CONTENT

Introduction

1. Objectives of the Christian Church

2. The Church of Christ
3. The Bible
4. The only God
5. The Salvation
6. Holiness
7. The sentence
8. Biblical fasting
9. The temptation
10. Baptism in the Holy Spirit
11. The Salvation of the Soul, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
12. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
13. Divine Healing
14. The Second Coming
15. The Millenium
16. Eternal Damnation
17. Sacraments and Ceremonies
18. Baptism in Water
19. The members
20. The Local Church
21. Collaborators
22. The discipline
23. Local Activities
24. Reverence in the House of God
25. Home
26. The Family Worship
27. Military service
 INTRODUCTION

After having repented of his sins and accepted Jesus Christ as Savior by
faith, thus being born again, the believer must receive "biblical instructions"
in order to better know and understand his new life in Christ, as well as the
biblical doctrines, norms and rules that will govern that new life.

Our Lord Jesus Christ emphatically commands that newly converted

people be doctrined and taught. ( Matthew 28:19,20 ; Mark 16:15 ).

In Obedience to this precept of the Lord, the apostles taught and indoctrinated
the newly converted. (Acts 2:40-42; 3:12; 19:9,10; 20:20).

The apostles in turn ordered all their successors to instruct the new ones. (
2 Timothy 2:1,2 ; 4:2 ).

Those believers who are interested in learning biblical doctrines will be

"always prepared to respond with meekness and reverence to everyone who
asks a reason for the hope that is in us" ( 1 Peter 3:15 ). They will have a
solid foundation for their faith and conduct. 2 Tim. 3:16,17. They will enjoy
the love of Christ. ( John 14:15, 21, 23 ; 15:10 ) . You will enjoy true
freedom. ( John 8:31,32 ; Romans 8:1).

QUESTIONS

1. What should the new convert do?

2. For what purpose?
3. Are the "biblical instructions" commandments of the Lord?
4. What blessings come from Bible study?

LESSON ONE

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 OBJECTIVES OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

The followers of Jesus Christ who reside in the same community must
congregate and form a local church. (Matthew 18:17,20; Acts 8:1; 9:31;
Hebrews 10:25).

The main objectives of the Christian Church are:

a. Worship God in spirit and in truth. ( John 4:23,24 ; Psalms 100 ;

Colossians 3:16 ) .
b. Impart knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, for growth in life and
Christian virtues. ( 2 Peter 3:18 . 2 Timothy 3:14-17 ; Psalms 119:9
; 2 Corinthians 7:1 ; John 13:34 ) .
c. Spread the Gospel everywhere. ( Mark 16:15 ; Acts 1:8 ) .

Regularly attending the house of God should be the firm purpose of the
believer, as it provides unspeakable blessings:

a. It brings him joy. ( Samos. 122:1; 16:11).

b. You will contemplate the beauty and glory of God. ( Psalms 27:4 ) .
c. You will enjoy the delights of communion with your brothers. (
Psalms 133:1 ) .
d. He will participate in the public worship of God, receiving
edification. ( Ephesians 5:19 ; Colossians 3:16 ; 1 Corinthians
14:16 ) .
e. You will be able to pray in a favorable environment. (Isaiah; 2
Chronicles 6:20,21 ) .

QUESTIONS

1. What should believers in the same community do?

2. Mention and explain the objectives of the Church.
3. What blessings does attending the house of God provide?

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 LESSON TWO
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST

The Church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Holy
Spirit, divinely appointed for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. ( Mark
16:15 ) . Every convert born of the Holy Spirit is a member of the great
general assembly or church of the firstborn, whose names are written in
heaven. ( Ephesians 1:22,23. Hebrews 12:23).

1. The Church of Christ is a People:

a. Redeemed with the Blood of Christ. ( Ephesians 1:7).

b. Separated from the world. ( 2 Corinthians 6:16-18).
c. Dedicated to God. ( Romans 12:1,2).
d. Who believes in the Gospel. ( John 20:31).
e. And practice the Christian precepts. ( Tito. 2:11-14).

2. The Spiritual Nature of the Church:

The Church is compared to:

a. A body. ( Ephesians 1:22,23). Christ is the head ( Ephesians 1:22 ;

5:23 ) , and the believers are the members of the Body. ( 1
Corinthians 12:12,27 ) , thus highlighting the vital and spiritual
relationship between Christ and believers and between them and each
other.
b. A Building or Temple. ( 1 Corinthians 3:9,16). Christ is the
foundation and "chief stone" ( 1 Peter 2:6,7 ) , the apostles and
prophets being part of the foundation together with Christ ( Ephesians
2:20,22 ) , and the believers being the living stones that make up the
building spiritual ( 1 Peter 2:5 ) , highlighting here the truth that
Christ is the Rock on which the Church is founded; that He is the

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 High Priest of this Temple ( Hebrews 4:15 ) , and that God dwells in
that spiritual Temple. ( Ephesians 2:21,22 Matthew 18:19,20).

c. A Girlfriend or Wife. ( 2 Corinthians 11:2 ; Revelation 9:17 ) . Christ

is the Heavenly Bridegroom or Husband and the believers are the
Bride, illustrating here the mystical and pure love between Christ and
the Church. ( Ephesians 5:25-27 ; Revelation 19:6-9).

From these figures we can see how closely linked believers must be to
Christ, so that there can be a vital Christianity and truly belong to the Body of
Christ.

3. The condition to belong to the Church:

The main condition for belonging to the Church is regeneration or new

birth. ( John 3:3-5 ; 1:12,13).

There are three steps that lead to regeneration:

a. Faith in Jesus Christ and in the merits of his blood that cleanses from
all sin. ( John 14:6 ; 3:16,36 ; Acts 16:31 ; Ephesians 1:7 ; 1 John
1:7,9 ).
b. A true regret. ( Acts 2:38 ; Matthew 9:13 ). True repentance consists
of understanding (mind) that one is a sinner, feeling (soul) pain for
having sinned, and abandoning (will) the sin, confessing it to God. (
1 John 1:9 ; John 8:11 ; 5:14 ; Proverbs 28:13).
c. Public confession of faith in Christ. ( Romans 10:9,10 ; Mark 8:38).

4. The Work of the Church:

a. Preach the Gospel to every creature. ( Matthew 28:19,20 ; 1 Peter

2:9,10 ).
b. Provide a means of worship and worship. ( Ephesians 5:19 ;
Colossians 3:16 ; 1 Corinthians 14:16 ).

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 c. Uphold high standards of morality and holiness. The Church is "the
light of the world and the salt of the earth." ( Matthew 5:13-16 ).

5. The financial support of the Church:

Although the salvation of the soul and all divine blessings are obtained
without money (Isaiah; Matthew 10:8 ; Acts 8:18-23 ) , nevertheless, funds
are necessary to defray the expenses incurred by the work of the Church and
the ministry. . ( Matthew 10:10 ; 1 Corinthians 9:14 ; Galatians 6:6 ;
Philippians 4:14-18 ; 1 Timothy 5:18 ; 1 Corinthians 16:1,2 ).

Those called to sustain the work of the Church are its members. It is the
sacred duty of the Christian to fulfill the plan that God has ordained from the
beginning, that is, tithes, that is, a tenth of all our earnings. Long before the
Law of Moses, the patriarchs paid their tithes to support the worship of God. (
Genesis 14:18-20 ; 28:22 ) . Later the practice of tithing was incorporated
into the Law of Moses. ( Leviticus 27:30-34 ; Numbers 18:21-26 ). The
fulfillment of this was so important that God pronounced special blessings for
the faithful and terrible curses for the unbelievers. ( Malachi 3:8-10 ).

Finally, in the New Testament the practice of tithing is ratified. Referring

to the tithe, Jesus said, "This was necessary." ( Matthew 23:23) . Referring to
the same thing, Paul wrote: "Thus also commanded the Lord." ( 1 Corinthians
9:13,14 ). The Lord also promises blessings to those who are faithful in
paying tithes. ( 2 Corinthians 9:6-13 ) . The tithe is not a gift; It is a debt. (
Malachi 3:10 ).

In addition to paying tithes, there are voluntary offerings. ( Exodus 25:2 ;

1 Chronicles 29:9 ; Acts 11:29 ; Luke 6:38 ). Giving is a grace from God;
Not offering is a lack of grace. ( 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 ) .

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 There are legions of "believers in transit", "tourists", who do not want to
become members of any church.

They visit them all, they want to enjoy all the privileges of all the
churches, they want to be cared for wherever they go, but they do not want to
assume the responsibilities of supporting the church. They are like parasites!

QUESTIONS

1. What is the Christian Church?

2. What is it compared to? Explain.
3. What is the main requirement to belong to the Church?
4. What steps lead to that experience?
5. What is the mission of the Church?
6. Explain in detail the biblical system for the support of the Church.

LESSON THREE

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 THE BIBLE

The Bible is the inspired Word of God through which He communicates

with His people ( 2 Peter 1:20,21 ; John 5:39 ; 2 Timothy 3:16 ), and the
infallible rule of faith and conduct that gives us guides safely to heaven. (
Psalms 119:11 ; 105 ; John 5:24 ; 20:31 ). The Bible cannot be taken away
or added to. ( 1 Peter 1:25 ; Revelation 22:18,19 ).

The new life that the Christian has received needs to be fed and that food
is the Word of God. ( Matthew 4:3-11 ; Ephesians 6:17) . The Bible teaches
us how to live. ( Psalms 119:105 , 130 ; James 1:22-25 ).

The Word of God is immutable, it does not change ( Matthew 24:35 ;

Isaiah 40:8 ) , and we have already seen that no one can change it (
Revelation 22:18,19 ) , for the same reason, its teachings, precepts and
doctrines do not change. they change.

The forces of hell headed by Satan and composed of demons, atheists,

unbelievers, skeptics, supposed believers and so-called theologians, have
attacked the authenticity, veracity, inspiration and divine origin of the Bible,
but all of them have been passing and will pass. , but "the Word of God
remains forever."

QUESTIONS

1. What is the Bible?

2. Is the Bible complete?
3. What place should the Bible occupy in the life of the believer?
4. What is the duration of the Word of God?

