Article
One
We
believe there is but one living and true God everlasting, of infinite power,
wisdom and goodness; Maker and Preserver of all things, both visible and
invisible. And in the unity of this Godhead there are three Persons of one
substance of eternal being, and equal in holiness, justice, wisdom, power, and
dignity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
TRINITY
We are Trinitarian, as
opposed to Unitarian, in our faith. We do not believe in "three Gods"
as the Unitarians, or "Jesus only," teaching maintains that we do;
but we believe there are "three persons, of one substance, of eternal
being, and equal in holiness, justice, wisdom, power, and dignity; the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost." Not three Gods, but one God, subsisting in
three persons, the Trinity in unity (Matthew 3:16, 17; 28:19; 2 Corinthians
13:14; 1 John 5:7).
*1. Old Testament
Genesis 1:26 Then God (Elohim; plural)said, "Let us make man in our
image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the
birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the
creatures that move along the ground."
(NIV)
Genesis 3:22 And
the LORD (Jehovah) God (Elohim; plural) said, "The man has now become
like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his
hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." (NIV)
Isaiah 6:8 Then
I heard the voice of the Lord (Adonai: plural)saying, "Whom shall I send? And
who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (NIV)
2. New Testament
Matthew 3:16 As
soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment
heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on
him. 17 And a voice from
heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (NIV)
*Father, Son and Holy Spirit are being
manifested at the same time. Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21,22; John 1:32-34.
John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will
give you another Counselor to be with you forever‑‑ (NIV)
John 14:26 But
the Counselor,
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind
you of everything I have said to you.
(NIV)
baptismal
Formula
Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (NIV)
*Unity of God page 3 number 1.
Article
Two
We
believe that the Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of
one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed
virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and
the manhood were joined together in one Person, never to be divided, whereof is
one Christ, very God and perfect man, who actually suffered, was crucified,
dead, and buried, to reconcile the Father to us, and to make atonement, not
only for our actual guilt, but also for original sin.
CHRIST
We believe in the incarnation (having
bodily form and substance) of Christ through the virgin birth, which we hold
without question, as written in the Word of God (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Matthew
1:18-25; Luke 2:26-35). We believe that He was a perfect sinless human being in
whom dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9), that He was
very God and perfect man. We believe that He lived a sinless life and died upon
the cross as an all-sufficient atonement for our sins, for our personal
transgressions, and also for original sin.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you
a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will
call him Immanuel. (NIV)
Matthew 1:18-25
Luke 2:26-35
Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the
Deity lives in bodily form, (NIV)
*Deity & Humanity of Jesus Christ page 3 number
2 & 3.
Article Three
We
believe that Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again His
body, with all things appertaining to the perfections of man's nature, and
ascended into heaven and there sits until He shall return to judge all men at
the last day.
Christ's
Resurrection
We
believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, in His triumphant ascension into
heaven, and that He (in His glorified body, as a complete human being, with all
things appertaining to the perfections of man's nature) now sits at the right
hand of heaven's Majesty until He shall return to judge the world at the last
day. Perfect, sinless humanity is at the heart of the moral universe,
participating in the government of creation and interceding for His saints,
until He shall come to judge the living and the dead in the end of the age.
1
Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless
and so is your faith. (NIV)
1
Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you
are still in your sins. (NIV)
Acts
2:32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.
33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the
promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. (NIV)
Ephesians
1:20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him
at his right hand in the heavenly realms, (NIV)
Romans
8:34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-- more than that, who was
raised to life-- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
(NIV)
Article
Four
We
believe the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one
substance, majesty and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.
Holy
Spirit
We
believe the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one
substance, majesty and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.
We believe that the Holy Ghost-or Holy Spirit-is a person and that He is the
executive agent of the Godhead in the dispensation of grace; that He anoints
the preaching of the Word, convicts of sin and applies the benefits of the
atonement; that He is our Teacher, Comforter, and Guide, taking the things of
Christ and revealing them to us, glorifying Christ, guiding us into all truth,
and showing us things to come; that all of these ministries are based upon and
function in accordance with the written Word of God (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26;
16:7-11, 13-15).
John
14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be
with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because
it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and
will be in you. (NIV)
John
14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
(NIV)
John
16:7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless
I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to
you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and
righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in
me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you
can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this
world now stands condemned. 12 "I have much more to say to you, more than
you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you
into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears,
and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by
taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the
Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and
make it known to you.
Article
Five
We
believe in the verbal and plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, known as
the Bible, composed of sixty-six books and divided into two departments, Old
and New Testaments. We believe the Bible is the Word of God, the full and
complete revelation of the plan and history of redemption
Holy
Scriptures
The
Pentecostal Holiness Church has from its inception believed the Bible to be the
inspired, inerrant and authoritative Word of God (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter
1:19-21; John 10:35). For many years we carried a statement respecting the
Bible in our General Rules. Then, in 1965, the Fifteenth General Conference
voted to include the language of paragraph 5 in our Articles of Faith, and this
action was duly ratified by our local churches.
