Fundamental Truths

1. HOLY BIBLE – THE WORD OF GOD

The Holy Bible is our infallible and all-sufficient guide for faith and practice. The Scriptures both the 39 canonical books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament are the only written work inspired of God and proclaims God’s virtues, His Will and His eternal plan for man. (2 Tim. 3:15-17, 1 Thess. 2:13, 2 Pet. 1:21)

2. THE ONE TRUE GOD – TRINITY

We believe in one God the Father, Almighty and Omniscient, without beginning, eternal Creator of all things both visible and invisible. God is a Spirit. (John 4:24, Acts 17:24-25, 1 Cor 8:6)

We believe in one Lord, Almighty, without beginning, eternal, the Word of God, the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested unto us, true God, Father of the age to come, the wisdom of God. All things were created by Him and by Him all things consist. (Col. 1:16-17, 1 Cor. 8:6, 1 John 1:2, 5:20)

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of glory, the Paraclete, true God and Lord, Who searches everything, even the deep things of God the Father. (Job 33:4, John 14:16-17, 16:7-14, Rom. 8:9, 1 Cor. 2:10, 12:11). We do not believe in three Gods or three Lords, but in one Triune God, Who acts everything and always through His Word in Holy Spirit. The Father is not the Word (Logos), nor the Word is the Holy Spirit, but each one person in the Godhead acts in perfect unity and harmony, because “God is love.”

3. THE DEITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

God through His word in Holy Spirit became man. Without controversy this is a great mystery. (John 1:14, 1Tim. 3:16). When our Lord Jesus Christ was born in this world had God as Father because He is the only begotten Son of God. (Ps. 2:7, John 1:14, 18). The virgin Mary was the mother of Jesus Christ according to the flesh and so He became the Son of man. He is therefore, acknowledged to be both God and man; Who because is God and man is “Immanuel” God with us (Matt. 1:23, 1John 4:2, 10, 14, Rev. 1:13, 17). The Lord Jesus Christ as Son of man was made a little lower than the angels (Heb.2:7, 9) and proclaimed that “My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28). The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He lived a sinless life on earth (Heb. 7:26, 1 Pet. 2:22) performed miracles (Acts 2:22, 10:38), He offered Himself on the cross as a substitute for us and died (1Cor. 15:3, 2 Cor. 5:21), on the third day He rose again bodily from the dead (Matt. 28:6, Luke 24:39, 1 Cor. 15:4), He was exalted by the right hand of God (Acts 1:9,11, 2:33, Phil. 2:9, Heb. 1:3) and He will come again with glory to receive His church unto Himself (John 14:3, 1 Thess. 4:13-17) and to judge the word in righteousness (Acts 10:42, 17:31, Phil. 2:10-11, Rev. 2:27, 20:12-13).

4. THE FALL OF MAN

Man is the crown of God’s work and the object of His love (John 3:16). Man was created in God’s image and likeness. (Gen. 1:26-28) However man by voluntary transgression to the Word of God fell in sin and suffered not only physical death but also spiritual death which is separation from God. (Gen. 2:17, 3:6, Rom. 5:12-19)

5. THE SALVATION OF MAN

God out of love offered man the only way of salvation (John 3:16 Acts 4:12) which is obtained through repentance toward God and faith toward the accomplished word of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 24:47, Acts 20:21, Rom. 10:13-15, Eph. 2:8). Then the wonderful miracle of the new birth takes place through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit and man becomes child of God, a new creature, an heir of God according to the hope of eternal life (John 1:12-13,3:3, 2 Cor. 5:17, Rom. 8:17, 1 Pet. 1:3-4,23), receives the inner assurance of salvation (Rom. 8:16, 1 John 5:10) and walks in a new life of true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:24, Titus 2:12).

6. BAPTISM IN WATER

As soon as man is born again he is to be baptized (immersion of the whole body) in water as the Lord commanded (Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:16 Acts 2:38, 8:37-38). Indispensable presupposition one to be baptized in the water, is to have believed in Jesus and to His Gospel and to have repented from sin (Mark 16:16 Acts 2:36-38). Therefore, baptism is being performed to men and women that are in a status to believe and to repent (Acts 8:38). Through baptism one is buried with Christ into death and declares to the world that one has died with Christ: “that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”(Rom. 6:4-5).

7. THE HOLY COMMUNION

Must be done precisely as our Lord Jesus Christ did (Luke 22:17-20) and delivered to the Apostles (1 Cor. 11:23-26), the wine and the bread become body and blood of Jesus spiritually, through the faith (1Cor. 11:27-29) . Is to be taken every Sunday (Acts 2:42, 20:7, 1Cor.11:20) by all those who have truly repented from their sins and have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior (1 Cor. 11:27-32). The eating of the unleavened bread and the drinking of the wine is the communion of the body and blood of Jesus Christ (Matt. 26:17,26-28 Mark 14:1,22-24 Luke 22:7,19-20 1Cor. 10:16). During the Lord’s Supper we remember again the unique sacrifice of Christ on the Cross for our salvation and we declare that we believe on His Second Coming. (Luke 22:19-20, 1Cor. 11:26,) The Lord’s Supper is a fellowship of love unity and forgiveness within the church (Matt. 5:23-24, John 13:14, 34, 1Cor. 10:17).

8. THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

Soon after the experience of the new birth the Christian should fervently seek and wait for the promise of the Father the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 24:49, John 7:37-39, Acts 1:4-5, 8, 2:38-39, 8:12-17) our Savior Jesus Christ Himself is the only able one to baptize a man “with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matt.3:11). With it the Christian receives power to work for the Lord and to lead a holy life (1Cor. 12:1-31, Acts 4:8, 2 Thess. 2:13, 1Pet. 1:22). The outward witness that one is baptized in the Holy Spirit is the speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance. (Acts 2:4, 10:44-46, 19:6,1 Cor. 14:22)

9. THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Soon after the baptism in the Holy Spirit the believers should ask for the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 12:31) in order to live a victorious charismatic life. There are nine gifts (1 Cor. 12:7-11) and the Spirit divides them to the believers as He will. It is done from the repentant sinner in front of all people (Mark 1:5.Acts 19:18) or privately (James 5:16) for to receive forgiveness from the only one Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ (Acts 14:12,1 John 1:9)

10. DIVINE HEALING AND ANOINTING WITH OIL

In the Holy Bible we learn that there are three ways through which the believer can obtain divine healing: a) Through the personal faith of the believer. (Luke 8:47-48, Mark 9:23). b) Through the gifts of healing which the Lord has trusted to a brother (Acts 3:6-7, 5:15-16, 1Cor. 12:9, 28). c) Through the prayer of the elders of the church after they have anointed the sick believer with oil in the name of the Lord, For the believer must has confessed his/her faults (James 5:14-16, Mark 6:13,). Divine healing is part of the Gospel, a privilege of all the believers and is provided by the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross “and by His stripes we are healed.” (Is. 53:4-5).

11. CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE WORK OF THE LORD

Each member of the church contributes to the needs of the church free-willingly, “for God loveth a cheerful giver” (1 Cor. 16:1-2, 2 Cor. 9:6-7). Contributions are collected each Sunday. (1 Cor. 16:1-2). The church does not claim tithes, which is a practice belonging to the Old Testament (Lev. 27:30-32), but every believer is encouraged to offer voluntarily to the necessity of the saints and the needs of the work of the Lord (Acts 4:33-35, Rom. 12:13, 2Cor. 8:12-14)

12. MARRIAGE

Marriage is a holy institution which God laid down in the garden of Eden and our Lord Jesus Christ personally blessed and must be honored according to the Gospel (Gen 2:24, Matt. 19:5-6, John 2:1-11, Heb. 13:4). Divorce is disastrous for the individual, the family, the society and harmful to the work of God. The Word of God does not permit the divorce for any cause, except for fornication or adultery, and even in this case commands the divorced not to marry again as long as his/her spouse is still alive. (Matt. 5:31-32, 19:8-9, Rom. 7:2-3, 1Cor. 7:10-11, 39). Only the death can separate the married couple and only then the alive one can be married again (1 Cor. 7:39). For this reason the Free Apostolic Church of Pentecost does not issue divorce paper.

13. SANCTIFICATION AND THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Sanctification is an act of separation from every kind of sin and dedication unto God, a life of “holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” The Word of God teaches and admonishes us to live a blameless life in this present world, which can only be obtained through complete obedience to the Word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 6:22, 2 Cor 7:1, 1 Pet. 1:15-16,22, Heb. 12:14, 1 Thess. 5:23, 2 Thess. 2:13). Together with the sanctification the fruit of the Holy Spirit must be evident in one’s life, a testimony that Christ is living within the believer (Gal. 5:22, Eph. 5:9)

14. MODESTY AND THE ROLE OF WOMAN IN THE CHURCH

Regarding the salvation of the soul “there is neither male nor female,” since all need to repent and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior (Gal. 3:28). Within each family though, the Word of God defines the relationship between the husband and the wife, reflecting the relationship of the Lord and His Church (1 Cor. 11:3, Eph. 5:22-23, 1 Pet. 3:1) which is the cornerstone of the blessed and harmonious Christian family life. Within the Church, which is a large spiritual family, the role of each one is even more precisely defined, so that order and not confusion may prevail.

According to the Word of God: a) A woman may bring to other persons a message given to her by God or by the pastor of the church. Mary Magdalene receives the message from the Lord: “..but go to My brethren and say unto them…” And so she did. This does not mean that Mary Magdalene, and the rest of the holy women, became teachers or preachers or apostles. (John 20:17-18). b) The women (like all the believers) have to witness to the people what the Lord has done in their lives. (John 4:29). c) A woman may serve as deacon in the church, looking after the material needs of the church and the poor (Rom. 16:1-2). d) The women should cooperate and labor with the workers of the Gospel, like Euodias and Syntyche did. (Phil. 4:2-3). e) The aged women should admonish the younger ones (Titus 2:3-5). f) The women should have their head covered when they pray or prophesy. (1Cor. 11:5-6).

