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Hosea 4:6 |
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Jesus Christ:
According to Biblical Scripture, Jesus Christ is God, Who was manifested in human flesh The name Jesus literally means Jehovah [or YHVH (Yahweh), (the self existent One)] is salvation. 1 The word translated salvation most used in the Old Testament is Yeshuw`ah (Hebrew) (Jesus). 2 This explains how the apostles and disciples of Jesus could preach and teach about Him only using the Old Testament, since the New Testament had not yet been written. Jesus said in John 5:43 that He came in His Father’s name and that the Holy Spirit would be sent in His name. (John 14:25-27) According to the Book of Hebrews, (the 4th chapter), Jesus inherited the name of the Father. Historically the man, Christ Jesus, was born around 3-4 BC. Joseph, who was then engaged to Mary when she was found to be pregnant while she was still a virgin, was of the lineage of David the King from the tribe of Judah. 3 The virgin birth was prophesied in Isaiah 7:14. The same scripture also says that this child born would be Immanuel which literally means God with us or among us.4 Biblical Christianity is different from all other religions of the world with the "good news" that God himself paid for our fallen state of sin and made a way for us to be with Him. The Bible is the only Book that has accurately explained man's fallen condition and the Creator's plan to redeem mankind which was made in the image of the Creator. It also gives insights that were impossible to know at the time that they were written by holy men moved on by God. (2 Peter 1:20-21) He is Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6 then prophesied that this son would eventually rule the world. He would be El Gibbowr which is Hebrew for 'God the strongest' or 'almighty', also this child born would be the everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace, or, more literally, the captain or Head of peace.5 the man Jesus Christ began His ministry upon turning 30 years of age, which falls in line with the law given to Moses. (see Numbers 4) He is the way, the Truth, the Life. No one comes to God but by Him In the gospel account of John, in the 14th chapter and the sixth verse, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. This makes sense when you realize that Jesus Christ is “the Father” incarnated in a human body. Jesus Christ did many miracles including raising the dead, healing all manner of sicknesses and diseases and casting out and delivering people from devils and evil spirits. Isaiah 35:4-6 clearly shows who Jesus actually is: "Behold, your God… he will come and save you." This passage goes on to say that when God comes, the eyes of the blind would be opened, the ears of the deaf would be unstopped, the lame would leap, and the tongue of the dumb would speak. Jesus applied this passage of Scripture to Himself in Luke 7:22 and, of course, His ministry did produce all of these things.6 The way Jesus taught to be saved Jesus taught that a person must repent and be born again to be saved.7 He went on to explain that you must be born of the water which is baptism or immersion in water, which He exemplified, and also born of the Spirit which is receiving His Holy nature or Holy Spirit; and that signs would follow those who believed, such as speaking in other languages supernaturally. The Greek word used in these Scriptures is "baptizdo" which means to immerse or submerge in water. Furthermore, Jesus Christ promised that He would go to prepare a place for us. (John 14:2) and that He would not leave us comfortless, (John 14:26) Jesus Christ said that He came to earth so that our joy could be full and to manifest the Father to us. The man Christ Jesus became the sacrifice required by God’s plan to redeem mankind unto Himself.8 This is the gospel or good news. The good news is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. To obey the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8) there must be a death (repentance), a burial (baptism), and a resurrection (in filling of the Holy Spirit) which then gives us the power to overcome our own sinful nature, and live a life pleasing to and separated unto God. 9 He started the church (the 'ecclesia' which means 'the called out ones, separated or holy unto God') Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 that upon this 'rock' (the original Greek word meaning the very foundation or bedrock), He would build His church and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. The rock was the truth that Peter had just declared that Jesus was the son of God (which meant to a one God Jew, God manifested in flesh). This is expounded upon in the book of the Acts of the Apostles when Peter, who was given the keys to the Kingdom by Jesus Christ, explains the fact that those who had just received the Holy Spirit were the fulfillment of the prophecy on Joel (Joel 2:28-29) Peter then further explained the 'born again' plan of salvation as being repentance, (death to self-will while enthroning God’s will) baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission or forgiveness of sins (buried with Him in Baptism: Rom. 6:4), and the receiving of the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Resurrection) He went on to say that we must also save ourselves from being a part of the sinful world system that we are in. (Holiness & Separation from the world) 10 References
