New Apostolic Church
Southern Africa
2.4.8 The Eighth Article of Faith
I believe that those baptised with water must, through an Apostle, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to attain the childhood in God and thereby the prerequisite for becoming a firstling.
The Eighth Article of Faith deals with Holy Sealing or the Baptism of the Spirit, namely the imparting of the gift of the Holy Spirit to the believers.
Holy Sealing is the one sacrament that is assigned solely to the Apostle ministry. The prerequisite for receiving this sacrament is Holy Baptism with water. Only those who have been baptised are to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Holy Sealing has both a present and a future effect: the present effect of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is the "childhood in God" (Romans 8: 14-17). Those Christians who are reborn out of water and the Spirit possess "childhood in God". It constitutes, as it were, an anticipation of the believer's future status of firstling and a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2: 9). Consequently, "childhood in God" is that condition of a human being before God which is characterised by receiving all the sacraments and aligning one's life by the return of Christ, in accordance with the proper proclamation of the gospel. The future effect of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is to attain the status of firstling. However, the sealed believer has not yet acquired the status of firstling, but through the baptism of the Spirit, he has received the prerequisite for attaining it. If the believer strives for the day of Christ, he can belong to the bridal congregation, or the "community of the saints". Sealed believers have been assigned the task of following Christ continually and allowing themselves to be prepared for the return of Jesus Christ through word and sacrament.