I. THE SCRIPTURES INSPIRED
“All Scripture is Given by Inspiration of God”
Bible Definition:
The English word "Bible" comes from bíblia in Latin and
bíblos in Greek. The term means book, or books, and may
have originated from the ancient Egyptian port of Byblos
(in modern-day Lebanon), where papyrus used for making
books and scrolls was exported to Greece.
1. The Bible Declares Itself to be the Word of God
- “All Scripture” refers to the written Word
- “All Scripture” refers to the entire Bible (Old
and New Testament)
- Jesus accepted the Old Testament as Scripture
(Luke 24:27, 44, 45; John 5:39)
- Peter said Paul’s Epistles were Scripture (2
Peter 3:15, 16)
2. The Bible is Free from Error (INERRANT)
a. God’s Spirit guided “Holy Men of God” (2
Peter 1:21) so that the words they wrote were
kept from error. God’s Spirit by supernatural
superintendence, guided these particular
writings so that they
- Said what God wished to be said
- Were written error-free in the original copies
b. The Biblical Words are Protected From Error
by God
Isaiah 27:3, Isaiah 40:8, Matthew 24:35
c. Without Exception, Fault Cannot be Found in
the Scriptures
Christ said, “The Scripture cannot be broken”
(John 10:35), Matthew 5:18
3. The Bible Is Not Wrong on any Subject
(INFALLIBLE)
a. Jesus Certified Old Testament as Accurate
By citing the miracle stories of O.T., Jesus
certified them as true, accurate, inerrant and
thus infallible.
Examples:
- Accepted Genesis as a factual account of
creation (Matthew 19:4)
- Adam and Eve (Matthew 19:4-6)
- Cain and Abel (Matthew 23:35)
- Satan (Luke 11:18)
- Noah (Matthew 24:37-38)
- Jonah (Matthew 12:39)
- Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32)
b. Christ and the Apostles Accepted the Old
Testament as Infallible
4. The Words in the Bible Came From God Through
Chosen Persons (INSPIRED)
a.
(2 Timothy 3:16)
By Inspiration of God, “theopneustos in
Greek, literally means “God breathed.” The
author of the Bible is God himself. He
“breathed” the words through the mouths and
pens of Holy Men (2 Peter 1:21).
b. David Affirmed His Writings Came by the
Spirit’s Inspiration
David wrote most of the Psalms. He said, “The
Spirit of the Lord spoke by me…” (2 Samuel
23:2, 1 Chronicles 28:11-12)
Brief History of the Assemblies of God
The General Council of the Assemblies of God (USA), one
of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the United
States, was organized in 1914 by a broad coalition of
ministers who desired to work together to fulfill common
objectives, such as sending missionaries and providing
fellowship and accountability. Formed in the midst of the
emerging worldwide Pentecostal revival, the Assemblies of
God quickly took root in other countries and formed
indigenous national organizations. The Assemblies of God
(USA) is a constituent member of the World Assemblies of
God Fellowship – one of the largest Pentecostal fellowships
in the world.
Historical Roots
Throughout the latter half of the 19th century in the United
States, Protestants from various backgrounds began to ask
themselves why their churches did not seem to exhibit the
same vibrant, faith-filled life as those in the New
Testament. Many of these believers joined evangelical or
Holiness churches, engaged in ardent prayer and personal
sacrifice, and earnestly sought God. It was in this context
that people began experiencing biblical spiritual gifts.
Pentecostals pioneers were hungry for authentic
Christianity, and they looked to previous spiritual
outpourings, such as the First Great Awakening (1730s-
40s) and Second Great Awakening (1800s-30s), for
inspiration and instruction. They identified themselves in
the tradition of reformers and revivalists such as Martin
Luther, John Wesley, and Dwight L. Moody.
The Pentecostal Revival
One of the focal points of the emerging Pentecostal
movement was known as the Azusa Street revival (1906-
09). It was an unlikely location for an event that would
change the face of Christianity. In the summer of 1906,
revival erupted in the newly-formed congregation meeting
at the small, run-down Apostolic Faith Mission at 312
Azusa Street in Los Angeles, California. Critics attacked
the congregation because its mild-mannered African-
American Holiness preacher, William J. Seymour,
preached racial reconciliation and the restoration of biblical
spiritual gifts. The revival soon became a local sensation,
then attracted thousands of curiosity seekers and pilgrims
from around the world.
Seymour had been a student of Charles Parham, who
provided the doctrinal framework for the young Pentecostal
movement. Parham’s identification in scripture of speaking
in tongues as the “Bible evidence” (later called the “initial
evidence”) of Spirit baptism became a defining mark of the
emerging Pentecostal movement. After students at his
Bethel Bible School in Topeka, Kansas, began speaking in
tongues at a prayer meeting on January 1, 1901, Parham,
through his Apostolic Faith Movement, had some success
in promoting the restoration of the gift of tongues. While
the Apostolic Faith Movement was largely confined to the
south central United States, the revival at Azusa Street
catapulted Pentecostalism before a worldwide audience.
