A Theological summary of God  by Taylor L. Williams

   I.  GENERAL AND SPECIAL REVELATION: God has revealed Himself!

   Our knowledge of God is limited to the revelation God has made of
Himself in creation and in Scripture.  General revelation through
nature and the events of history is limited and is designed to bring
each member of the human race to the point of God-consciousness and
accountability before God (Rom.  1:18-27), but it is insufficient for
salvation. Everyone who is positive for a relationship with God at the
point of God-consciousness will be provided the opportunity by God for
gospel hearing and response to it (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 10:17).

   1.  All of Scripture focuses on the Lord Jesus Christ--His persona
and His work, therefore, no portion of the Word of God, even the Old
Testament, is understood until it leads to Him (Jn. 5:39; Lk. 24:27,
44).

   2.  God has revealed Himself, His power, and His design for history
through creation (Psa.  19:1-4; Rom. 1:18-20) and more specifically
through the creation of mankind (Gen. 1:26-27; Eccl. 3:11).

   3.  God has revealed Himself at times directly (Gen. 6:13), through
His mighty deeds (Dt.  4:32-35; Josh. 4:23-24), and ultimately through
Jesus Christ (Heb.  1:1-2; Mt. 1:23; Jn. 1:1-3, 14) and by providing in
the closed canon of Scripture everything in the realm of spiritual
truth which He wishes man to know (Heb. 4:12; Dt. 29:29).

   II.  THE GODHEAD:

   The Godhead eternally exists in the form of the one triune God,
existing in three co-equal and co-eternal persons--the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit--identical in nature, attributes, and perfections,
equal in power and glory, and worthy of precisely the same worship,
confidence, and obedience. (Deut. 6:4; Mt. 28:18-19; Mk. 12:29; Jn.
1:14; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor. 13.l4; Heb.  1:1-3; Rev. 1:4-6.)

   1. God is eternal, living, infinite, and incomprehensible (Gen. 1:1;
Ex. 3:14; 1 Cor 13:12-13; Deut. 29:29).

   2.  God is real and knowable because He has revealed Himself to
mankind (Heb. 1:1-2).

   3.  God has revealed Himself in natural revelation as well as in
special revelation (Psa. 19:1-4; Acts 14:15-17; Jn. 5:39).

   4. By His very nature God is a spirit being, invisible and unlimited
(Jn. 4:24; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:15-16).

   5.  God is a living person with a personality (Deut. 5:26). He has
intelligence, knowledge, insight and the ability to plan (Prov.
3:19-20; Isa. 29:15-16), a purpose -- He sees us now as we one day will
be (Phil.  1:6; Eph.  1:11; 3:11), free to operate in the sphere of His
divine sovereignty (Job.  23:13; Eph. 1:11; Phil. 2:13), He possesses
self-consciousness or a total awareness of who He is (Ex.  3:14; Jn.
6:6), and He expresses anthropomorphically such emotional traits of
personality as hate (Psa.  5:5), pity (Psa. 103:13), happiness (Isa.
62:5), and love (Isa. 63:9; Jn. 3:16).

   III.  THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD: ATTRIBUTES OF GREATNESS:

   1.  God is self-existent, self-sustaining, and is dependent on
nothing outside of Himself. God doesn't need us, we need Him. (Ex.
3:14; Psa.  36:9; Acts 17:25.)

   2.  God is perfect, being everything He should be (Deut. 32:3-4;
Psa. 18:30; Rom. 12:2).

   3.  God is incomprehensible, therefore, He can never be completely
comprehended by finite mind except as He reveals Himself and permits
man to come to know Him (Psa. 145:3; Rom. 11:33).

   4. God is immutable, constant, and never subject to change (Jas.
1:17; Psa. 33:11; Heb. 13:8).

   5.  God is infinite and without limit except as He chooses to limit
Himself, He is:

   a. Infinite in relation to time -- God is eternal (Deut. 33:27; Psa.
102:12).

   b. Infinite re: space -- Omnipresent (1 Kg. 8:27-30; Jer. 23:23-24).

   c.  Infinite re: His knowledge -- Omniscience (1 Jn. 3:19-20; Acts
15:18).

   d. Infinite re: His power -- Omnipotent (Isa. 40:28; Rev. 19:6; Mt.
19:25-26).

   6.  God is sovereign, therefore, free to do whatever He wills as the
absolute ruler of the universe (Job 11:10; Psa. 135:5-7).

   THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD: ATTRIBUTES OF GOODNESS:

   1.  God is holy -- completely set apart from His creation as well as
from all sin, human good, and evil (Lev.  11:44-45; Psa. 99:1-9; Isa.
6:1-5; Habk. 1:13).

   2. God is absolutely righteous (Lev. 19:35-36; Rom. 3:10).

   3.  God is characterized by veracity -- He is genuine, real,
truthful, and always faithful (1 Thess.  1:9; Jer. 10:2, 10; 1 Jn.
5:20; Jn. 17:17; 1 Cor. 1:9; 1 Thess. 5:24).

   4. God is a God of Justice (Deut. 7:9; Rom. 6:23; 12:19).

   5.  God is love -- This attribute is the primary motivation behind
everything God has done for man (1 Jn.  4:7-10, 16; Acts 14:17; Jn.
15:13; Rom. 5:8).

   6.  God is a God of mercy -- His grace has been put into action on
our behalf (Deut. 4:32; Mk. 7:18).

   7.  Grace characterizes all of God's policies (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 5:8;
1 Cor 15:9-10).

   8.  God is longsuffering -- He delays His administration of judgment
as long as possible (Psa. 86:15; Rom. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:15).

   IV.  THE TRIUNITY OF GOD:

   1.  Like many theological technical terms, the word "Trinity" is not
a Bible term even though the concept of a tri-unity in the Godhead is
unquestionably a Biblical truth.

   2.  In the Old Testament the emphasis is upon the unity of God's
essence (Deut.  6:4; 1 tim. 2:5; Jas 2:19). But even then the plural
term Elohim is used to indicate a plurality of persons in the Godhead
who share the same divine essence.

   3.  The New Testament places an emphasis on the individual members
of the Godhead and their separate ministries.  There are three persons
who are identified in Scripture as God, these form the Trinity:

   a.  God the Father (Jn. 6:27; 1 Tim. 2:5-6)

   b.  God the Son (Heb. 1:8; Phil. 2:5-8; Jn. 10:30)

   c.  God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4)

   4.  In the new Testament the three members of the Godhead are so
closely associated together as to form a unity (Mt. 28:19-20; 3:16-17;
2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Cor. 12:4-6).

   5.  Christianity doesn't worship three Gods, but the One True God
who manifests Himself in three co-equal and co-eternal persons.

   V.  THE PERSONS OF THE GODHEAD:

   GOD THE FATHER:

   1.  The deity of the Father is rarely disputed. He is the first
person of the Godhead (1 Cor. 8:4-6; Mt. 6:26).

   2. Scripture describes God the Father as the father of creation (1
Cor. 8:6; Heb. 12:9; Jas. 1:17), as being one in nature with God the
Son (Jn. 10:30; 5:18), and the father of all believers through
regeneration (Jn. 1:2; Gal. 3:26; Eph. 5:1).

   GOD THE SON:

   1. His titles indicate His uniqueness. "Lord" is His title as deity
(Mt. 3:3; Mk.  12:36-37; Jn. 20:25-28). "Jesus" is His title of
humiliation as true humanity.  He had to become a man in order that He
might provide salvation (Mt.  1:21-25). His title as "Christ" is the
title of His commission as Messiah or the Anointed One of God (Mt.
26:63-66; Jn. 1:49-51).  His title as "the only begotten son" (Jn.
3:16) is the Greek noun MONOGENES, meaning "uniquely born", referring
to His virgin conception and the fact that He is absolutely unique
and therefore, one of a kind.

   2. As eternal God, the Lord Jesus Christ pre-existed His incarnation
(Jn. 1:1; 8:58; 3:13; 17:5).  God the Son is the revealed member of the
Godhead (Jn.  1:18), therefore, whenever deity has been seen as a
person it was an appearance of Christ (Ex. 3:4-5; Gen. 16:7).

   3.  THE DEITY OF CHRIST:

   a.  He is called God (Jn. 1:1-3; Isa. 7:14; Mt. 1:21-23; Titus 2:13;
Heb. 1:8-10; 1 Jn. 5:20).

   b.  His pre-incarnate work indicates His deity:

   He always existed (Jn. 8:58; Micah 5:2).

   He was the agent of creation (Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:10).

