Creed

Yesu Kalishia

Creed

Introduction:

‘ He [Jesus] told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high”’ (Luke 24.46-49). ‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’ (Acts 1.8). ‘Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”’ (Acts 2.38). ‘Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved’ (Acts 4.12). ‘Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone’ (Ephesians 2.19-20). ‘…command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith’ (1 Timothy 1.3). ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness’ (2 Timothy 3.16).

We publish to strengthen and establish beliefs and enlighten perplexed and bewildered people who earnestly seek, amid the maze of men’s traditions, true teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ. We sincerely pray God will grant readers grace to accept truth in Christ Jesus. ‘This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls….”’ (Jeremiah 6.16).

Articles: 1. ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work’ (2 Timothy 3.16). ‘Above all, you must understand that no prophecy Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit’ (2 Peter 1.20-21). The Bible, God’s infallible Word, gives true history of heaven’s, earth’s and humanity’s creation, containing correct prophecy of ages to come regarding heaven’s, earth’s and humanity’s destiny. All teaching, faith, hope and love for the Church come from and must harmonize with the Bible. Everyone should read it and needs Spirit-anointing to understand it: ‘As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him’ (1 John 2.27). 2. One God: God being defined as the Supreme Being, not merely as a supernatural being, therefore, while there are many supernatural beings (which we call angels if they are good and demons if they are evil), there is one true God: ‘….The Lord our God, the Lord is one’ (Mark 12.29). ‘There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all’ (Ephesians 4.4-6). ‘I am the first and last, apart from me there is no God’ (Isaiah 44.6). ‘Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me’ (Isaiah 43.10). 3. Creator: ‘…I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself’ (Isaiah 44.24). 4. Nature: ‘God is Spirit and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4.24). God is eternal, ever-present, has all power and wisdom, is light, love and holy. 5. God’s self-revelation/manifestation: God showed himself as Father of all humanity by creation as uniquely as Father of his Son, Jesus Christ 6. God revealed himself through his Word, his Son, as a means of Creation (Genesis 1; Colossians 1.16-17; Hebrews 1.2). God had said, ‘Beside me there is no Savior (Isaiah 43.11) and had established blood sacrifice for sins’ remission (Hebrews 9.22), but, being Spirit, had no blood to shed, so his Word was made a human being (John 1.1-14), God with humanity (Matthew 1.23), God manifested in flesh (1 Timothy 3.16), as Savior (Matthew 16.16; Romans 1.3), he who was and is and will be, the Almighty (Revelation 1.8), the mighty God, everlasting Father and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9.6), a body of flesh and blood (Hebrews 10.5) come to earth to save humanity—God in Christ, reconciling the world to himself (2 Corinthians 5.19). When he came, angels sang, ‘For to you is born this day…a Savior, Christ the Lord’ (Luke 2.11). Jesus testified of his identity as God when he said, ‘He who has seen me has seen the Father’ (John 14.7-11) and ‘I and my Father are one’ (John 10.30). In Jesus dwells all the Godhead’s fullness bodily (Colossians 2.9) because it pleased God that him all fullness would dwell (Colossians 1.19)—the one mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2.5). All creation is subject to him (1 Corinthians 15.27-28). 7. God revealed himself as the Holy Spirit by emanation (1 Corinthians 8.6; 2 Corinthians 5.19). The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit, the Creator, the Spirit of the resurrected Christ, and comes to dwell in hearts and lives of everyone who believes and obeys the good news, as Counselor and Sustainer (John 14.16-26; Romans 8.9-11). 