2
Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God
may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NIV)
2
Peter 1:19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will
do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until
the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must
understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own
interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but
men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (NIV)
Article
Six
We
believe that eternal life with God in heaven is a portion of the reward of the
finally righteous; and that everlasting banishment from the presence of the
Lord and unending torture in hell are the wages of the persistently wicked.
Future
of Believers & Unbelievers
We
believe that through faith in Christ we have eternal life (John 3:14-16, 36);
and that Christ has prepared a place for His own in Heaven (John 14:1-3). This
is a "portion of the reward of the righteous," though "eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things
which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Dreadful as this truth may seem, we believe, and must so believe because of the
consistent teaching of God's Word, that "everlasting banishment from the
presence of the Lord and unending torture (or punishment) in hell is the wages
of the persistently wicked" (Psalm 9:17; Matthew 5:22, 29, 30; 18:9;
23:33; 25:41, 46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:23-25; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9;
Revelation 14:9-11; 20:11-15; 21:7, 8).
John
3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)
John
3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son
will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (NIV)
John
14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.
I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where
I am. (NIV)
Unbeliever
II
Thessalonians 1:6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble
you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will
happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his
powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the
gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction
and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power
Mark
9:43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter
life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.
45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to
enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if
your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the
kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48
where "'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' (NIV)
Article
Seven
We
believe that Jesus Christ shed His blood for the remission of sins that are
past, for the regeneration of penitent sinners, and for salvation from sin and
from sinning
Efficacy
Of The Blood Of Jesus
We
believe in the efficacy (effectiveness) and sufficiency of the shed blood of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins committed in the past: for the
regeneration, or new birth from above, of penitent sinners, and for salvation
or deliverance from sin and sinning (Luke 22:20; Acts 20:28; Romans 5:9;
Ephesians 2:13; Colossians 1:14, 20; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; 1 John 1:7; Revelation
1:5; 5:9; 1 John 2:1; 3:5-10; 5:18; Romans 6:22; 7:24, 25; 8:1-4).
Matthew
26:28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the
forgiveness of sins. (NIV)
Ephesians
1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in
accordance with the riches of God's grace (NIV)
1
Peter 1:18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver
or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you
from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without
blemish or defect.
I
John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
(NIV)
Revelation
1:5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the
dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has
freed us from our sins by his blood,
Colossians
1:20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on
earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the
cross.
1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the
tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds
you have been healed. (NIV)
Article
Eight
We
believe, teach, and firmly maintain the scriptural doctrine of justification by
faith alone
Justification
By Faith
We
believe, teach and firmly maintain the scriptural doctrine of justification by
faith alone (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:4-7). We do not believe that
any sort or degree of good works can procure or contribute toward our
justification or salvation. This is accomplished solely and exclusively upon
the basis of our faith in the shed blood, the resurrection and justifying
righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 4:23-25; 5:1-11, 20; 1
Corinthians 15:1-4). But we do believe in good works as a fruit or product of
salvation. We are not saved by, but unto, good works (Ephesians 2:10). When we
believe on Jesus Christ as our Savior, our sins are pardoned, we are justified
and enter a state of righteousness, not our own, but His, both imputed and
imparted (Romans 4:22, 25; 8:1-4).
Romans
5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (NIV) continue through verse 11.
Ephesians
2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
(NIV)
Article
Nine
We
believe that Jesus Christ shed His blood for the complete cleansing of the
justified believer from all indwelling sin and from its pollution, subsequent
to regeneration
Cleansing
We
believe that Jesus Christ shed His blood, not alone for our justification and
the forgiveness of actual transgressions, but also for the "complete
cleansing of the justified believer from all indwelling sin and from its
pollution, and that this transaction takes place subsequent to (or after)
regeneration (the new birth) (Acts 26:18; Ephesians 5:25-27; Titus 2:14;
Hebrews 9:13, 14; 10:10, 14-22; 13:11, 12; 1 John 1:7, 9). This is the negative
side of sanctification-the cleansing or taking away of the sin principle-the
circumcision of the heart so as to make it possible for us to love the Lord our
God with all our heart and soul (Deuteronomy 30:6). It is the crucifixion of
the "old man" (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22-24; Galatians 2:20), the
destruction of the "carnal mind" (Romans 8:5-10), the purging of the
fruit-bearing branch so "that it may bring forth more fruit" (John
15:2). It is the "cleansing from all sin"- "from all
unrighteousness" (1 John 1:7, 9).