The council of Nicaea Christianity was to become the church of Rome Constantine the emperor of Rome, born February 27, 272 AD and died May 22, 337 AD was the emperor of Rome from 306 AD until his death. In 327 AD Constantine convened a council to officially make Christianity the religion of Rome. The pagan man-made trinity doctrine is originally rejected. It affirmed that Christ is God and rejected the man-made trinity doctrine that was also presented. By implication it partially endorsed the trinity views of Athanasius who taught that the Father and Son were distinct but equal persons in the Godhead. The Catholic Church was officially started at this time. The word catholic means universal. The new birth was no longer taught or preached as instructed by Jesus Christ and the apostolic first church doctrine, but was replaced by the Nicene Creed. 19 The Nicene Creed is an ecumenical Christian statement of faith accepted in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Assyrian, the Anglican Communion, Lutheranism, the Reformed churches, Methodism, and almost all other forms of Protestantism. The council of Constantinople The man-made trinity doctrine is mandated by a Roman Emperor The Council of Nicaea did not end the Godhead controversy which it had been called to clarify. By 327, Emperor Constantine had begun to regret the decisions that had been made at the Nicene Council. He granted amnesty to the Arian leaders and exiled Athanasius because of Eusebius of Nicomedia. Even during numerous exiles, Athanasius continued to be a vigorous defender of Nicene Christianity against Arianism. The Cappadocia leaders also took up the political fight; their Trinitarian discourse was influential in the council at Constantinople. The trinity doctrine was a political move Theodosius ignored the fact that the Bible does not ever refer to God as a "trinity". He, for the political reasoning of attaining more control over the church by bringing a doctrine that was accepted and practiced by the pagans of his kingdom, made it mandatory to believe this doctrine of a trinity godhead. Theodosius removed or imprisoned all who continued believing what the Apostolic Church originally taught. He also banned those who believed the Apostolic doctrine from building churches and expelled them from the cities if they caused "trouble". In many cases, the preachers of the Apostolic doctrine were killed.20 Because the emperor wanted to combine the Christians with the pagans, the council of Constantinople was called by Theodosius in 381 AD to enforce the trinity doctrine. This man-made doctrine of the trinity, which stated three persons in one God, co-eternal and co-equal, although there is no Biblical Scripture to support it, was now issued by decree upon the Christian Church. 21 Though it was originally rejected at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, the trinity doctrine was pushed and then forcibly embraced because Theodosius saw a way to consolidate his political control of the church. Theodosius believed that he would gain the favor of the pagans of his kingdom by pushing this pagan doctrine and thereby strengthen his control. This is officially when the non Biblical pagan doctrine of the three co-eternal persons in one God concept was brought into the Roman Catholic denomination. The early church had always baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission (deliverance) of sins until the development of the trinity doctrine; afterward they were baptized in the titles, i.e. Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 22 The New International Encyclopedia says this about this doctrine: The trinity doctrine. The Catholic doctrine is this: We worship one trinity, but there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost, the glory equal – the majesty co-eternal. Of course this doctrine is not found anywhere in the Scriptures. Most modern theology does not seek to find it in the Old Testament. A series of five more councils (a total of seven) began to introduce more and more man-made doctrines. At the time of the Reformation, the Protestant Church kept the doctrine of the trinity without serious examination.” (Vol. 22, Page 476.) The born again salvation plan of Jesus Christ is no longer taught or practiced. The Roman Catholic church no longer taught the Biblical salvation plan taught by Jesus Christ and the Apostles but, rather replaced it with the Nicene Creed . Theodosius issued an edict proclaiming that the only acceptable way of being Christian was to acknowledge Father, Son and Holy Spirit to be of equal majesty. All other formulas would be considered heretical and their holders subject to punishment by the state.23 Presumably, as stated earlier, he felt that only by imposing doctrinal unity could he keep his position. The problem is that this unified doctrine was wrong according to what the Bible, Jesus and the Apostles taught. The Dark Ages begin in approx. 476 AD and end in approx. 1000 AD The Dark Ages were an extremely brutal and bloody time in the history of mankind where war and conquest was a normal way of life. Different warlords rose and fell throughout this bloody time. The crusades mercilessly killed thousands of people as ordered by the popes. 24 Countless atrocities were committed in the name of Christianity. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ, in contrast, teaches to love your enemies and do good deeds in exchange of evil ones out of love for mankind who is made in the image of God. 25 The Eastern Orthodox denomination The Eastern Orthodox denomination was formed in 1054 AD resulting from a split involving the authority of the pope. 26 The Eastern Orthodox denomination has most of the same doctrines as the Catholic denomination with the exception of following the pope and giving him the authority to add to or take away from Biblical doctrine. As in Catholicism, the manmade, non-scriptural pagan doctrine of the trinity was embraced. The Biblical doctrine of being born again of the water and of the Spirit in Jesus name is neither taught nor practiced. The first printing press The Bible is one of the first books printed Between 1454 and 1455 AD, Johannes Gutenberg printed his first major work, the Gutenberg