Foundations of The Faith

FOUNDATIONS OF THE FAITH
Rev. Bayless Conley

A1
Rev. Conley is pastor of the 4,000-member

church where the Curriculum recordings were
done. This is an outstanding new Believers
class. Basic foundational, doctrinal truths are
taught clearly.
Sessions: 6 The Authority of the Bible and the Doctrine of the Trinity
The Deity and Mission of Jesus
Salvation, Heaven and Hell, and Christs Return
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
Divine Healing
Church Ordinances
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SESSION 1: The Authority of the Bible
and the Doctrine of the Trinity
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of these classes is to strengthen Christians in the faith. We are going to be studying
the Word of God together and we believe that your life will be changed as a result. We will be
laying a doctrinal foundation for Christian growth and maturity. The things we will be dealing
with are essential to the Christian faith.
Whatever God says in His Word is right, whether it has to do with marriage, the home, or
business; His Word is right. Now whatever your final authority is in life, that is your god. People
many times have good ideas, but what is really important is: What does God say? Because God
is never wrong. On any given subject, whatever your final authority is, that is your god on the
subject.
As Christians, the Bible must be our final authority on everything. It is our rule and guide for
living. God gives instructions concerning all areas of our life. This is God’s revelation to man.
This is God’s will revealed to us.
The word Bible means book. It contains sixty-six separate books of various literary forms, such as
letters, history, narrative, epic poetry, song lyrics, and apocalypse, but all with one theme. God
compiled this book over a period of 1500 years, from 1400 B.C. to A.D. 100. Its forty authors
included shepherds, fishermen, warriors, priests, prophets, kings, a physician, a scholar, and a
cupbearer. Such a diverse literature of truth affecting every generation of every culture, nation,
and tribe could only be put together by the hand of God.
LESSON OUTLINE
I. THE BIBLE IS GOD’S INFALLIBLE WORD.
• “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 3:16-17).
A. The Bible is inspired by God.

1. The words of the Bible, in both Old and New Testaments, come from God.
(2 Peter 1:20-21)
2. The Bible is true because it comes from God (Psalms 19:8).
B. The Bible is our rule and guide for living.

1. It is the owner’s manual on how to live and enjoy life.
2. In the words to Timothy above, Paul says that the Bible is useful.
3. Because the Bible is God’s Word, it must be our highest authority on all subjects.
2 ©2004 GSMI (isom.org)

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Foundations of the Faith

C. The Bible is a book of God’s thoughts (Isaiah 55:7-11).
1. God and His Word are one (John 1:1).
2. God does not change, nor does His Word (1 Peter 1:24-25; Psalms 33:10-11).
3. The Scripture, as God’s written Word, is perfect (Psalms 12:6).
4. God’s Word offers solutions for all of life’s problems.
D. God’s Word has power.

1. It causes spiritual growth (1 Peter 2:2).
2. It makes us disciples of Jesus and makes us free when we know it (John 8:31-32).
3. It produces faith (Romans 10:17).
4. It changes our thinking and causes a transformation in our lives (Romans 12:1-2).
E. God’s Word supplies everything we need for spiritual life and development as a
Christian (Matthew 4:4).
1. God’s Word contains promises for everything we need (2 Peter 1:3-4).
2. God speaks to us through His Word. He also works in our hearts and minds
through His Word (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
II. THE TRINITY: ONE GOD REVEALED IN THREE PERSONALITIES
A. Christians believe in one God.

1. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”
(Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10-11; 44:8)
2. The Bible declares that there is one true God. All other gods and idols are
deceptions of Satan.
B. The one God expresses himself in three distinct persons.

1. At the time of creation God said, “Let us . . . .” (Genesis 1:26)
2. God refers to Himself in the plural at other times (Genesis 11:6-7; Isaiah 6:8).
3. The Trinity includes (Matthew 28:19):
a. God the Father
b. God the Son
c. God the Holy Spirit
4. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a
dove. At the same time, a voice came from heaven saying: “You are my Son,
whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22).
• At this moment, all three personalities were present and distinct.
(2 Corinthians 13:14)
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C. The Bible refers to each of the three as God.

