19. Give Thanks (Col. 3:17) – Paul M. Williams

Colossians 3:17 A series of expository sermons, walking through the Book of Colossians.  Preached in the Sanctuary of Bethesda Shalom, England, Sunday 26th May 2026. 

Colossians 3:16b A series of expository sermons, walking through the Book of Colossians.  Preached in the Sanctuary of Bethesda Shalom, England, Sunday 19th April 2026. 

Judges 1 Preached in the Sanctuary of Bethesda Shalom, England, Sunday 12th April 2026. 

Judges 1 Preached in the Sanctuary of Bethesda Shalom, England, Sunday 12th April 2026. 

Part 11 According to Oneness Pentecostals, one cannot be saved unless they have repented, been baptised in Jesus' name, and filled with the Holy Spirit, evidenced by speaking in tongues.  Once a person has acted in faith by obeying these three steps, can they have assurance of salvation in the future life?  The sad reality is no.  There is a fourth component necessary for salvation, which the Jesus Name Pentecostal must continue to abide in.  You ask, what is this fourth component?  It is found in Hebrews Chapter 12, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14).       At face value, there is nothing wrong with Heb. 12:14. The Bible is clear that the unrighteous shall not enter the kingdom of God. But what about a woman wearing make-up?  Would she be deemed unholy for doing so?  What about if a woman were to wear a pair of trousers tailored for women?  Would she be in breach of Deuteronomy 22:5, which forbids the sin of cross-dressing?  Can a woman cut her hair?  Can she wear a gold necklace?  For Oneness Pentecostals, holiness includes abstaining from worldliness, which they understand as practising the things mentioned above.  In this final teaching, we define true biblical holiness and contrast it with the false holiness standards of Oneness Pentecostalism, which they maintain are obligatory if a person is ever to see the Lord.    Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/11_Salvation_and_Holiness.pdf

Colossians 3:16a A series of expository sermons, walking through the Book of Colossians.  Preached in the Sanctuary of Bethesda Shalom, England, Sunday 5th March 2026. 

Part 10 Within mainstream Christianity, denominations differ in their understanding of what constitutes the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the initial evidence of receiving such. Some teach that the baptism of the Holy Spirit, accompanied by the witness of tongues, is not a gift that is in continuation.  Despite these disagreements, this debate is an in-house one amongst the family of God on various sides of the orthodox spectrum.  However, when discussing these issues with an Oneness Pentecostal, even if one were to lay aside the theological gulf that separates them in relation to the doctrine of the Trinity and the alleged saving efficacy of water baptism in Jesus' name, there would be enough error in what Jesus Name Pentecostals believe regarding the baptism of the Holy Spirit to designate them a cult. In this teaching, we explore the error of Oneness Pentecostals regarding their belief that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is necessary for salvation, evidenced by the speaking in tongues.      Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/10_Baptism_in_the_Holy_Spirit.pdf

Colossians 3:15 A series of expository sermons, walking through the Book of Colossians. Preached in the Sanctuary of Bethesda Shalom, England, Sunday 29th March 2026. 

A series of expository sermons, walking through the Book of Colossians. Preached in the Sanctuary of Bethesda Shalom, England, Sunday 22nd March 2026. 

Part 9 For Jesus Name Pentecostals, except that a person is baptised in water, they cannot have their sins forgiven, since they believe that it is at baptism that God washes away the sins of the believer.  Oneness Pentecostals are not alone in this; other cults, including the Church of Christ, believe the same, as also do the Roman Catholic Church.  What distinguishes Jesus Name Pentecostals from other groups is their belief that baptism is effective only when it is performed in the name of Jesus.  What evidence is there in the Word of God for such a belief?  What about the Great Commission, where Jesus commanded the disciples to baptise in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?   Consideration shall be given in this ninth teaching part, and the evidence put forward by the Oneness Pentecostals shall be weighed in the balance.      Download teaching notes (pdf) https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bethesdashalom/9_Baptism_in_Jesus_Name.pdf