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 LESSON FOUR
THE ONLY GOD

The only true God has revealed Himself as uniting the principles of
kinship and unity, that is: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. ( Deuteronomy 6:4 ;
Isaiah 43:10,11 ; Matthew 28:19 ; 2 Corinthians 13:14 ; John 5:37 ) .

The terms "Trinity" and "Persons" referring to the Deity, although not
found in the Scriptures, are in complete harmony with the same. The divine
unity is a composite unity. For example, water is one, but it is known in three
forms: liquid, solid and vapor. The sun is one, but it has three main kinds of
rays: light, heat and energy. The cloverleaf is one, but it has three parts. The
air we breathe is the combination of three main gases: oxygen, nitrogen and
carbon dioxide (or argos). Man is also triune: spirit, soul and body. The body
is made up of three elements: flesh, bone and blood. Blood is made up of
three substances: plasma (liquid), mobile cells (blood cells), and platelets
(coagulants).

We see that everything in creation has the unmistakable seal of the Triune
God. It is not that there are three gods, as there are not three suns, but that the
Three cooperate in one mind and one purpose, so that in the best sense of the
word, they are "One." The Father creates, the Son redeems, the Holy Spirit
sanctifies; However, in each operation the Three are present.

Deuteronomy 6:4 , is the preferred text of Unitarians (Jesus Alone), but

when it says that "God is one," "it is precisely because by saying "God"
(Elohim) you are already expressing a plurality, and the text wishes to clarify
that although the Deity (God) is a plurality, yet it is One in nature, power,
purposes. It is like in Genesis 11:6 , that God, referring to the people, says:
"Behold, the people are one." The town was made up of thousands of people,
but it was one in purpose.

The word "Elohim", which in Hebrew is a plural word, appears more than
2,700 times in the Old Testament. On many other occasions, plural pronouns

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and verbs are used, such as: "Let us do," "Ours," ( Genesis 1:26 ). "We," (
Isaiah 6:8 ; Hosea 12:4 ) . "We will come," "We will do" ( John 17:11, 22,23
).

In the baptism of Jesus the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit were
manifested simultaneously. ( Matthew 3:13-17 ) .

QUESTIONS

1. How has God revealed himself?

2. Give some illustrations of Creation that clarify the doctrine of the
Trinity.
3. In which passage of the New Testament are the Three Divine
Persons manifested simultaneously?

LESSON FIVE
THE SALVATION

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1. Definition:

The salvation of the soul is a transformation that is effected in the soul

and life of the believer. This transformation is described as a new birth ( John
3:3,5 ) , being begotten by God and His Word. ( John 1:13 ; 1 Peter 1:23 ) .
He is made a new creature. ( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ; Ephesians 2:15 ) .

2. Requirements for salvation:

a. Faith in the Word of God. ( John 1:11-13 ; 1 Peter 1:23).

b. Faith in the blood of Christ, ( 1 Peter 1:18,19).
c. Repentance from sin. ( Acts 2:38 ).

3. Only through Jesus Christ:

a. It is not because of the Law or the Sabbath. ( Romans 3:20-22 ;

Ephesians 2:8-10 ; Colossians 2:16 ; Galatians 3:1 ; 5:4 ; 1:7).
b. It is not because of the idols or images. ( Exodus 20:4,5 ; Isaiah
44:9-18 ) .
c. It is not for Mary, nor an apostle, nor a saint. ( Acts 4:12 ; Luke
1:46-48 ; John 2:5 ; Acts 14:8-15 ).
d. Christ is the only Savior. ( Acts 4:10-12 ; 16:30-31).
e. Christ is the only Way. ( John 14:6).
f. Christ is the only Mediator. ( 1 Tim. 2:5).

QUESTIONS

1. Define what salvation is.

2. What is salvation compared to?
3. Mention the requirements for salvation.
4. Recite from memory, Acts 4:12 .
LESSON SIX
HOLINESS

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1. God is holy. He demands that his children be holy. ( 1 Peter 1:15,16).

2. Holiness means:

a. Clean of all filth. ( 2 Chronicles 29:5,15; 2 Corinthians 7:1).

b. Separated from sin. ( 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 2 Corinthians 6:17).
c. Dedicated to God. ( Romans 12:1,2).

3. Holiness is achieved by:

a. Faith in the Word of God. ( John 17:17; Ephesians 5:26).

b. Faith in the blood of Christ. ( Hebrews 10:10,29).
c. The work of the Holy Spirit. ( 1 Peter 1:2; Galatians 5:16,22-25).

4. The time in which sanctification is verified:

a. Immediate in part: at the time of conversion. ( 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

b. Progressive: the believer will strive to perfect sanctification. ( 2
Corinthians 7:1).

5. Aspects of holiness:

True holiness has two aspects: the internal and the external; that is, the
aspect of the heart and the aspect of conduct. One has to do with motives, the
other with actions. Inner holiness is a state of purity wrought by the Holy
Spirit. External holiness is a life of righteousness and devotion to the highest
ideals of the Gospel. Internal holiness will always manifest externally,
maintaining high standards of conduct, different from those of the world. The
sanctified believer will be different both internally and externally. There are
those who say that "what's outside doesn't matter," but the Bible teaches that
it does matter. ( Isaiah 3:16-26; Ezekiel 23:40; 1 Peter 3:3-5; 1 Timothy 2:9;
Titus 2:3; 1 Corinthians 11:15; Deuteronomy 22:5).

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6. Standards of holiness:

In view of all these biblical admonitions, the Church must strive to

maintain high standards of internal and external holiness. Therefore, Christian
women should refrain from wearing extravagant, short, sleeveless, low-cut,
transparent dresses, pants, earrings, necklaces, exaggerated decorations,
shaving eyebrows, etc. Likewise, Christian men must abstain from all vain
appearance and from all ridiculous men's fashion and effeminate clothing. ( 2
Corinthians 6:17,18).

QUESTIONS

1. Why should Christians be saints?

2. What does holiness mean?
3. How is holiness achieved? When?
4. What two aspects does holiness have?
5. What relationship is there between both aspects?

LESSON SEVEN
THE SENTENCE

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1. Its importance:

Prayer is of vital importance and indispensable for the Christian. Prayer is

a privilege and duty of the Christian. ( 1 Timothy 2:8; Luke 18:1). Through
prayer the soul draws closer to God ( Hebrews 10:19-22 ) , to worship him
and praise him for his mercies ( Psalms 103:1-3; Philippians 4:6 ) , to ask for
what we need ( 1 John 5:14 ; Matthew 7:7 ) , to intercede on behalf of others
( Ephesians 3:14-17; 1 Psalms 12:23 ).

2. How it should be done:

Prayer must be directed to God in the name of Jesus Christ. ( John

14:13,14). In the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. ( Ephesians 6:18;
Romans 8:26). With understanding. ( 1 Corinthians 14:15). Whatever our
need is we must take it to God in prayer. ( Philippians 4:6).

3. Conditions for effective prayer

a. It must be done in contrition. ( 2 Chronicles 7:14).

b. From all my heart. ( Jeremiah 29:13).
c. In faith. ( Mark 11:24).
d. In righteousness. ( James 5:16; Psalms 66:18).
e. In obedience. ( 1 John 3:22).

The Christian who prays serves the Lord better and is an effective and
beneficial influence in the Church. We must make use of the maximum of the
spiritual resources that God has placed at our disposal. "Pray without ceasing"
is the exhortation that Saint Paul makes to us, because prayer, more than an
isolated act, must be a permanent state in the Christian.

QUESTIONS

1. Explain the place of prayer in the life of a Christian.

2. How should the prayer be made?

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3. Mention some conditions for effective prayer.

LESSON EIGHT
BIBLICAL FASTING

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 These days many questions and confusion arise in the minds of many
brothers because of the excessive and anti-biblical emphasis that some place
on fasting.

From the natural and human point of view, fasting has been practiced in
all times and in all nations, especially in times of sorrow and affliction, since
the constitution of the human body, under such circumstances of pain, refuses
food.( Jonah 3:5).

The Jewish fast

In the ceremonial law given by God to the Hebrew people through Moses,
God established one day of fasting each year for the entire nation, the Day of
Atonement. ( Leviticus 23:27-32).

In the time of the Prophet Isaiah, that is, a thousand years after the law of
Moses was established, the Jews had already failed in the purpose and spirit
of fasting, and God must rebuke them. ( Isaiah 58:3,4).

From these verses we can clearly see that they fasted, but at the same time
they murmured; They fasted, but at the same time they did their pleasure,
their will; They fasted, but at the same time they oppressed; They fasted, but
at the same time they contended and debated to see who fasted the most days;
They fasted, but at the same time they hurt.

Fasting like this, no matter how many days one fasts, has no value, nor
does God hear.

In the time of the Prophet Zechariah, that is, twelve hundred years after
the Law of Moses, the Jews had four main fasts a year, instead of one. (
Zechariah 8:19) . God asked them through the mouth of the Prophet himself:
"Have you fasted for me?" ( Zechariah 7:5).

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 And in the time of Christ, that is, five hundred years after Zechariah, the
Jews had one hundred and four fasts a year. That is why the Pharisee
mentioned by Christ in ( Luke 18:12) prayed, saying: "I fast twice a week."

With this marathon of fasts of one hundred and four fasts a year, just to
fast, they grew in the letter of the Law, but not in the grace or justice of God,
since they were not justified. Fasting itself, or the number of days one fasts to
make mention or boast of it, has no validity in the presence of God.

For this reason, God, through the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah, tells
them: "when you fast I will not hear your cry," ( Jeremiah 14:12).

Biblical fasting

Biblical fasting means abstaining from food to dedicate time to God. (It is
not stopping eating and doing something else.)

Biblical fasting humbles the soul before God. ( Psalm 35:13). He crucifies
appetites and denies their desires to give all his time to God and prayer. ( 2
Samuel 1:16-23; 1 Corinthians 7:5).

Prayer on many occasions needs biblical fasting for its victory and
effectiveness. Biblical fasting has achieved great victories, combined with
prayer and faith. Biblical fasting is a biblical doctrine. ( 2 Chronicles 20:1-
25).