Canonization – is the process by which the books of the
Bible receive their final approval and acceptance by the
church leaders.
Five Basic Criteria:
1. Authoritative – does it claim to be of God?
2. Prophetic – is it prophetic? Was it written by a
servant of God?
3. Authentic – does it tell the truth about God, man,
etc?
4. Dynamic – does it possess life transforming
power?
5. Accepted – is this book received or recognized by
the people of God?
Reasons why the Apocrypha does not belong in the
Bible
by Ryan Turner
Catholics and Protestants disagree regarding the exact
number of books that belong in the Old Testament
Scriptures. The dispute between them is over seven books,
part of what is known as the Apocrypha: 1 and 2
Maccabees, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Wisdom (Wisdom of
Solomon), Baruch, Tobit, Judith, and additions to Daniel
and Esther.1 However, there are a number of reasons why
the Old Testament Apocrypha should not be part of the
Canon or standard writings of Scripture.
Rejection by Jesus and the Apostles
1. There are no clear, definite New Testament quotations
from the Apocrypha by Jesus or the apostles. While there
may be various allusions by the New Testament to the
Apocrypha, there are no authoritative statements like "thus
says the Lord," "as it is written," or "the Scriptures say."
There are references in the New Testament to the
pseudepigrapha (literally “false writings”) (Jude 14-15) and
even citations from pagan sources (Acts 17:22-34), but
none of these are cited as Scripture and are rejected even by
Roman Catholics. In contrast, the New Testament writers
cite the Old Testament numerous times (Mt. 5, Lk. 24:27,
Jn. 10:35) and use phrases, such as "thus says the Lord,"
"as it is written," or "the Scriptures say," indicating their
approval of these books as inspired by God.
2. Jesus implicitly rejected the Apocrypha as Scripture by
referring to the entire accepted Jewish Canon of Scripture,
“From the blood of Abel [Gen. 4:8] to the blood of
Zechariah [2 Chron. 24:20], who was killed between the
altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be
charged against this generation (Lk. 11:51, cf. Mt. 23:35).”
Abel was the first martyr in the Old Testament from the
Book of Genesis while Zechariah was the last martyr in the
Book of Chronicles. In the Hebrew Canon, the first book
was Genesis and the last book was Chronicles. They
contained all of the same books as the standard 39 books
accepted by Protestants today, but they were just arranged
differently. For example, all of the 12 minor prophets
(Hosea through Malachi) were contained in one book. This
is why there are only 24 books in the Hebrew Bible today.
By Jesus' referring to Abel and Zachariah, He was
canvassing the entire Canon of the Hebrew Scriptures
which included the same 39 books as Protestants accept
today. Therefore, Jesus implicitly rejected the Apocrypha
as Scripture.
Rejection by the Jewish Community
3. The "oracles of God" were given to the Jews (Rom.
3:2), and they rejected the Old Testament Apocrypha as
part of this inspired revelation. Interestingly, Jesus had
many disputes with the Jews, but He never disputed with
them regarding the extent of the inspired revelation of
God.2
4. The Dead Sea scrolls provide no commentary on the
Apocrypha but do provide commentary on some of the
Jewish Old Testament books. This probably indicates that
the Jewish Essene community did not regard them as
highly as the Jewish Old Testament books.
5. Many ancient Jews rejected the Apocrypha as Scripture.
Philo never quoted the Apocrypha as Scripture. Josephus
explicitly rejected the Apocrypha and listed the Hebrew
Canon to be 22 books. 3 In fact, the Jewish Community
acknowledged that the prophetic gifts had ceased in Israel
before the Apocrypha was written.
Rejection by many in the Catholic Church
6. The Catholic Church has not always accepted the
Apocrypha. The Apocrypha was not officially accepted by
the Catholic Church at a universal council until 1546 at the
Council of Trent. This is over a millennium and a half after
the books were written and was a counter reaction to the
Protestant Reformation.4
7. Many church Fathers rejected the Apocrypha as
Scripture, and many just used them for devotional
purposes. For example, Jerome, the great Biblical scholar
and translator of the Latin Vulgate, rejected the Apocrypha
as Scripture though, supposedly under pressure, he did
make a hurried translation of it. In fact, most of the church
fathers in the first four centuries of the Church rejected the
Apocrypha as Scripture. Along with Jerome, names include
Origen, Cyril of Jerusalem, and Athanasius.