   The Old Testament name Yahweh, a title of deity, is ascribed to
Christ (Isa.  6:5; 9:6-7; Jn. 12:41; Jer. 23:5-6; 1 Cor. 1:30; Zech. 
12:10; Rev. 1:7). [In the NT the title KURIOS is used to translate the
Heb.  title YAHWEH in the LXX.]

   c.  He has all the attributes of deity:

   Sovereignty--absolute volition (1 Tim. 6:13-15; Acts 2:36; 1 Jn.
1:3, 10).

   Righteousness--free from all sin (1 Jn. 2:29; Jer. 23:6; 1 Pet.
2:22).

   Justice--never unfair (Deut. 32:4; Isa. 45:21; Jn. 5:22; Rev.
19:11).

   Holiness (Lk. 1:35; Jn. 6:69; Acts 3:14).

   Love--perfect affection and compassion (Jn.  13:1, 34; Eph. 3:19; 1
Tim. 1:14; 1 Jn. 3:16).

   Eternal Life--He always existed (Isa. 9:6; Jn. 8:58; Eph. 1:4; Rev.
1:11).

   Omnipotence--absolute power (1 Cor.  1:24; 2 Cor. 12:19; Jn. 10:18,
28; Rev. 1:8).

   Omnipresence--infinite presence everywhere (Mt.  18:20; 28:20; Col.
1:27).

   Omniscience--absolute mentality (Jn. 6:44; Mt. 9:4; Jn. 21:17; Rev.
2:23).

   Immutability--unchangeable (Heb. 1:10-12; Heb. 13:8).

   Veracity; absolute truth (Deut. 32:4; Jn. 1:14, 17; 14:6; Rev. 3:7).

   d. Jesus accepted worship as God, in fact He demanded it (Jn. 20:28;
Mt. 4:10; Jn. 5:23). God the Father says Jesus is to be worshiped
(Heb. 1:6).

   e.  Christ equated man's attitude with Himself as the same as their
attitude toward God the Father:

   To Know Him is to know God (Jn.  8:19; 14:7)

   To see Him is to see God (Jn.  12:45; 14:9)

   To believe in Him is to believe in God (Jn.  12:44; 14:1)

   To receive Him is to receive God (Mk.  9:37)

   To hate Him is to hate God (Jn.  15:23)

   To honor Him is to honor God (Jn. 5:23).

   f.  Christ's supreme credential verifying His deity is the
resurrection (1 Cor. 15:14).

   4.  THE KENOSIS OF CHRIST:

   a.  The KENOSIS explains the change and self-emptying which took
place in Christ at His incarnation.  The Greek verb means "emptying; to
divest of privilege; or to deprive oneself of the independent use or
function of anything."

   b.  Christ did not empty Himself of His deity, the kenosis, instead,
is the veiling of the pre-incarnate glory of Christ when He took upon
Himself true humanity (the body of a man, the human nature of a
servant, and the genetic essence of a descendant of David).

   c.  Three things make up His humanity (Phil. 2:5-11): (1) MORPHE:
the SOUL essence of mankind (self-consciousness, emotion, mentality,
and volition). (2) HOMOIOMA: the PHYSICAL likeness of humanity with one
exception, He did not have in His cell structure the Adamic nature of
corruption which has been passed on to all other members of the race.
(3) SCHEMA: the GENETIC essence of humanity; the behavior link with
past generations of His Jewish heritage.

   d.  In His incarnation, Christ gave up His outward glory as God, but
not His inner essence as God.  He chose to limit Himself in the
independent use of His deity (Lk.  2:52). His deity was always
present, but He did not show it off except at the transfiguration (Mt. 
17:2) and in the garden at His arrest (Jn.  18:6). He made Himself
totally dependent on the Plan of the Father and the provision of the
Holy Spirit.

   e.  His KENOSIS made it possible for Christ to submit in total
obedience to the Father's will.  Sovereignty (which He possessed as
God) is not subject to obedience; Eternal Life cannot die; divine
Holiness cannot be in contact with sin.  He surrendered the use of His
deity so that He could become our Savior.

   5.  THE REASONS FOR THE INCARNATION:

   a.  To be our Savior. As God, Christ could not save mankind. Deity
can plan salvation but cannot execute the plan because God cannot die
(Phil. 2:7-8; Heb. 2:14-15).

   b.  To become The Mediator between God and man. He pulls both
parties together (Job 9:2, 32-33; 2 Tim. 2:5-6).

   c.  To function as our Great High Priest. His present ministry
includes interceding for us (Heb. 7:4, 5, 14,28; 10:5, 10-14).

   d.  To keep the unconditional promises of God to Israel. There must
be One to perpetuate the Davidic dynasty forever (2 Sam. 7:11-16; Psa.
89:3-4, 20-36; Jer.  33:20-26). As a descendant of David, Jesus is
Jewish royalty which will be perpetuated forever.  His two geneo-
logies (Mt.  2; Lk. 2) establish His legal right to the Davidic throne.

   e. To be the Son of God and Son of Man at the same time (Jn.
5:25-27).