The biblical fast is only one. There is no fast from the Lord, nor a fast
from the Lord, nor a fast from the Holy Spirit.

What is biblical fasting like?

Our Lord Jesus Christ offers specific instructions on what biblical fasting
looks like. ( Matthew 6:16-18).

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 That is, no one should know that we are fasting, much less no one should
know how many days we have been fasting or how many days we had to fast.
Jesus says that making mention, or promoting, or boasting, or drawing
attention to fasting or the many days of fasting that we have done, is
hypocrisy and self-righteousness.

Jesus tells how we should do biblical fasting. ( Matthew 6:18).

All Christians must practice biblical fasting. The Bible, especially the New
Testament, offers no rules as to how long fasting should be, or how often, or
for how many days. This is determined by the person himself in secret with
God and according to his desire and need.

According to the Word of God, we can clearly see that fasting must have a
definite purpose; It must be practiced for defined needs. This is why in the
Bible we have cases when God, through the mouth of the prophet, called the
people to fast and repent in the face of an imminent judgment. For this
reason, it is biblical and correct for the pastor, by divine direction, to call the
church to fast for some of its needs.

On one occasion when the disciples could not heal a demon-possessed

person, they asked Jesus. ( Matthew 17:19-21).

Here the main reason that the Lord gave is because of little faith. Faith
needs prayer, and prayer needs fasting. Through prayer and fasting, and
meditation on the Word of God and faith is strengthened, and then miraculous
results will manifest. That is, fasting, or the many days of fasting that one can
do, are not for one to gain merit, nor to establish a fasting record, nor to break
Christ's record, nor to impress God or demons.

One fasts for the cultivation and strengthening of one's own spiritual
life. Whoever fasts for one day, or whoever fasts forty-one days, should not
be proclaiming it. The gentleman emphasizes that this must be a private,
secret matter. ( Matthew 6:18) .

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 Excessive and purposeless fasting that causes health to break down and
causes the family to be neglected, and therefore scandals arise, is contrary to
the good testimony of the Gospel.
I know well a case of one of those so-called prophets, who prophesied to a
pastor that he had to stay at home fasting without coming to church for a few
months. The foolish pastor believed the false prophecy and a week later he
had to leave confinement because the false prophet divided the church.

A radio preacher said that a certain brother had been fasting for twenty
days, and that he was going to pray for that brother and that this brother was
going to come out dancing in the Spirit, so that everyone would see that after
twenty days of fasting there is still strength. to dance

We have already said that true biblical fasting is not to accumulate days,
nor to see who can resist the most, nor to compete, nor to see who has the
most strength, nor to offer a spectacle. The Lord says that nothing should be
shown to men; if you fast, or how many days you fast, or if you have
strength, or if you don't. The reward of the one who fasts by proclaiming it is
that everyone knows that he is fasting, they know how many days he fasted,
that he retains physical strength, etc.

But whoever fasts for the Heavenly Father who is in secret, the Heavenly
Father who sees in secret will reward him publicly.
The fast itself, nor the number of days of fasting that is done, is not what
really counts before God, but rather the motives of the heart and spirit with
which it is done.

The Pharisee fasted twice a week, that is, one hundred and four fasts a
year. ( Luke 18:11,12) . Through his many fasts he wanted to appear more
spiritual than anyone else. The publican did not fast, and if he fasted he did
not mention it. No need to mention it. ( Luke 18:13,14).
It is a sad fact that is repeated in the experience of many, that when fasts are
carried out that are not in accordance with the Bible, there is the danger of
straying from sound doctrine, there is the danger of hearing voices, of

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receiving strange visions and revelations that nor are they according to the
Word of God.

In ( 1 Timothy 4:1-3 ) , it says, "that in later times some will depart from
the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons."

These deceiving spirits and these doctrines of demons do not present

themselves as such, but with great cunning, skill and imitation, saying things
that seem good, correct, biblical, etc.

In that same passage the Bible tells us that these deceiving spirits, in an
attempt to appear holier and purer than the Bible itself, will "forbid
marriage." "Do not get married so that you may be more holy." The fool
believes it. But getting married or not getting married does not add to or take
away from anyone's holiness. The Bible says, "Marriage is honorable in all,
and the bed undefiled." What is dishonorable and vile is adultery and
fornication, and "God will judge" such. ( Hebrews 13:4).

The same passage also points out that these deceiving spirits "will
command abstaining from food." I have known many who have fasted
following deceiving spirits and have had terrible failures.

Some time ago a recently converted brother at the Evangelistic Center told
me that he felt for the Lord to fast for forty days enclosed in a glass urn in the
Plaza de Colón in San Juan, so that everyone could see it and repent. I guided
him, I showed him through the Bible that this could not come from the Lord;
He understood and is grateful for the guidance he received.

One must always be careful with those who take prayer and fasting or the
many days of fasting they do and proclaim it as a means of self-promotion to
gain ascendancy among the people.

Let us see what the Lord our God says; tired of so much fasting marathon,
so much competition and so much ostentation about fasting. ( Isaiah 58:4-7).

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 Yes, beloved, it is necessary to pray always and not faint, it is necessary to
pray without ceasing. Praying is good, it is necessary, it is vital; But there is a
right, biblical way to pray, and a wrong, unbiblical way to pray.

Jesus censured a class of people who prayed a lot. ( Matthew 23:14).

In the same way, it is good and necessary to fast, but there is a right and
biblical way to fast and a wrong and unbiblical way to fast.

In everything we have to adjust to the Holy Word of God, because as we

have seen, everything that is incorrect and unbiblical brings confusion,
disorder, apostasy and condemnation.

Let us pray and fast, but as God commands.

And it has to be that way, as God commands in His Word, because one
can be sincere in what he believes and in what he does, but he can be
sincerely wrong. We cannot govern our Christian life and conduct merely
following visions, revelations, experiences, feelings that we may have, much
less if they are visions, revelations, experiences and feelings that are foreign
to us.

Our Christian life has to be governed according to the Holy Word of God,
it has to be "as the Scripture says."

May God help us not to be seduced by so many deceptive spirits and so

many doctrines of demons that are appearing and proliferating in these days
of the end.

QUESTIONS

1. What was the Jewish fast like?

2. How many types of fasting are there?

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 3. What is Biblical fasting like?
4. When and how many days should we fast?
5. What purpose should fasting have?

LESSON NINE
THE TEMPTATION

1. What is temptation?

"Temptation" is an external condition or circumstance, or an internal

feeling or passion that induces us to do evil. No one has escaped the
experience of being tempted to do evil. Being tempted does not constitute a
sin; it is giving in to temptation.

2. Sources of temptation:

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 a. Satan. ( Genesis 3:1 ; Revelation 12:9 ; Matthew 4:3).
b. Human evil. ( Matthew 22:18 ; Mark 12:15).
c. Own lust. ( James 1:13-15).

This last source of temptation is perhaps the most generalized, because it

is within the individual; It is more subtle, very effective and destructive. Read
James 1:13-15 , and notice the six very subtle and progressive steps of
temptation:

 Tempted - Own lust.

 Attracted - Impure thoughts and imaginations.
 Seduced - The will is weakened.
 Concupiscence conceives - Gives up.
 Give birth - Sin, and consummated sin.
 Give birth - Death.

3. Conduits of temptation:

a. Desires of the flesh

b. Lust of the eyes 1 John 2:16
c. Vainglory of life

These were the conduits or channels of temptation that Satan used with
Eve in Eden and with Christ in the desert. Eve failed, but Christ conquered;
and we in Christ can overcome. Let's see:

Desires of the flesh

Eve Christ
"And the woman saw that the tree "If you are the Son of God, tell these
was good for food"... stones to become bread"...

Desires of the eyes

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"Your eyes will be opened... "The "If you are the Son of God, cast
eyes of both were opened." yourself down, for he will command
his angels"...
Vainglory of life
"And you will be like God"... "All this I will give you"...

The victory of Christ is ours.

4. Why does God allow temptation?

a. Because it develops character and faith. ( 1 Peter 1:7-13 ; 5:8,9).

b. Because it keeps the Christian humble. ( 2 Corinthians 12:7).
c. Because by winning the power of God over Satan is demonstrated. (
1 Corinthians 10:13).
d. Because by winning the Christian is rewarded and gives him joy. (
Revelation 2:7, 11,17 ; Job 42:5 ) .
e. Because no one will be able to enter heaven if they do not overcome
temptation. ( James 1:12 ).

5. How to overcome temptation?

a. That is God's purpose, that we overcome. ( 1 Corinthians 10:13 ) .

b. We should not seek temptation, but avoid it. ( 1 Corinthians 6:18 ;
10:14 ; 1 Timothy 6:11 ) .
c. We must watch and pray. ( Matthew 26:41 ) .
d. We must read, meditate, confess and obey the Word of God. (
Matthew 4:1-11 ; Revelation 12:11 ).
e. We must attend the house of God and seek God. ( Hebrews 10:23-25
; 4:14-16 ) .

QUESTIONS

1. Is it a sin to be tempted?
2. What are the sources of temptation?

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 3. What are the channels of temptation?
4. How important is temptation in the life of a Christian?
5. How can we overcome temptation?

LESSON TEN
BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is the endowment of power over the life of
the sanctified believer. ( Luke 24:49 ; Acts 1:8 ).

1. The Bible teaches it:

a. Christ is the Baptizer. ( Matthew 3:11 ; Acts 11:16 ).

b. It is a gift ( John 7:37-39 ; Acts 2:38 ; 5:32 ; 15:8 ) .
c. God did not stop giving after Pentecost. ( Acts 19:6 ).
d. It is given to those who obey. ( Acts 5:32 ; John 15:26,27 ) .

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2. It is additional to the new birth. ( Luke 24:49 ; Acts 10:44-45 ).

a. The apostles received the baptism in the Holy Spirit after they were
saved. ( Acts 1:14 ; 2:1-4 ) .
b. Likewise the Samaritans. ( Acts 8:5-12 ).