Titus
2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for
himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (NIV)
Romans
6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of
sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- (NIV)
Ephesians
4:22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your
old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new
in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be
like God in true righteousness and holiness. (NIV)
Galatians
2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives
in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave himself for me. (NIV)
Acts
26:17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am
sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of
sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' (NIV)
I
John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all
sin. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Article
Ten
We
believe in sanctification. While sanctification is initiated in regeneration
and consummated in glorification, we believe that it includes a definite,
instantaneous work of grace achieved by faith subsequent to regeneration (Acts
26:18; 1 John 1:9). Sanctification delivers from the power and dominion of sin.
It is followed by life-long growth in grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ
Entire
Sanctification
"Entire
sanctification" in the sense of the above cleansing, and in the sense of a
complete dedication to God, including a full and unreserved "setting
apart" or "consecration" of the life to God, is an
instantaneous, definite, second work of grace, obtainable by faith on the part
of the fully-justified believer. (See Romans 5:1, 2: "... justified by
faith ... peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have
access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice ...." Also
see 1 John 1:9: "... to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness." Note also Titus 2:14: "... redeem from all iniquity
and purify ... " and Acts 26:18: "... forgiveness of sins and
inheritance among them which are sanctified." Also refer to the following
Scriptures for those who "are sanctified": Acts 20:32; 26:18; 1
Corinthians 1:2, 6-11; Hebrews 2:11; 10:14; Jude 1). This is purity and
dedication; it is not maturity, but the crisis experience that marks the
beginning of the sanctified life in which there is certainly room for
development, progress, and growth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). But remember we must get into this
grace before we can grow in it. It is not absolute perfection, not angelic
perfection; not "sinless perfection," if the term is used to imply
the impossibility of a sanctified person's falling into sin. We do not believe
it is impossible for the sanctified to commit sin; but we do believe that it is
possible for a sanctified person not to commit sin (Luke 1:73-75; Titus
2:11, 12; 1 John 1:7; 2:1, 6; 3:5-10; 5:18). We are aware of John's statement
in 1 John 1:8, but these words apply to those who deny the need for cleansing,
not to those who have experienced it and are living the sanctified life. This
is Christian perfection-in which we love the Lord with all our heart, soul,
mind and strength and our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31); in which we
love Christ and keep His commandments (john 14:15), among which is this,
"Little children these things write I unto you, that ye sin not" (1
John 2:1). The sanctified life is one of separation from the world, a
selfless life, a life of devotion to all the will of God, a life of holiness
in accordance with Romans 6:22; 12:1, 2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Thessalonians
4:7; 5:23; Hebrews 12:14; James 1:27; and 1 Peter 1:15, 16. It is a life
controlled by "perfect love" which "casts out fear" (1 John
4:18).
I
John 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if
anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-- Jesus
Christ, the Righteous One. (NIV)
I
John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. (NIV)
Titus
2:11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It
teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to
live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, (NIV)
I
John 3:5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And
in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who
continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 7 Dear children, do not let
anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is
righteous. 8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has
been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to
destroy the devil's work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin,
because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been
born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the
children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child
of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
Article
Eleven
We
believe that the Pentecostal baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire is obtainable
by a definite act of appropriating faith on the part of the fully cleansed
believer, and the initial evidence of the reception of this experience is
speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.
Spirit
Baptism And Speaking With Other Tongues
We
believe that the Pentecostal baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire is obtainable
by a definite act of appropriating faith on the part of the fully cleansed
believer (Luke 11:13; 24:49; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:38, 39). We believe that this
great blessing, which provides the enduement of power to witness for Christ,
is available to all believers whose hearts are cleansed from sin by the blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Since the Bible teaches that our bodies are temples of
the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20)-and that the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye (believers) are (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17)-we do not believe that
God will fill an unclean temple or vessel with His Holy Spirit. In other words,
we believe, because the Bible teaches and requires it, that in order to receive
the baptism with the Holy Ghost, a person must have a clean heart and life as a
prerequisite for this great blessing. Remember, the blood of cleansing must
first be applied, then the oil, which is a type of the Holy Spirit (Leviticus
14:14, 17).
Moreover,
we believe that in order to live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit's power and
possession, one must continue to live a clean and consecrated life, free from
sin, strife, worldliness and pride, and must avoid attitudes and actions which
tend to "grieve" or "quench" the Holy Spirit of God
(Ephesians 4:29-32; 1 Thessalonians 5:19). We believe that the
"initial" (or first) evidence of the reception of the baptism of the
Holy Spirit is the speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance
(John 15:26, 27; Acts 2:1-4; 8:17, 18; 10:44-46; 19:6; 1 Corinthians
12:7). We do not believe this is the only evidence of the Spirit's baptism,
but that it is the initial evidence just as it occurred in the repeated
accounts of the Spirit's outpouring in the Acts of the Apostles. But there
will be other evidences spelled out in our lives-the fruit of the Spirit
(Galatians 5:22, 23), power to witness for Christ, power to endure the
testings of faith and the oppositions of the world. We believe that the initial
evidence of speaking with tongues is for everyone who receives the Pentecostal
baptism with the Holy Spirit, and we distinguish between this initial
manifestation and the gift of tongues, which is not given to every
Spirit-filled believer.