   6.  THE IMPECCABILITY OF CHRIST:

   a.  Christ did not have an Old Sin Nature by birth nor did He commit
any sin during His incarnation (Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 1:19; 1 Jn. 3:5).

   b.  All temptation came to Christ from the outside to His humanity
which was tested by Satan (Mt. 4:1-11).

   c.  Adam was created without an Old Sin Nature; Christ was born
without an Old Sin Nature.  The difference between the two is in the
fact that Christ in hypostatic union also had a divine nature.  His
human nature was temptable but His divine nature was not (Jas. 1:13).

   d.  Christ could not sin during His time on earth because of the
hypostatic union, a fact which Satan fully understood.  Christ never
desired to sin because He had His mind on something better.  He lived
life in His humanity with the same resources which are made available
to the believer today, the inner resources of truth or divine view-
point in the soul, and the enabling ministry of the Holy Spirit. Christ
was posse non peccare (able not to sin) as well as non posse peccare
(not able to sin) since in hypostatic union He could not separate His
deity from His humanity.

   7.  THE HYPOSTATIC UNION:

   a.  In the person of Christ are two natures inseparably united
without mixture or loss of separate identity, without loss or transfer
of any attribute or characteristics, the union being personal and
eternal (Jn. 1:1-4; Rom. 1:2-5; 9:5; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 2:14).

   b.  The incarnate person of Christ, therefore, includes the essence
of pure deity (veiled, but there), co-equal and co-eternal with the
Father and the Spirit, PLUS the essence of true humanity (1 Tim. 3:16).

   c.  Following His resurrection and ascension, Christ's personal
ministry in heaven is based upon His hypostatic union (Rev.  1:12-18).
He will remain in hypostatic union forever.  Both natures of Christ
will judge at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev.  1:18; Jn. 5:25-27;
Rev. 20:11-15).

   8.  THE DEATH OF CHRIST:

   a.  Christ's commission included going to the cross to pay for the
sins of the world (Titus 2:11; 1 Jn.  2:2). This was one of the reasons
why the incarnation was necessary.  It was the humanity of Christ which
suffered and died because God, being Eternal Life, cannot die; and
being Omnipresent He cannot be isolated to one point geographically.

   b.  Christ died twice on the cross. It was real spiritual death
which separated mankind from God, therefore Christ endured
substitutionary spiritual death as He was judged at the cross and all
personal sins were imputed to Him (Isa.  53:6). The fact that He died
more than once is seen in the fact that the description of His death is
in the plural in both the Old Testament as well as the New Testament
scriptures (Isa. 53:9; Rom. 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:21; Col. 2:12; Gal. 1:1;
Heb. 6:1-2; 1 Pet. 1:21; 2:24).

   c.  It was Christ's spiritual death in being judged as a substitute
for sinful mankind that completed the work necessary for salvation, not
His physical death.  When He screamed out "It is finished" from the
cross, He used the perf.pass.ind.  of the verb TELEO, indicating the
work of salvation had been completed with permanent results (Jn. 19:30,
34).  When He made this statement He was still very much alive, not
having died yet physically.

   d.  The physical death of Christ indicated that the commission of
the first advent had been accomplished and it would provide the basis
for the resurrection. His physical death occurred from His own
volition. He simply exhaled His final breath and didn't inhale again
(Jn. 10:18; Mt. 27:50; Lk. 23:46).

   e.  The saving work of Christ included three major aspects of
solteriology:

   (1) REDEMPTION - the sinward side of the cross (Eph.  1:7; Col.
1:14; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).

   (2) RECONCILIATION - the manward side of the cross (Col. 1:20; Rom.
5:11).