8. The Apocryphal books were placed in Bibles before the
Council of Trent and after but were placed in a separate
section because they were not of equal authority. The
Apocrypha rightfully has some devotional purposes, but it
is not inspired.
False Teachings
9. The Apocrypha contains a number of false teachings
When we look into the apocrypha itself, we find numerous
problems. For example, we see it advocating magic where
the smoke of a fish heart on a fire drives away devils.
a. Condones the use of magic
Tobit 6:5-7, "Then the angel said to him: Take out the
entrails of this fish, and lay up his heart, and his gall, and
his liver for thee: for these are necessary for useful
medicines. 6 And when he had done so, he roasted the flesh
thereof, and they took it with them in the way: the rest they
salted as much as might serve them, till they came to Rages
the city of the Medes. 7 Then Tobias asked the angel, and
said to him: I beseech thee, brother Azarias, tell me what
remedies are these things good for, which thou hast bid me
keep of the fish? 8 And the angel, answering, said to him: If
thou put a little piece of its heart upon coals, the smoke
thereof driveth away all kind of devils, either from man or
from woman, so that they come no more to them."
Is it true that the smoke from a fish's heart--when burned--
drives away evil spirits? Of course not. Such a
superstitious teaching has no place in the Word of God.
b. Teaches that forgiveness of sins is by human
effort.
Salvation by works:
 Tobit 4:11, "For alms deliver from all sin, and
from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into
darkness."
 Tobit 12:9, "For alms delivereth from death, and
the same is that which purgeth away sins, and
maketh to find mercy and life everlasting."
We know from Scripture that alms (money or food given to
the poor or needy as charity) does not purge our sins. The
blood of Christ is what cleanses us--not money or food
given to poor people. "but if we walk in the light as He
Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all
sin," (1 John 1:7).
Money as an offering for the sins of the dead:
2 Maccabbees 12:43, "And making a gathering, he sent
twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for
sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well
and religiously concerning the resurrection."
Can anyone truly accept that money isn't offering for the
sins of dead people? Such a superstitious and unbiblical
concept has no place in Scripture.
c. Historical Errors
Wrong historical facts:
 Judith 1:5, "Now in the twelfth year of his reign,
Nabuchodonosor, king of the Assyrians, who
reigned in Ninive the great city, fought against
Arphaxad and overcame him."
 Baruch 6:2, "And when you are come into
Babylon, you shall be there many years, and for a
long time, even to seven generations: and after that
I will bring you away from thence with peace."
The book of Judith incorrectly says that Nebuchadnezzar
was the king of the Assyrians when he was the king of the
Babylonians.1
Baruch 6:2 says that the Jews would serve in Babylon for
seven generations where Jer. 25:11 says that it was for 70
years. "And this whole land shall be a desolation and a
horror, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon
seventy years."
Not Prophetic
10. The Apocryphal books do not share many of the
chararacteristics of the Canonical books: they are not
prophetic, there is no supernatural confirmation of any of
the apocryphal writers' works, there is no predictive
prophecy, there is no new Messianic truth revealed, they
are not cited as authoritative by any prophetic book written
after them, and they even acknowledge that there were no
prophets in Israel at their time (cf. 1 Macc. 9:27, 14:41).
 II. THE ONE TRUE GOD
TRINITY
The Trinity is one God existing in three Persons.
Understand that this is not in any way suggesting
three Gods. Keep in mind when studying this subject
that the word “Trinity” is not found in Scripture. This
is a term that is used to attempt to describe the triune
God—three coexistent, co-eternal Persons who make
up God. Of real importance is that the concept
represented by the word “Trinity” does exist in
Scripture. The following is what God’s Word says
about the Trinity:
1) There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians
8:4; Galatians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:5).
2) The Trinity consists of three Persons (Genesis 1:1,
26; 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8, 48:16, 61:1; Matthew 3:16-17,
28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew
plural noun "Elohim" is used. In Genesis 1:26, 3:22,
11:7 and Isaiah 6:8, the plural pronoun for “us” is
used. The word "Elohim" and the pronoun “us” are
plural forms, definitely referring in the Hebrew
language to more than two. While this is not an
explicit argument for the Trinity, it does denote the
aspect of plurality in God. The Hebrew word for
"God," "Elohim," definitely allows for the Trinity.
In Isaiah 48:16 and 61:1, the Son is speaking while
making reference to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Compare Isaiah 61:1 to Luke 4:14-19 to see that it is
the Son speaking. Matthew 3:16-17 describes the
event of Jesus' baptism. Seen in this passage is God
the Holy Spirit descending on God the Son while God
the Father proclaims His pleasure in the Son.
Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 are examples
of three distinct Persons in the Trinity.