3. It is necessary:

a. To avoid warmth. ( Revelation 3:15 )

b. Most especially to be witnesses. ( Acts 1:8 ).
c. It is a commandment of the Lord. ( Luke 24:49 ).
d. It is for construction. ( 1 Corinthians 14:4 ) .
e. To have power in the service of the Lord. ( Luke 4:18,19 ; Acts 1:8 ).
f. To understand the Scriptures. ( John 14:26 ; 16:13 ; 1 John 2:27 ) .

4. Ways it can be received:

a. Personal prayer. ( Luke 11:11,13 ; John 7:37-39 ; Revelation 3:20 ).

b. Listening to the sermon. ( Acts 10:34-46 ).
c. For the prayer of others. ( Acts 8:15 ).

5. Conditions to receive it:

a. Repentance. ( Luke 24:47 ; Acts 2:38 ; 17:30 ) .

b. To have been born again. ( John 3:3 ; Luke 11:13 ; Galatians 4:16 ).
c. Have "hunger and thirst." ( Matthew 5:6 ; John 7:37 ) .
d. Have faith in God and his Word. ( Galatians 3:14 ).
e. Obedience. ( Acts 5:32 ).

6. Evidence of having received it:

a. Power towards God and towards men. ( Acts 2:14,36 ; 7:51,60 ) .

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 b. Power to be witnesses of the Lord. ( John 15:27 ; Acts 1:8 ; 1
Corinthians 1:4,5 ) .
c. Passion for lost souls. ( Acts 7:59,60 ; 6:8,10 ; 26:28,29 ) .
d. Speak in other languages. ( Acts 2:4 ; Mark 16:17 ; Acts 10:46 ;
19:6 ; 1 Corinthians 14:39 ) .
e. Miracles and healings. ( Acts 3:1-9 ; 4:4-16 ) .
f. Burning desire for a life of prayer. ( Acts 6:3,4 ; Romans 8:26 ).

7. Historical evidence:

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit was not only the experience of the
apostles, of the early church and of millions of Christians in the present
century, but also throughout the history of the church, there is evidence that
there were always full believers Holy Spirit.

The Interpretive Dictionary of the Bible says: "Over the centuries,

glossolalia (speaking in tongues) has frequently reappeared among groups of
Christians."

GB Cutten, in his book "Speaking in Tongues," writes: "Many isolated

examples of speaking in tongues can be offered."

The "Encyclopedia Britannica" states that speaking in tongues has

occurred in every age.

In the "Catholic Biblical Encyclopedia", it says: "With regard to the

perpetuation of these charismas (speaking in tongues), it can be said that
although this manifested itself more frequently in the nascent Church and in
the first centuries, it never completely disappeared from the
Church...glossolalia is a true charism of the Holy Spirit."

QUESTIONS

1. What is Baptism in the Holy Spirit?

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 2. Prove from the Bible that Christ is the Baptizer.
3. Prove from the Bible that this experience is for all believers at all
times.
4. What is the essential purpose of this experience?
5. Mention some conditions to receive it.
6. Is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit an experience exclusive to the early
Church?

LESSON ELEVEN
THE SALVATION OF THE SOUL, THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY
SPIRIT, AND THE RAISING OF THE CHURCH

Let us consider these three great biblical truths: the salvation of the soul,
the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the rising of the Church.

Some believe that in the salvation of the soul the baptism in the Holy Spirit is
also received; Others believe that if the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not
received, such a Christian will not participate in the uprising of the Church.
Let's see:

The Salvation of the Soul:

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1. It is a new birth, or a birth from above, or a birth of the Spirit. ( John 3:8
; 1st. John 5:1 ; Ephesians 2:1 ) ; He who is born again will see God.

2. It is a new life, a resurrection, eternal life. ( Colossians 2:12 ; Ephesians

2:1,6 ; Romans 6:4 ; John. 3:16). Whoever receives this new life is
saved and has eternal life.

3. It is a new creation. ( 2 Corinthians 5:7 ; Galatians 6:15 ) . Whoever is

made a new creature has the life of God.
4. It's a cleansing. ( Titus 3:4,5 ; John 15:3 ; Matthew 5:8 ) . He who has
been clean is saved and will see God.

5. So, once a person is born again, receives new life, is made a new
creature, is clean, is regenerated, is made a child of God, has eternal life,
will see the Lord, whether through death, or through the uprising of the
Church. That is, to participate in the uprising of the Church, it is enough
to be saved, live in holiness and obey the Word of God, even if you have
not received the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

6. The salvation of the soul is to live eternally in heaven.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit:

1. It is subsequent to salvation. No one can receive the baptism in the Holy

Spirit without first being saved.

a. The apostles were saved ( Luke 10:20 ; John 17:6 ; 15:3 ), but they
were told to wait in Jerusalem until they were endued from above. (
Luke 24:49 ) .
b. The apostle Paul was saved on the road to Damascus ( Acts 9:1-6 ) ,
but did not receive the Holy Spirit until three days later. ( Acts 9:17 )
.

29
 c. The Samaritans converted, were baptized in water, but did not
receive the Holy Spirit until Peter and John arrived and laid hands on
them. ( Acts 8:5-12,17 ) .
d. The "disciples" at Ephesus were saved, then baptized in water, and
then received the Holy Spirit. ( Acts 19:2 ) .
e. Jesus, speaking to his people about the Holy Spirit, said to them: "He
is with you and will be in you." ( John 14:16 ) .

2. It is an investiture of power over the life of the Christian that enables him
to be an effective witness of the Lord. That is its special purpose.
(Luke4:18,19;24:49; Acts1:8; 4:8,31; 6:10,15; 8:29; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9;
16:6).

3. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Baptizer.

a. Referring to the Lord, John the Baptist said: "He will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit and fire." ( Matthew 3:11) .

4. Simon the magician wanted to buy with money the power to pray and lay
hands on believers so that they would receive the baptism in the Holy
Spirit. The Apostle Peter rejected such presumption, and told him to
repent, for he was in "the gall of bitterness and the prison of wickedness"
( Acts 8:18-25 ).

5. Today, however, there are those who, with horrible audacity, are giving
supposed baptisms in the Holy Spirit with programmed tongues and
distributing supposed gifts of the Holy Spirit wholesale, as well as
supposed ministries.

6. A preacher, evangelist, or pastor cannot force a believer to receive the

baptism in the Holy Spirit or to speak in tongues; much less can he force
the Lord to baptize the believer. When this is done, the results are
spurious, false.

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7. Biblically, what a minister of Jesus Christ can do in relation to the
believer receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to teach, preach,
indoctrinate, intercede, pray, and lay hands to lead the believer to
surrender to the Lord, to strengthen his faith and be in the attitude and
expectation of receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit from the hands of
the Lord, who is truly the only Baptizer. ( Acts 8:14-17 ; 10:44-46 ;
19:1-6 ).

8. It is clear from the Holy Scriptures that all of God's gifts and promises
are conditional. God makes the promises and grants the gifts, but man
has to fulfill conditions.

9. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is for living victoriously on earth.

The uprising of the Church

1. Who will not be lifted up?

 Unbelievers, atheists, humanists, ( John 3:18 ) .

 The idolaters and false religionists, ( Exodus 20:3-5 ).
 The occultists, witches, sorcerers, spiritualists with all their
ramifications, ( Deuteronomy 18:10 ; Revelation 21:8 ; 22:15) .
 The wicked (once pious and now gone astray), ( 1 Peter 4:18) .
 The hearers but not doers of the Word, ( James 1:22-24) .
 The nominal believers, ( Matthew 7:21) .
 Worldly believers, ( 1 John 2:15 , James 4:4) .
 Those who live and walk according to the flesh, ( Romans 8:1, 6-8,
13 ).
 The lukewarm, ( Revelation 3:16 ).
 Those who alter and adulterate the Word of God, ( Revelation 22:18,
19) .
 All who are on these lists, ( 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10 ; Revelation 21:8
).

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2. Who will be lifted up?

 Those who are born again, ( John 3:3) .

 Whose names are written in heaven, ( Luke 10:20 ; Revelation 20:15
; 21:27) .
 For the same reason, they are citizens of heaven, ( Philippians 3:20 )
.
 They live a life of holiness in their spirit, soul and body, ( Hebrews
12:14 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:23) .
 They are waiting for the Lord, ( Philippians 3:20 ; 1 Thessalonians
1:10) .
 Those who are prepared, ( Luke 12:37, 40 ; 17:34-36 ; Matthew
24:42) .

From all this evidence we can conclude that once a person is truly saved
and is living in holiness, even if he has not received the baptism in the Holy
Spirit, he will participate in the rising of the Church.
But, at the same time, if a Christian has not received the baptism in the
Holy Spirit, he cannot live here on earth a victorious Christian life full of the
power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the flesh, the world, sin, demons and
the devil, and be an effective witness for Christ.

QUESTIONS

1. What is the salvation of the soul?

2. What is the salvation of the soul for?
3. When do we receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?
4. What is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit for?
5. Who will not go in the uprising of the Church, and who will go?

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 LESSON TWELVE
THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

It is truly unfortunate that among so many of God's people there is so

much ignorance about the teachings and operation of the Gifts of the Holy
Spirit. ( 1 Corinthians 12:6-11, 14-21) .

Since the work of the Church in the world is fundamentally a spiritual and
supernatural work, it is necessary to possess spiritual and supernatural
faculties for the adequate performance of that work. ( Ephesians 6:12 ; 2

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Corinthians 10:4 ) . The gifts of the Holy Spirit are those capacities and
faculties.

Without the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Church lacks the necessary
equipment for its full ministry, its defense, its conflict and triumph against the
powers of evil in the world.

The nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit can be easily classified into three divisions:

1. Gifts of Revelation:

a. Word of knowledge: A supernatural revelation of the existence,

nature or purpose of a person, thing or event given to us by the Holy
Spirit for a specific purpose, and which could not otherwise be
known. Biblical examples: ( 2 Kings 5:20-27 ; John 1:47 ; Acts 5:3
).
b. Word of Wisdom: Supernatural revelation of God's wisdom and
purposes. Biblical examples: ( Genesis 41:28-41 ; Acts 27:22-25 ).
c. Spirit Discernment: Supernatural revelation to recognize and
understand the presence and activity of spirits. Biblical examples: (
Acts 8:20-23 ; Luke 10:18 ).