1. Jesus is called God (John 1:1, 14; 14:6-11; Isaiah 9:6).
2. The Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3-4). Three distinct personalities and roles
constitute one Godhead.
• The Bible affirms this teaching without explaining the details or the reasons.
GROUP DISCUSSION
1. According to the following verses, how can God’s Word help you grow spiritually?
a. Ephesians 6:11, 17
b. 1 Peter 2:2; Hebrews 5:12-14
c. Psalms 119:105, 130
d. James 1:23-25
2. What does each of the following Scriptures tell us about Jesus’ equality with God?
a. Matthew 1:20-23
b. John 1:1-5, 14
c. Philippians 2:5-11
3. Pray for each other. Thank God for His Word. Ask Him to help each of you grow in
godly wisdom through His Word.
SELF-STUDY
1. Memorize 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
2. What did the Old Testament writers believe about God and His Word?
a. Numbers 23:19; Psalms 33:4
b. Deuteronomy 4:2-8
c. Proverbs 30:5-6
3. What did Jesus believe about His own teaching and the later teaching of His disciples,
through the Holy Spirit?
a. John 8:25-30
b. John 16:13-15
4. What did the New Testament writers believe about God, His Word, and their own
writings?
a. Titus 1:2
b. Revelation 22:18-19
c. Romans 15:14
5. In your own words, write a personal statement expressing what you believe about the
Bible’s authority.

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SESSION 2: The Deity and Mission of Jesus
INTRODUCTION
We’ve talked about the Bible being the Word of God, and we talked about the Trinity: God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I want to move on now to another central truth
of Christianity: We believe in the virgin birth and the deity of Jesus Christ.
We are going to look at several Scriptures that talk about the preexistence of Jesus Christ: that
He preexisted as God the Son.
“Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has
bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name,
and what is his son’s name, if you know?” (Proverbs 30:4)
Now the answer to these questions obviously is God. God has established all the ends of the
earth. But it asks an interesting question: What is His Son’s name? God has a Son.
LESSON OUTLINE
I. THE DEITY OF JESUS
A. The Bible claims that Jesus existed as God the Son long before He was born of the
Virgin Mary (Proverbs 30:4; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6).
B. Jesus was fathered by God and born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:31-35).
1. Jesus is more than a good man, a prophet, or a leader. He was, is, and always will
be: the eternal Son of God.
2. God Himself took on flesh (John 1:1-2, 14).
C. Jesus claimed to be God. Jesus called Himself by the name God gave for Himself:
“I AM” (John 8:57-58; Exodus 3:13-14).
D. Jesus’ deity is the central truth of Christianity (John 8:23-24).
II. JESUS’ MISSION
• Jesus had to come to earth because humankind had become separated from God and
was in a fallen, sinful state. As humans, we were totally incapable of redeeming
ourselves. Christianity is God reaching down to humans; it is God identifying with the
human race.
A. God created humans in His own image.

• He made them pure and holy. He gave them freedom of choice.
(Genesis 1:21-27)
B. Sin separated humans from God.

1. Adam and Eve died spiritually when they rebelled against God’s Word.
(Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-6)
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2. Adam and Eve’s sin affected the whole world; we now live in a fallen world.
• Humankind is separated from God (Romans 5:12).
3. Every person is guilty of sin and stands in danger of God’s judgment.
(Romans 3:19, 23)
a. God created us to have fellowship with Him, but sin and rebellion separated
us from God.
b. God made a way to restore that relationship.
C. Jesus came to earth to give His life as a sacrifice for humanity, so that He could bring
us to God (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).
1. The only way to be saved from spiritual death is to be in Christ. We must trust
Jesus to forgive our sins and rescue us from our fallen state.
2. God laid our sins on Jesus. He died on the cross as our substitute so that we
might go free (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

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GROUP DISCUSSION
1. Share your thoughts from the introduction section. What names, titles, or words from the
lesson would you add to your list?
2. What claims did Jesus make about Himself in the following passages?
a. John 3:13-18
b. John 4:25-26
c. John 5:18
d. John 8:48-59
e. John 14:6
3. What claims did Jesus’ followers make about Him in the following passages?
a. John 1:26-34
b. Acts 4:8-12
c. Colossians 1:15-20
d. 1 Peter 3:22
4. Pray for each other. Thank God for Jesus and His salvation.
SELF-STUDY
1. Memorize John 1:1.
2. How does each of the following passages describe the mission of Jesus?
a. Matthew 20:28
b. Luke 19:10
c. John 5:30; 6:38
d. John 10:10
3. Summarize Romans 5:6-8 in your own words.

