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The Doctrines of the Church of God in Christ
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.
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 11:33;6:8).
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)
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 16:13; Acts 1:8, 8:39).
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.
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.
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)
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).
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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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