Bible, on his new movable type printing press. The first ever of its kind, his press would revolutionize European book-making and usher in the “Age of the Printed Book.” The Gutenberg Bible took five years to prepare for and print. Each Bible was comprised of two volumes, 1282 pages each. 180 copies were printed and assembled, with only 48 known to survive to today. New light being shed to those who read it Gutenberg’s new printing press is widely credited with fueling the Protestant Reformation, as ideas and documents were able to spread across much of The Holy Roman Empire. The man-made trinity doctrine is still entrenched in and embraced by the churches. ` Although the Bible and its messages were now being circulated among the people, the translation to English was performed primarily by those who believed the trinity doctrine. Hence, words were added to reflect this such as in Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Us and our, were added by the translators and are not in the original). The original Scripture literally says "Elohlym make mankind in resemblance likeness, dominion fish sea, birds air, cattle over earth, creeping animals on earth." The next Scripture says: Gen 1:27 So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 27 Notice that the added words such as us and our have no references in concordances or Bible Study Software because the original text doesn't contain these words. 28 The Lutherans Luther challenged many of the Catholic teachings with his Ninety-five Thesis The Lutheran Denomination was founded by Martin Luther in 1517 AD: Martin Luther challenged the Catholic teachings (e.g., ‘indulgences’) with his Ninety-five Theses. Luther rejected tradition as our authority and stated that only Scripture was our authority. This led to a reformation of Bible study which led to the seeking of answers instead of seeking church hierarchy. Luther believed that salvation came from the cross and not from the works done by man. The born again plan taught by Jesus Christ is no longer taught or practiced. Though Luther challenged the manmade Catholic doctrines, the Lutheran denomination retained the Catholic doctrine of the trinity and baptism in the titles of Father, Son and Holy Ghost despite the Scriptures clearly showing baptism in Jesus name exclusively and the declaration of one God and Savior. The modern Lutherans now also believe in the saved by grace doctrine which states that God grants righteousness through faith alone, resulting in good works. They believe that salvation is a personal experience through faith in Jesus and that through this faith, we will then be at peace with God, moving us to follow Jesus’ example by being peacemakers 29 The Biblical doctrine, practiced and taught by the apostles of Jesus Christ of the new birth, was and is not taught nor practiced by the Lutherans.
The Presbyterians The modern Presbyterians trace their ancestry all the way back to the Protestant Reformation in 1517, and the original teachings of Martin Luther. About twenty years later a man by the name of John Calvin further reformed even Martin Luther’s teachings, into what is known as Calvinism. He did much to solidify and perpetuate the doctrine of predestination, which undermines true biblical faith. John Calvin slammed the door shut to further restoration of scriptural truths Most significant from the Apostolic point of view, Calvin slammed the door shut to further restoration of scriptural truths such as the oneness of God, baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit. A man, who studied with John Calvin in Geneva, brought his teachings to Scotland. It was here that the first official Presbyterian Churches were established in 1536 AD. 32 Over the course of the centuries, the Presbyterian Church has split many times. Many of their churches split from one church, and then merged with another sect that had been split at a previous time. This splitting and merging has caused slight varying beliefs amongst Presbyterians, but allowed for their core beliefs to remain intact regardless of what sect of the Presbyterian Church one is in. 33 Presbyterians use the Biblical form of government in which elders or presbyters, which are elected by the local church, are in authority in that local body of believers. 34 Presbyterians baptize in the titles of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. They also administer infant baptism as well as adult baptism. Presbyterians choose to sprinkle water or pour water on someone’s head when baptizing instead of full submersion considering that submersion was the only way that anyone was baptized in the Bible, because it is called a burial. 35 There were no infants ever baptized in the Bible. The born again salvation plan of Jesus Christ is no longer taught or practiced Presbyterians believe, as the Bible teaches, that Jesus Christ is as alive as He was when He was first resurrected. They believe that He is with us today even though He is unseen and can’t be physically touched. Presbyterians do believe in the Biblical truth that Jesus is coming back to take His people out of this world in what is known as The Rapture, although they do not teach nor preach the Biblical doctrine of being born again as Jesus Christ commanded. Anglican/Episcopalian The Anglican/Episcopalian denomination was founded by Queen Elizabeth in 1553. The born again salvation plan of Jesus Christ is no longer taught or practiced The Anglican/Episcopalian denomination does not follow the born again doctrine of Jesus Christ, nor does it follow the example of the first church started by the Apostles. The Baptists Many historians consider John Smyth (1570 - 1612) and Thomas Helwys, (1575-1616), as the joint founders of the Baptist denomination which was founded in 1609. 