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THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God and
contains one harmonious and sufficiently complete system of doctrine. We
believe in the full inspiration of the Word of God. We hold the Word of
God to be the only authority in all matters and assert that no doctrine
can be true or essential, if it does not find a place in this Word.
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THE FATHER
We believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Author
and Creator of all things. The Old Testament reveals God in diverse
manners, by manifesting his nature, character, and dominions. The
Gospels in the New Testament give us knowledge of God the "Father" or
"My Father", showing the relationship of God to Jesus as Father, or
representing Him as the Father in the Godhead, and Jesus himself that
Son (St. John 15:8, 14:20). Jesus also gives God the distinction of
"Fatherhood" to all believers when he explains God in the light of "Your
Father in Heaven" (St. Matthew 6:8).
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THE SON
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,
the Second person in the Godhead of the Trinity or Triune Godhead. We
believe that Jesus was and is eternal in his person and nature as the
Son of God who was with God in the beginning of creation (St. John 1:1).
We believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin called Mary according
to the scripture (St. Matthew 1:18), thus giving rise to our fundamental
belief in the Virgin Birth and to all of the miraculous events
surrounding the phenomenon (St. Matthew 1:18-25). We believe that Jesus
Christ became the "suffering servant" to man; this suffering servant
came seeking to redeem man from sin and to reconcile him back to God,
his Father (Romans 5:10). We believe that Jesus Christ is standing now
as mediator between God and man (I Timothy 2:5)
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THE HOLY GHOST
We believe the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is the
third person of the Trinity, proceeds from the Father and the Son, is of
the same substance, equal to power and glory, and is together with the
Father and the Son, to be believed in, obeyed, and worshipped. The Holy
Ghost is a gift bestowed upon the believer for the purpose of equipping
and empowering the believer, making him a more effective witness for
service in the world. He teaches and guides one into all truth (John
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THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST
We believe that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is
an experience subsequent to conversion and sanctification and that
tongue-speaking is the consequence of the baptism in the Holy Ghost with
the manifestations of the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23; Acts
10:46, 19:1-6). We believe that we are not baptized with the Holy Ghost
in order to be saved (Acts 19:1-6; John 3:5). When one receives a
baptismal Holy Ghost experience, we believe one will speak with a tongue
unknown to oneself according to the sovereign will of Christ. To be
filled with the Spirit means to be Spirit controlled as expressed by
Paul in Ephesians 5:18-19. Since the charismatic demonstrations were
necessary to help the early church to be successful in implementing the
command of Christ, we therefore, believe that a Holy Ghost experience is
mandatory for all men today.
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MAN
We believe that man was created holy by God,
composed of body and soul. We believe that man, by nature, is sinful and
unholy. Being born in sin, he needs to be born again, sanctified and
cleansed from all sins by the blood of Jesus. We believe that man is
saved by confessing and forsaking his sins, and believing on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and that having become a child of God, by being born again
and adopted into the family of God, he may, and should, claim the
inheritance of the sons of God, namely the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
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SIN
Sin, the Bible teaches, began in the angelic world
(Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 14:12-20), and is transmitted into the blood
of the human race through disobedience and deception motivated by
unbelief (I Timothy 2:14). Adam's sin, committed by eating of the
forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, carried
with it permanent pollution or depraved human nature to all his
descendants. This is called "original sin." Sin
can now be defined as a volitional transgression against God and a lack
of conformity to the will of God. We, therefore, conclude that man by
nature, is sinful and that he has fallen from a glorious and righteous
state from which he was created, and has become unrighteous and unholy.
Man, therefore, must be restored to his state of holiness from which he
has fallen by being born again (St. John 3:7).
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SALVATION
Salvation deals with the application of the work
of redemption to the sinner with his restoration to divine favor and
communion with God. This redemptive operation of the Holy Ghost upon
sinners is brought about by repentance toward God and faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christ which brings conversion, faith, justification
regeneration, sanctification, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Repentance is the work of God, which results in a change of mind in
respect to man's relationship to God. (St. Matthew 3:1-2, 4:17; Acts
20:21). Faith is a certain conviction wrought in the heart by
the Holy Spirit, as to the truth of the Gospel and a heart trust in the
promises of God in Christ (Romans 1:17, 3:28; St. Matthew 9:22; Acts
26:18). Conversion is that act of God whereby He causes the
regenerated sinner, in his conscious life, to turn to Him in repentance
and faith (II Kings 5:15; II Chronicles 33:12-13; St. Luke 19:8, 9; Acts
8:30). Regeneration is that act of God by which the principle
of the new life is implanted in man, and the governing disposition of
soul is made holy and the first holy exercise of this new disposition is
secured. Sanctification is that gracious and continuous
operation of the Holy Ghost, by which He delivers the justified sinner
from the pollution of sin, renews his whole nature in the image of God
and enables him to perform good works (Romans 6:4;5:6; Colossians 2:12;
3:1).
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ANGELS
The Bible uses the term "angel" (a heavenly body)
clearly and primarily to denote messengers or ambassadors of God with
such scripture references as Revelations 4:5, which indicates their duty
in heaven to praise God (Psalm 103:20), to do God's will (St. Matthew
18:10) and to behold his face. But since heaven must come down to earth,
they also have a mission to earth. The Bible indicates that they
accompanied God in the Creation, and also that they will accompany
Christ in His return in Glory. |
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DEMONS
Demons denote unclean or evil spirits; they are
sometimes called devils or demonic beings. They are evil spirits,
belonging to the unseen or spiritual realm, embodied in human beings.
