We believe in the Holy Trinity which means three (3), Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and that each of these names are used to distinguish these persons one from the other. We believe God the Father to be like God the Son and that these two persons have many similar names because they are equal in divinity. We also believe that the Holy Ghost is a name given to the third (3rd) person of the Trinity who is the creative power of the mind of God made into a spiritual being. According to 1 John 5:7 “…there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost” …and we believe them to be the Godhead, bodily. (Col. 2:29).

We believe this name describes his relationship and is to be an everlasting name (Isaiah 9:6) by which His children of adoption are to call Him (Rom. 8:15). Father is one of the names which Jesus commands His apostles to baptize in, and with us, it is acceptable, practiced and preached (Matt. 28:19).

We believe that Son is a name and that this name describes the equality of the divinity of Christ more than any other name. We believe God the Son to be the transformed Word of God the Father, made into the likeness of men. From the day He was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary, He began taking upon Himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man; and being found in the fashion as a man, the Word was made flesh and became a person, the second person of the Godhead (John 5:7; Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:7-8). Son is a name and the only name by which the Father has acknowledged Him. By this name, Jesus introduced Himself (Matt. 3:17; John 10:35).

Last of all, Jesus commissioned His Apostles to baptize in the name of the Son (Matt. 28:19).

We believe that the Holy Ghost is a name – the name of the third (3rd) person of the Trinity, who is associated with The Father and Son (1 John 5:7). We believe Him to be a disembodied person who proceeds from The Father and The Son is sent forth to testify of the Son (St. John 15:26).

We believe that the Seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth are seven graceful blessings to be received from God. We believe that there are seven (7) definite works of Grace to be ratified into the Children of Adoption, which are these:

1. REPENTANCE – Repentance is a sorrow or regret for what one has done or left undone. It is the goodness of God that leadeth to repentance (Rom. 2:4). Repentance is the first (1st ) work of Grace because it is the foundation from dead works, (Heb. 6:1) working godly sorrow unto salvation (2 Cor. 7:10).

2. CONVERSION – We believe that Conversion means to be changed from one state of condition into another – from the controlling power of Satan unto God. It is the second work of Grace, taking place after repentance, blotting out sin and preparing the heart for the great refreshing, which comes from the presence of the Lord (Matt. 18:3; Acts 3:19).

3. JUSTIFICATION – Justification is an act of obedience on the believers’ part, in expressing their faith toward God. We believe that it is a work of Grace, wrought through the redemption of Christ, which is a propitiation through faith in the blood of the sacrificial Lamb of God, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins through the forbearance of God (Rom. 3:24-25). The scripture saith, “therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith. This work of grace is done after the repentant heart has been converted, then justified by faith unto grace: that soul is made an heir according to the hope of eternal life (Rom. 3:28; 5:1; Titus 3:7).

4. SANCTIFICATION – Sanctification is an act of being sanctified. It means to be set apart for a sacred purpose. We believe the entire sanctification of the spirit, soul, and body. This work of Grace thoroughly cleanses every guilt of sin through the blood of Jesus, which He shed without the gates of Jerusalem. We do not believe it to be a progressive work of grace, but a definite work done momentarily through which the justified believer has redemption through the blood, which is the forgiveness of sin (1 Thess. 5:16; Rev. 1:7; Heb 13:12; Eph. 1:7).
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5. HOLY GHOST BAPTISM – We believe in the Pentecostal Baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire (Matt. 3:11; Luke 11:13; Acts 1:5), and that this baptism can be obtained by sincerely calling upon the name of Jesus, which is an act appropriating faith on the part of the justified and sanctified believer. We believe that the evidence of the reception of the Holy Ghost is the speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance (Acts 2:4,5). We believe that when the sanctified believers are baptized with the Holy Ghost, this work of Grace merges him into the body of Christ, fitly framing them together and making them a member of His body, which is the church (Eph. 2:21; 1 Cor. 12:13,27).

6. REDEMPTION – Redemption is the act of redeeming or giving back to the rightful owners their loss, which this work of grace was Christ’s chief purpose for coming into the world (Matt. 20:28). We believe in both the present and future redemption, that we now have redemption through the blood which is the forgiveness of sin (Eph. 1:7; 4:30). However, we do not believe that the redemption of this body can be received until the day or redemption, which is the time of restitution of all things (Roman 8:23; Eph. 4:30; Acts 3:21).

7. PERFECTION – Perfection is the state of being perfectly supreme, excellent, the highest degree of anything. Particularly, Christian religion, free from immorality and free from every guilt of sin in the spirit, soul, and body. This work of Grace is the last favor the children of adoption need to receive from God. For in it, the spirits of just men are made perfect (Heb. 6:1; 12:23).

We believe in the application of water baptism by immersion. Further, we believe that baptism was practiced in the following instances, namely:

1. The Baptism of the Dead – This baptism was performed by Moses in the clouds and in the seas for a memorial unto the dead in hopes of seeing them in the resurrection (1 Cor. 10:1,2;15:29; St. John 11:24).

2. Baptism for the Remission of Sins – This baptism was performed by John the Baptist on believing Jews prior to and during the ministry of Jesus. We do not find that this baptism was practiced by the Apostles after the Day of Pentecost (St. Luke 3:3; 2:37,38).

3. Baptism for the fulfilling of all Righteousness – This baptism was performed upon Jesus only, for upon no other person could this be performed on, for John’s baptism was for the remission of sins and in Him was no sin (Matt. 3:14,15; Luke 3:3).

4. Baptism into Christ – We believe water baptism by immersion to be an essential part of the Christian’s experience, for since Pentecost it has symbolized the ratifying of the believer into the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul states in Romans 6:4,5, “Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism unto death, that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of death, we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection.” Thus, we understand that water baptism by immersion symbolizes a likeness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and through faith, the repentant, converted, sanctified, and Holy Ghost filled believer is ratified in to the body of Christ.

5. Baptism Ceremony – The following ceremony shall be used when performing water baptism in The First Born Church of the Living God, Inc. “In obedience to the Lord Jesus, and according to the profession of your faith, I baptize thee my sister or brother, in the name of The Father and of The Son and of The Holy Ghost. Amen.”