37 The Beliefs of Baptist Churches are not totally consistent from one Baptist church to another, as Baptists do not have a central governing authority, unlike most other denominations. 38 The born again salvation plan of Jesus Christ is no longer taught or practiced Baptists share "orthodox" Christian beliefs with most other moderate or conservative Christian denominations. These include beliefs about the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, His sinless life, His miracles, His atoning death, burial, and bodily resurrection, but also the man made doctrine of the Trinity that was forced by Emperor Theodosius. (the divinity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, together with God the Father as separate persons), the need for salvation (though the understanding of means for achieving it may differ at times), grace, the church, the Kingdom of God, and that in the last days (Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge everyone in righteousness), The Baptist church does not believe in the in filling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as Jesus Christ and the first church believed and taught. Nor do they hold to the teachings of the first church’s teachings of separation and obedience unto God. Many within the Baptist denomination believe a once saved, always saved doctrine which has no Scriptural merit or reference. 39 The Unitarians Believe in the single personality of God but do not believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ Francis David formed the Unitarians in 1693. Unitarianism is the belief in the single personality of God, in contrast to the doctrine of the Trinity (three persons in one God). It is the philosophy upon which the modern Unitarian movement was based, and, according to its proponents, is the original form of Christianity. Unitarian Christians believe in the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, as found in the New Testament and other early Christian writings, and hold him up as an exemplar. Adhering to strict monotheism, they maintain that Jesus was a great man and a prophet of God, perhaps even a supernatural being, but not God himself. Unitarians believe in the moral authority, but not necessarily the divinity, of Jesus. They do not pray to Jesus. Unitarians do not practice the born again requirement stated and taught by Jesus Christ and practiced by the first Apostolic church. 40 Unitarian Universalism (UUism) Unitarian Universalism (UUism) is a theologically liberal religion characterized by its support for a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning." Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed; rather, they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth. Unitarian Universalists draw on many different theological sources and have a wide range of beliefs and practices from Humanism, Agnostic, Earth Centered, Atheist, Buddhism, Christianity and Pagan. The religious pluralism of Unitarian Universalism respects diverse traditions within the movement and often within the same congregation. Many see it as a typical syncretic religion (the combination of different systems of philosophical or religious belief or practice), in which personal beliefs and religious services draw from many faith traditions. Unitarian Universalists do not practice the born again teachings of Jesus Christ but rather follow their own paths as it seems right to them. 41 The Methodists In 1738 AD Anglican ministers John and Charles Wesley founded the Methodists. The original work of the Wesley's never intended a recant of the Anglican Church, but were teaching and preaching the 'fire of the Lord' to poor people that didn't have access to the aristocracy of the Anglican church. The people who John Wesley preached to repented with godly sorrow, fell in altars, spoke in tongues and were drunk in the Spirit. their lives were radically changed by God through this anointed preacher. The Wesley's sacrificed through their circuit-riding ministries bore fruit. Before his death, John Wesley warned the people: "I am not afraid that the Methodists would ever cease to exist, but I am afraid lest they should exist only as a dead religion." In 1784 U.S. Methodists form a separate church body in America. The core doctrine of the denomination now is saved by grace alone, resulting in good works just as the Lutherans believe. As the movement flourished on the American frontier, revivals emphasized personal decisions for Christ flourished as a doctrine. However, the United Methodist General Conference brought in the teaching of infant baptism. This baptism is performed by pouring water on the baptized person and saying the words, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” as started by the Catholic denomination. 42 Sadly, the born again Biblical doctrine as taught by Jesus Christ and his Apostolic Church is not taught nor practiced in the modern Methodist denomination. The Mormons The official name of the Salt Lake City, Utah-based church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormon is a term used to describe the adherents, practitioners, followers or constituents of Mormonism. The term most often refers to a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which is commonly called the Mormon Church. 43 The LDS Church believes that "Mormon" should properly be applied only to its members. However, the term is often used more broadly to describe any individual or group that believes in the Book of Mormon, including other Latter Day Saint groups. According to the Book of Mormon, Mormon is the name of the prophet who compiled the book of scripture known as the Book of Mormon. 44 The Mormons were formed in 1830 by Joseph Smith. 