3) The members of the Trinity are distinguished one
from another in various passages. In the Old
Testament, “LORD” is distinguished from “Lord”
(Genesis 19:24; Hosea 1:4). The LORD has a Son
(Psalm 2:7, 12; Proverbs 30:2-4). The Spirit is
distinguished from the “LORD” (Numbers 27:18) and
from “God” (Psalm 51:10-12). God the Son is
distinguished from God the Father (Psalm 45:6-7;
Hebrews 1:8-9). In the New Testament, Jesus speaks
to the Father about sending a Helper, the Holy Spirit
(John 14:16-17). This shows that Jesus did not consider
Himself to be the Father or the Holy Spirit. Consider
also all the other times in the Gospels where Jesus
speaks to the Father. Was He speaking to Himself?
No. He spoke to another Person in the Trinity—the
Father.
4) Each member of the Trinity is God. The Father is
God (John 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Peter 1:2). The Son is
God (John 1:1, 14; Romans 9:5; Colossians 2:9;
Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20; Philippians 2:5-6). The Holy
Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16).
5) There is subordination within the Trinity. Scripture
shows that the Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Father
and the Son, and the Son is subordinate to the Father.
This is an internal relationship and does not deny the
deity of any Person of the Trinity. This is simply an
area which our finite minds cannot understand
concerning the infinite God. Concerning the Son see
Luke 22:42, John 5:36, John 20:21, and 1 John 4:14.
Concerning the Holy Spirit see John 14:16, 14:26,
15:26, 16:7, and especially John 16:13-14.
6) The individual members of the Trinity have
different tasks. The Father is the ultimate source or
cause of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation
4:11); divine revelation (Revelation 1:1); salvation
(John 3:16-17); and Jesus' human works (John 5:17;
14:10). The Father initiates all of these things.
The Son is the agent through whom the Father does
the following works: the creation and maintenance of
the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1:3; Colossians
1:16-17); divine revelation (John 1:1, 16:12-15;
Matthew 11:27; Revelation 1:1); and salvation (2
Corinthians 5:19; Matthew 1:21; John 4:42). The Father
does all these things through the Son, who functions
as His agent.
The Holy Spirit is the means by whom the Father
does the following works: creation and maintenance
of the universe (Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13; Psalm 104:30);
divine revelation (John 16:12-15; Ephesians 3:5; 2
Peter 1:21); salvation (John 3:6; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2);
and Jesus' works (Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38). Thus, the
Father does all these things by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
III. THE DEITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
A. Jesus is God:
1. The Virgin Birth Reveals Jesus’ Divinity – it
requires the supernatural. It separates Jesus
from all other “good men” or religious
leaders. The miracle of the Virgin birth
enabled Jesus to be born without a sinful
nature. Had He not been totally sinless, He
could not have been the sacrifice for our sins.
2. Jesus’ Sinless Life Testifies to His Divinity
a. Peter wrote that Jesus “committed no sin,
no deceit was found in His mouth” 1 Peter
2:22
b. Jesus was tempted but it was unable to
cause Him to sin (Matthew 4:1-11,
Hebrews 4:15, 7:26)
3. Jesus Himself Claimed Deity
 “They all asked, Are you then the Son
of God? He replied, You are right in
saying I am” (Luke 22:70, Matthew
26:63-64, Mark 14:61-62).
 “The woman said, I know that
Messiah (called Christ) is coming…
Then Jesus declared, I who speak to
you am he” (John 4:25-26).
 “Jesus said to them, My Father is
always at work to this very day, and I,
too, am working. For this reason the
Jews tried all the harder to kill him; he
was calling God his own Father,
making himself equal with God”
(John 5:17-18).
4. Jesus’ Miracles Point to His Divinity
Jesus himself said, “Even though you do not
believe me, believe the miracles, that you may
learn and understand that the Father is in me
and I in the Father” (John 10:38).
5. Jesus Accepts Worship
In the Ten Commandments, God forbade the
worship of any God. Jesus, however, accepts
worship because He is God.
 Jesus disciples worship Him after He
walked on the water and calmed the
wind (Matthew 14:32-33).
 After Jesus healed a blind man and
told him He was the Son of God, the
man said, Lord I believe, and worship
Him (John 9:38).
 Following Jesus’ resurrection, He was
worshipped by the women who had
gone to the tomb (Matthew 28:9), as
well as His disciples (Luke 24:52).
 Paul proclaims that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).
6. Jesus Forgives Sin
 Jesus used divine authority and
forgave the sins of a paralyzed man
(Mark 2:5)
 Jesus told a sinful woman that her
sins were forgiven (Luke 7:48)
7. Jesus’ Disciples Recognized His Divinity
 Thomas clearly spoke the view of the
disciples when he said, “My Lord and
my God” (John 20:28).
