Components of Basic New Testament Christianity
. We must be born again to see and enter the kingdom of heaven. This involves hearing and understanding the good news of Jesus dying in payment for our sin and being raised from the dead to impart his life into us. It is turning from and releasing into God’s hands our life to receive his righteous life and his perfect finished work for our salvation (John 3:3, 5; Romans 10:6-13).
. We are to be baptized in water. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we are to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Baptism is our commitment of identification with the Lord Jesus Christ in death and new life. This is our obedience and position unto the Lordship of the Father through the finished work of the Son, being filled with and led by the Holy Spirit each day to do the will of God all the days of our life (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38,39).
. We are to be baptized in the Holy Spirit with a totally yielded life so we are able to be speaking in other tongues communing with God as the Spirit gives utterance (Luke 3:16; Acts 1:4,5,8; 2:1-4; 1 Corinthians 14:2-5,15,26; Jude vs.20,21). This baptism of the Spirit empowers us to be a supernaturally effective witness of Jesus Christ as we learn to be led by that Spirit.
. We are to be taking communion personally or corporately, daily or periodically. This is set up by the Lord to serve as a reminder to us of our position in him and his position in us through his shed blood and his broken body. We are made righteous by his shed blood, and we are healed and made whole by his broken body (1 Corinthians 11:23-32; 1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:4-6). It also speaks as a reminder that we are all of one Body in Christ. Jesus used ordinary food for this.
. We are to be committed to follow Jesus to love him supremely and obey him fully to learn to be led by the Holy Spirit to do the will of God in life. God’s primary will and commission to every believer is to reach every person on the earth with the gospel and the healing power of God (Mark 16:15-20; Romans 8:13, 14).
. We are to live out the life of Christ and carry the power of God each day and verbally teach and duplicate this good news of the kingdom of God to all people and teach them to go and do the same. This basic operation is to be carried out by all. This is the “commission” the Lord gave us when he said “Go…preach the gospel to every creature…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18; 2 Timothy 2:1, 2). Ministry gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are given to guide and assist the people of God to mature in the image of Christ in carrying out this great commission (Ephesians 4:7-16).
. The promise of salvation through the blood of Jesus and the Holy Ghost for you and your family is central in the Word of God. God is a family man. He created the family male and female and it all began there. Abraham, through faith, received promise that his seed would be blessed (Genesis 17-22). When the Israelites were coming out of Egyptian bondage, God instituted “a lamb for an house” for protection from the plague of death that was to go through the land (Exodus 12). God made a covenant with David for his seed to be blessed (Psalms 89). There are many other references in the Old Testament how God deals with families and the seed of those who walk with him.
Peter preached in the book of Acts. The people asked him what they needed to do in light of the crucified, resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. He told the people to repent and be baptized for the putting away of sins and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for “the promise is unto you, and to your children” then, “to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38,39).
Paul preached to the Philippian jailor. The jailor asked him what he needed to do to be saved. Paul’s reply was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house”. Then Paul preached to him and to all that were in his house and they were all baptized that same night (Acts 16:30-34).
We can stand in faith on the Word of God for our households. We can pray for them and share the Word with them with our faith in God that he will do the work in their lives to bring them into the kingdom of God. We can stand on the Word that he will bring them into the new birth, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a life in the kingdom of God that will bring glory to his name.
Believers “sanctify” or “consecrate” their household. This means to set aside unto God those of their household (1 Corinthians 7:14). Believers are called kings and priests unto God (1 Peter 2:5; Revelation 1:5, 6; 5:10; 20:6). Kings reign with authority and priests are the “go between” to bring mankind to God. Through good example, faith, sharing the Word, and trusting in God to bring about his working in their lives, we believe God to bring our families into his life. Our trust is in him to bring them to the new birth and entrance into his present and eternal kingdom. We are to stand on and believe God’s Word of promise for our families full blessing in God’s kingdom.