Salvation
The basic and fundamental doctrine of Abundant Life Church is the Bible standard of full salvation: repentance, baptism in water by immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.
Repentance
An individual obtains pardon and forgiveness of sins by genuine repentance, a confessing and forsaking of sins. We are justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). John the Baptist preached repentance, Jesus proclaimed it, and the apostles emphasized it to both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 2:38, 11:18, 17:30).
The word repentance means a change of views and purpose, change of heart, change of mind, change of life, transformation, etc.
Jesus said,
“Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).
Luke 24:47 says,
“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
Water Baptism
The scriptural mode of baptism is immersion and is only for those who have fully repented, having turned from their sins and a love of the world. It should be administered by a duly authorized minister of the gospel, in obedience to the Word of God, and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the Acts of the Apostles 2:38, 4:12, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5; thus obeying and fulfilling Matthew 28:19.
Baptism of the Holy Ghost
John the Baptist, in Matthew 3:11, said,
“He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.”
Jesus, in Acts 1:5, said,
“Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
Luke tells us in Acts 2:4,
“They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues [languages], as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
The terms “baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire,” “filled with the Holy Spirit,” and the “gift of the Holy Ghost” are synonymous terms used interchangeably in the Bible.
It is scriptural to expect all who receive the gift, filling, or baptism of the Holy Spirit to receive the same physical, initial sign of speaking with other tongues.
The speaking with other tongues, as recorded in Acts 2:4, 10:46, and 19:6, and the gift of tongues, as explained in 1 Corinthians, chapters 12 and 14, are the same in essence, but different in use and purpose.
The Lord, through the Prophet Joel, said,
“I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28).
Peter, in explaining this phenomenal experience, said,
“Having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he [Jesus] hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:33).
Further,
“the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39).