The
Pentecostal Holiness Church believes in the gifts of the Spirit as set forth by
the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12, 13 and 14.
We believe that they are "set in the Church" by the Holy Spirit; that
He retains custody and control of the said gifts of "enablements,"
distributing or operating them "severally as He will." And we desire
that our people may so live under the control of the Holy Spirit that these
gifts may be manifested or used through consecrated individuals in the worship
services where, when, and as they are needed, but all to the glory of God and
the edifying of the body of Christ, and in accordance with the directions and
decorum set forth in the chapters referred to above.
Luke
11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to
those who ask him!" (NIV)
Luke
24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city
until you have been clothed with power from on high."
Acts
1:5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with
the Holy Spirit."
Acts
1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will
be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of
the earth." (NIV)
Acts
2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name
of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who
are far off-- for all whom the Lord our God will call." (NIV)
Article
Twelve
We
believe in divine healing as in the atonement.
Divine
Healing
We
believe that provision was made in the atonement for the healing of our bodies
as set forth in the following Scriptures: Isaiah 53:4, 5; Matthew 8:16, 17;
Mark 16:15-18; James 5:14-16; Exodus 15:26; to which we would also add Romans
8:26-28. And, while we do not condemn the use of medical means in the treatment
of physical disease, we do believe in, practice and commend to our people the
laying on of hands by the elders or leaders of the church, the anointing with
oil in the name of the Lord, and the offering of prayers for the healing of the
sick.
Isaiah
53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we
considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was
pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
(NIV)
1
Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might
die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
(NIV)
Matthew
8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and
he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to
fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our
infirmities and carried our diseases." (NIV)
Mark
16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will
drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes
with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at
all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
(NIV)
James
5:14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray
over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer
offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If
he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each
other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a
righteous man is powerful and effective. (NIV)
Exodus
15:26 He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God
and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep
all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the
Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you." (NIV)
Article
Thirteen
We
believe in the imminent, personal, premillennial second coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 3:1-4; Matthew
24:29-44), and love and wait for His appearing
Second
Coming
We
believe in the imminent, personal, premillennial, second coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ. The word imminent means that the second coming of Christ is
near, that it is impending, likely to occur at any moment (Matthew
25:29-44; Mark 13:32-37; Titus 2:13). The word personal means that
"the Lord himself" shall return (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18); that
the "same Jesus" who was "taken up into heaven shall so come in
like manner" as He was seen to "go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).
The word premillennial means that He will come before the millennium during
which the "blessed and holy" of the "first resurrection"
will live and reign with Christ "a thousand years" (Revelation
20:4-6). There will be two stages of the second coming of Christ; the
first for the purpose of catching away His saints who are prepared for the
Rapture before the Great Tribulation period (Matthew 24:40-44; 1 Thessalonians
4:13-18; Revelation 3:10, 11; 4:1, 2); and the second at the end of the Great
Tribulation, when He shall come back with His saints to destroy the armies of
the Antichrist, to judge the nations of the world, and to inaugurate the
millennial reign (Matthew 25:31-33; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:11-21;
20:1-6). The proper attitude of Christians toward the coming of Christ
should be to love His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8), watch and pray always to be
accounted worthy to escape the things which will come upon the earth during the
Great Tribulation (Luke 21:36), pray for His coming (Matthew 6:10; Revelation
22:20), and faithfully to "occupy" until He comes (Luke 19:13). Many
signs point to the soon coming of Jesus. We give a few Scriptures which set
forth several of them: Ezekiel 36 (the return of Israel to her land, etc.);
Daniel 12:4; Nahum 2:3, 4; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21:25-36; 1
Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 3:1-8, 13; 4:3-4; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 2 Peter 2
and 3; and the Epistle of Jude.
*Chart
& second coming page 4 numbers 5 & 6.
Article
Fourteen
We
believe it is the responsibility of every believer to dedicate his life to
carrying out the work of the Great Commission
Great
Commission
The
first thirteen of our Articles of Faith state what we believe as a church.
Article 14 defines for us "what we are to do about it." Our Lord's
last command on earth was to charge every believer with the responsibility of
taking the gospel to all nations. We can never be content just experiencing God
in Christ for ourselves. We must also be actively involved in spreading the
gospel to others-to the ends of the earth.
Matthew
28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am
with you always, to the very end of the age.""(NIV)
Doctrinal
Amplification written by Bishop Joseph A. Synan (1961)
*Additional information