Doctrinal Statements

What are the qualifications for baptism of The Lakeland Church?

One must believe, with all their heart, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:36-38).

What does it mean to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?

Jesus Christ is an Actual Historical Person

a) It means, that a person believes, and professes, that the man Jesus of Nazareth, was an historical figure from the first century AD. That He was, in fact, born of a virgin. That He lived a sinless life, that He was the promised Messiah (Christ) who came into the world to eternally save all of the elect of God, and that He did so by paying the price for their sins on the cross. Further, He was both Divine and human. His Divine nature was, and is, the second person of the Trinity, The Word. His Human nature was offered as the propitiation for the sins of the elect, and His human nature died on the cross, was buried and rose again after three-days and three-nights, thus evidencing that the sacrifice He made was accepted. This sacrifice of Himself secured the eternal salvation for all of the elect children of God.

Further, that He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God and He will return someday, in bodily form, to gather His elect together and take them to be with Him in heaven. In the meantime, He is sitting on the throne of David in the Heavenly Jerusalem, and ruling His kingdom over the nations with a rod of iron until such time as He returns ad the end of time (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:26-31; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Acts 2:36; John 1:1-3 and 14; 1 John 5:7; Matthew 12:40; Acts 1:11; John 14:1-3; Revelation 19:15; Plsam 110:1-7).

He Became the Son at the Incarnation

b) It means, that a person believes, and professes, that the Divine nature (The Word) is co-eternal and co-existent with both the Highest and the Holy Spirit and, therefore, is equal in every way with God, because He is God, and not the Son of God. The Divine nature combined with the human nature in the womb of Mary is the only begotten Son of God and is known by the name Jesus.

The Sonship began at the incarnation not in eternity, as taught by the Roman Catholics and Protestants. At the incarnation, this Divine nature was fused with the human nature to create a being that is human in every respect, only without sin, and is also Divine. Further, that references to the Son of God int he Bible are a reference to this dual natured being, known as Jesus, incorporating both the Divine nature that has no beginning and the human nature who was born of the virgin Mary. Therefore, Jesus the Christ is God manifest in the flesh or God with us (Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:32; Luke 1:35; John 3:16; 1 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 7:14 w/ Matthew 1:23; Hebrews 4:15).

Jesus was Victorious and Completed His Work on Earth

c) It means that a person believes, and professes, that Jesus Christ successfully completed the mission He was sent to complete. That He finished the word the Father gave Him to do. That at His baptism He became the Messiah and was then sent into the world, by God, to complete the work that was the ultimate purpose of the Messiah. In so doing, He secured eternal salvation foreach and every one of the persons He was sent to save. This eternal salvation, provided by Christ, is based upon the covenant faith of the Godhead and unto upon the faith of the sinner. Finally, a person must believe that Christ will return in bodily form and raise all of those for whom He died at the last day, at which time also the lost will be raised, judged and consigned to the lake of fire for eternity (John 5:36 w/ John 17:4; John 6:37-39).

Eternal Salvation is by Grace and not by Works

d) Finally, it means that a person believes, and professes, that their own personal faith is a gift from God and an evidence that they are one of the ones for whom Christ died on the Cross. That their own personal faith is not, in any way, shape or form, the cause of the new birth but merely the evidence of the new birth; and that by exercising their own personal faith and being obedient to the commandments of God, they can enter into fellowship with God in this life. Further, that so long as they live to the limits of the light that they have, by the revelation of God, they can maintain that fellowship until either they are called home or the Lord returns (Matthew 16:16-18; Romans 10:9-10; 1 John 5:1; 1 John 4:1-3).

Minimum Qualifications for Baptism

If a person believes, and professes, those items noted in a-d above then they are a candidate for baptism and will be expected to make a profession of faith before the assembly including the items noted above and their affirmation of them.