8. God told Moses to say ‘I AM’ sent you (Exodus 3), and Moses referred to God as YHWH (Yahweh), which means ‘HE IS’ (Exodus 6). People who worshiped the one true God attached various suffixes to this name to show God’s different attributes—‘Rapha’ for Healer, ‘Jireh’ for Provider, ‘Shua’ for Savior. ‘Yahshua’ meant ‘HE IS Savior’, and was a Hebrew name. Gabriel said to name the Son ‘Jesus’ (Greek for Yehshua) because he would be the Savior (Matthew 1.21) . There is no other name given on earth whereby people can be saved (Acts 4.12). 9. Humanity knows about God (Romans 1.19-32; 2.15). 10. God created people innocent, pure, holy (Genesis 1.27), but through sin people fell from this state (Romans 3.23; 5.12). 11. Sin is transgression of God’s law or commands (1 John 3.4). Sin’s wages are eternal death (Romans 6.23; Revelation 20.14) to all who refuse to accept salvation God provides. 12. Salvation is deliverance from sin and unrighteousness through Jesus Christ’s blood. We receive pardon and forgiveness of sin by faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5.1), repentance from sin (Acts 2.38; 11.18; 17.30)—‘repentance’ means ‘change of views, purpose, heart, mind, life’. Jesus said we must repent (Luke 13.3) and tell other people about repentance (Luke 24.47). 13. Scriptural water baptism is, only for people who have fully repented, immersion in the Lord Jesus Christ’s name for forgiveness of sins (Acts 2.38; 8.16; 10.48; 19.5), thus fulfilling and obeying Matthew 28.19. ‘We are buried with him [Jesus Christ] by baptism (Romans 6.4; Colossians 2.12). Jesus came up ‘out of the water’ (Mark 1.10) and Philip and the eunuch went down ‘into the water’ and came up ‘out of the water’ (Acts 8.38-39). The name in which baptism is administered is vitally important: this name is Jesus. Jesus commanded his disciples, ‘Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’ (Matthew 28.19). We should notice that he said name (singular), not names (plural). Father, Son and Holy Spirit are titles of God’s positions. Apostles heard Jesus’ command and understood Jesus was the name to use at baptism—from the day God’s Church began at Pentecost until their ministry ended, they baptized all nations (Jews in Acts 2.38-41, Samaritans in Acts 8.16, Gentiles in Acts 19.5) in the Lord Jesus Christ’s name. 14. John the Baptist said Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3.11), and Jesus promised it also (Acts 1.5). This was fulfilled on Pentecost Day (Acts 2.4). ‘Spirit baptism’ and ‘receiving the Spirit’ are interchangeable terms. People can be ‘filled with the Spirit’ repeatedly. It is Scriptural to expect people when they first receive the Spirit to speak with other tongues (Acts 2.4; 10.46; 19.6). Baptism in the Holy Spirit is Spiritual birth (John 3.5), is necessary to be in Gods’ Kingdom (God’s Church, Christ’s Bride) and is evidenced by speaking in a language unknown to the speaker as God’s Spirit enables. Joel prophesied this (2.28-29), as did Isaiah (28.11) and John the Baptist (Matthew 3.11). Jesus bought this with his blood and promised his disciples (John 14.26; 15.26). The Holy Spirit was first poured out on Pentecost Day on Jews (Acts 2.1-4), then on Samarians (Acts 8.17), then on Gentiles (Acts 10.44-46; 19.6). ‘The promise is to you, and to your children, and to all far away, even as many as the Lord our God shall call’ (Acts 2.39). 15. The gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 12, 14) is the same in essence, but different in purpose. Speaking miraculously in languages unknown to the speaker, as God enables, can be classified two ways according to function: a. as initial evidence of Holy Spirit baptism; b. the gift of tongues (mentioned in 1 Corinthians). Speaking in unknown languages as God’s Spirit enables shows God gave the definite, indisputable, supernatural witness or sign of Spirit baptism (Acts 2.4; 10.46; 19.6). Isaiah prophesied this as the rest and refreshing (Isaiah 28.11-12). Jesus foretold it as a sign to follow believers of the good news (Mark 16.17). The gift of various languages Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 12.1-10, for which he gave regulations in 1 Corinthians 15.1-40, God gives for self-edification (in private prayer) and for church edification (in public messages to be interpreted) (1 Corinthians 14.27-28). Since this gift, like all God’s gifts, cane be misused, it needs proper regulation (1 Corinthians 14.23-28). Not all believers exercise the gift of tongues, which differs in function from tongues given by God as initial evidence of Spirit baptism. Paul said, ‘Don’t forbid people to speak in tongues’ (1 Corinthians 14.39) and ‘I thank my God, I speak in tongues more than you all’ (1 Corinthians 14.18). 