2. Gifts of Power:

a. Faith: It is the supernatural trust in God for all those problems and
needs that require a supernatural solution. Biblical examples: ( Mark
11:22 ; Acts 28:1-6 ).
b. Miracles: Supernatural intervention of the power of God, through
which natural laws are controlled, altered or suspended. Biblical
examples: ( Joshua 10:12,13 ; 2 Kings 6:6 ; John 2:1-11 ; Acts
9:40,41 ).
c. Healing: Supernatural power to heal all kinds of illnesses. Biblical
examples: ( Luke 7:20-22 ; Mark 16:18 ; Acts 3:1-9 ).

34
3. Gifts of Inspiration:

4. Prophecy: Supernatural anointing for inspired utterance or declaration in

the vernacular language. ( 1 Corinthians 12:10 ; Acts 21:8-11 ).

5. Tongues: Supernatural anointing for the utterance or inspired utterance of

a language unknown to the speaker. ( 1 Corinthians 14:1-5 ) .

6. Interpretation: Supernatural revelation to express in the known language

what has been said in an unknown language through the gift of tongues. (
1 Corinthians 12:10 ; 14:5, 13,26 ) .

It is God's will that all these gifts be in full operation in the Church. The
Word of God says: "Seek spiritual gifts." ( 1 Corinthians 14:1 ) . It also says:
"But seek the best gifts."

To receive and manifest the gifts we must: Pray, ( 1 Corinthians 14:13 ) ;

exercise faith, ( Romans 12:6 ) ; have pure motives, ( Acts 8:20 ). At the same
time that the gifts are in continuous operation in the Church, we must not
forget love and all the other fruits of the Holy Spirit. Gifts without love are a
clanging cymbal; love without gifts is paralysis that kills.

Gifts and fruits: fruits and gifts. Let's be complete, balanced. "Let us
come to the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect
man, to the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ." ( Ephesians 4:13 ) .

QUESTIONS

1. What place do the Gifts of the Holy Spirit occupy in the work of the
Church?
2. Mention the Gifts. Classify them.
3. Define the Gifts.
4. What things must we do to receive and exercise the Gifts?

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 LESSON THIRTEEN
DIVINE HEALING

Here are some biblical truths about Divine Healing:

1. Sickness and death came from the presence of sin in Eden. ( Romans
5:12 ).

2. Sickness and death are a curse. ( Exodus 15:26 ; Deuteronomy 28:15-68)

.

3. The devil is the author of illness and death; Christ came to undo the
works of the devil. ( 1 John 3:8 ; Acts 10:38 ; Luke 13:16,18 ; Hebrews
2:14,15 ).

36
4. Christ was made a curse for us to free us from the curse. ( Galatians
3:10-14 ).

5. In Christ's atonement provision is made for both sin and sickness. (

Isaiah 53:4,5 ; Matthew 8:17 ; 1 Peter 2:24 ) .

6. This provision must be appropriated by faith. ( Matthew 9:19-21 ) .

7. Divine healing is an essential part of the Gospel. ( Luke 4:18,19 ;

Matthew 10:7,8 ; Luke 10:9 ; Mark 16:15-20 ) .

8. It is God's will to heal the sick. ( Matthew 8:16 ; Acts 5:12, 15,16 ).

9. The Lord entrusted this ministry to all believers in general. ( John 14:12
; Mark 16:15-20 ) .

10. Jesus' last words before ascending are a perpetual promise of his healing
power. ( Mark 16:18 ) .

11. The apostles gave definite instructions for the sick of the Church. ( James
5:14 ).

12. No one has the right to revoke or invalidate the Lord's orders. ( Acts 4:19
).

13. Our Lord continues to heal today, for "He is the same as yesterday,
today, and forever." ( Hebrews 13:8 ).

QUESTIONS

1. What is the original cause of the disease?

2. Who is the author of the disease?

37
 3. Prove from the Bible that healing of the body is included in the
Atonement.
4. Is it God's will to heal the sick?

LESSON FOURTEEN
THE SECOND COMING

The second coming of Christ to the world is the blessed hope of the believer.
( Titus 2:3 ) .

1. The uprising of the Church:

First, the uprising of the Church will take place, which will include the
dead in Christ, who will be resurrected, and those who live in cleanliness and
holiness, who will be transformed in the blink of an eye, to be all with the
Lord forever. . ( 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 ) .

38
 When the Church is raised, the Antichrist will manifest and the Great
Tribulation will begin. ( 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10 ) .

2. Appearance:

Seven years after the uprising of the Church (Daniel's 70th week), the
appearance of Jesus Christ will take place in the clouds of heaven, who will
come with His holy thousands to pay those who did not know God or obey. to
the Gospel, and who will save Israel from the power of Antichrist in the war
of Armageddon, and will reign for a thousand years (millennium) on the
earth. ( 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 ; Revelation 20:4 ; 14:20 ) .

QUESTIONS

1. What two groups will be included in the Church uprising?

2. Explain the difference between the rise of the Church and the
appearance of Jesus Christ?
3. Tell how many years pass between both events?

LESSON FIFTEEN
THE MILLENIUM

The word "millennium" is derived from two Latin terms meaning,

"thousand" and "year." It refers to a period of a thousand years, and in
particular, to the reign of Christ on earth for a thousand years. ( Revelation
20:1-10 ). The millennium will begin with the second coming of Christ and
will end with the Great White Throne Judgment.

Let us note the following points:

1. The Jews will have returned to Palestine. ( Ezekiel 36:24-28 ).

39
2. The curse on man and the animal and inanimate creation will be
removed. ( Romans 8:19-23 ; Ezekiel 36:30,34 ; Isaiah 35:1 ) .

3. There will be universal peace. ( Hosea 2:18 ; Isaiah 2:4 ; Micah 4:3 )

4. There will be longevity. ( Isaiah 65:20-23 ) .

5. There will be revival. ( Joel 2:28,29 ; Isaiah 5 and 60 ) .

6. Everyone will know the Lord. ( Zechariah 14:9 ; Isaiah 2:2 ) .

QUESTIONS

1. What is the Millennium, biblically?

2. When will the Millennium take place?
3. Mention the blessings of the Millennium.

LESSON SIXTEEN
ETERNAL DAMNATION

After the Millennium, the resurrection of all the ungodly dead will take
place to be presented before the Great White Throne and be judged according
to their evil deeds, to be thrown into the Lake of fire and sulfur where they
will be tormented for all eternity. ( Revelation 20:11-15 ; Matthew 25:41 ) .

QUESTIONS

1. Explain what the Great White Throne Judgment is, who will be
judged, and when it will take place.

40
 LESSON SEVENTEEN
SACRAMENTS AND CEREMONIES

There are two sacraments: Baptism in Water and the Holy Supper. There are
three ceremonies: The Presentation of Children, the Solemnization of
Marriage and the Burial of the Dead.

1. Baptism in Water:

a. This sacrament is a symbol of the death of the "old man" and the
resurrection of the "new man" to walk in "newness of life." (
Romans 6:4-6 ; Ephesians 4:22-24 ; Mark 1:15 ; Acts 2:38 ).
b. A clear and sincere testimony of his faith in Christ is required from
the candidate to be baptized. ( Acts 8:26-38 ; Colossians 2:12 ) .

41
 c. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, in obedience
to the express command of the Lord. ( Matthew 28:19 ) .
d. Baptism is a confession:

1. Of sins.................... Matthew 3:6

2. Of our purposes........ Romans 6:11
3. Of faith in the Word........... Acts 2:41
4. Of union with Christ........... Galatians 3:27
5. With a good conscience........... 1 Peter 3:21
6. Of loyalty to Christ........... Matthew 28:20

Note: We have written a separate lesson to study baptism in more detail.

2. The Lord's Supper:

a. This sacrament was instituted by the Lord, and he ordered that it be

practiced until his coming. ( Matthew 26:26-30 ; 1 Corinthians
11:23-31 ) .
b. The two elements of "bread" and "wine" (non-alcoholic grape juice)
symbolize the body and blood of Christ, and express our
participation in the divine nature of the Lord. This sacrament is a
memorial of His sufferings and a prophecy of His soon coming.
c. His broken body (the bread) makes provision for the health of our
body; His shed blood (wine) makes provision for the salvation of our
soul. ( Isaiah 53:4-6 ) .
d. It is the privilege and duty of every member to participate in the
Lord's Supper. Those who do not feel prepared to participate will not
be prepared to go with the Lord either. He must therefore seek
forgiveness, renew his consecration and promise fidelity to the Lord.

The Church at first celebrated its main service every first day of the
week, the Lord's Day, Sunday, and they also participated in the Holy Supper.
( Acts 20:7 ; 1 Corinthians 16:2 ) .

42
 Eusebius, the father of Church History (265-340 AD), wrote: "From the
beginning Christians gathered on the first day of the week, called the Lord's
day, for the purpose of worship, reading the Scripture , preach and celebrate
the Lord's Supper".

3. Children's presentation:

a. In this ceremony, Christian parents bring their young children to the

Church to be presented to the Lord in an act of gratitude and
consecration. Sea. 10:13-16.

4. The Solemnization of Marriage:

a. Marriage was instituted by God ( Genesis 2:18-24 ) ; was confirmed

by Christ ( Matthew 19:5 ; John 2:2 ) ; It is honorable ( Hebrews
13:4 ; Proverbs 18:22 ) .
b. The illicit union (concubinage, fornication, adultery) has been and is
the cause of disastrous moral and social corruption, therefore, every
true Christian must appreciate and abide by the sacred state of
marriage.

5. The Burial of the Dead:

a. Whenever possible, it is advisable to celebrate a service of

consolation and hope at home for the benefit of the bereaved and the
unconverted to speak to them about the security of the believer in
Christ. Afterwards you will be accompanied to the cemetery where
the pastor will lead the burial ceremony. ( Acts 5:6 ; 8:2 ) .