   (3) PROPITIATION - the Godward side of the cross (1 Jn. 2:2; 4:10;
Rom. 3:25).

   f.  The scriptures teach the truth of UNLIMITED ATONEMENT since
Christ died for the sins of the entire world, not just for the elect
(Rom. 5:6; Titus 2:11; 2 Cor. 5:14-19; 1 tim. 2:6; 4:10; Heb. 2:9; 2
Pet. 2:1; 1 Jn.  2:2). Since all the personal sins of mankind from the
time of the fall were imputed to Christ at the cross and He was judged,
this means that the unbeliever's personal sins will never be an issue
at the last judgment -- the only issue will be his unbelief, rejection
of Christ as Savior, and his depending on his own works (Rev. 20:12-15;
Jn. 3:18, 36).

   g.  SALVATION IS ONLY THROUGH CHRIST:

   Because of the universality of spiritual death and condemnation at
the point of physical birth, no one can have a relationship with God
apart from the New Birth.  Our redemption has been accomplished through
the finished work of Christ at the cross [called in the New Testament
"The Blood of Christ"] (Isa.  64:6; Jn. 3:7-18; Rom. 5:6-9; 2 Cor. 
5:21; Gal. 3:13; 6:15). Salvation, or the New Birth of the believer,
comes only through faith in the saving work of Christ, totally apart
from the addition of anything else to faith as a condition for
salvation.  Faith is a transitive, non-meritorious act, therefore, it
is the object of faith which has the merit (Jn.  1:12; 3:16, 18, 36;
5:24; Acts 13:39; Rom. 1:l6-17; 3:22, 26; Gal. 3:22).

   9.  THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST:

   a.  The resurrection of Christ was a real, bodily resurrection in a
glorified physical body (Mt. 28:9; Lk. 24:36-43).

   b.  The resurrection is the fullest disclosure of God's power to man
because it has overcome his greatest obstacle, physical death. Without
the resurrection of Christ we have no hope (1 Cor.  15:3-8, 17-18; Rom.
10:9-10).

   c.  The scripture reveals that all members of the Godhead were
involved in the resurrection of Christ (Gal. 1:1; Jn 10:17-18; Rom.
8:11).

   d.  Christ's resurrection established the pattern for our
Resurrection Body (1 Cor.  15:20-21, 35-49), is the basis for future
judgment (Acts 17:31), and is the basis for the future reign of Christ
(Acts 2:24- 31).

   10. THE ASCENSION AND SESSION OF CHRIST.

   a.  As foretold by Christ Himself (Jn. 7:33-36; 8:21; 14:28-29;
16:5-7; Mt.  25:14-15), following His resurrection Christ returned to
heaven and was accepted in hypostatic union by God the Father, and was
given the place of highest honor, distinction, and power (Acts 1:9;
7:55- 56; 9:3-5; Mt. 26:64; Eph. 1:20-22; Heb. 10:12; 1 Pet. 3:22; Rev.
3:21; 22:1).

   b.  Christ's return to heaven was necessary for Him to go ahead and
prepare a place for us (Jn.  14:23) and so that God the Holy Spirit
might come (Jn. 16:7; 14:17).

   c.  The present ministry of Christ includes His sustaining the
universe (Col.  1:17), functioning as the head of the Church (Eph.
1:20; 5:23- 24), interceding for believers as their High Priest (Rom.
8:34; Heb. 7:25), and serving as our Advocate in Satan's continual
attack of the Angelic Conflict (1 Jn. 2:1-2).

   11. THE SECOND ADVENT OF CHRIST.

   a.  God the Father, as a part of Divine Decree in eternity past,
commissioned Jesus to come to earth twice, each time to execute a
different purpose.

   (1) The First Advent was to go to the cross (Rev. 13:8).

   (2) The Second Advent will be to rule and reign (Mt. 25:34; Rev.
20:6).

   b.  Scripture teaches that the second advent of Christ will be in
two phases.

   (1) The Rapture of the Church, where the body of Christ (composed of
Church Age believers) will be resurrected to meet Christ in the air (1
Thess.  4:13-18) and will later return with Him to the earth (1 Thess.
3:13).

   (2) The Return of Christ to the Earth as King of King and Lord of
Lords to establish His earthly rule as the greater son of David (Rev.
20:4-6; 1 Cor. 15:20-28).

   GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT:

   1.  The Holy Spirit is the person of the Godhead who convicts the
world of sin, indwells all believers in the Church Age, baptizes them
into the body of Christ, seals them as Royal Family of God forever, and
fills every believer who walks in God's gameplan for the Christian Way
of Life (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Eph. 1:13-14; 5:18).