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SESSION 3: Salvation, Heaven and Hell, and Christ’s Return
INTRODUCTION
We ended last session by sharing what God has done to redeem mankind to Himself. He sent His
only begotten Son to be a ransom for us. The Bible says there is no other means of salvation.
Religion does not save people. Religious works do not save people.
Faith in the Son of God does save people.
Look with me at John 14:6. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one
comes to the Father, except through me.’”
Jesus said He was the way, the truth, and the life. And He said no one comes to the Father,
except through Him. If we believe anything that Jesus said, we must believe that. There are not
many ways to God. There is one way to God: through Jesus Christ.
LESSON OUTLINE
I. SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
• According to Romans 3:19, the whole world stands guilty before God. Sin separates
humanity from God, leaving us no hope of saving ourselves from sin. God redeemed
humankind by sending His Son to die for our sin. There is no other way to be saved.
(John 14:6; Acts 4:12)
A. Jesus provides salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

1. God gives salvation. You cannot earn it. No one is good enough because no one is
perfect (Romans 3:23; Acts 10:1-6).
2. People are saved by believing God’s Word.
(Acts 11:13-14; Romans 10:1; 1 Corinthians 1:21)
B. We must receive Christ’s free salvation.

1. Repentance precedes faith (Mark 1:15; Luke 24:46-47). Jesus wants Christians to
teach others two things:
a. Repentance and forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:36-38)
b. Repentance is an inward change of heart resulting in an outward change of
behavior.
2. Exercise faith through confession (Romans 10:9-10; John 3:3-5). When a person
confesses his faith in Jesus as Lord, the Holy Spirit regenerates the spirit of that
person. The Bible calls this “being saved” or becoming “born again.”
3. Every person who is “born again” becomes a member of Christ’s Church, which is
called the Body of Christ (Acts 2:47).

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II. HEAVEN AND HELL
A. Hell and those who will be there:

1. Those who reject Jesus Christ and His free gift of salvation will go to Hell.
2. Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels, not for people (Matthew 25:41).
3. Hell is a place of fire and torment (Luke 16:22-24).
4. No one escapes Hell once he arrives there. There is no changing your mind after
death.
5. Hell (Hades) is a holding place for the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10, 14-15).
B. Heaven and those who will be there:

• Heaven awaits those who have received Jesus into their hearts.
(Ephesians 3:14-15; John 3:16; Luke 16:22-26)
III. CHRIST’S RETURN
A. The Bible declares “the blessed hope,” Jesus, will return to gather all His people to
heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53).
B. Christ will reign for a thousand years (Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-4).
C. In the end, God will build a new heaven and a new earth. Christians will live with
God in this new world (Revelation 21:1, 10-11; 21:21-27; 22:1-7).

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GROUP DISCUSSION
1. Each person share at least one idea from the lesson that impacted your heart or mind.
2. What do these Scriptures tell us about faith?
a. Romans 10:17
b. John 1:12
c. John 3:16
d. Hebrews 11:1-6
3. Discuss what happened to the people in the following examples when they believed. What
did their faith lead them to do?
a. Acts 2:36-47
b. Acts 8:4-13
c. Acts 16:22-34
4. What does Peter say about the new heaven and the new earth (2 Peter 3:8-13)?
5. Pray for each other. Thank God for salvation through Jesus and for the promise of eternal
life with Him in the new heaven and earth.
SELF-STUDY
1. Memorize Ephesians 2:8-9.
2. According to Galatians 2:15-16, how is a person justified or declared right before God?
3. What does Jesus promise His disciples in John 14:1-4?
4. Read Revelation 21-22. Make a list of some of the wonders of the new heaven and earth.