 John clearly tells us that Jesus is
eternal and had an essential role in
creation (John 1:1-3).
 Paul confirmed John’s word in
Colossians 1:16-17.
B. Jesus is Man:
The incarnation of Jesus is a key tenet
of Christianity. The word incarnation
means “the union of deity with
humanity in the person of Jesus
Christ.”
1. His Human Birth and Development
2. His Human Body and Limitations
3. His Human Name – Jesus is the Greek form of
the name Joshua, a human name that means
“savior.” Bartimaeus and others called Jesus
the “Son of David.” Jesus has dual nature:
both divine and human. He is 100 percent
God and 100 percent man.
C. The Work of Jesus
1. Jesus Died for the Sins of the World –
Luke 9:22, 1 Corinthians 15:3, 1 Peter 2:24
2. Jesus Rose from the Dead
 The empty tomb – Matthew 28:1-6
 The testimony of multiple witnesses –
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
 The disciples’ lives changed – from
fearful crowd when Jesus was
arrested, they became bold and
courageous.
3. Jesus is Exalted on High
 He returned to heaven in His humanity,
was raised to a position of glory and
honor, and placed in His rightful place as
Sovereign Lord.
 The baptism in the Holy Spirit –
John 14:16-17, Acts 2:33
 The assurance that Jesus is
preparing a place for us – John
14:2-3
 The truth that Jesus is now at the
Father’s right hand interceding for
us – Romans 8:34
4. Jesus is Prophet, Priest and King
 Prophet – Deuteronomy 18:15
 Priest – Hebrews 7:25
 King – Isaiah 9:6-7
D. Misunderstood Phrases about Jesus
1. The Son of God
 Scripture calls angels as “the sons
of God” Job 1:6
 Adam is called the “son of God”
Luke 3:38
 Paul calls the Christians the “sons
of God” Romans 8:14
However, these references differ from those
that refer to Jesus. Adam and angels are the
created sons of God. Christians are adopted
sons of God. Only Jesus is the eternal Son of
God (John 1). No angel or Christian would
ever claim to be the “Son of God” in the same
sense that Jesus is God’s Son.
2. One with the Father
Some deny that Jesus is God, saying that
being one with the Father does not prove
his deity (John 17:20-22). But it is certainly
true that the Father and Son are one in
purpose and provide an example to us.
However, this is not the only way that
God the Father and God the Son are one.
They are also one in nature or character
(Phil. 2:5-6).
3. The Only Begotten Son
Because of this words, some have wrongly
concluded that Jesus is a created being
whose beginning was His human birth.
This phrase comes from the King James
Version. In Greek language, the word
used is monogene, meaning “one of a
kind.” That’s why in NIV, they used “one
and only Son.”
4. The Firstborn
The word firstborn has led some to
erroneously conclude that Jesus was born
first, before anyone else. The statement
that Jesus was “the firstborn among many
brothers” (Romans 8:29) compares Him
with God’s adopted sons and daughters.
It shows that as the firstborn, Jesus is
worthy of much more respect and honor.
It also refers to His resurrection, that
when we die, we will also be resurrected
from the dead to eternal life.
IV. THE FALL OF MAN
A. Evil Has a Source
a. Evil Began with the Rebellion of Satan
Satan is called by a number of different
names in the Bible. The name Satan means
“adversary” or “enemy” & is appropriate
because he is both God’s enemy and ours. He
is also called the devil, which means
“accuser” Job 1-2. Satan is among the all
things God made. Some struggle with the
question of how a good God could have
created Satan. Yet Satan has not always been
evil. When God created him, there was no
evil in him. Ezekiel 28:12-15 states that he
was the model of perfection, was “anointed
as a guardian cherub,” and was blameless in
his ways. A cherub may be an angel of the
highest rank. Not only did God create Satan
as a good being, but He also created Satan
with a free moral choice. Unfortunately, he
chose to rebel against God.
The question then becomes, since Satan
was created as good, angelic being, how did
he become evil? Ezekiel 28 show that Satan’s
fall began with a proud heart: “your heart
became proud on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom because of
your splendor.” Satan’s pride affected his
will. Although we don’t know all the details,
we do know that Satan began a rebellion
against God. There was a battle in which
Satan had no chance against Almighty God.
Ezekiel wrote, “So I drove you in disgrace
from the mount of God, and expelled you, O
guardian cherub, from among the fiery
stones.” Revelation 12:4 speaks of a dragon
whose tail swept a third of the stars out of the
sky and flung them to the earth.” That
dragon was Satan, and we believe those stars
are the angels who fell with him (see Jude 6).
 b. Satan is our Present Source of Evil
Sometimes, because of our limited
understanding, we question why God allows
Satan to roam about. We recognize that
because of His omniscience, Almighty God
knew of Satan’s rebellion beforehand. Why,
then, did He create Satan in the first place?