45 The term "Mormon" has its origins in the Book of Mormon, which is believed by Latter Day Saints to be a historical and religious record translated by Joseph Smith, Jr. into English by divine inspiration from golden plates that he received from the Angel Moroni. The book relates a history of three civilizations in the Americas from approximately 2700 B.C. until about 420 A.D., written by their prophets and followers of Jesus Christ. The book of Mormon is added to and with the Bible Mormons believe that the Book of Mormon is another scriptural witness of Jesus Christ that is comparable to the Bible, which they also believe to be the word of God. The book gets its name from Mormon, the prophet said to have written the record during the 4th century. The born again salvation plan of Jesus Christ is no longer taught or practiced The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not repent of sins which is to be sorry for and forsake them nor do they baptize in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins as the first church did, nor receive the gift of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of the speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the ability. The Bible clearly teaches in Galatians 1:6-9, that if any man or an angel from heaven comes preaching any other Gospel than what Jesus Christ and the Apostles preached, let him be cursed. 7th Day Adventists Observes Saturday as the “Sabbath” day The Seventh-day Adventist (abbreviated "Adventist") Church is a Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath. 45 The denomination grew out of the Millerite movement in the United States during the middle part of the 19th century and was formally established in 1863. Among its founders was Ellen G. White, whose extensive writings are still held in high regard by the church today. 46 Much of the theology of the Seventh-day Adventist church corresponds to evangelical teachings such as the man made doctrine of the Trinity. Distinctive teachings include the unconscious state of the dead and the doctrine of an investigative judgment. The church is also known for its emphasis on diet and health, for its promotion of religious liberty, and for its culturally conservative principles. 47 The world church is governed by a General Conference, with smaller regions administered by divisions, union conferences and local conferences. It currently has a worldwide membership of over 15 million people, has a missionary presence in over 200 countries and territories and is ethnically and culturally diverse. The church operates numerous schools, hospitals and publishing houses worldwide, as well as a prominent humanitarian aid organization known as the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). The born again salvation plan of Jesus Christ is no longer taught or practiced The Adventist church does not follow the original teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles in teaching and practicing the born again experience of being baptized water in Jesus name and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Jehovah Witnesses Inspired by the teachings of the 7th Day Adventists The history of Jehovah's Witnesses begins in 1869, in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, when Charles Taze Russell began a Bible study which led to this separate movement. The name "Jehovah's Witnesses" (based on Isaiah 43:10-12) was not adopted until 1931. Charles Taze Russell was brought up a Presbyterian, and indoctrinated from the Catechism. In 1870 after dropping in on a Second Adventist Bible study conducted by Jonas Wendell, Russell organized his own Bible study with a circle of friends who came to regard him as their pastor. Although Russell believed that the Second Adventists were "called of God" and he never renounced them (Russell still maintained his association with the Adventists and credits some preachers with teaching him much), a miscalculation concerning the Second-Coming of Christ caused him to re-evaluate Adventist teachings (Hoekema pg. 224, Penton, pg. 15). In response, Russell, together with his organized Bible study group, determined that Christ's return would be an invisible or spiritual one. He later wrote a booklet entitled "The Object and Manner of the Lord's Return" to describe his new ideas and views on the issue. When he read similar ideas in N.H. Barbour's The Herald of the Morning, Russell joined him in editing the periodical. Both agreed that the Adventists had been mistaken in awaiting Christ in the flesh. In 1877, Russell and Barbour wrote and published Three Worlds and the Harvest of This World (Hoekema, p.224-25; Penton, p.18-19). 48 Believe that Jesus Christ is a created subordinate god and is actually the Arc Angel Michael The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus Christ is actually the Archangel Michael. The Scripture that they use for this theory is Proverbs 8. Here they say that Jesus Christ was a created being. However, Proverbs 8 clearly refers to wisdom as a she. She (wisdom) was created before the foundations of the earth were made. Clearly this passage does not apply to Jesus Christ because He wasn't born female. There is no scriptural reference for Michael being Jesus.49 Other errors include the belief that 144,000 have already been chosen and that they, the Jehovah Witnesses are among the 144,000 that are saved in the Book of Revelation. These 144,000, according to the Bible, are Jews out of the 12 of the tribes of Israel. It isn't speaking of Gentiles or non Jews at all. 50 The born again salvation plan of Jesus Christ is no longer taught or practiced Jehovah Witnesses do not preach what Jesus Christ nor what His Apostles preached in the early church. They do not baptize in Jesus name, nor seek for the in filling of the Holy Spirit of God because they believe that the Holy Spirit is simply some kind of force and not Christ in you the hope of glory as is mentioned in Col. 1:27. The principal self-defining characteristics of Jehovah's Witnesses are: learning the official doctrines, showing willingness to proselytize actively, participating in all congregational meetings, and being baptized into the Watch Tower faith (Beckford, p.70)
