ARTICLES OF FAITH
APOSTOLIC DOCTRINE
What we believe and why we believe it.
What is Apostolic and what does it mean?
Webster's Dictionary states, "that which pertains to the doctrine and practice of the original Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Apostolic is NOT the name of God's church. In fact, God never gave His church a name; only descriptive titles to identify it; such as the
The Church of God, The Church of the Firstborn, or The Church of Christ, etc. These show ownership, not proper names.
God placed signs on the inside of the Church to identify it. (Mark 16:16-18; John 8:31; 13:35; Matt. 7:16; I corth. 12:7-11).
We believe in the forthcoming doctrines:
We believe repentence as taught by the Apostles in Acts 2:38; Ro. 12:1-2; 2 Corth. 7:1, Heb. 12: 1-2, 2 Corth. 6:14-18, I Tim. 2: 8-10: I Peter 3:1-4; I Corth.11:4-6; I Corth.11:14-15; I Corth 6:9-11; Rev.21:8; Ro. 1:29-32; 2 Corth. 7:10.
BAPTISM
We believe in the baptism in the Name of Jesus, as taught by the Apostles in Acts: 2:38; 8:15-16; 10:48; 19:5-6; Ro. 6:4-5; Col. 2:11-13; Acts 4:12.
HOLY GHOST
We believe in the infilling of the Holy Ghost as taught by the Apostles with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues. Acts. 2:1-4; 2;38-39; 8:15-16; 10:44-47;Acts 11: 15-17; 19:5-6; 5:32; John 7:38-39.
HOLINESS
We teach holiness within the spirit and holiness without, in the flesh; Ro. 12:1-2; 2 Corth. 7:1; Heb. 12:1; I Tim. 2:9; I Peter 3:3; I Corth. 11: 4-5; I Corth. 6:9; Heb. 12:14. Holiness is not something you receive all at once. It is not a free package from God. We must strive to perfect holiness.
NOTE: 2 Corth. 7:1, Heb. 6;1. Anything that will hinder your walk with God, or cause your influence to be hindered with others is contrary to holiness; perfect holiness and be blessed Psalms 1:1-6.
GODHEAD
We believe that Jesus was God manifested in the flesh as taught by the Apostles..I Tim. 3:16; Matt. 1:18-23; John 10:30; John 14: 7-9; I John 5:7; James 2:19; Rev. 1:8; & 11; Jude 1:25; I John 5:20; col. 2:9; John 20:28; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-23; Isa. 9:6.
THE LORD'S SUPPER
We believe and teach that the Lord's Supper is a memorial to be kept by the Church until Jesus comes. We believe in the literal taking of communion as taught by the Apostles. Luke 22:19-20; Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; I Corth. 11:23-26. We further believe in a communion with the Lord in the Spirit, but this in no way frees us from the memorial of the natural Lord's Supper. For in I Corth. 11:33-24, there is communion in assembly where we tarry for one another; but, we are not to tarry for others regarding spiritual things. The Lord's Supper is not only a memorial but, a prophesy. A prophesy is enjoined to this ordiance------"til he comes." The Lord has promised to return to receive His bride. As we partake of this literal (natural) communion, as a memorial, we remember His death until He comes and all He has done for us. We remember that He is returning to catch His bride away.
FOOT-WASHING
Apostolics believe in the literal 'washing of feet' as a symbol of humility, as in John 13:1-17. The Lord gave us an example. In John 13:15, He also said we should wash each other's feet, giving us an example to be followed. In I Tim. 5:9-10, a widow could not be taken into the company for the Church to feed, unless, she had washed the saint's feet.
WORSHIP & PRAISE
We believe that our worship must be in Spirit and in Truth. John 4:23-24, as taught by the Apostles in the early church. These words are defined as "extol, laud or applaud, praise, worhip, lift-up, magnify, glorify, or honor." ApostlePaul said we should speak to one another in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Eph. 5:19-20; Col. 3:15; Ro. 15:9-11. The Psalms consists of more than Psalms 23. Try lookin at Psalms 87:7. This is a prophecy of the New Testament Church. Praise Him with the trumpet, psaltry, harp, timbrel, dance, stringed instruments, organ and loud symbols. Psalms 150. Praise with songs Psalms 149. Clap your hands, shout Psalms 47; Luke 6:22-23; leap for joy. We as Apostolics believe and practice these and other Biblical forms of worship; Matt 4:4, as contained within the Word of God
PRAYER AND FASTING
We believe prayer and fasting is a necessary element in the life of the believer as was taught and practiced by the Apostles in the early church. Acts. 1:14; 3:1:; 6:4; 12:5; 16:13; Romans 12: 12; I Corth. 7:5; Eph. 6:18; Phip. 4:6; Col. 4:2; James 5:12; I Peter 4:7; Acts 13: 2-3; 2 Corth. 11:27.
WITNESSING
We believe the Holy Ghost is given to bring power to the believer's life, and that this power will cause the believer to be a witness for the Lord. Acts 1:8; Just as the Apostles of the early church taught and practiced...Acts 8:3-4; John 15:27; Acts10:41 4:33; 2:32; 5:32. Out of duty and privilege we are compelled to go and to tell what God has done for us.