Or, at the very least, He could have placed
Satan into eternal hell when Satan first
rebelled. In His wisdom, God did not do so.
Instead, He used the fall of Satan and allows
Satan to test humanity. Satan’s presence
gives humankind true freedom because it
provides men and women with a choice
about whom they will serve. Thus, Satan
tested the first couple in the Garden of Eden.
His persuasion and power were very real to
Adam and Eve who broke God’s law and
opened this planet to sin. Satan continues his
hostility toward God and his people. Satan is
present and active in the world, attempting
to take God’s place as the rightful ruler.
Among other names, Satan is called the
prince of this world and the ruler of the kingdom
of the air (John 14:30; Ephesians 2:2). We need
to be aware of our enemy, but we also need
to remember that Satan is not like God.
B. God Created Humankind in His Image
a. Humanity is God’s Unique Creation
According to Genesis 1:26-27,
humankind was created in God’s image and
likeness – a description that applies to no
other creature. Likeness means resemblance.
What does it mean? First, it means that Adam
and Eve had a “moral likeness to God, for
they were sinless and holy.” Ecclesiastes
7:29, “God made mankind upright.” Adam
had the potential to choose between great
evil and true goodness. Second, Adam and
Eve had a natural likeness like God. They
were personal beings with spirit, mind,
emotions and self-control. God created
humankind from the dust of the ground,
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,
and man became a living being. The word
breath can also be translated as spirit. Thus,
God created humanity as a spiritual being,
placing a spirit within each person’s physical
body (1 Corinthians 2:11). Because God is
spirit, only a spiritual being can
communicate with Him. God created human
beings in His natural likeness, with a spirit,
so that we can communicate and have
relationship with Him. Finally, human
beings have the capacity for immortality, the
ability to live forever.
b. God has a Purpose for all Humankind
1. God’s purpose is that humankind
have a close, intimate relationship
with Him that enables us to reveal
God to others.
2. The second part of God’s purpose
was that humanity accept the
responsibility of working for Him.
God gave Adam both the privilege
and responsibility of exerting
authority and dominion over the
earth.
3. Another vital part of God’s purpose
was to make a way for humans to live
with Him eternally. Although God
commanded Adam not to eat from
the tree of knowledge of good and
evil, God said nothing about the tree
of life. The tree of life is available and
not forbidden until after Adam’s sin.
C. Sin Blocks God’s Purpose for all People
The best biblical definition of sin is in 1
John 3:4 – “Everyone who sins breaks the
law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. The heart of
sin is unbelief that fails to trust God and
causes us to break His law. As a result, we
miss His purpose for our lives and follow
self-rule instead of God-rule.
a. Sin Involves Choice
The serpent presented Adam and Eve with a
very real choice. They had to decide who to
believe and how they would respond to that
belief. The serpent came and began to test Eve.
He first placed a seed of doubt in Eve’s mind
by questioning God’s word and then
contradicted God’s word. In this encounter,
Eve was tempted from three directions: (1) The
devil raised a doubt about God’s goodness in
her mind that opened the door for her
acceptance of his lie. (2) Eve’s flesh examined
the fruit and saw that it seemed good. (3) The
devil appealed to a desire to take God’s place
and be like God. The devil’s smooth words
seduced Eve. She ate and then gave some to her
husband who also ate. Some have tried to place
all the blame for the fall on Eve. We must
remember that God gave the original
command to Adam and that Adam knew what
he was doing when he ate of the fruit. The Bible
places the main responsibility for this sin on
Adam’s shoulders (Romans 5:14).
b. Sin Has Consequences
God warned Adam and Eve that if they ate
from the forbidden tree, they would die:
1. They died spiritually. Their spiritual life
was dependent on an ongoing connection
to God. The moment they sinned, their
relationship and fellowship with the holy
God was broken.
2. They died physically, although not
immediately. Their rebellion brought
physical death into the world along with
all the sickness and diseases that cause it.
3. They died eternally. Adam and Eve and
their descendants faced eternal separation
from God. The Bible reveals that all whose
names are not written in the book of life
faced the second death (Revelation 20:14-
15).
4. Besides death, Adam and Eve faced lives of
struggle and pain in a world cursed
because of their sin.
V. THE SALVATION OF HUMANKIND
A. Salvation through the Atonement
1. Jesus came to save humankind from sin
God knew that Adam would sin and
planned to provide salvation through
Jesus from the beginning. As soon as
Adam and Eve sinned, God announced
His great plan of salvation in Genesis 3:15.
The Old Testament reveals that God is the
Savior of His people. Isaiah promised,
“He will come to save you” (Isaiah 35:4).
