upon an unshakable truth whose author and inspiration is the Holy Ghost.

FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINES OF CHRIST (1 Cor 3:22; Hebrews 6:1-2)

The book of John 1; 4 reveals Jesus as the Word of God made flesh that dwells amongst us, and we know it is impossible to separate a person from his word. No wonder Jesus said in John 10:30.”I and my Father are one”. Peter reveals him as Son of God (Matthew 16:15b).

Repentance from dead works (Hebrews 9:12-14; Luke 5:32; Luke 24:47)

Repentance is remorse of the mind leading to a change of heart from sinful and wrongful actions and ideas towards the relationship with God”. While dead work is anything we do, not initiated by God or devoid of the life of God.

Steps in Repentance

Hear the Word (Rom 10:17)

Believe (Rom 10 :9)

Confesses Jesus as your Lord (Rom 10:9-10)

Faith towards God (Hebrews 11:1-6; Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 5:17)

This is the total truth, reliance, assurance, confidence and submission to God and His word (Hebrews11:1-6). It is interesting to note that throughout the ministry of Jesus on earth to the cross, His doctrine was predominantly on teaching people to have faith towards God. And through this he could discern people’s levels of faith. The different levels of faith, such as:

Faith not found in Israel Matthew 8:10

Great faith Matthew 15:28

Little faith Matthew 8:26

Faithless generation Mark 9:19

Note: Faith comes only by the hearing, hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

Baptism (Matthew 28:19; John3:5)

The word baptism is culled from the Greek word “Baptizo” which means to immerse, to dip or bury. There are two types of baptism:

Baptism of The Holy Ghost (new birth) (1Cor 12:13; Eph 4:4-5; Act 1:5).

This occurs at conversion, i.e., when a person gives his life to Christ (Romans 10:9-10). At this point the Holy Ghost comes and over shadows the person and reactivates the person’s spirit, which was dead to sin (Act 1:5).

Water baptism (1 Peter 3:21;Matthew 3:13-17; Romans 6:3-5)

It takes place by dipping a believer into water and raising him up in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Baptism represents an outward sign of the inner grace to fulfil all righteousness, indicating that we identify with Christ in the reality of his Death, Burial and Resurrection.

In conclusion, both baptisms are pre-requisite to enter heaven (John 3:5). The baptism of the both Spirit and Body guarantees the salvation of the soul i.e. to see heaven (John 3:3; Romans 10:9-10), because in heaven there are 3 witnesses that bear record: the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost.

RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD (John 5:28-29; 1Thesselonians4:13-16; 1Cor 15:19)

Resurrection means restoration of life from dead or revival from death to life i.e. raising up from the dead. There are two kinds of resurrection: Spiritual and Physical.

a. Spiritual Resurrection

Spiritual resurrection is that of the spirit being quickened from death in trespasses and sin. Such resurrection causes one to be renewed in the glorious likeness of God. After physical death, the person cannot experience this spiritual death because it takes place only in this life.

b. Physical Resurrection

There are two kinds of physical resurrection: the righteous to life before the millennium and the wicked to damnation after the millennium. There will be 1000 years between the two resurrections. The righteous souls at the physical death, goes straight to heaven to wait for the second resurrection while the souls of the wicked goes to hell.

Eternal Judgement

This is a time after the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ when every soul will be recompensed or retributed for their works on earth according to the gospel of God. There would be two judgements:

A          Christian Judgement for Reward (Rom 14:10; 1 Cor 3:11-15).

This judgement, which is for the souls, will take place in Heaven after the rapture. (Romans 8:1)

B          Judgement of unbelievers for condemnation (Rev 20:11-15).

CONCLUSION

In the class, we learnt about the meaning of doctrine and why we need to have right doctrine. We also learnt some of the Foundational doctrines of Christ, such as Repentance from dead work, Faith towards God, Baptism, Laying on of hands, Resurrection and Judgement.