16. God’s grace comes through Jesus Christ (John 1.17) as a gift (Ephesians 2.8) and after obtaining this, we should ‘sin no more’ (John 8.11), but live seriously, righteously and godly in this present world (Titus 2.11-12), not abusing God’s grace (Jude 21), since without following peace and holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12.14). We must present ourselves as holy to God (Romans 12.1), cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7.1) and separate ourselves from all worldliness (James 4.4) and for God. ‘If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear’ (1 Peter 4.18). No one can live a holy life by his own power, but only through the Holy Spirit, and ‘you will receive power after the Holy Spirit comes on you’ (Acts 1.8). We must follow Jesus’ example (1 Peter 1.15-9; 2.20-23), not being cut off from grace (John 15.2). 17. No sickness or disease is too hard for God (Genesis 18.14). God promised to heal (Exodus 15.26), and as Jesus Christ healed people while he was on earth (Matthew 4.23-24). His suffering bought healing for us (Isaiah 53.5; Matthew 8.16-17; 1 Peter 2.24). Jesus commanded his disciples to go and heal the sick in his name (Matthew 10.8), and extended this to all who believe (Mark 16.18). Healings and miracles followed disciples wherever they proclaimed good news. Anyone can be healed by God’s power (James 5.14-16). 18. Jesus told us to remember him by the Eucharist (blessing)/Communion/Last Supper (Luke 22.19-20) and Paul instructed the Church in how to observe it (1 Corinthians 11.23-24). 19. Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and told them to follow his example (John 13.4-5, 14-15). 20. Tithing came with faith of Abraham (Genesis 14) and Jacob (Genesis 29), Moses enjoined it, prophets proclaimed it (Malachi 3), Jesus endorsed it (Matthew 23.23), and Paul said to give as God prospers you. 21. Jesus Christ will return to earth in bodily form, just as he left (Acts 1.11). He will catch away holy people (his Bride, his Church), who have accepted redemption through his blood, by birth of water and of Spirit, and who are found faithful when he comes. The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, with God’s trumpet; the dead in Christ will rise first, then people alive and remaining will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord’ (1 Thessalonians 4.13-17). One will be taken and the other left (Luke 17.46). People’s bodies will be changed to resurrected bodies (1 Corinthians 15.51-54). See also Matthew 24; Acts 3.19-21; 1 Corinthians 11.26; Philippians 3.20-21; Titus 2.13-14). 22. His coming’s signs are everywhere, with forms of godliness void of God’s power, people’s hearts filled with pride, blasphemies, unholiness, love of evil, love of pleasures (2 Timothy 3.1-13). Masses run to and fro, knowledge increases (Daniel 12.4), wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, storms, floods, nations’ distress, perplexity and people’s heart failing them for fear sound the solemn alarm that Jesus’ coming is at hand (Matthew 24.6; Luke 21.25-28). After an unparalleled time of trouble (Matthew 24.3-8), the earth will have peace for 1000 years (Revelatin 20.1-5; Isaiah 65.17-25; Daniel 7.27; Micah 4.1-2; Hebrews 2.14; Romans 11.25-27). 23. ‘It is appointed to people once to die, and after this the judgment’ (Hebrews 9.27). Therefore everyone will rise (2 Corinthians 5.10; Daniel 12.2; John 5.28-29; 1 Corinthians 15.13-23; Revelation 20.12-13. The just God, who knows everyone’s heart’s secrets, will determine each soul’s destiny (Matthew 25.32-46; Revelation 20.7-15; 21.8). And thus God will restore all things (Acts 3.21; Revelation 20.10).

Conclusion:

‘The Lord our God is one Lord’ (Mark 12.29). ‘Have faith in God’ (Mark 11.22). ‘One Lord, one faith, one baptism’ (Ephesians 4.5). ‘Christ died for our sins’ (1 Corinthians 15.3). ‘Choose this day whom you will serve’ (Joshua 24.15). ‘Surely, I come quickly’ (Revelation 22.20). ‘Be diligent that you may be found blameless’ (2 Peter 3.14).