The Azusa Street Revival A revival of the in filling of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues that spread across the world. Before this event, the Holy Spirit was again poured out in a big way in Topeka, Kansas among Baptist and Methodist believers who believed for and even fasted for the in filling of the Holy Spirit like the Apostles received it in the Book of Acts. Later, at the Azusa Street Revival, ( a Pentecostal revival meeting) took place in Los Angeles, California and was led by William J. Seymour, an African American preacher, thousands more received this Biblical experience. It began with a meeting on April 14, 1906 at the African Methodist Episcopal Church and continued until roughly 1915. The revival was characterized by speaking in other languages, dramatic and expressive worship services, and inter-racial mingling of believers as in the Book of Acts. The participants received criticism from secular media and “denominal Christian” theologians for behaviors considered to be outrageous and unorthodox reminiscent of what happened to the original apostles of Jesus Christ. Today, that revival is considered by historians to be the primary catalyst for the spread of Pentecostalism in the 20th century. 50 The beginning of the rebirth of the Apostolic doctrine taught by Jesus Christ and the first church. Afterward, two forms of Pentecostalism were developed out of this Holy Spirit outpouring: the Charismatic’s 51 which kept the Catholic manmade, Trinitarian doctrine which uses the unscriptural water baptism in the titles of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, (no one in the Bible was ever baptized in the titles, Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and the Apostolic Pentecostals 52 which believe and practice the born again doctrine set forth by Jesus Christ and the Apostolic first church begun on the day of Pentecost, including (1) baptizing exclusively in Jesus name as done in the Bible, (2) receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues, holiness and separation onto God while following the instructions given to the early church. The modern Apostolic Pentecostal church believes that although the ceremonial laws were fulfilled with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the moral laws are still all in effect and that salvation is something that needs to be sought with obedience and an utmost respect for the Lord. The Apostolic church believes, as the Lord Jesus said, that this salvation is a very narrow path and few will find it while many are on a broad way leading to destruction. The modern Apostolic Pentecostal church believes, as the Bible teaches, that Jesus is God manifested in the flesh. That He had a dual nature being all man and at the same time, all God and that His humanity had to pray to His divinity so as to lead a sinless life by overcoming his own human nature, the devil and the world. The modern Apostolic Pentecostal church believes that as His bride, must it also overcome these things with the help of the Holy Spirit (Christ in you the hope of Glory, Col. 1:27), to make it into heaven with the Lord as Bride Groom. 53 Controversy over Jesus name The Biblical doctrine of baptism in Jesus name The Biblical doctrines of baptism in Jesus and the oneness of God in Christ are in many ways related. Throughout history and beginning with the first church started in Jerusalem, there have been Christian believers who baptized exclusively in Jesus name and who understood the fact that Jesus Christ is God manifested in human flesh (as shown by many Scriptures already discussed in this church timeline study). We would like to note that after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues, it is oft-times accompanied by the seeker gaining an illumination of Scripture. (“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. . . . When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth . . . He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you” John 14:26; 16:13-14) The indwelling Holy Spirit plays a vital role in understanding and reestablishing the Biblical truth, including the full deity of Jesus Christ and the power of His name. 54 Thus, it is no surprise that Charles Parham, the catalyst for the entire Pentecostal movement, began to baptize exclusively in Jesus’ name as done exclusively in the Book of Acts. We have also seen that some people in Los Angeles were baptized in Jesus’ name during the Azusa Street revival, and perhaps some people under Durham in Chicago as well. Gary McGee, an Assemblies of God scholar, discovered that a missionary in Latin America baptized in Jesus’ name in 1904. 55 Another early example was Andrew D. Urshan (1884-1967), an immigrant from Persia (Iran) who received the Holy Ghost in Chicago in 1908. He established a Persian mission there and was ordained by Durham in 1910. That same year, Andrew D. Urshan came to a new understanding of truth as he pondered the question: Why did the apostles always baptize in the name of Jesus in the Book of Acts when Jesus Himself had instructed them to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in Matthew 28:19? As he meditated on this matter, Acts 4:12 came to his attention, and he concluded that the Lord Jesus Christ was “the one name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost”: The blessed Lord showed me then and there, that “The Lord Jesus Christ” is the ONE PROPER NAME of God for this gospel dispensation; because in Him, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt; and to Him, all power in heaven and earth, was given; that repentance and remission of sins should be preached everywhere in Jesus’ Name ONLY. [See Colossians 2:9; Matthew 28:18; Luke 