God promised salvation through one
person. The Redeemer would come to
those who repent of their sins (Isaiah
59:20). He would be born of a virgin and
would be called Immanuel, meaning God
with us (Isaiah 7:14). Thus, the Redeemer
would be God himself. His birthplace
would be Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and He
would bring salvation to the ends of the
earth (Isaiah 49:6). Jesus fulfilled all those
promises and more. He came as God in
the flesh for one main purpose, which the
angel revealed to Joseph: “She will give
birth to a son, and you are to give him the
name Jesus, because he will save his
people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
2. Salvation requires payment for sin
Any salvation for humanity must find
a way to pay the death penalty for sin. In
the Old Testament, God accepted the
sacrifice of an animal as a substitute
payment for a person’s sin. The blood of
lambs protected the Israelites when the
death angel visited Egypt (Exodus 12:1-
13).
Atonement comes from the Hebrew
word kippur, meaning “covering.” The
blood of a perfect, unblemished animal
represented a sinner’s blood and made
atonement for or “covered” that person’s
sins. Perfection was required for an
animal to be a substitute; an imperfect
animal could die only for itself.
Atonement through an animal sacrifice
allowed God to forgive His people.
3. The Death of Jesus alone pays the price of
sin
The Old Testament animal sacrifices did
not really provide forgiveness for sins in
that the animals were not valuable
enough to replace a man or woman.
Rather, they symbolized Jesus’ future
death. The central focus of the entire Bible
is the cross. The Old Testament pointed to
the future atonement of Jesus. Isaiah’s
“suffering servant,” Daniel’s “Anointed
One,” Zechariah’s “shepherd” and a
multitude of other references. Jesus
provide the only acceptable sacrifice for
sin. Because Jesus is God, He is perfect
and can pay the penalty for another.
Because He is human, He can be the
substitute for humankind. “He is the
atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only
for ours but also for the sins of the whole
world” (1 John 2:2).
B. The Benefits of the Atonement
1. Forgiveness for Sin
God is able to forgive us because of
the Atonement. The word forgiveness
carries two related meanings: (1) the
removal of punishment for our sin and (2)
the removal of the sin itself. We read in
Hebrews 8:12 that God “will remember
their sins no more.” When God forgive us,
His forgiveness is complete. Our sins are
wiped out as if we had never sinned (acts
3:19).
2. Regeneration
The death Adam and Eve experienced
in the Garden was a spiritual death that
led to complete separation from God. The
 only solution for a dead spirit is for God
to transform it into a living spirit through
salvation. Regeneration is a new birth that
gives divine life to the soul.
Benefits of regeneration:
 Regeneration is like a second
birth. “Unless a man is born
again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
Paul described the same
concept when he wrote, “if
anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creation” (2 Corinthians
5:17).
 Regeneration comes through
the Holy Spirit. Jesus said,
“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but
the Spirit gives birth to spirit”
(John 3:6). “To those who
believed in His name, he gave
the right to become children of
God” (John 1:12).
 Regeneration brings eternal
life. “He has given us new
birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:3). That
hope is of eternal life.
3. Reconciliation
Romans 5:10-11 says that once we
were enemies of God, but we have been
“reconciled to him through the death of
His Son.” The Greek word for reconcile
means “to change or exchange.” To be
reconciled with God is to change from
enmity to friendship with God.
4. Redemption
Through the blood of Jesus, we also
have redemption (Ephesians 1:7). The
word redemption means “freedom that is
bought through the payment of a
ransom.” Jesus redeemed us by paying
His blood; He freed us from sin.
5. Justification
Paul assured us that we have been
justified by Jesus’ blood (Roman 5:9).
Justification is a legal term that declares a
person’s freedom from guilt. Justification
(1) removes the penalty for sin and (2)
exchanges our guilt for God’s
righteousness. “God made him who had
no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we
might become the righteousness of God”
(2 Corinthians 5:21).
C. The Road to Salvation
We are justified through faith
(Romans 5:1). In fact, “without faith it is
impossible to please God, because anyone
who comes to him must believe that he exists
and that he rewards those who earnestly seek
Him” (Hebrews 11:6). “For it is by grace you
have been saved, through faith – and this is
not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not
by works, so that no one can boast”
(Ephesians 2:8-9). The kind of faith that brings
salvation always has two companions:
repentance and obedience.
D. Salvation Has Inner and Outer Evidence
The primary inward evidence of our
salvation is the direct witness of the Holy
Spirit. At salvation, God’s Spirit comes to live
in us and “testifies with our spirit that we are
God’s children” (Romans 8:16).
The outward evidence of our salvation
involves our lifestyle. True Christians are
recognized by the fruit of their lives. That fruit
is the holiness and righteousness of God. Paul
commanded the Ephesians to “put on the new
self, created to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).
