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Principles of the Doctrine by Wayne Dailey |
| A foundation of repentance from dead works
When a person really repents, he has a complete turnabout in life. He turns from the world, with it's sin and corruption, unto the true and living God.
Fruit worthy of repentance is showing God a sincerity that we really want to turn from our sins. The foundation - First, a man digs down deep into the ground. He digs past the soft topsoil unto the hard ground or stone. Then, he forms it up, and pours in concrete. He puts a footer in that is strong enough to hold the walls. If the footer isn't solid, then rows of bricks may crack. When you build your spiritual life, you must build it on a solid foundation of repentance from dead works. Turn from the dead works of the flesh unto God, building your life upon the sayings of Jesus Christ. Then you will be like unto a man building his house on a rock. When the trials of life come, you won't fall, or be shaken.
We should have a godly sorrow in our lives. This type of sorrow works repentance unto salvation, being sorry in the presence of God for the sin in our lives, to where we realize we've sinned against Him. When a person has a godly sorrow, he repents and seeks God's forgiveness with a broken and contrite spirit, wanting to make things right with Him. The sorrow of the world works death. A lot of people are sorry because of the mess of their lives - but that doesn't save them. It takes godly sorrow to bring a person to the place of having repentance unto salvation. One who has been born again is someone who has turned away from sin unto God, building his life on a strong foundation. Many make a shallow effort to get right with God. They might go forward at a meeting, but it is just a vain effort. | ||||
| Two types of repentance
The publican repented. He acknowledged his condition. He acknowledged that he was nothing more than a sinner, in need of God's mercy. And, as he cried out for mercy, God saved him. But the Pharisee boasted. He was glad that he wasn't like others. There's no repentance with that kind of self-righteousness. This isn't a foundation upon which to build your life. If you build your life on a foundation of self-righteousness, one of these days a storm will come that will blow your life right down. | ||||
We must have faith in the atoning work of God - sending Jesus Christ to suffer and die on the cruel cross of Calvary, that we might receive forgiveness of sins. We must have a personal faith in that atoning work. We need a trusting faith that relies upon God continually. Now, there's another aspect of having faith towards God:
Without faith, no matter how hard we try, we can't please God. We can't please Him by performing some religious ceremony, or by reading a few prayers out of a book. No, if we want to come to God we must come in faith believing, demonstrating that faith by receiving Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour. Faith is like a fruit in your life. It will move you to action. It moves you to a change of heart, to a change of life, to a change of mind. It will bring new life to you - all because you are moved by your faith in God. Now, if you've got faith in God, you can't just sit down and be a bench warmer at church. You can't just sit down and claim the title of Christian, while you continue doing your own thing. Real faith brings you unto the place of obedience to God's Word. Many who don't have this kind of faith try to talk down the Word. They say it isn't inspired, that it is only written by men, so it can be taken very lightly. Listen, if you've got faith operating in your life you will build your life on the sayings of God's Word.
Now, that's going all the way with God. But before I can love God to that extent, I must believe that He is. I can't fall in love with a myth. I know God is a living God; therefore I can have complete confidence in Him. I can have a burning faith in my heart towards Him continually. As I read God's Word, I find that it was written for my benefit. It speaks to me. It was written to instruct me in the ways of righteousness and holiness, and to show me what God says is wrong and ungodly. As we look at the deeds of men recorded in the Bible, we see examples of what God accepted and what He rejected. They are messages unto our heart, showing us how to live for the Lord. You can greatly strengthen your faith towards God by reading the Bible. Take the Scriptures to heart, and apply them to your life. | ||||
This same pattern is available to us today. It's not only ours to repent from dead works - it's ours also to go on unto water baptism, and to go on to the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. One thing we can't separate from the apostle's ministry is water baptism. They baptized believers as soon as they could after salvation. Since the apostles put such an emphasis on water baptism, we should, too. Many come forward to accept Christ as their Saviour - but they haven't taken the next step, as far as the principles of the doctrine of Christ are concerned. We must take these principles to heart. We just cannot deny them and expect to go on and enjoy the blessings of eternal life.
The Bible puts believing and water baptism together as principles of the faith. If you've gone to the point of accepting Christ as your Saviour, don't stop there. Go on to be baptized in water. It's to your own profit to be baptized, because Jesus has instructed you to do it - and you should be obedient to Him. Then we go from water baptism Many of you don't give much thought to the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. You hear a lot about it, yet it doesn't move you to seek out this experience for yourself. Maybe you're strung on the fence, hearing the pros and cons, and not knowing which way to turn. Search the New Testament to see what God says. And it won't be long before you're convinced that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is for the believer today.
