The Truth Church

Bishop Riggen opens by emphasizing the foundational nature of the doctrine of baptisms from Hebrews 6, calling it a non-negotiable element of the church's foundation. He stresses the need for open hearts and minds to receive revelation, praying that God would open understanding as He did for the disciples. He reviews previous lessons, reiterating that baptism is commanded by Jesus and necessary for salvation. He then focuses on the crucial importance of the baptismal formula, arguing that the command in Matthew 28:19 to baptize 'in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost' must be understood as baptizing in the singular name that belongs to all three—the name of Jesus. He demonstrates from Scripture that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are titles, not a name, and that Jesus came in the Father's name and the Holy Ghost is sent in His name. He provides seven scriptural witnesses from Acts and 1 Corinthians showing that the apostolic church always baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, while no one in the Bible ever baptized using the titles alone. He uses the analogy of a contract or a check, which is invalid without the proper name, to illustrate that baptism without invoking the name of Jesus is not valid. He passionately calls believers to receive the same experience, urging them not to reject God's commandment for tradition.

Bishop Riggen opens from 1 Corinthians 11, emphasizing that the chapter's true subject is submission to authority, beginning with Paul's call to imitate him as he imitates Christ. He stresses the chain of command: Christ is head of every man, man is head of woman, and God is head of Christ. Authority is not a license for men to rule arbitrarily; a man's authority must come from Christ, and he cannot command a woman to violate scripture. The Bishop then explains the importance of symbols in scripture, using Moses striking the rock as a warning: because the rock represented Christ, violating that symbol cost Moses entry into the Promised Land. He parallels this to New Testament communion, where disrespecting the bread and cup brings spiritual consequences, even sickness and death. Applying this to hair, he asserts that God ordained hair as the symbol of submission to authority. For a woman, long hair is her glory and covering, signifying her submission to her God-given authority; for a man, long hair is a shame because it dishonors his head, Christ. He refutes the idea that Jesus had long hair, stating scripture shows it was not. The Bishop connects Paul's teaching to Old Testament precedents where cutting a woman's hair represented shame, captivity, or immorality. The sermon’s spiritual purpose is to establish that hair length is not a cultural preference but a biblical symbol of divine order, and that honoring this symbol brings protection, while violating it invites spiritual danger.

Pastor Hilton opens with Matthew 24:3-8, where the disciples ask Jesus about the sign of His coming and the end of the world. Jesus warns, 'Take heed that no man deceive you,' listing wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes as the beginning of sorrows. The pastor urges the congregation to 'know the time,' emphasizing that these signs are manifesting today—hurricanes, earthquakes, and famines have increased exponentially. He argues that we are living in the last of the last days, and it is 'high time to awake out of sleep' (Romans 13:11). Drawing from Joel 2:28-32, he connects the promised outpouring of the Spirit with the prophetic signs of blood, fire, and pillars of smoke, all pointing to Christ's imminent return. The pastor warns against being deceived by false prophets or by our own complacency, and stresses that while we cannot determine the fate of nations, we must determine our own individual fate—to 'save ourselves from this untoward generation.' He cites Paul's letters to Timothy about perilous times and the rejection of sound doctrine, and urges the church not to take the moving of the Spirit for granted. The message culminates in a call to action: now is the time to call on the name of the Lord, to be sober and watchful, and to prepare for Christ's return, which is 'surely' coming quickly. The altars are open, and the pastor pleads with the congregation to not delay their response to God.

Bishop Riggen continues a series on the doctrine of baptisms from Hebrews 6:1-2, emphasizing that the foundation of the church includes repentance, faith, the doctrine of baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection, and eternal judgment. He stresses that the Bible, not tradition or majority opinion, is the sole source of absolute truth, citing examples like the number of wise men and animals on Noah’s ark to show how tradition contradicts Scripture. He argues that baptism is essential, referencing Jesus’ words in John 3:5 about being born of water and the Spirit, and Mark 16:16 where belief and baptism are linked. The mode of baptism must be immersion, as seen in Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12, which describe baptism as a burial. The Greek word baptizo means to immerse, not sprinkle. He points to Acts 19 where Paul rebaptized believers who had only received John’s baptism, showing that the formula and authority matter—he baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus. He challenges the congregation to search the New Testament for all baptismal examples to see if they align with his teaching. He illustrates the importance of correct formula with a chemistry analogy: changing a formula can turn life-giving water into deadly substances. The sermon’s purpose is to call believers back to biblical truth on baptism, urging them not to rely on tradition but on Scripture alone.

Reverend Pearson preaches from Matthew 25:31-46, the parable of the sheep and the goats, emphasizing that while both appear to dwell together in the same pasture, their behaviors reveal a fundamental difference. He contrasts the nature of sheep, who are content, humble, and dependent on the shepherd and the flock, with goats, who are curious, independent, and prone to wander in search of their own interests. Sheep keep their heads down, grazing on the grass the shepherd provides, while goats browse with heads up, seeking variety and often getting into trouble. Sheep flock together for safety and collective intelligence, mimicking one another's behavior in joy and sorrow, while goats form exclusive cliques and only gather when it suits them. Reverend Pearson argues that this parable challenges mere profession of faith; the sheep and goats were intermingled and outwardly similar, but the shepherd separates them based on their inner disposition and actions. The sheep unknowingly served Christ by serving others, while the goats, focused on themselves, failed to do so. He warns against living too close to the line, waiting for a convenient season to follow God fully, as Felix did. The message calls believers to humble themselves, deny self, take up their cross, and remain in the pasture under the Shepherd's care, trusting Him to bind up the broken and strengthen the sick, while judging those who are self-reliant. The spiritual purpose is to inspire wholehearted, obedient discipleship that is not swayed by circumstances or worldly allurements.