24:47.] He called this new understanding “a wonderful revelation of the Triunity in Christ” and “a blessed revelation of Christ’s absolute deity.” He did not mean an extra biblical revelation, however, but as he explained when he first received the Holy Ghost, “The scriptures were illuminated to my soul as never before, by the Blessed Holy Spirit, who faithfully brought to my remembrance, with new meaning, that which I had read years ago and made it fresh as the morning dew.” As a result of his study, in 1910 Urshan printed Acts 2:38 on the side of his baptismal tank and began to baptize all new converts “into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” 56 From the beginning, Oneness believers have appealed to Scripture as the authority for their doctrine and rejected the idea of revelations coming from outside of the Bible. They believed that the Holy Spirit had helped them rediscover and understand biblical truths that had long been neglected. 57
The Worldwide Camp Meeting, Arroyo Seco, 1913 These early examples of baptism in Jesus’ name did not lead to the formation of the Oneness movement, however. The events that ultimately resulted in controversy and division began with the Worldwide Apostolic Faith Camp Meeting organized by R. J. Scott and George Studd and held at Arroyo Seco near Los Angeles, on a campground used by the Azusa Street Mission. The month-long meeting began on April 15, 1913, and perhaps two thousand people attended. The main speaker was Maria Woodworth-Etter (1844-1924), a well-known Holiness evangelist who had embraced the Pentecostal message. Expectations were high, and they were fulfilled, for 364 people received the Holy Spirit. Many miracles of healing took place as Woodworth-Etter prayed “in the name of Jesus. Of particular significance to the future of Oneness Pentecostalism was the message of Robert E. McAlister (1880-1953), a Canadian preacher who had received the Holy Spirit at Azusa Street in 1906. Speaking at a baptismal service, he explained that single immersion was the proper mode for baptism, not triple immersion as some people practiced. As proof he cited the baptismal accounts in the Book of Acts. The apostles baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; they never baptized using the words “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,” as triple immersion requires. 58 McAlister’s observation that the apostles always baptized in Jesus’ name planted a seed in the minds of several people that day. A man named John Schaepe (1870-1939) was so inspired by this thought that he spent the night in prayer. Early the next morning he began running through the camp shouting that he had received a revelation of the power of the name of Jesus. Quite a few of the campers were greatly stirred as Schaepe fervently explained his newfound understanding. 59 The Division began by the Assemblies of God organization which decided to keep the man-made trinity doctrine which came out of Rome In the meantime, the third general council of the Assemblies of God convened in October 1915 in St. Louis. With the approval of some executive presbyters, J. R. Flower, the secretary-treasurer, convened the meeting specifically to suppress the so-called New Issue. Collins, the chairman, and Opperman, the assistant chairman, did not want to do so, and they arrived late. In their absence, Flower took charge and asked J. W. Welch (1858-1939) to chair the meeting. About one hundred ministers were in attendance, and a debate was organized. E. N. Bell and G. T. Haywood presented the case for baptism in Jesus’ name. Speaking for the traditional trinitarian formula were Collins and Jacob Miller. William Schell was originally scheduled instead of Miller, but he was prepared to speak on church history. When he learned that the debate was to be confined to Scripture, he withdrew.60 Despite the professed desire for further discussion and deliberation, the conference elected staunch Trinitarians to every position and removed everyone who had accepted baptism in Jesus’ name or who had a conciliatory attitude toward it. Bell, Collins, Goss, Lawrence, and Opperman all lost their positions. Welch replaced Collins as chairman. 61 During 1916, the leadership of the Assemblies of God fought strongly against the Oneness message. Flower’s opposition was the most decisive of all. He argued that if the Assemblies of God adopted this position, it would break fellowship with historic and contemporary Christianity. 62 Welch announced that the general council in 1916 would decide the issue. The fourth general council of the Assemblies of God convened October 1-7, 1916, in St. Louis. The leadership appointed a committee to write a doctrinal statement, even though the organizing conference two years earlier had voted not to adopt such a statement. The committee was composed of D. W. Kerr, T. K. Leonard, S. A. Jameson, Stanley H. Frodsham, and E. N. Bell. Bell was the only one who had been baptized in Jesus’ name; the others were staunch trinitarians. Bell was apparently placed on the committee because of his great influence and also to reestablish him firmly in the trinitarian camp. 62 In the end, the conference adopted the Trinitarian statement. It also voted to require that the words of Matthew 28:19 be incorporated in the baptismal formula. The Oneness ministers had no alternative but to leave the organization. As a result of this conference, 156 out of 585 ministers dropped out of the Assemblies of God—about one-fourth of the total. Presumably, almost all of them were Oneness, although a few left because they objected to the adoption of a statement of faith and felt that the handling of the controversy was too harsh. 