   2.  The Holy Spirit is a person, not a power or influence, as
indicated by the fact that He has the characteristics of personality. 
He is intelligent (1 Cor. 2:10-11), has feelings (Eph. 4:30), has a
will (1 Cor. 12:11), teaches (Jn.  14:26), guides (Rom. 8:14),
restrains (Gen. 6:3), and speaks (Jn. 15:26; 2 Pet. 1:21).

   3.  THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT is seen in His close association
with the other members of the Godhead (Mt. 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor.
6:11; 2 Cor. 13:4) and in the fact that He is shown doing only what God
can do (Rom. 8:15; Jn.  14:16). His divine activities include creation
(Gen. 1:2), inspiring the writing of Scripture (2 Pet.  1:21), acting
in the virgin conception of Christ (Lk. 1:35), and regenerating (Jn.
3:5-6). The Holy Spirit is called by the divine title of YAHWEH (Isa. 
6:8-9 quoted in Acts 28:25; Jer. 31:31-34 quoted in Heb. 10:15). Divine
attributes are ascribed to the Holy Spirit:

   a.  Sovereignty (1 Cor. 12:11)

   b.  Omniscience (1 Cor. 2:10-11)

   c.  Omnipotence (Gen. 1:2)

   d.  Omnipresence (Psa. 139:7-10)

   e.  Lordship (2 Cor. 3:17)

   f.  Veracity (1 Jn. 4:6)

   g.  Righteousness (Lk. 11:13; Rom. 1:4)

   h.  Eternal Life (Rom. 8:2; Heb. 9:14)

   4.  THE SALVATION WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:

   a.  Before the gospel message can be understood by the un-believer
God the Holy Spirit must act as the human spirit for the unbeliever so
he can comprehend the truth of the gospel (1 Cor. 2:14; Jn. 16:13).

   b.  The Holy Spirit convicts the unbeliever, enlightening him to see
his need for salvation (Jn.  16:8-11). No one comes to Christ apart
from the drawing ministry of the Holy Spirit since the unbeliever is
spiritually dead and can only respond as he is enabled (2 Thess. 2:13;
1 Pet. 1:2).

   c.  At the moment of salvation God the Holy Spirit accomplishes the
work of:

   (1) REGENERATION, giving new life and a human spirit to the new
believer so he can come to know and appreciate spiritual truth (Jn.
3:3-7; Titus 3:5).

   (2) THE BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT: the new believer is identified with
Jesus Christ and placed in permanent union with Him (1 Cor. 12:13). 
Therefore, the Baptism of the Spirit is not "a second work of grace" or
an emotional experience after salvation, but a part of the salvation
package.

   (3) THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT: the Holy Spirit permanently in-
dwells every Church Age Believer to make his body the temple for the
indwelling of God the Father and Jesus Christ (1 Cor.  6:19; Rom. 8:9;
Jn. 14:16-17; Eph. 4:6; Jn. 14:20; Rom. 8:10; Col. 1:27).

   (4) THE SEALING OF THE SPIRIT: the Holy Spirit Himself becomes the
seal of God which guarantees eternal security (Eph.  1:13; 4:30; 2 Cor.
1:22).

   (5) THE GIFTING OF THE SPIRIT: every believer is given at least one
spiritual gift to use as a part of the team in representing Christ on
earth.  These gifts are not talents or things the believer ordinarily
does well, but a supernatural enablement to serve and glorify the Lord
within the framework of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:11; Acts 10:38; 1
Pet. 4:10; Rom. 12:6-8; Eph. 4:11).

   5.  THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHRISTIAN LIFE:

   The basic command in living the Christian life is to "be filled with
the Spirit" (Eph.  5:18), which means having your soul controlled by
God the Holy Spirit.  This maintains our fellowship with the Lord. Any
personal sin, whether it be an overt or mental attitude sin , puts us
out of fellowship with God.  Recovery to fellowship as a cosmic, carnal
believer is by the grace provision of confessing our sins biblically
(1 Jn. 1:9), which provides forgiveness, cleansing, and the restoration
of fellowship and the Filling of the Holy Spirit.  God is just in
giving us this grace provision because every sin we will ever commit
was paid for and judged at the cross (Isa.  53:6). God's plan for the
Christian life only functions when we are in fellowship with Him.  We
are totally dependent on the enabling power of God the Holy Spirit
through us (2 Cor. 3:5; Acts 2:4; 4:31).

   * * * * * *

   by Taylor L.  Williams Pastor-Teacher GRACE BIBLE CHURCH 3955 Via
Montalvo Campbell, CA 95008


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