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SESSION 4: The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
INTRODUCTION
Jesus spent much time teaching about the Holy Spirit. Every believer in Jesus Christ should be
familiar with His ministry. When Jesus talked about the Holy Spirit, He always referred to Him
as a person. He never referred to Him as an object or some sort of a force.
The Holy Spirit is grieved when we don’t realize He is a person. He is not here just to do things
for us, but He is a person to be recognized. The Bible even speaks of having fellowship with the
Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14).
God dwells in the Christian by the Holy Spirit. It is important to know the Holy Spirit.
LESSON OUTLINE
I. THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
A. Jesus and the New Testament writers refer to the Holy Spirit as a person.
1. They use “He” and “Him,” never “it.”
2. The Holy Spirit is a person (John 14:15-18, 26).
B. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with us and to do Christ’s work.
1. The way Jesus was going to come back to the disciples was in the person of the
Holy Spirit.
• He said that the Holy Spirit would come in His place, represent Him, and act
on His behalf.
2. In His last message to His disciples before His crucifixion, Jesus taught about the
coming Holy Spirit and His ministry (John 16:7-16).
a. The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.
b. The Holy Spirit will show you things to come.
c. The Holy Spirit will guide you.
d. The Holy Spirit will impart the wisdom of God into your heart.
C. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would be in you.

1. Jesus lives in your heart through the Holy Spirit (John 14:17).
2. The Holy Spirit causes a person to be born again. No one can be saved without
the Holy Spirit living in them.
3. In this promise, Jesus not only referred to the new birth, but also to the baptism of
the Holy Spirit (or being filled with the Holy Spirit).

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II. BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
• Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience subsequent to salvation that is available to

every child of God.
A. Jesus taught about two experiences of the Holy Spirit.

1. Salvation (John 4:13-14)
a. The work of the Holy Spirit in salvation is like a well of water.
b. He sustains life. He lives within us, always present, as a reservoir of help.
2. Holy Spirit Baptism (John 7:37-39)
a. Jesus promised an experience that would come after His resurrection and
ascension. He compared it to rivers of water. This is the supernatural power of
the Spirit flowing out of the Christian’s life.
b. Anyone who thirsts can be filled with both the wellspring and the rivers.
(John 4:14; 7:38)
c. Jesus takes away the sin of the world, and He also baptizes in the Holy Spirit.
(John 1:29, 32-33)
d. I trust in Jesus for my salvation, and I trust Him for a second work: the filling
of the Holy Spirit.
B. Jesus promised Holy Spirit Baptism (Acts 1:4-5).

• God fulfilled this promise on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). God came to dwell
in them through His Holy Spirit.
C. Five examples of Spirit Baptism in the book of Acts:

1. Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4)
2. Cornelius’ household (Acts 10:44-46)
3. Disciples at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-2, 6)
4. Samaritans (Acts 8:5, 12, 14-17)
5. Saul’s conversion (Acts 9:17-18; 1 Corinthians 14:18)
D. Tongues demonstrates the filling of the Holy Spirit.

1. Why tongues?
a. I am speaking to God (1 Corinthians 14:2).
b. I am building up myself with power (1 Corinthians 14:4).
2. Other evidences of Spirit filling
a. Power to witness (Acts 1:8)
b. Boldness (Acts 4:8-13; 19:21)
c. Singing and giving thanks (Ephesians 5:18-19)

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GROUP DISCUSSION
1. Review the Scriptures you read in the Introduction to this lesson. What promises did Jesus
make regarding the Holy Spirit in those passages?
a. John 14:15-21
b. John 14:25-26
c. John 15:26
d. John 16:7-15
2. In Acts 1:4-8, what instructions did Jesus give His disciples for receiving the Holy Spirit?
3. What steps were taken by the following people to receive the Holy Spirit?
a. Apostles (Acts 1:4, 12-13; 2)
b. Samaritans (Acts 8:12-17)
c. Cornelius’ household (Acts 10:1-3, 24-27, 44-46)
d. Twelve men at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-6)
SELF-STUDY
1. Memorize John 4:13-14.
2. How can the Holy Spirit help you to pray?
3. Why do you think Jesus often called the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth? Why did He call
Him the Counselor?
4. What three evidences of Spirit Baptism did Peter say were seen and heard on the day of
Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4)?

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SESSION 5: Divine Healing
INTRODUCTION
You cannot read for very long in your Bible without finding God healing people.
In Exodus 15:23-26, God revealed something about Himself to His people: God reveals Himself
as The Healer.
God is by nature a healer. God is by nature a Healing God. If God was a healer then, He must
be a healer today. If He was a physician then, He must be a physician today because He does
not change (Malachi 3:6).
LESSON OUTLINE
I. ABIDING TRUTHS FROM THE LAST SESSION
A. God gives His Spirit to believers for divine, supernatural power.

