What We Believe
Click this link for a complete copy, including
Scripture references, of the Assemblies of God
Statement of Fundamental Truths.
1. The Scriptures Inspired
The Scriptures, both
the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the
revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and
conduct.
2. The One True God
The one true God has
revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent "I AM," the Creator of
heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed
Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as
Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
3. The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus
Christ is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare:
His virgin birth,
His sinless life, His miracles, His substitutionary work on the cross, His
bodily resurrection from the dead, His exaltation to the right hand of
God.
4. The Fall of Man
Man was created good
and upright; for God said, "Let us make man in our own image, after our
likeness." However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby
incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is
separation from God.
5. The Salvation of Man
Man's only hope of
redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
6. The Ordinances of
the Church
·
Baptism in Water
The ordinance of
baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and
believe on Christ as Saviour and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they
declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also
have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life.
·
Holy
Communion
The Lord's Supper,
consisting of the elements --bread and the fruit of the vine-- is the
symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ,
a memorial of his suffering and death, and a prophecy of His second
coming, and is enjoined on all believers "till He come!"
7. The Baptism in
the Holy Ghost
All believers are
entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of
the Father, the baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire, according to the
command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in
the early Christian Church. With it comes the endowment of power for life
and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the
ministry. This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the
experience of the new birth.
8. The Initial
Physical Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Ghost
The baptism of
believers in the Holy Ghost is witnessed by the initial physical sign of
speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance. The
speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of
tongues, but is different in purpose and use.
9. Sanctification
Sanctification is an
act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God. The
Scriptures teach a life of "holiness without which no man shall see the
Lord." By the power of the Holy Ghost we are able to obey the command: "Be
ye holy, for I am holy."
Sanctification is
realized in the believer by recognizing his identification with Christ in
His death and resurrection, and by the faith reckoning daily upon the fact
of that union, and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion
of the Holy Spirit.
10. The Church and
its Mission
The Church is the
Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine
appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer,
born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the General Assembly and Church
of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven.
Since God's purpose
concerning man is to seek and to save that which is lost, to be worshipped
by man, and to build a body of believers in the image of His Son, the
priority reason for being of the Assemblies of God as part of the Church
is:
·
To be
an agency of God for evangelizing the world.
·
To be
a corporate body in which man may worship God.
·
To be
a channel of God's purpose to build a body of saints being perfected in
the image of His Son.
The Assemblies of
God exists expressly to give continuing emphasis to this reason for being
in the New Testament apostolic pattern by teaching and encouraging
believers to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. This experience:
·
Enables them to evangelize in the power of the Spirit with accompanying
supernatural signs.
·
Adds a
necessary dimension to worshipful relationship with God.
·
Enables them to respond to the full working of the Holy Spirit in
expression of fruit and gifts and ministries as in New Testament times for
the edifying of the body of Christ.
11. The Ministry
A divinely called
and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for the
threefold purpose of leading the Church in: Evangelization of the world,
worship of God, and building a body of saints being perfected in the image
of His Son.
12. Divine Healing
Divine healing is an
integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in
the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers.
13. The Blessed Hope
The resurrection of
those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together with
those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent
and blessed hope of the church.
14. The Millennial
Reign of Christ
The second coming of
Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope,
followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth
for one thousand years. This millennial reign will bring the salvation of
national Israel,
and the
establishment of universal peace.
15. The Final
Judgment
There will be a
final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged
according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of
Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false
prophet, will be consigned to the everlasting punishment in the lake which
burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
16. The New Heavens and the New Earth
"We, according to
His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth
righteousness."
