“I am a one God, Apostolic, tongue talking, holy-rollin, born again, heaven bound believer in the liberating power of Jesus’ Name. I have been washed in the blood, sanctified by the Spirit, I believe in holiness and suggest you do the same…”
I was intrigued to know what the writer meant by a One God, Apostolic, Tongue Talking, Born Again believer and Sanctified by the Spirit! So, I decided to investigate. I turned to a young minister for clarity; whose eyes lit up immediately and with a beaming smile began to explain.
“Well! This song sums up the Apostolic Doctrine”. Taking one look at the blank expression on my face he went on to say, “the Apostolic doctrine is simply everything Jesus taught His Apostles concerning our salvation. They in turn taught it, preached it and sent it on a journey through time, until it reached us today. It is now so embedded in our hearts that we not only teach it and preach it, but we sing it rejoicing”.
The Apostolic Doctrine (teaching) embodies: Monotheism; Faith Towards the One God; Confession; Repentance; Water Baptism in the Name of Jesus; Justification; Spirit Baptism; Sanctification and Living a Life that pleases God. Yet to be experienced are: the Rapture including Bodily Resurrection of the dead in Christ, Glorification and Eternal Life.
Monotheism is the Belief in One God, and His Name is Jesus; the one through whom God revealed himself to the world and reconciled man back to Himself (2 Cor. 5:19). This Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory, the express image of His person (Heb. 1:3), in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Col. 2:9).
It’s an absolute must that you be fully persuaded of who Jesus is; and whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in His Name. The liberating power of Jesus Name renders all titles i.e. Father, Son and Holy Ghost powerless; because salvation (deliverance from sin) is not in a title or in any other name but in the Name of Jesus.
Faith towards God i.e. believing in Jesus is therefore essential for being saved; and salvation comes by God’s grace through your belief in Him (Eph. 2:8). Why is it essential that you believe in Jesus? Because belief activates the power of the gospel to everyone that believeth (Rom. 1:16).
This then leads to Confession and True Repentance: confession being to agree with God that we are sinners in need of His salvation. So what then is True repentance? It is to be sorrowful for one’s sins and make a firm decision to turn from sin and the World unto God. We can only secure God’s forgiveness upon confession and true repentance: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us…” (1 John 1:9).
True repentance leads to Water baptism. Upon hearing the Gospel, the believers were pricked in their hearts and asked Peter, “What shall we do?” His reply was to repent and be baptised every one of you in the Name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:37-38).
Water Baptism, as seen throughout the scriptures, is to be fully submerged in water. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “…except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
To be born of the Spirit is simply to be filled with the Holy Spirit i.e. the Spirit of Christ takes up residence within you (Acts 2:4) and is evidenced by speaking in tongues. This is absolutely necessary for you to be made alive again in Christ, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1).
Sadly but true, we all died spiritually when Adam (the father of us all) sinned but thanks be to Jesus Christ who died for our sins, washed and Justified us (to be declared righteous) by His blood (Rev. 1:5; Rom. 5:9; Heb. 9:26). Through water baptism we bury the ‘old man and his deeds’, and are made alive again through Spirit baptism. We can only be born again i.e. become a new creation in Christ through Water and Spirit baptism.
On Spirit Baptism we are fully immersed into the body of Christ; we receive His divine nature and character; and we are adopted as sons with full rights and privileges. As sons of God, we can enter into His presence without fear; enjoy intimacy with Christ and all the benefits of being a joint heir (Rom. 8:17).
As the song says, the born again believer is also “Sanctified by the Spirit…” The Holy Spirit is the agent of change of our character, behaviour, thinking and our lives: until we are transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit also gives us the power to overcome sin, temptations and the desires of the flesh.
The regenerated believer therefore, does not have to let sin dominate their thoughts, attitude, behaviour or will but willing submits to the loving influence of the Spirit. “… if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom. 8:13).
The “heaven bound believer…” goes from glory to glory, living and enjoying a life that pleases God; as a bride adorned with holiness awaiting the return of Jesus her bridegroom.
And then at his coming i.e. The Rapture those who died ‘in Christ’ will be resurrected and those who are alive and remain in Him, will be caught out of the world to be with Him forevermore – an endless life.
“You see my friend, being a One God Apostolic believer, is not a tradition or a man-made religion. This Apostolic doctrine was given by Christ for the saving of our souls. I Believe that knowing and doing Christ’s teachings, is the only way to salvation and suggest that you do the same…”
“This Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory, the express image of His person (Heb. 1:3), in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Col. 2:9).”