1. God communicates to humans from His Spirit to our spirit. Those who pray in
the Spirit become sensitive to God’s voice.
2. The Holy Spirit helps us pray for things which we do not understand or have
trouble praying about (Romans 8:26).
3. The Holy Spirit gives us power for signs and miracles.
a. We need that power in the Church today.
b. We will not win the masses through intellectual arguments. We will not win
them through human reasoning.
• We need the power of God that comes through the Holy Spirit.
4. People receive the Holy Spirit by:
a. The laying on of hands
b. Asking
B. Jesus said we can receive the Holy Spirit Baptism simply by asking for it (Luke 11:9-13).
C. We must continue to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

(Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 14:14-15)
• We can, and should, pray in the Spirit daily.
II. DIVINE HEALING
A. God reveals Himself to His people as the healer (Exodus 15:23-26).

1. Jehovah Rapha: Lord our healer. “I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6).
2. God is by nature a healer.

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3. God’s will for those who serve Him is to remove sickness from among them.
(Exodus 23:25-26)
• God kept this promise throughout the Old Testament.
B. God heals the body as well as the soul (Psalms 103:1-3).

Two benefits of the Lord:
1. Forgiveness
2. Healing
C. Jesus revealed God the Healer through His ministry.

1. Jesus is the will of God demonstrated.
a. Since Jesus is God in the flesh, He treated the sick like God treats them.
b. He demonstrated the will of God and the nature of God by His life.
(John 14:7-9)
2. Jesus demonstrated God’s desire to heal.
a. He healed all (Matthew 12:14-15).
b. He showed compassion for the sick by healing them (Matthew 14:13-14).
c. He healed all who came to Him (Matthew 14:35-36).
d. He healed all kinds of sickness (Matthew 15:30-31).
e. He wanted to heal (Matthew 8:1-3).
• Is His will the same today? The Bible says that “Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
3. Jesus appointed others to help him heal.
a. The twelve disciples (Matthew 10:1)
b. The seventy (Luke 10:1; 8-9)
c. All believers (Mark 16:15-16)
• Healing is a sign that follows all believers. Jesus commissioned all believers
to heal the sick. God will do the healing if we will lay hands on the sick
and pray.
D. The Church followed Jesus’ instructions to heal.

1. All through the book of Acts, to the last chapter (nearly 30 years after the day of
Pentecost), we read about God healing people.
2. Examples: Acts 3, 5, 8, 9, 14
E. The Apostles taught people to heal.

1. In fact, prayer for the sick was an established ordinance of the Church.
(James 5:14-16)
2. The prayer of faith heals the sick.
3. Pray for one another and expect healing.
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F. Divine healing is a part of the redemptive work of Christ.

1. The prophets predicted physical and spiritual healing by Jesus Christ.
(Isaiah 53:1-5)
2. The Gospels record how Jesus fulfilled these predictions (Matthew 8:16-17).
3. Christ came to die for our sin and to suffer for our healing (1 Peter 2:24).
GROUP DISCUSSION
1. Review the final section of this outline, which was not covered by the video (point 6), by
reading and discussing the Scriptures.
2. Compare the methods used for healing in the following passages. What events led up to
each healing?
a. 2 Kings 5:1-14
b. Mark 8:22-25
c. Acts 19:11-12
d. 2 Kings 20:1-7
e. Luke 8:40-56
3. What common barriers to healing are noted in the following passages?
a. Isaiah 5:13; Hosea 4:6
b. Mark 6:4-6
c. Proverbs 28:13
d. Mark 11:25
e. Exodus 23:24-26
4. If healing is needed among your group, pray for those specific needs.
SELF-STUDY
1. Memorize Isaiah 53:4-5.
2. Why did Jesus choose to heal people in the following passages?
a. Matthew 9:22
b. Matthew 14:14
c. John 9:1-7

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SESSION 6: Church Ordinances
INTRODUCTION
An ordinance is a prescribed practice, such as a religious rite. Jesus gave ordinances to the
Church, not as rituals or rules, but as methods for helping us act out our faith. Each ordinance
is a physical demonstration of a spiritual grace.
In this lesson, we will be dealing with ordinances of the Church.
Jesus received all authority in heaven and earth and then commanded His disciples to go into all
the world, to preach the Gospel, and to baptize those that believed. This is a command of Jesus,
and those that believe in Jesus Christ should be concerned with obeying His commands
(Matthew 28:18-19).
LESSON OUTLINE
I. WATER BAPTISM
A. Jesus commanded baptism for believers (Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 16:15-16).
B. The Apostles commanded believers to be baptized (Acts 2:38).
C. Baptism is for those who believe (Acts 8:5, 12, 35-38).