According to the Word of God the women should not: a) Teach in the church.” But I suffer not a woman to teach…” (1Tim2:12). b) Exercise authority over the man. “..But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man…” (1Tim 2:12, Eph.5:24). c) Speak in the church “as in all the churches of the saints, let your woman keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak.” (1 Cor. 14:34-35).

The Word of God describes also how the Christian woman should be dressed, “with modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing: but with good works” (1Pet. 3:1-5, 1Tim. 2:9-10, 1, Is. 3:16-24). Of course the same is also expected from the Christian men as well. “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man , nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the LORD your God” (Deut. 22:5) “if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him. But if a woman has a long hair, it is a glory to her;” (1Cor.11:14-15).

15. THE CHURCH

The Church of Christ is the summation of all the believers who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. It is the bride of Christ which He obtained on the cross and is also His body, Himself being the head of it. It is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth, the habitation of God through the Spirit, the general assembly and Church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven. The Church is one invisible (because only the Lord knows His own) and Universal, being comprised of all the living and the sleeping in the Lord, born again, redeemed with the blood of Christ and sanctified through the Holy Spirit, believers. Only the Lord can add new souls to His Church. (Rev. 19:7, 21:9 1 Tim. 3:15, Eph. 1:22-23, 5:23, 1 Cor. 1:2, Heb. 12:22-24, Acts 2:47)

16. THE MINISTRY – SERVANTS IN THE CHURCH

The Lord provides His Church with “apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, (only men not women) for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11-13) Each individual church is ministered by the pastor and the elders, which are also called bishops. (Acts 20:17, 28, Titus 1:5, 7). The pastor and the elders must be married, to have good families with faithful children, and to have all the qualifications described in the Word of God. (1 Tim. 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9). They look after the spiritual needs of the church and give themselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:2-4). The pastor of the church, like the rest of the ministries (apostles, prophets, evangelists and teachers) is appointed directly by the Lord and is for life, whereas the elders are chosen by the pastor to be his coworkers (Eph. 4:11-13, Titus 1:5-9). In the church also serve the deacons (both male and female) looking mainly after the material needs of the church and after the needs of the poor. The deacons are to have the same qualifications as the elders and are chosen directly from the body of the church. (1 Tim. 3:8-13, Rom. 16:1, Acts 6:2-6).In the Holy Bible there are not mentioned and there is not any provision for archbishops or any rank of reverends or any other ministry.

17. THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH – THE BLESSED HOPE

On a day and hour known only to the Father (Matt.24:36, Mark 13:32) the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven to catch His bride up. Those who have fallen asleep in Christ shall rise first incorruptible, then we who are alive and remain shall be changed and caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we shall be for ever with the Lord. This is the imminent and blessed hope of the Church. (1 Thess. 4:15-17, Rom.8:11, 23, 1 Cor. 15:51-54 Titus 2:13)

18. THE GREAT TRIBULATION

Soon after the rapture of the Church the antichrist, the man of sin, the son of perdition, shall be revealed to reign over the earth for seven years. He will cause all people to receive the charagma (engraving in the skin the bar code system of 666) in their right hands or in their foreheads and to worship the image of the beast. The people of Israel and all they who will believe during the seven years of antichrist will be persecuted by the beast and many will be killed. (Dan. 9:27, 12:1, Is. 26:20-21, Matt. 24:21, 2 Thess. 2:3-12, Rev. 13:1-18)

19. THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD ON THE EARTH

The Holy Bible testifies that the Lord Jesus Christ after the rapture of the church and the seven years of antichrist will pass, visible by all the people on earth, will come in the glorious body of Resurrection, followed by all His saints to reign on earth with righteousness. The beast and the false prophet will be cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone and the Devil will be bound in the bottomless pit for one thousand years. (Zech. 14:3-4, 9, Acts 1:10-1, Rev. 19:11-2, 20:4-6)

20. THE FINAL JUDGMENT

The Word of God testifies that there will be a final judgment in which the Lord will appear sat on a white throne, from whose face the earth and the heaven will flee away. Then all dead will stand before the throne, and books will open, and the sea will give up the dead who are in it, and Death and Hades will deliver up the dead who are in them to be judged according to their works. The Death and Hades will be cast into the lake of the fire, and whosoever will not be found written in the book of life of the Lamp will be thrown into the lake of fire burning with brimstone, together with the Devil and his angels. This is the second death. (Matt. 25:46, Mark 9:43-48, Rev.19:20, 20:11-15, 21:8)

21. THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH

“..we according to His promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness” (Is. 65:17,66:22, 2 Peter 3:13, Rev. 21:1)