The Elementary Doctrines of Christ: Tenets of Christianity

By James Pam

The Elementary Doctrines of Christ takes its title directly from Hebrews 6:1-2. These two verses of scripture contain the six tenets of Christianity. The Christian faith couldnt stand without one of them. You could term them the irreducible minimum of the Christian faith. Whoever would like to live a full practicing Christian life would have to accept and do these in his life. The order in which they are given to us in the scriptures is their order of occurence in the life of a Christian. The book is excellent for those who have recently put their faith in Jesus Christ. However, older Christians who have not come across these tenets will be tremendouly blessed by reading and understanding them. Curious inquirers who would like to know what Christians believe would find this book precise and invaluable.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jun 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481787802

James Pam

Rev. James Pam is a professional banker who holds a Masters degree in Banking and Finance turned Pastor. He studied for one semester at ECWA Theological Seminary Jos and then founded Faith City Church in 2004 and has been pastoring the students of Bethel International Christian Academy, Jos, Nigeria, since. By calling, he is a teacher of the word. His passion is for the teaching and practice of pure biblical Christianity, He abhors the many traditions that denominations have introduced into the worship of God. He says God commissioned him to, "Go dust off the cobwebs of tradition from my church." He is truly a gifted teacher.

Book preview

© 2013 by James Pam. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/14/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4817-8779-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-8780-2 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

DEDICATION

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION

Chapter 2 REPENTANCE FROM DEAD WORKS

Chapter 3 FAITH TOWARD GOD

Chapter 4 THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS

Chapter 5 THE LAYING ON OF HANDS

Chapter 6 RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

Chapter 7 ETERNAL JUDGMENT

Chapter 8 CONCLUSION

Endnotes

DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to the memory of Da Barnabas Dusu. While I was growing up Da Barnabas Dusu really inspired me. I considered his personality to be the epitome of integrity. To me, he was the perfect gentleman. I couldn’t find a fault in him. He was hardworking and a stickler to time. He was well educated and served his country and God in many capacities. He died just after crowning his exemplary life by completing the translation of the entire Bible into his mother tongue, Berom.

I did not have the opportunity to say all these things to him till he died. I therefore believe that this is my opportunity to honor my role model before the whole world. I sought and obtained the permission of his family to do this. Below is a brief biography of the man I respected next only to my father and mother.

Da Barnabas Dusu was born on 28 August 1932 in Foron town of Plateau State, Nigeria, and he died seventy-six years later on 5 November 2008. After his elementary school, he studied by correspondence with the Woolsey Hall, Oxford. This qualified him to study at the then Nigeria College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria, now Ahmadu Bello University, where he obtained the Advanced Teachers’ Certificate. He also undertook courses in Theology, Administration and Financial Management.

In his very eventful life, he held several teaching positions before becoming the Warden of the Gindiri Teachers’ College and Schools in 1963, which was established by the Sudan United Mission (SUM), a British international evangelistic outreach. At other times he served on the Boards of the SUM Field Committee, Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TCNN), Vom Christian Hospital, Christian Advisory Council of Nigeria, Government Secondary School Kuru, Government Teachers College Toro and Northern Nigeria Board of Education.

His secular work experiences include Assistant Divisional Officer Gboko 1969, Civil Commissioner in the Ministries of Health, Education and Works in the defunct Benue Plateau State Government and a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works by 1975. He held other positions too numerous to mention here.

Throughout such an illustrious career Da Barnabas Dusu was never found wanting. A probe panel cleared him of any wrong doing at the end of his sojourn in the civil service. I would dare to equate him with the biblical character, Job, of whom God bragged, "This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil (Job 1:1).

Those who knew Da Barnabas Dusu personally or interacted with him in anyway, would surely live to cherish his memory and glorify God for his impeccable character, sterling qualities and the positive impact he had on humanity. He was fruitful physically and spiritually. He multiplied his character. He subdued the elements and he replenished whatever he used on earth just as God commanded Adam and his descendants to do. He left behind a virtuous wife, Nggwo Fibi Dusu, several children and many grandchildren.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

S EVERAL THEMES RUN through the book of Hebrews. One of them is new covenant doctrines ¹. The sixth chapter of Hebrews lists six of these new covenant doctrines. The more I studied them, the more I realized how important they are to Christendom. They constitute the foundational doctrines on which the Christian faith rests.

The King James Version of the Bible calls them principles of the doctrine of Christ while the New International Version and New American Standard refer to them as elementary teachings of Christ. The PARAPHRASED Bible calls them first lessons about Christ while the Revised Standard Version refers to them as elementary doctrines of Christ. GOD’S WORD Bible Translation calls them elementary truths about Christ.

God’s word in Hebrews 6:1-2 definitely lists for us the first and