1. You must believe first, before baptism.
2. Baptism is an outward demonstration of an inward faith.
D. In baptism, the believer identifies with Christ.

1. When I am baptized, I demonstrate what Christ did for me in His death, burial
and resurrection (Romans 6:3-6).
2. I die to sin. I am buried like Christ. I am raised in the power of the Spirit.
3. When I am baptized, I declare that I am a new person in Christ.
E. Baptism is an immersion in water for believers.

1. The Greek word used in the New Testament means “to dip under or immerse.”
2. Since baptism symbolizes a burial, we do not just sprinkle with water, but instead
completely immerse the person. When a dead person is buried, they are placed
completely under the ground. It is the same with baptism in water.
3. Through water baptism, the believer declares that his old life of sin is dead and
that he now has a new life with Christ.
4. Because baptism declares a person’s faith in Christ, we do not baptize infants. In
order to be baptized, a person must make a conscious decision to follow Christ. A
child must be old enough to understand that decision in order to make it.

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II. ANOINTING WITH OIL
A. Jesus’ disciples anointed the sick with oil for healing (Mark 6:12-13).
B. The elders of the Church are to anoint the sick for healing (James 5:14-15).
• The power of faith brings healing, not the oil.
C. The oil is a symbol of:

1. The work of the Holy Spirit in healing.
2. Dedication and consecration to God.
III. THE LORD’S SUPPER (COMMUNION)
A. When we participate in communion, we proclaim what the Lord has done through
His death. We are demonstrating outwardly an inward faith (1 Corinthians 11:23-30).
1. The wine or juice represents Christ’s blood that was shed to cleanse us from sin
and to provide salvation for our spirits.
2. The bread represents His body that was broken to provide for our healing.
(1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5)
3. We must partake in a worthy manner, discerning His body, because we are healed
by His stripes.
B. Communion unites the Church, the Body of Christ.

1. The bread also represents the one body of Christ.
2. The body of Christ is one, although it includes people from different cultures,
lifestyles, languages, and tribes (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).
3. We may choose the frequency, as long as we remember and honor Christ whenever
we observe communion (1 Corinthians 11:26).
IV. THE LAYING ON OF HANDS
A. It is called a foundational doctrine of Christ (Hebrews 6:1-2).
B. The Bible gives five reasons for the laying on of hands:

1. For healing (Luke 4:40; Mark 16:17-18)
2. For receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17; Acts 19:1-2, 6)
3. To confer an office; to separate for a specific duty (Acts 6:2-6)
4. To ordain into the ministry (1 Timothy 4:14)
a. Gifts can be imparted (as the Holy Spirit wills) for ministry by the laying on
of hands.
b. When we lay hands on someone for ordination, we are confirming a call by
God, not creating one. If a person does not already both sense and
demonstrate a calling in his life for ministry, it is fruitless to lay hands on him
and ordain him.

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5. To impart blessing (Mark 10:13-16)
• Although we do not baptize infants, we dedicate them to God and lay hands
on them to bless them.
GROUP DISCUSSION
1. What changes in a person’s life are demonstrated by baptism, according to Romans 6:1-14?
2. What does Paul advise believers concerning the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:23-29?
3. Pray for each other.
SELF-STUDY
1. Memorize Romans 6:4.
2. In these passages from the Old Testament, what did the laying on of hands signify?
a. Genesis 48:8-15
b. Numbers 27:22-23
c. 2 Kings 13:14-17
3. Why do you think God gave the Church each of these four ordinances? List a reason or
purpose for each one.
a. Water baptism
b. Anointing with oil
c. Communion
d. Laying on of hands

TRIMESTER 1

Foundations of The Faith

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Foundations of The Faith

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FOUNDATIONS OF THE FAITH

Rev. Bayless Conley

Rev. Conley is pastor of the 4,000-member