QUESTIONS

1. How many sacraments are there?

2. How many ceremonies?
3. What is Baptism a symbol of?

43
 4. What is required of candidates?
5. Say the form and formula of Baptism.
6. What do the bread and wine represent?
7. Why should every believer participate in the Holy Supper?
8. What are the ceremonies?

LESSON EIGHTEEN
BAPTISM IN WATER

Considering that this is a biblical course to doctrinally prepare new

converts to be baptized in water, we have believed it necessary to dedicate a
separate lesson to study more closely about Baptism in water.

Every person who has sincerely repented of his sins and has received
Christ as Savior and Lord must fulfill his command to be baptized in water. (
Matthew 28:19 ; Mark 16:16 ) .

There are occasions and circumstances when a person cannot be baptized

because death intervenes, as in the case of the repentant thief next to Christ
on the cross, or due to some serious illness, or other similar cause. These
causes, of course, because they are insurmountable, do not harm the spiritual
life of the person; But if a person who can be baptized deliberately rejects
baptism, then he is in disobedience, and all disobedience is sin, and such
person can lose his salvation.

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 In Luke 7:30 , it says, "But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the
counsels of God concerning themselves, not being baptized of John."

So not wanting to be baptized in water as the Lord commanded is

rejecting God's designs with respect to one, and therefore, is marginalizing
oneself from salvation.
It will help us a lot to study the topic of baptism in water if we divide it into
five topics: (1) The form. (2) The formula. (3) The candidate. (4) Time. (5)
The meaning.

1. The shape:

The Greek word "baptize" (baptizei) means immersion, submerge, put

something under water.

Christian baptism is, therefore, by immersion. Even those who practice

baptizing by sprinkling, that is, by sprinkling, admit that immersion was the
way of baptizing from the beginning.

Reading some cases of baptism in the Bible, one can easily understand
the following truths:

a. That baptism required water. "And as they went along the way, they
came to certain water; and the eunuch said, Behold, water; what
prevents me from being baptized? ( Acts 8:36 ).
b. That baptism requires an abundance of water. "And John also
baptized in Aenon, near Salim, because there was much water there;
and they came and were baptized." ( John 3:23 ) .
c. That baptism requires that both the baptizer and the baptized
descend into the water. "And he ordered the chariot to stop: and they
both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch: and he
baptized him." ( Acts 8:38 ).

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 d. That baptism requires that the candidate be "buried in water", that is,
submerged. "For we are buried with him into death through
baptism." ( Romans 6:4 ). "Buried with him in baptism." (
Colossians 2:12 ) .
e. That baptism requires rising from the water. "And Jesus, after he
was baptized, came up out of the water." ( Matthew 3:16 ) . "And
how they came up out of the water." ( Acts 8:39 ). It is evident that
Christian baptism is by immersion.

2. The formula:

The Lord's words are final on the matter. In Matthew 28:19 , He said, "Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

No one has the right to modify or change this!

Sabellius, a presbyter of the Church in the early days, invented a doctrine
that does not deny the divinity of Jesus Christ, but makes him the only Person
of the Divinity. He taught that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the
same Person; which are just three titles for the same divine Being.

The Sabellianists baptized in the name of Jesus alone, excluding the

Father and the Holy Spirit, which was a new fashion in the Church, and for
this reason they were called "the modalists." The Church then vigorously
rejected this teaching, and adhered firmly to the baptismal formula ordained
by Christ. ( Matthew 28:19 ) .

The modern Sabellianists, the Unitarians, the "Jesus Alone", contend that
one must be baptized in the name of Jesus alone. They twist the Scriptures by
saying that the Apostles baptized in the name of Jesus, and they cite several
verses in the book of Acts. Such texts do not refer to the formula of baptism,
but to the authority of Christian baptism, which emanated from the Lord
Jesus Christ, who ordained it.

46
 In Acts 2:38 , when in the Pentecost sermon Peter says, "Let every one of
you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ," he is addressing "Jews, devout
men...Jews and proselytes (Gentiles converted to Judaism).. .Jewish
men...Israelite men...brother men...the house of Israel..." That is, although
there were Gentiles, the vast majority of the crowd was Jewish.

Baptism was not something entirely new in Jesus' day.

Among the Gentiles, many religious purifications were practiced in the

form of bathing or immersion in the sea or river.

Many purifications and washings were practiced among the Jews.

They also had the baptism of proselytes, who were Gentiles who
converted to Judaism. To finally receive them they were baptized. They went
into the water up to their necks; They read the Law to him, and when he
finished the reading, he was completely immersed, a sign that he died and
was buried for paganism.

They also knew very well the baptism of John the Baptist, which had
penetrated so deeply into the life of the nation.

And of course, there was Christian baptism, established by Christ only a

few days ago.

Pagans were supposedly baptized by order of their "deities."

The Jews were baptized by order of Moses.

Closing the dispensation of the Law, the Jews were baptized by order of
John the Baptist.

And when the Apostles speak of being baptized "in the name of Jesus
Christ," what they are doing is establishing the distinction of Christian

47
baptism from all other baptisms; that Christian baptism is not by the authority
of any pagan "deity", nor of Moses, nor of John the Baptist, but its authority
comes from Jesus Christ. The Apostles do not refer to the formula, but to the
origin of authority.

It is wonderful that in the baptism of Jesus, the testimony of the Father

(with his voice from heaven), of the Son (who was present in flesh and
blood), and of the Holy Spirit (who descended in the form of a dove) was real
and evident. . ( Matthew 3:16,17 ) .

So it is clear that we must baptize as Christ commanded: "In the name of

the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," because "there are three
who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Son, and the Spirit." Holy". ( 1
John 5:7 ) .

3. The candidate:

The biblical order for those who can be baptized is as follows:

a. "Repent and believe the gospel." ( Mark 1:15 ) .

b. "Go and teach everyone...baptizing them...teaching them..." (
Matthew 28:19,20 ) .
c. "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." ( Mark 16:16 ) .
d. “Repent and be baptized…” ( Acts 2:38 ).

That is, before a person can be baptized, he must repent of his sins, he
must believe in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, he must bear fruit worthy
of repentance, he must be properly taught, he must have a clear experience of
his salvation.

If he is baptized before having these things, a dry sinner is baptized and a

wet sinner comes out.

48
 The fact that the sinner has to repent of his sins and then be baptized
excludes the baptism of children.

4. Time:

The New Testament does not specify any time, but the person must be
fully aware of his new experience with the Lord.

During the apostolic era, the fact of believing, accepting and confessing
Christ and His Gospel represented persecution, loss of property, fortune,
inheritance and even life; So he who believed and confessed was already
better prepared for baptism than someone who today takes baptism classes for
several months.

It is recommended, therefore, that the candidate be taught, so that when he

is baptized he is aware of the important and precious step he is taking.

5. The meaning:

Baptism in water is an external, visible, tangible, object lesson of an

internal spiritual reality.

The spiritual and internal reality is that the person has died to sin and the
world, and "the old man" has been buried, and a "new creature" has arisen.

Saint Paul writes: "Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized
into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? For we were buried with him
through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead
through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For
if we were planted with him in the likeness of his death, so we will also be in
the likeness of his resurrection." ( Romans 6:3-5 ).

QUESTIONS

49
 1. Explain these two situations:
2. A person is saved and wants to be baptized, but for insurmountable
reasons he cannot.
3. A person is saved and able, he does not want to be baptized.
4. Tell what is the form and formula of baptism.
5. What does the apostolic expression mean: "be baptized in the name
of Jesus Christ"?
6. Say some essential requirements to be baptized in water.

LESSON NINETEEN
THE MEMBERS

All those who have been baptized in water will be members in full
communion of the Church. Those new converts who are studying these "Bible
Instructions" to be baptized in water will be considered probationary
members.

1. Requirements to be a member of the Church:

a. Being born again and confessing your purpose to be faithful to the

Lord. ( John 3:3 ; Romans 10:9, 10 ).
b. Manifest the fruits of true repentance ( Matthew 3:8 ; 2 Corinthians
5:17 ) .
c. Be duly married, that is, not live in common law. ( 1 Corinthians 6:9
; 7:2, 10, 11 ; Hebrews 13:4 ).
d. Accept and follow these biblical instructions ( Matthew 28:19 ) .
e. Having been baptized in water. ( Matthew 28:19 ; Acts 2:38 ).
f. If you come from another church, bring a letter of recommendation
from the pastor.

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2. Member Duties:

a. Lead a life consecrated to the Lord and keep oneself unstained from
this world. ( 2 Peter 1:4-8 ; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ) .
b. Win souls for Christ. ( Matthew 4:19 ; Acts 8:4 ).
c. Honor, respect, obey and properly support your pastor. ( 1
Thessalonians 5:12, 13 ; Hebrews 13:17 ; 1 Corinthians 9:12-14 ) .
d. Support the work of God with your tithes and offerings. ( Malachi
3:10 ; Matthew 23:23 ) .
e. Attend services and Sunday school with consistency and punctuality.
( Hebrews 10:25 ).
f. Consecrate Sunday to the service of the Lord. ( Genesis 2:2,3 ; Acts
20:7 ).
g. Celebrate family worship every day.
h. Be reverent in the House of God; avoid all conversation; not getting
up during worship to leave and enter; take care of your children so
that they are not walking around the temple; bring your Bible and
hymnal to worship; As soon as you get to the church you must pray.

3. Member Privileges:

a. The pastor will strive to give you the pure message of God's Word,
which is invaluable, since there are so many heresies. ( Acts 20:27,
28 ).
b. You will be visited in your home by the pastor.
c. Will take part in church activities.
d. He will participate in the Holy Supper. ( 1 Corinthians 11:23-31 ) .
e. He may be appointed to positions in the church. ( 1 Timothy 3:8-13 )
.
f. Represent your church at conventions.
g. He may be appointed by the pastor as a "lay worker" to help in the
church and in new fields.

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4. Obligations towards other Members:

a. Visit the sick, help the needy, comfort the sad and maintain
harmony. ( 1 Thessalonians 5:14 ; Hebrews 12:14 ; James 1:27 ;
Matthew 25:35-40 ) .
b. Pray for the brother you see commit a mistake. ( 1 John 5:16 ; 1
Thessalonians 5:15 ) .
c. Stay away from anyone who foments dissension and divisions. (
Romans 16:17 ; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 7, 13-15 ) .
d. Maintain brotherly love. ( Romans 12:10 ).