John is referring to the ministry of Christ, as the One who baptized with the Holy Ghost. And I want you to know something! This ministry of Christ has not ceased. Though He has been taken up into heaven, He still carries on an active ministry of baptizing believers with the Holy Ghost. You must do things God's way. Build your Christian experience upon the sound principles of the doctrine of Christ. | ||||
Here we see Jesus practicing the laying on of hands. The purpose of this principle is to have a point of contact: the anointing of the Spirit of God dwelling in us flowing forth to another. Ananias sent to Saul
We can see a definite purpose here. The laying on of hands is intended to accomplish a work and a ministry.
Paul found that these disciples had never even heard of the Holy Ghost. Through further questioning, he learned that they had only received the water baptism of John the Baptist. They hadn't gone on to receive Christ as their Saviour. Paul led them to salvation, and then baptized them in water.
Here we see another example of laying on of hands. There was a definite purpose here. These believers received the Holy Ghost, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. What do you suppose would happen if you laid empty hands on empty heads? Nothing much. No virtue can flow forth unless there is an anointing within. This ministry comes as a result of the Holy Ghost filling the believer, charging him with the anointing such that the virtue flows.
Now, that's a positive statement: if we do our part, then God will do His part. When we are filled up with the Spirit of God, and the rivers of living water are flowing from us, we can expect results. When we lay hands on a sick person, something is going to happen. | ||||
| The
two resurrections
When we are born again, we pass from death unto life. Though we may fall asleep and be buried, one day the Lord will awaken us from that sleep. We will rise up in the resurrection, to be with the crowd of saints who rise up to meet Jesus in the air. You see, our souls goes on to be with the Lord, while our bodies are laid to rest waiting for the resurrection.
Jesus is giving full assurance that He has the power to raise the dead, power to give life unto all who believe in Him.
Christian, grasp a hold of this Scripture verse. It will shake the fear of death right out of your life. Those old shackles of fear will fall right off. Let me tell you, Jesus said that if you believe in Him you will never die. You'll fall asleep - but you won't die. My, what a difference. Sinners don't fall asleep. They die in their sins. It's like it is in the natural. You lie down and sleep all night - but you're going to get up in the morning. You're not dead. You're just sleeping. However, you could lie down at night, and die before the morning came. You'd never get up off that bed again - because you were dead. Realize that Jesus is talking about it in those terms. If we believe in Him, we will never die. We have already passed from death unto life. At the resurrection, we will receive a new glorified spiritual body. We're not going to be raised from the dead. We're going to be raised from our rest in Christ, from our sleep, in a new body. It will still be the same you, the same me. But we will be in our new bodies, to live for an eternity. It's like taking your clothes off, and putting on new clothes. That doesn't change your identity. It's still the same you, with new clothes on. Now, the Bible teaches that there are two major resurrections. The first resurrection is when the Church of Jesus Christ will be raptured. Those who are asleep in Jesus will be raised . . . and we who are alive and remain at His coming will be caught up together with them in the clouds - see I Thessalonians 4:13-18. The Bible says that those who have their part in this first resurrection are blessed and holy. It's important that we make this resurrection. Jesus gave us so many warnings about His coming as a thief in the night, warning us to watch and pray. Those who go up in this first resurrection are those who are holy. They won't have to give an account for a sinful life. They will be judged for their works, to receive a reward - but their souls will positively be saved. They won't have to fear judgment or condemnation. This is the resurrection unto eternal life. The Bible also teaches of another resurrection. Down at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ, there will be a second resurrection. This will bring everyone to judgment, from wicked Cain all the way down to the wicked at the end of the millennium. | ||||
Satan has already been judged. He's going to receive the fullness of the measure of punishment at the end of the age.
Satan is going to be punished forever and ever. He is going to be tormented day and night forever and ever throughout eternity. He had his first estate in heaven with God. But he fell, choosing to go the evil wicked way . . . rather than to stay in the holy way wherein God had created him. He turned against God, causing war in heaven: And he has caused havoc here on earth ever since, fighting and warring against God throughout the centuries. But in the end he is going to be punished forever for his sins. This gives us the full scope of how great a punishment sin can bring. The devil will receive the greatest punishment, because he's the worst of sinners. But all sinners will be punished.
This isn't the judgment of Satan or of evil spirits. No, this is the judgment of sinful mankind. We don't fully understand all the mysteries of judgment. But one thing is very clear. Those who didn't pass the judgment were cast into the lake of fire. If we think on that factor alone, it is enough to waken everyone to the reality that they need to be saved in order to escape the judgment to come. Now, it's better to have your sins judged in Christ - when you have Christ in your life, your sins are forgiven. You have the promise of eternal life. But without Christ, you have to face God with that terrible load of sin. This is the message of the eternal judgment of God, which awaits those who refuse to receive Jesus. They will be punished with eternal torment for refusing God's love and mercy.
Read the sequel message, Going On To Perfection. |