VI. Ordinance of the Church
a.Baptism in Water
The ordinance of baptism by immersion is
commanded in the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on
Christ as Saviour and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they
declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that
they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of
life. Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47, 48; Rom. 6:4)
(b.) Holy Communion
The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements –
bread and the fruit of the vine – is the symbol expressing our
sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet.
1:4); a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Cor. 11:26);
and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Cor. 11:26); and is
enjoyed on all believers ‘’till He come!’’
VII. The Baptism in the Holy Ghost
All believers are entitled to and should ardently
expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the
baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire, according to the
command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal
experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it
comes the enduement of power for life and service, the
bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the
ministry (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; 1 Cor. 12:1-31). This
experience is distinct from and subsequent of the new birth
(Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9). With the
baptism in the Holy Ghost come such experiences as an
overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37-39; Acts 4:8),
a deepened reverence for God and dedication to His work
(Acts 2:42), and a more active love for Christ, for His Word
and for the lost (Mark 16:20)
VIII. The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism in
the Holy Ghost
The baptism of believers in the Holy Ghost
witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other
tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4).
The speaking in tongues in this instance is the sane essence
as the gift of tongues (1 Cor. 12:4-10, 28), but different in
purpose and use.
IX. Sanctification
Sanctification is an act separation from that which
is evil, and of dedication unto God (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 Thess.
5:23; Heb. 13:12). The Scriptures teach a life of “Holiness
without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). By
the power of the Holy Ghost we are able to obey the
command: “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:15, 16).
Sanctification is realized in the believer by recognizing his
identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, and
by faith reckoning daily upon the fact of that union, and by
offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the
Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:1-11, 13; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 2:12, 13;1 Pet.
1:5).
X. The Church and its Mission
The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of
God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the
fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of
the Spirit, is as integral part of the General Assembly and
Church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven (Eph.
1:22, 23; 2:22; Heb. 12:23).
Since God’s purpose concerning man is to seek and to save
that which is lost, to be worshipped by man and to build a
body of believers in the image of His Son, the priority
reason-for- being of the Assemblies of God as part of the
Church is:
a.. To be an agency of God for evangelizing the
world (Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19, 20: Mark 16:15, 16)
b. To be a corporate body in which man may
worship God (1 Cor. 12:13).
c. To be a channel of God’s purpose to build a body
of saints being perfected in the image of His Son, the priority
reason-for-being of the Assemblies of God As part of the
Church is:
The Assemblies of God exists expressly to give
continuing emphasis to this reason-for-being in the New
Testament apostolic pattern by teaching and encouraging
believers to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
This experience:
a. Enables them to evangelize in the power of the
Spirit with accompanying supernatural signs (Mark 16-15-
20; Acts 4:29-31; Heb. 2:3,4).
b. Adds a necessary dimension to worshipful
relationship with God (1 Cor. 2:10-16; 1 Cor. 12, 13 and 14).
c. Enables the, to respond to the full working of the
Holy Spirit in expression of fruits and gifts and ministries as
in New Testament times for the edifying of the body of
Christ (Gal. 5:22-26; 1 Cor. 14:12; Eph. 4:11, 12; 1 Cor.
12:28; Col 1:29).
XI. The Ministry
A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry
has been provided by our Lord for the threefold purpose of
leading the Church in: (1) Evangelization of the world (Mark
16:15-20), (2) Worship of God (John 4:23,24), (3) Building
a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son
(Eph. 4:11-16).
XII. Divine Healing
Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel.
Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement,
and is the privilege of all believers (Isa. 53:4, 5; Matt. 8:16,
17; James 5:14-16).
XIII. The Blessed Hope
The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in
Christ and their translation together with those who are alive
and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and
blessed hope of the Church (1 Thess. 4:16, 17;Rom.
8:23;Titus 2:13 Cor. 15:51, 52).
XIV. The Millennial Reign of Christ
The second coming of Christ includes the raptures
of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the
visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on the earth
for one thousand years (Zech. 14:5; Matt. 24:27, 30; Rev.
1:7; 19:11-14; 20:1-6). This millennial reign will bring the
salvation of the national Israel (Ezek. 37:21, 22; Zeph. 3::19,
20; Rom. 11:26, 27) and the establishments of universal
peace (Isa. 11:6-9; Ps. 72:3-8; Micah 4:3, 4).
XV. The Final Judgment
There will be a final judgment in which the wicked
dead will be raised and judged according to their works.
Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together
with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet,
will be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake
which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death" (Matt. 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 19:20; 20:11-15;
21:8).
XVI. The New Heavens and the New Earth
“We, according to His promise, look for new
heavens and a new earth where in dwelleth righteousness”
(2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21, 22