ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF CHRIST

ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF CHRIST

Introduction

The book of Hebrews chapter six mentioned some basic principles of Christ that can be rightly called the summary of Christian faith.

1. The Principles

The principles are six in number (Heb.6 Vs 1-2):

1. Repentance from dead works.
2. Faith towards God
3. The doctrine of baptisms
4. Laying on of hands
5. Resurrection of the dead
6. Eternal judgement

We have treated repentance from dead works in our first bible study. We will now discuss the rest in turn.

2. Faith towards God. (Rom.10 Vs 17)

There are three types of faith namely:

Natural faith

This is inherent in all human beings and without it the world will be static. This faith makes you board the aircraft, train, vehicles, and work for employers, etc. It is not a question of whether you have this faith; it is a question of where you put it. This is the same faith the Holy Spirit activates in you at salvation. (Philemon 5; Acts 14 Vs 8-10)

Fruit – faith

This is an integral part of love, the fruit of the spirit. It is borne out of maturity in Christ and it works by love. Every mature Christian has this faith (Heb.11 Vs 1; Gal.5 Vs 22, 23)

Gift – faith

This is a power gift and comes by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It enables a believer to possess the gut to do the impossible. It works hand-in-hand with the gifts of healing and the gift of working of miracles. Few Christians have this faith in the contemporary Christendom (I Cor. 12 Vs 8, 9)

State the difference between faith and belief?

3. The doctrine of baptisms

• The Bible is so clear that you only need someone to confuse you. But in the absence of confusionists, nothing is controversial about the book as well as its teachings on baptism.
•  Baptism is a spiritual act done to consecrate (by pouring on, or putting into) and seal a believer in the Lord:

Consecration

Read matt.28 Vs 19; Rom.6 Vs 2-14; the phrase “baptizing them into His name” indicates that the baptized person was intertwined, possessed by or became inseparable from one in whose name he was baptized. (Compare with I Cor.10 Vs 1, 2). A baptized Christian has undergone a symbolic death, burial and resurrection with Christ and thus lives in divine victory.

Seal

Read Gal.3 Vs 27; I Pet.3 Vs 18-22; Col.2 Vs 9, 10 Eph.4 Vs 4-6. It is God’s practice to seal His chosen people from His judgement on the earth (e.g. Lot, Noah etc). Even during the tribulation that is to come on the world, some would be sealed (Rev.7 Vs 4-8). In the days of old the seals were a kind of signature and a symbol of the king’s authority.

Types of baptism.

•   There are four types of baptism: Baptism of water, of the Holy Spirit & fire, of oil and of suffering.

1. Baptism of water

• Read Matt.3 Vs 4-8; 13-17; Acts 8 Vs 26-40; Matt.28 Vs 19, 20; Luke 3 Vs 3; Acts 2 Vs 38; 10 Vs 47, 48.
• When should a person be baptized?
•   Where should a person be baptized?
•   Site examples of infant baptism and baptism by sprinkling in the scriptures?
•   How can the people in the cold Polar Regions be biblically baptized?

Infant baptism, baptism for the dead (ICor.15 Vs 29) and baptism by sprinkling or by the sign of the cross on the fore-head are baseless in scriptures.

  Why is water baptism also called baptism of repentance? (Luke 3 Vs 3)

Baptism by the Holy Spirit and fire.

•    Read Joel 2 Vs 28; Acts 2 Vs 1-4; 38-39; Luke 3 Vs 15-17; Matt.3 Vs 11-12; Acts 10 Vs 30; 44-48, 1 Vs 8; Eph.1 Vs 13, 4 Vs 30; II Cor.1 Vs 22; II Cor.5 Vs 5.
•  Who may receive this baptism and when?
•  What is the sign or evidence of this baptism?
•   What is the essence of this baptism?

Baptism of oil.

In the Old Testament times (and also applicable today as well) the baptism of oil is done to ordain and sanctify three types of people: The king, the priest and the prophet. Anointing oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. (Ps 133 Vs 1,2; 45 Vs 6,7; I Sam.10 Vs 1, 16 Vs 1-3, 12-13)

Baptism of suffering.

The Lord Jesus Christ referred to His sufferings as a type of baptism; the same baptism He foretold that some of his followers would be baptized with. This type of baptism should not be mistaken for other types of sufferings like:

•  Suffering as a sinner
•  Suffering as a law-breaker
•  Suffering as a fool or ignorant
•   Suffering under a curse
•   Political, ideological or suffering of conscience

Baptism of suffering is purely for the course of one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ particularly when it is extra-ordinary usually leading to death. (Luke 12 Vs 50; Matt.20 Vs 22, 23; Mk.10 Vs 38, 39; Phil.3 Vs 10-11; Heb.11 Vs 35-38; I Cor.10 Vs 13)

4. Laying on of hands.

Laying on of hands is one of God’s mechanisms of transfer among His people. Sin, guilt, sickness, healing, blessing or anointing may be transferred during the laying on of hands. The person laying the hand is important as a lot could happen as a result. It is the laying on of hands that produced scapegoats in the Old Testament time (Lev.16 Vs 5-10, 20-22)

•  Read the following passages: Lev.4 Vs 3-5, 22-26, 27-29, Num.27 Vs 15-23; Mk.16 Vs 18, I Tim.5 Vs 22, Acts 8 Vs 17-20; Gen.48 vs13-14
•   Why do you think the right hand is more important in the laying on of hands?

5. Resurrection of the Dead

•  Read Dan.12 Vs 1-3; I Thess.4 Vs 13-18; I Cor.15 Vs 35-38, 50-56; Rev.20 Vs 4-6
•   How many types of resurrection are they?
•  What is the difference between resurrection and reincarnation?
•   Is reincarnation a fact or fiction? (Heb.9 Vs 27)

6. Eternal Judgement

There are different types of judgement but eternal judgement deals with the final judgement of all spirits & flesh at the close of the age when God will separate the ‘Cockroaches’ from the ‘butterflies’. This judgement is irreversible, as it is the enthronement of justice. God will live forever with His people and Satan will suffer eternally with His own.

• Read Ecc.12 Vs 13, 14; Rev.20 Vs 7-15, II Cor. 5 Vs 10, 11; II Pet.3 Vs 10-14
• How can a God of love roast people in hell fire?
• How can a God of justice, the judge of all creations allow injustice and sin to reign by condoning it?

Conclusion

The study of the elementary principles of Christ reveals to us both the love and justice of God. He is a God of love hence He forgives, heals, delivers and saves from sin. He is a God of justice and must pursing unrepented-from sin. You better stay on His love side.