Doctrine
The One True God
We believe in the one ever living, eternal God; infinite in power, Holy in nature, attributes and purpose; and possessing absolute, indivisible deity. This one true God has revealed Himself as Father in creation; through His Son in redemption; and as the Holy Spirit, by animation. (I Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6; II Cor. 5:19; JoeI2:28). The scripture does more than attempt to prove the existence of God; it asserts, assumes and declares that the knowledge of God is universal. (Romans 1:19, 21, 28,32,2:15) God is invisible, incorporeal, without parts, without body and there-fore free from all limitations. He is Spirit (John 4:24), and “a spirit hath not flesh and bones …” (Luke 24:39).
“… The first of all the commandments is, Hear, 0 Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord” (Mark 12:29; Deut 6:4) “One God and Father of All, who is above all, and through all and in you all” (Eph. 4:6).
This one true God manifested Himself in the Old Testament in divers ways; in the Son while He walked among men; as the Holy Spirit after the ascension.
The Son of God
The one true God, the Jehovah of the Old Testament, took upon Himself the form of man, and as the son of man, was born of the virgin Mary. As Paul says, “And without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world, received up into Glory” (I Timothy 3:16; John 1:10).
“He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” (John 1:11). This one true God was manifest in the flesh, that is, in His Son Jesus Christ ” … God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: ” (II Cor. 5:19).
We believe that, ” in Him (Jesus) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; (Col. 2:9)
The Name
“… unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; … and His name shall be called Wonderful, counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). This prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled when the Son of God was named, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: For He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
Man and His Fall
God created man in His own image (Gen. 1:26, 27), innocent, pure and holy. By transgression man lost his standing. (Rom. 5:11; Eph. 2:3). Man needed a redeemer which has been supplied in the seed of the woman, which seed bruised the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15; Luke 2:10,11); that is: Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in whom we have redemption, through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. (Eph.l:7; Rev. 1:5).
Grace & Truth
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” (Titus2: 11,12).
“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
A Christian, to keep saved, must walk with God and keep himself in the love of God (Jude 21) and in the grace of God. The word “Grace” means “favor”. When a person transgresses or sins against God He loses His favor. If he continues to commit sin and does not repent, he will eventually be lost and cast into the lake of fire. (Read John 15:2; 6:2; II Peter 2:20,21,22). Jude speaks of those that fall away of his day and their reward (And read Hebrews 6: 4-6).
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the Gift of God”. (Eph. 2:8) Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. Truth is a fact.
The Communion
Melchizedek, the Priest of the Most High God, gave the first Communion to our Father Abraham, consisting of bread and wine. (Gen. 14:18) Christ, being “made a High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” evidently administered the same. (Heb. 7:21; Matthew 26:26-29;I Cor. 11:23-32).
On the night of our Lord’s betrayal, He ate the Passover Supper with His Apostles, after which He instituted the sacrament “And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, this is my body which is given for you: This do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” (Luke 22:19, 20)
Paul instructed the church how to observe it: (I Cor. 11:23-24).
The Washing of Feet
This ordinance is as much a divine command as any other New Testament ordinance.
Jesus gave us an example that we do even as He had done. He said that we ought to wash one another’s feet and again, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if you do them.” (John 13:4-17)
There is scriptural evidence that this was practiced by the Church in the days of the Apostle Paul. (I Tim. 5: 10).
Divine Healing
The physical suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ purchased healing for our bodies, as His death, burial and resurrection provided for the salvation of our souls, for: … “with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Matthew 8:17 reads, “… Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses.” (See also I Peter 2:24).
We see from this that healing for the body is in the atonement. That being true, then it is for all who believe. Jesus said of believers, “… they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Later James wrote in his Epistle to all the churches: “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:14-16)
Repentance & Remission of Sin
The only grounds upon which God will accept a sinner is repentance, from the heart, for the sins that he has committed. A broken and contrite heart, He will not despise. (Psa. 51:17) John preached repentance, Jesus proclaimed it, and before His ascension commanded that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47). Peter obeyed this command on the Day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:38).
Water Baptism
The scriptural mode of baptism is immersion, and is only for those who have fully repented, having turned from their sins and a love of the world. It should be administered by a duly authorized minister of the Gospel in obedience to the Word of God, and in the name of Jesus Christ, according to the Acts of the Apostles 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5; thus obeying and fulfilling Matthew 28:19.
Holy Spirit Baptisim
John the Baptist, in Matthew 3:11, said, “… He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. “
Jesus, in Acts 1:5, said, “… ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (Languages) as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The terms “Baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire,” “Filled with the Holy Ghost”, and the “Gift of the Holy Ghost” are synonymous terms used interchangeably in the Bible.
Apostolic Doctrine of New Birth
The basic and fundamental doctrine of Apostolics shall be the Bible standard of full salvation, which is repentance, baptism in water by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. (Acts 2:4 and 2:38; John 3:5).
Holiness
We believe that godly living should characterize the life and walk of all saints according to the sign and example found in (I Peter s2:21; Titus 2:11; GaL 2:20; Heb. 12:14; I Peter 1:15-17).
We believe we are to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God (II Cor. 7: 1), and to abstain from all appearance of Evil. (I Thes. 5:22) and to turn away from those who have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. (II Tim. 3:5; I Cor. 11:6; I Tim. 2:9, 10; I Peter 2:3,4)