ETERNAL HELL
We believe in eternal punishment of the wicked and those who forget God. Psalms 9:17. "Because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge.."Matt. 7:23; 8:12; 22:13; 25:45; 25:41; Mark 9:43-47; Luke 16:22-24.
ETERNAL REWARD
We believe in eternal joy and peace with the Lord for the righteous. Rev. 21:1-7; Luke 20:35-36; Rev. 7:15-17; 22:14.
HEALING
We believe healing was/is in the Atonement. Isa. 53:5. Divine healing was taught and practiced in the early church by the Lord and the Apostles. I Peter 2:24; Healing is a benefit of the saints (believers). Psalms 103:2-3. We, further, believe that some have the gift of healing I Corth. 12:7;11 and believers can lay hands on the sick. Mark 16:16-18. The sick are admonished to call for the elders of the church, who anoint them with oil..James 5:14. We believe this is God's plan for the healing of the saints (believers).
SUMMARY
Apostles are Christians. I Peter 4:16. Born-again children of God John 3:3-5; Romans 8:16. We are the Body and the Church of Jesus Christ. I Corth. 12:13; Col. 1:18. Who believe as the Scriptues say John 7:38; Matt 4:4 every Word. The Church was first established, and the Door of Salvation opened, in the Book of Acts of the Apostles. The New Testament Church was founded on the Day of Pentecost Acts 2. We follow that original Plan of Salvation. Therefore, we are called Pentecostals. The New Testament church was not founded in the four Gospels. Important as they are, we must go to the Book of Acts to locate the door into the Kingdom of God. Neither can we find the beginning of one single church in the Epistles. These are letters written to the churches, or individuals, who had already experienced the pentecostal born-again salvation. This is a simple truth, and if remembered, no one ever needs to be confused as to the correct Plan of Salvation. Matthew, John, and the other Apostles were all present on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost was given..Acts 2. They were all witnesses to Peter's marvelous sermon as he opened the Door of Salvation..He alone could do this, as Jesus had given him the "keys". Matt. 16:19 None of the other apostles disputed this plan or authority, as they understood the identity of Jesus, ie...that He was, and is, The Mighty God manifested in the flesh. They realized that He alone was the embodiment of the Holy Spirit, which He called His Father. Therefore, there was no argument when Peter, standing up with the other eleven, demanded that water baptism be administered in the Name of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38. Peter also opened the same Door of salvation to the Gentitles in Acts 10. The City of Samaria received the Plan of Salvation as being baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus and Apostle Paul re-baptized the disciples of John the Baptist in that wonderful Name of Jesus Acts 19.
THE CONCLUSION
The Gospels point to the Way of Salvation, and the Epistles confirm it. But, the Door of Salvation is founded in the Book of Acts. This is the 'Born-Again" Plan of Salvation, consisting of repentence, water baptism by immersion in the Name of Jesus Christ, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost as evidenced by the heavenly witness of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4:38). This plan has NEVER been changed since the Day of Pentecost. No man has the authority to change it, and dare not to; not even an angel from Heaven; Gal. 1:8. The Gates of Hell SHALL NOT prevail against it. This experience is imperative if you are to be saved and ready for the soon coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
**BIBLICAL PRAISE AND WORSHIP**
Are there biblical examples of how to praise and worship God?
This resource is from the following website: http://www.allaboutprayer.org/how-to-praise-and-worship-god-faq.htm
**For us to know how to praise and worship God, we must first understand what it means to praise and worship. When we worship, we are expressing our reverent love and devotion to God. Worship is the act of doing something like reading the Bible, praying, or singing. However, worship is not limited to only to these things. When we praise, we are expressing our admiration for God; we are lifting Him up in exaltation. Praise is the act of celebrating or boasting about the Lord. Praise can be done through song, poems, or confessing the goodness of God to others. We should be giving God our praise and worship through our daily lives. We can do this at home, in our work place, on the bus - wherever we are! Praise and worship is a way of life, the very heartbeat of our relationship with God.
**We see how to praise and worship God in the Scriptures of the Bible:
The Bible tells us that we are to use musical instruments and singing. Psalm 98:4-6 says, "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn - shout for joy before the LORD, the King." Psalm 150:3-5 says, "Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals."
We are to offer up praise and worship with shouts of joy and clapping of hands. Psalm 47:1-2 says, "Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!"
We are to praise and worship in the assembly and by ourselves. 2 Chronicles 29:28 says, "The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the singers sang and the trumpeters played.." Psalm 22:22 says, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you." 2 Samuel 12:20 says, "Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate."
Praising and worshiping God is done in many different positions and forms. Here are several biblical examples:
Sitting - Acts 2:1-2 says, "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting."
Kneeling - Psalms 95:6 says, "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker."
Standing - Exodus 33:10 says, "Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent."
Lying prostrate/bowing down - 1 Kings 18:39 says, "When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD - he is God! The LORD - he is God!" Nehemiah 8:6 says, "Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, 'Amen! Amen!' Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground."
Bowing head - 2 Chronicles 29:30 says, "King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed their heads and worshiped."
Lifting hands - Psalm 63:4 says, "I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands."
Dancing - Psalm 149:3 says, "Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp."