The Old Testament refers to the prince of demons, sometimes called Satan
(Adversary) or Devil, as having power and wisdom, taking the habitation
of other forms such as the serpent (Genesis 3:1). The New Testament
speaks of the Devil as Tempter (St. Matthew 4:3) and it goes on to tell
the works of Satan, The Devil, and Demons as combating righteousness and
good in any form, proving to be an adversary to the saints. Their chief
power is exercised to destroy the mission of Jesus Christ. It can well
be said that the Christian Church believes in Demons, Satan, and Devils.
We believe in their power and purpose. We believe they can be subdued
and conquered as in the commandment to the believer by Jesus. "In my
name they shall cast out Satan and the work of the Devil and to resist
him and then he will flee (WITHDRAW) from you."
(St. Mark 16:17).
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THE CHURCH
The Church forms a spiritual unity of which Christ
is the divine head. It is animated by one Spirit, the Spirit of Christ.
It professes one faith, shares one hope, and serves one King,. It is the
citadel of the truth and God's agency for communicating to believers all
spiritual blessings. The Church then is the object of our faith rather
than of knowledge. The name of our Church, " CHURCH OF GOD
IN CHRIST " is supported by I Thessalonians 2:14 and other
passages in the Pauline Epistles. The word " CHURCH "
or " EKKLESIA " was first applied to
the Christian society by Jesus Christ in St. Matthew 16:18, the occasion
being that of his benediction of Peter at Caesarea Phillippi.
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THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
We believe in the second coming of Christ; that He
shall come from heaven to earth, personally, bodily, visibly (Acts 1:11;
Titus 2:11-13; St. Matthew 16:27; 24:30; 25:30; Luke 21:27; John 1:14,
17; Titus 2:11) and that the Church, the bride, will be caught up to
meet Him in the air (I Thessalonians, 4:16-17). We admonish all who have
this hope to purify themselves as He is pure. |
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DIVINE HEALING
The Church of God in Christ believes in and
practices Divine Healing. It is a commandment of Jesus to the Apostles
(St. Mark 16:18). Jesus affirms his teachings on healing by explaining
to His disciples, who were to be Apostles, that healing the afflicted is
by faith (St. Luke 9:40-41). Therefore, we believe that healing by faith
in God has scriptural support and ordained authority. St. James'
writings in his epistle encourage Elders to pray for the sick, lay hands
upon them and to anoint them with oil, and that prayers with faith shall
heal the sick and the Lord shall raise them up. Healing is still
practiced widely and frequently in the Church of God in Christ, and
testimonies of healing in our Church testify to this fact.
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MIRACLES
The Church of God in Christ believes that miracles
occur to convince men that the Bible is God's Word. A miracle can be
defined as an extraordinary visible act of Divine power, wrought by the
efficient agency of the will of God, which has as its final cause the
vindication of the righteousness of God's word. We believe that the
works of God, which were performed during the beginnings of
Christianity, do and will occur even today where God is preached, Faith
in Christ is exercised, The Holy Ghost is active, and the Gospel is
promulgated in the truth (Acts 5:15; 6:8; 9:40; Luke 4:36, 7:14-15;
5:5-6; St. Mark 14:15).
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THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH
It is generally admitted that for an ordinance to
be valid, it must have been instituted by Christ. When we speak of
ordinances of the church, we are speaking of those instituted by Christ,
in which by sensible signs the grace of God in Christ, and the benefits
of the covenant of grace are represented, sealed, and applied to
believers, and these in turn give expression to their faith and
allegiance to God. The Church Of God In Christ recognizes three
ordinances as having been instituted by Christ himself and therefore,
binding upon the church practice.
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A. THE LORD'S SUPPER (HOLY COMMUNION)
The Lord's Supper symbolizes the Lord's death
and suffering for the benefit and in the place of His people. It also
symbolizes the believer's participation in the crucified Christ. It
represents not only the death of Christ as the object of faith which
unites the believers to Christ, but also the effect of this act as the
giving of life, strength, and joy to the soul. The communicant by
faith enters into a special spiritual union of his soul with the
glorified Christ.
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B. FEET WASHING
Feet Washing is practiced and recognized as an
ordinance in our Church because Christ, by His example, showed that
humility characterized greatness in the Kingdom of God, and that
service, rendered to others gave evidence that humility, motivated by
love, exists. These services are held subsequent to the Lord's Supper;
however, its regularity is left to the discretion of the Pastor in
charge.
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C. WATER BAPTISM
We believe that Water Baptism is necessary as
instructed by Christ in St. John 3:5, "UNLESS MAN BE BORN
AGAIN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT…"
However, we do not believe that water baptism
alone is a means of salvation, but is an outward demonstration that
one has already had a conversion experience and has accepted Christ as
his personal Savior. As Pentecostals, we practice immersion in
preference to "SPRINKLING" , because immersion
corresponds more closely to the death, burial, and resurrection of our
Lord (Colossians 2:12). It also symbolizes regeneration and
purification more than any other mode. Therefore, we practice
immersion as our mode of Baptism. We believe that we should use the
Baptismal Formula given us by Christ for all "…IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER , AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE
HOLY GHOST…" (St. Matthew 28:19)
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