5. Obligations to the World:

a. Lead a holy life to provide an effective testimony of the power and

grace of God; give his testimony to the unconverted; love your
enemies. ( 1 Peter 2:9, 10, 25 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:22 ; Matthew 5:13-
16 ; 2 Corinthians 5:18,19 ; 1 Timothy 2:8 ; Matthew 5:43-48 ) .

It is interesting that the highest birth rate in the entire world is in our Latin
America, therefore, today as never before in the history of the Church, the
words of the Lord are applicable in the sense that "the workers are few." ".

In view of this and the individual responsibility of the Christian, every

believer must be a soul winner. It was the members of the church in
Jerusalem, who, upon being dispersed, gave the first great impetus to the
evangelization of the world. ( Acts 8:4 ).

QUESTIONS

1. Mention four main requirements to be received as a member in full

communion.
2. What is the member's responsibility for the financial support of the
church?
3. Say the member's privileges.

52
 4. Explain the member's responsibility to other members and to the
world.

LESSON TWENTY
THE LOCAL CHURCH

1. All true Christians who associate with each other in forming a local
church will strive to maintain biblical standards and principles of
meeting, fellowship, service, worship, love, and government.

2. While each local church enjoys a certain degree of autonomy in the

management of its affairs, it will always recognize that as an integral part
of the Church of Jesus Christ, it will decide its affairs in harmony and
conformity with the biblical postulates of the New Testament, which
repudiates all politicking in churches and conventions for or against
candidates for local, national, or pastoral office.

Genuine guidance from the Holy Spirit must be diligently sought in

order to be able to say with the early church, "It seemed good to the Holy
Spirit and to us." It is very difficult for human nature to wait and depend
on the true direction and will of God, but this is the only wise and safe
path.

53
 The agreements made in their general conventions or councils must
also be taken into account.

3. Each local church will have its funds; will administer discipline to its
members; When necessary, he will establish responsible brothers as
collaborators, who will be chosen from among the candidates proposed
by the pastor in common agreement with the outgoing collaborators;
Whatever your local government system, you will receive your pastor in
the greatest harmony, responsibility and fear of God; in all this
recognizing Jesus Christ as the true Head of the Church, ( Ephesians
5:23 ) ; to the Holy Spirit as its true Leader, ( John 14:18, 26 ) ; and to
the shepherd as to the Angel, ( Revelation 3:1 ), who will have to give an
account to the Lord. ( Hebrews 13:17 ).

4. Each local church could send delegates to general conventions.

5. Each local church will support its pastor through tithes and offerings.

6. It is understood that in order for a local church to fully enjoy its local and
general rights and prerogatives, it must be fulfilling its obligations in
everything related to the support of its own work and that of the worker.

7. It is understood that the pastor and the church have mutual

responsibilities. At the same time, the pastor will make his best efforts to
administer to the church the pure message of the Word of God, ( Acts
20:27, 28 ) and to serve him in all those things concerning his Christian
ministry; The church, for its part, is called to consider the pastor as a
messenger of God, ( Malachi 2:7 ; Galatians 4:15 ), to abide by his
biblical teachings, ( 1 Corinthians 11:2 ; 16:16 ) , to follow his holy
example, ( Philippians 3:17 ; 2 Thessalonians 3:9 ) , to imitate his faith,
( Hebrews 13:7 ), to respect and esteem him, ( 1 Thessalonians 5:12 ;
Philippians 2:29 ) , to pray for him, ( Colossians 4:3 ; 2 Thessalonians
3:1 ) ; to sustain it, ( Galatians 6:6 ; 1 Corinthians 9:11, 14 ; Luke 10:7
), to obey it, ( Hebrews 11:17 ).

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 QUESTIONS

1. What is the government of each local church like?

2. What relationship does each local church have with the Church of
Christ in general?
3. What should be diligently looked for in church decisions?
4. What should the church do to enjoy all its privileges?

LESSON TWENTY-ONE
COLLABORATORS

1. When the growth of the church warrants it, it is convenient for each local
church to have a body of collaborators or deacons, which will be
composed of the pastor, who will be its president, and three to five
people of both sexes, with no more sisters than brothers. , who will be
established as stipulated in the previous lesson, paragraph three.

2. This body of Collaborators will work for the smooth running of all the
activities of the church and for its spiritual, numerical and material
development. ( Acts 6:3 ; Titus 1:5 ; Ephesians 4:11-14 ) . They will
visit the sick, take care of the cleanliness and decoration of the house of
God and carry out any work that the pastor entrusts to them aimed at the
advancement of the work.

3. The collaborator or deacon will be recognized for his firmness,

consecration and spiritual maturity. ( 1 Timothy 3:8-13 ) .

4. From among the collaborators, the pastor, as stipulated in the previous

lesson, paragraph three, will appoint a secretary and a treasurer, or a
secretary-treasurer. The secretary will write the minutes of the business
meetings of the church and everything related to that department. The

55
 treasurer will maintain a list of the financial inputs and outputs of the
church, to be informed when stipulated.

5. The body of collaborators, always chaired by the pastor, will act as a

disciplinary committee.

QUESTIONS

1. Who will the body of collaborators be made up of?

2. What are your responsibilities?
3. What should collaborators or deacons be like?

LESSON TWENTY-TWO
THE DISCIPLINE

1. When any member is accused of an offense of such a nature that it affects

the harmony and testimony of the church, the accused will be called
before the disciplinary committee, that is, the official body. ( Matthew
18:3-17 ; 1 Corinthians 6:1-5 ) .

2. The purpose of this committee will be:

a. Correct the mistake. ( 2 Corinthians 7:8, 9 ) .

b. Restore the guilty. ( Galatians 6:1 ; Matthew 6:14, 15 ) .
c. Keep the testimony of the church. ( 1 Timothy 3:7 ) .
d. Protect other members. ( 1 Corinthians 5:6, 7 ) .

3. If when the accused is summoned he does not want to appear, the

committee will try to discover the whole truth with the witnesses, ( 1
Corinthians 5:3 ) , and if he is found guilty, it will exhort him to repent
with all love, so that he may be restored to his path. of the Lord. ( 2
Corinthians 2:7, 8 ) .

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4. If the accused humiliates himself, he will be forgiven, more according to
the seriousness of the offense committed, a period of discipline will be
imposed, which will deprive him of his privileges and activities as a
member, with the purpose of testing the sincerity of his repentance, and
so that the other members and those of the world see their restoration in
the Lord. ( Numbers 12:1 ; 14,15 ) .

5. If the guilty party does not humble himself before God and the church,
this will be grounds for his name to be erased from the church book, and
if his attendance at services is a cause of scandal, he may be denied entry.
( 1 Corinthians 5:13 ) .

6. There is an innate tendency to try to cover up sin, but the way to victory,
to joy and happiness, and to complete forgiveness is repentance and
confession. The confession must be defined. ( Psalm 51 ; Numbers 12:11
; 2 Samuel 24:10, 17 ; Isaiah 59:12-14 ; Luke 23:41 ; Acts 19:18 ; 1
Timothy 1:13,15 ) . The faithful follower of Jesus Christ does not wish to
cover up his sin, but brings it to God in confession. ( 1 John 1:9 ) .

QUESTIONS

1. What are the purposes of the discipline committee?

2. What restrictions will the culprit suffer?

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 LESSON TWENTY-THREE
LOCAL ACTIVITIES

1. There may be in the church those departments and activities that are
necessary for its own spiritual and numerical growth and development,
such as Sunday School, Youth, Ladies, Gentlemen, Children, Missionary
Effort, etc.

2. These groups will have their respective leaders for their best functioning.
They will work in full harmony with the shepherd. They will be able to
raise funds to carry out their activities and to help the needy of the
church. They will strive to study the Bible, the spiritual growth of their
members and the evangelization of new fields.

QUESTIONS

1. Mention church organizations.

2. What activities will they develop?

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 LESSON TWENTY-FOUR
REVERENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD

The Psalmist expressed his joy in attending the House of God in the
following way: "I rejoiced with those who said to me: We will go to the
house of the Lord." ( Psalms 122:1 ) . He also expressed his determination to
attend, saying: "One thing I have asked of the Lord, and this will I seek: that I
may be in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." ( Psalms 27:4 ) .

It is the Christian's duty to maintain reverence in the house of God, so as

not to detract in anything from the presence and glory of the Lord in the
service.

1. Before Service:

a. Arrive early at church to enjoy the precious moments of prayer and

meditation before the service.
b. Sit as close as possible to the pulpit, to better enjoy the service, and
for those who arrive late to be able to sit in the back without
distracting anyone's attention. ( Ecclesiastes 5:1 ).
c. Do not be late, but if on any occasion, for some compelling reason,
you are late, and if it is the time when you are reading the Word of

59
 God or praying, you must wait at the door until the reading or prayer
is finished; Then you must enter in a measured manner, without
noise, since it is a holy place. ( Exodus 3:5 ) .
d. Do not bring dogs, as they are reckless and distract attention.

2. During Service:

a. During the service, an attentive and reverent attitude must be

maintained, taking part in divine worship and adoration, through
songs and all parts of the cult. If there is someone next door who
does not have a Bible or hymnal, they should be invited to share the
Bible or hymnal. During the preaching of the Word of God, the ear
and the heart must be willing to receive the divine message, since
faith comes by hearing. ( Romans 10:17 ).
b. Do not wander your eyes everywhere, nor look back when someone
enters, nor sit awkwardly on the seats, nor with your arms placed on
the backrest, nor chew gum.
c. It is a precious thing to bring children to church, and even more
precious to teach them reverence in the House of God from the time
they are little. If they cry, it is always best to take them outside the
temple until they calm down.

3. After Service:

a. At the end of the service it is a very good practice to greet each other
affectionately, especially those who are coming for the first time and
the new converts. ( Romans 16:16 , 1 Peter 5:14 ) . At the same
time, we must be careful not to engage in unnecessary conversations,
as this would be to desecrate the House of God.
b. While it is good to greet each other, it is also good to leave as soon
as possible, to bring the encounter with God and His Word fresh in
the spirit. ( John 4:23 ; 2 Timothy 2:7 ) .