63 Charismatic Pentecostal Held onto the pagan doctrines and traditions, including the trinity, started and politically pushed by the council of Constantinople. The charismatic churches such as the Assemblies of God, Pentecostal Holiness and Church of God have kept the doctrines started originally by the Catholic Church at the Ecumenical councils, 64 such as the trinity and the changing in the way to baptize believers from the Biblical manner in Jesus' name, to the titles or manifestations of Father, Son & Holy Ghost. The doctrine of separation and holiness unto God has also been mostly done away within the modern Charismatic churches because of the belief of legalism which basically states that God’s grace is all that we need to be saved and that we don’t have to try to please God with our lives. In contrast, the first church believed that the church, (the called out ones) needed to separate themselves from this sinful world and that 'without holiness and separation unto God, no one could see God' (nor be with Him) Heb. 12:14. The first church believed that the name of Jesus was absolutely necessary for the forgiveness and deliverance of sins and it was the only name given to man whereby we can be saved. 65
Back to beginning Apostolic/Oneness Pentecostal The face of the Modern Apostolic Pentecostal Church has changed since the first church was started more than 2000 years ago by Jesus and the apostles. The Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) was the beginning of what we now know as the Modern Apostolic Pentecostal Church. Today, there are over 50 separate Apostolic Pentecostal Church organizations worldwide. Organizations such as the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ (ALJC) and Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW) are some of the larger Apostolic Pentecostal church organizations. There are 1275 Apostolic Pentecostal church web sites from around the world listed at: www.apostolic-churches.com and http://apostolic-pentecostal-churches.net/ the former has a listing of over 1500 church web sites from across the United States. A growing movement modeled after the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostles As with that first church. the Modern Apostolic Pentecostal Church is not a denomination just as the first church wasn’t either, but instead are the "called out ones", which means those separated unto God. Teach and preach the salvation plan taught by Jesus Christ and the first church. (Acts 2:38) The message of the Modern Apostolic Pentecostal Church is still the same as it was back in the days of the apostles. Apostolic Pentecostals believe (1) the Bible as the infallible word of God, (2) there is One God (Deuteronomy 6:4) and (3) Christ Jesus is God, manifested in flesh (Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6, John 14:9, Acts 20:28, Colossians 2:9, 1st Timothy 3:16, Revelation 1:8). The Gospel of Jesus Christ which was preached on the Day of Pentecost: (Repentance, Baptism in Jesus Name and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues Acts 2:38) still works today as it did on that day. The Modern Apostolic Pentecostal Church also heeds to the Biblical practice of perfecting holiness in the fear of God. In other words, Holiness, is being separated unto God for His purpose. His purpose, as according to the Bible, (Luke 19:10) is seeking and saving the lost souls of mankind by introducing this present sinful world to the only salvation presently available to mankind through Jesus Christ. 68 Conclusions It is safe to say that the Modern Oneness Apostolic Pentecostal Church is the new face of the “called out ones” (the church) that Jesus Christ started through His apostles and disciples. Because of political agendas, the man-made Catholic Church, formed by the Ecumenical councils, established itself in 325 AD, which, interestingly, coincided with the start of the dark ages in mankind’s history. The murder of many “enemies of the church” such as those who wouldn't accept the pope as their spiritual leader have stained the term 'Christian' because of these many atrocities that were not and are not the teachings of Jesus Christ but rather of sinful and fallen mankind. Soon after the Bible was made available to the public through the first printing press, a reformation began as more truth was sought for and learned. However, the man-made political doctrine of the trinity and the changing of the baptismal formula were kept by denominations such as the Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, etc. that were started during the Protestant reformation (with the exception of a part of the Anabaptists, who believed and taught the Apostles' doctrine and were hated and killed for it). Later in the early 1900s, the Holy Spirit was again sought for and received with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues as noted in the Bible, and the new Pentecostal movement began. Those Pentecostal churches which kept the politically man-made-trinity doctrine and water baptism by sprinkling and or baptizing in the titles of God (Father, Son & Holy Ghost), and or the cessation of perfecting holiness unto God through attitude and dress, or other non-Biblical doctrines are now known as Charismatic Churches. The Lord said He was still looking for those that would worship Him in spirit (the small "s" used in this Scripture indicates that it is referring to the human spirit) and in truth. (John 4:24) Unfortunately, believing a partial truth is no different than believing a lie. It is, therefore, no wonder why the Lord Jesus could show us in Scripture (Matt. 7:22-24) that in that day in which only the Lord Himself knows, many will say Lord, Lord have we not cast out devils and done many wonderful works in Your name, and He will say to them, depart from me worker of iniquity (translated lawlessness from the original Greek), I never knew you. It truly is a narrow path that leads to life and few will find it.
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