QUESTIONS

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 1. How should the Christian's conduct be in the House of God, before,
during and after worship?

LESSON TWENTY-FIVE
HOME

1. Marriage:

a. Marriage is a divine institution; the first that God established in the

human race. It is the lifelong union of a man and a woman, to form
"one flesh", for the perpetuity and happiness of the human race. (
Genesis 1:27, 28 ; 2:18-24 ) .
b. A duly constituted marriage and its relationships are dignified and
honorable. "Marriage is honorable to all, and the bed undefiled."
What is dishonorable and sinful is fornication (carnal union between
single people) and adultery (carnal union of married people outside
of marriage). "But God will judge fornicators and adulterers." (
Hebrews 13:4 ).
c. Marriage is the basis and foundation of the home, the family, the
church, the society, the nation, the race. The Gospel gives the
institution of the home a special sanctity. Compare marriage to the
ineffable union that exists between Christ and His Church. (
Ephesians 5:22-33 ) .

2. Husband:

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 a. The husband is the head of the home, but his authority must be
exercised with love. Just as all our duties towards God are summed
up in our love for Him, so the husband must show his love to his
wife in all his love. ( Ephesians 5:25-33 ) . The wife's life is made
up of small things, therefore, the husband should make her happy
through courtesies. Love and good treatment is the only salary that
the wife receives from the husband.

3. Wife:

a. The wife, while enjoying the full consideration of her husband, must
"be subject to her husband, as is fitting in the Lord." ( Colossians
3:18 ) . Everything that applies to the husband in terms of love and
good treatment, equally applies to the wife with respect to the
husband. The wife must honor and obey the husband. ( 1
Corinthians 11:3 ; Ephesians 5:22 ) . It must be laborious. (
Proverbs 31:10-31 ) .

4. Parents:

a. By bringing an immortal being into existence, parents are assuming

the greatest responsibility that human beings can assume. Those who
do not assume the responsibilities of parents are worthy of
condemnation. ( 1 Timothy 5:8 ) .
b. Parents must not only provide for their children the necessary things,
but also spiritual things. "Train up a child in the way he should go;
and when he is old he will not depart from it." ( Proverbs 22:6 ) . If
necessary, you must punish your children to teach them obedience. (
Proverbs 13:24 ; 19:18 ; 22:15 ) .

5. Children:

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 a. The first and only commandment accompanied by a promise is for
children. "Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may
be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you." ( Exodus
20:12 ) .
b. Children must respect, obey, honor, help, and take care of their
parents when they need it.

6. The couple:

a. young Christians must marry "in the Lord." That is, with Christians.
Marrying unsaved people is "unequal yoke," which the Bible
condemns. ( 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 ) .
b. In their friendship and relationship as boyfriends, young Christians
must adorn Christian doctrine and teaching; They must behave with
all honesty and distance themselves from all appearances of evil.
They must be very sure of God's will when making a choice which is
for life. It is advisable not to sit together in church.

7. The divorce:

a. As we have already seen, marriage is a divine institution, whose

bond is broken only by death. ( 1 Corinthians 7:39 ) . When the
Pharisees asked about divorce, the Lord was very emphatic in
declaring that "he who made them at the beginning made them male
and female...and the two will become one flesh; therefore, what God
joined together, he did not separate the man." ( Matthew 19:3-6 ) .
b. In the marriage union of a man and a woman, whether converted or
unconverted, and no matter who officiates, whether minister, priest
or judge, God gives his approval, and they are no longer two, but
become "one flesh." ".
c. Marriage is a law of God, divorce is a human violation. Divorce
aims to separate what before God is inseparable. Divorce is like
splitting, sawing “one flesh,” one body, into two halves. Awful!

63
d. The relationship and bond between husband and wife is more
intimate than between parents and children. "For this reason a man
will leave father and mother and be united to his wife." Can the bond
between parents and children be broken, no matter what lawyers and
judges do? Never!
The father may disinherit, deny, etc., but he will continue to be a
father and the son, a son. In the same way, and much less so, the
marriage bond cannot be broken by men.
e. The Pharisees insisted on the issue, and asked again: "Why, then did
Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her
away"? To this the Lord replied: "Because of the hardness of your
heart, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but at first it was
not so." ( Matthew 19:3-8 ) .
Note that it was "because of the hardness of the heart." In the
Gospel there is no place for hardness of heart. The Gospel heals
hardness of heart. ( 1 Timothy 1:5 ; 1 Peter 3:8 . Romans 2:5 ). Note
that Moses did not command it, but had to allow, tolerate an existing
situation. Christ declares, "In the beginning it was not so."
f. The Christian people are not to be governed by the hardness of the
hearts of the Jews, nor by the permissions of Moses because of that
hardness, but by the principle established by God, which gave no
place, nor made provision for divorce.
The Lord declares that the only cause for divorce would be
fornication. ( Matthew 19:9 . In Deuteronomy 24:1 ) the cause is
explained, and it says: "When a man takes a wife and marries her,
and if she does not please him because he has found something
indecent in her, he must write her a bill of divorce, and deliver it to
her in his hand and send her away from her house.
It has always been affirmed with biblical evidence that adultery is
carnal union outside of marriage; and fornication, the carnal union
between unmarried people.
If the only cause for divorce was fornication, and if divorce was
permitted because the newly married husband found his wife to have

64
 fornicated with another before marrying, then he could give her a
letter of repudiation.
Several important realities must be taken into account:
First: The Gospel According to Saint Matthew was written
especially for the Jews, among whom divorce was a national plague.
They divorced for any trivial reason, even because the soup was
salty or tasteless to the wife.
Second: The Gospels According to Saint Mark and Saint Luke,
which were written for the Gentiles (us), mention absolutely nothing
about permissions for divorce. ( Mark 10:1-12 ; Luke 16:18 ).
Third: In none of the passages (Matthew, Mark and Luke) does
the Lord mention, or even infer, that in case of divorce, there is
freedom to remarry. Rather, as we have seen, in Mark and Luke, he
does not even mention divorce, much less remarriage.
Fourth: Sometimes the verse is quoted, "He who is in Christ is a
new creature; old things have passed away, and behold, all things
have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17) , to say that he who
divorces and He falls back into the life of sin, that all of that,
marriage first and divorce is annulled when he comes to Christ. This
is a misapplication of this verse. The institution of marriage is not
conditioned, modified, altered, or annulled by the experience of new
birth. If this were so, then the marriage that took place in the life of
sin would be annulled, and since he is now a "new creature," he
could leave his "old wife" and marry a "new wife." This is absurd.
g. According to the Word of God, whoever is divorced should pray a
lot and remain single; Those who are divorced and remarried and
cannot undo their remarriage should also pray a lot, seek God and
remain in the Church, even if they cannot hold official positions or
exercise the ministry, since the Bible establishes strict requirements
for ministry.

The Apostle Paul, after discussing the gifts of the Holy Spirit, says: "But I
show you a more excellent way." That most excellent way is the love of God
poured out in our hearts.

65
 And in all this matter of marital relationships and marital problems, the
most excellent path is also the love of God overflowing in our hearts, which
guides us to forgiveness, reconciliation, preservation of the home and
obedience to the Word. of God.

QUESTIONS

1. Explain in brief words the institution of marriage.

2. How long does the marriage bond last?
3. Was divorce among the Jews a commandment of God or a
permission of Moses?
4. What compelled Moses to tolerate such a practice?
5. What is the most excellent path that should govern?
6. What was the only cause for divorce?

66
 LESSON TWENTY-SIX
THE FAMILY CULT

The Family is the oldest institution in the human race. It was created by
God in the garden of Eden. All other institutions that have subsequently
emerged, such as the State, the Church, etc., always have their basis in the
Family.

If the Family goes well, everything will go well. For the Family to progress
well, it must be preserved as God founded it: in communion with Him and
obedience to His Word. ( Genesis 2:18, 21-24 ; 3:3 ) . For this reason, God
ordered that His Word be taught to our children at home. ( Deuteronomy 6:6-
9 ).

This brings us to Family Worship, which must be celebrated daily, and which
must include singing of praise to God, reading the Word of God, exhortation,
counsel, and prayer. Family Worship is especially for the spiritual benefit of
the children and they must be present. The atheistic teachings of schools and
universities will not be able to destroy the faith of those children who have
been strengthened in Family Worship. ( Proverbs 22:6 ; 2 Timothy 3:14,15 ) .

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 Convinced of the importance of Family Worship, Joshua said: "I and my
house will serve the Lord."

The Family that prays together, wins together!

QUESTIONS

1. Explain the biblical basis and the importance of the Family as an

institution.
2. Explain the importance of Family Worship.

LESSON TWENTY-SEVEN
MILITARY SERVICE

Human Government is an institution established by God. ( Genesis 9:6 ;

Romans 13:1 ).
The Church collectively and the Christian individually owe loyalty to the
Government. ( 1 Peter 2:13,14 ) . As citizens, we "render to Caesar what is
Caesar's"; As Christians "we give to God what is God's." ( Mark 12:17 ) .

The Christian conscience of the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ and
those who practice the teachings of the Holy Bible does not allow them to
participate in the use of weapons of war to shed blood. ( Exodus 20:13 ;
Matthew 5:39,44 ) . At the same time they are in the best disposition to
cooperate with the Government in those ways that are in harmony with their
biblical faith......

QUESTIONS

1. Is the institution of Human Government biblical?

2. What kind of citizens should Christians be?
3. What is the correct attitude of the Christian in relation to war?

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69
 MY COVENANT WITH THE LORD
“Pay your vows to the most high” (Psalm 50:14)

Trusting in the grace of God I will be

always faithful and obedient to his blessed Word,
to Jesus Christ my Savior, and to his church, which is:
“Column and support for the truth”
Revelation 2:10

I will loyally endeavor to keep

doctrine, discipline and harmony
of the church (Romans 16:17,18; 13:1,2),
as well as for fulfilling my duties
for its maintenance and extension.
Amen

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