Our Doctrine
“Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” — Jude 3
Biblical doctrine as taught and practiced by the Apostolic Faith Church
Our Doctrines
BELOW ARE SEVENTEEN KEY DOCTRINES THAT HAVE BEEN PILLARS OF OUR ORGANIZATION FOR OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS.
The Divine Trinity consists of three Persons: God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Ghost, perfectly united as one. (Matthew 3:16-17; 1 John 5:7)
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are separate and distinct Persons, possessing recognizable personalities and qualities, perfectly united in One. They are not to be thought of in any sense, as merely three names for one Person.The doctrine of the Trinity begins to develop in the first chapter of the Bible: “And God said, Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26). The plural forms “us” and “our” indicate that the Godhead consists of more than one individual. Almost invariably throughout the Bible, the Hebrew word translated as “God” is Elohim, and this is the plural form.With the coming of Jesus Christ to earth, mankind was able to observe the mysterious reality of the Triune God as never before. In Matthew 3:16-17, we read of the cooperation of the three Persons of the Godhead at the baptism of Jesus in what is perhaps the clearest picture of the Trinity presented in Scripture.Matthew 28:19-20; John 14:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14
Repentance is a godly sorrow for sin with a renunciation of sin. (Isaiah 55:7; Matthew 4:17)
Repentance is a deep, heartfelt sorrow for sin with a renunciation of sin. When one comes to the Lord to be saved, he is desperately in need of forgiveness for the sins he has committed. If these sins are not forgiven, they will take that person into a lost eternity. Knowing this moves a person to a feeling of dread and a desire to be completely forgiven, at any cost.The radical change which true salvation brings means that one cannot mix the old life with the new. If one is hanging on to the past, he is not ready for entrance into the Kingdom of God. Repentance is the sinner’s key to Heaven—the only way he can approach God and receive divine favor. But when one turns to God with all of his heart, true repentance brings the abundant joy and peace of salvation into the life.2 Chronicles 7:14; Isaiah 55:7; Matthew 4:17; Luke 13:2-3; Acts 3:19; 2 Corinthians 7:10
Salvation is the act of God’s grace whereby we receive forgiveness for sins and stand before God as though we had never sinned. (Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17)
Salvation is the act of God’s grace by which we receive remission of sins and stand before God as though we had never sinned. This experience is necessary to inherit eternal life in Heaven. In order to receive it, we must repent (have godly sorrow for the sins we have committed) and turn away from all sin. Then by faith we must reach out to God for mercy and forgiveness, and claim His promise of pardon.When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden, the entire human family became sinful in nature. From that day on, every person born on earth is a sinner by birth and needs to repent of the sins he or she has committed. The penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23), but God provided the plan so that we can be saved. Jesus, God’s Son, died in man’s place that we might have forgiveness for sins through His Blood (Colossians 1:14).Man is a free agent, even though sinful in nature. By exercising that free will, we can reach out to God and be saved from sin by faith in God’s redemptive plan. We can have the assurance that we are saved (also referred to as being born again). When the work of salvation has been done in the heart, God’s Spirit witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16).John 1:1-13; 3:3; Acts 2:21; 10:43; 13:38-39; Romans 3:25-26; 5:1; Galatians 3:11,24
Sanctification or Holiness, the act of God’s grace whereby we are made holy, is the second definite work and is subsequent to salvation. (John 17:15-21; Hebrews 13:12)
The word sanctify means “to make holy, purify, consecrate, dedicate, cleanse, and separate.” In order to be sanctified, the born-again Christian must consecrate, dedicate, and separate himself to God and His will. Then God will do His part by purifying the heart and making it holy.After being sanctified, the Christian has a heart that is perfect toward God, though he is still subject to the limitations due to his humanity and thus not immune to the possibility of errors in judgment or imperfections due to human frailty. Spiritual growth occurs as the sanctified person continues to apply God’s Word to his heart, and strives to walk daily in God’s will.Luke 1:74-75; John 17:15-17; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:25-27; Hebrews 2:11; 12:14; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:16; 1 John 1:7
The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is the enduement of power from on high upon the clean, sanctified life, and is evidenced by speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5-8; 2:1-4)
The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the experience of the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, coming into a person’s life to give power for God’s service. In order to be filled with the Holy Ghost, a person must first be born again through the experience of salvation. A second step, sanctification, occurs when the saved person goes deeper in consecration and God purges the heart from the inward nature of sin. Then, the heart is ready for the gift of the Holy Spirit.When one receives the gift of the Holy Ghost, He comes to live in the sanctified heart. When this infilling occurs, it is accompanied by the same sign as the disciples had on the Day of Pentecost—the speaking with “other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). The “other tongues” are a previously unlearned, recognizable language.Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Luke 24:49; John 7:38-39; Acts 1:5-8; 2:4; 10:45-46; 19:6
Divine Healing of sickness is provided through the atonement. (James 5:14-16; 1 Peter 2:24)
The healing of sickness and disease is provided in the Atonement. Disease, pain, and death entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned. However, with the curse that followed sin, God gave a promise of deliverance. Isaiah said, “With his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5), looking ahead to the day when this promise would be fulfilled in Jesus’ death on the Cross. With His Blood, Jesus provided not only for salvation and spiritual healing, but also for physical healing. See Matthew 8:16-17.When Jesus lived on earth, multitudes came to Him and were healed of all kinds of diseases and afflictions. In Hebrews 13:8 we read that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His healing power is never exhausted. As Creator of the human body, He is well able to mend and restore it. No form of illness or disease exists that He cannot heal, provided it is His will to do so and we have faith to believe.Exodus 15:26; Matthew 8:16; Mark 16:18; James 5:14-16; 1 Peter 2:24
The Second Coming of Jesus will be just as literal and visible as His going away. Acts 1:9-11. There will be two appearances under one coming: First, to catch away His waiting Bride. Matthew 24:40-44; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. Second, to execute judgment upon the ungodly. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Jude 14-15)
The second coming of Jesus will be as literal as was His going away. See John 14:3; Acts 1:9-11. The general term, the “second coming of Christ,” encompasses two separate events.First is the Rapture of the Church, when Jesus comes to catch away His waiting Bride. The word rapture means, “being carried away in body or spirit,” and this is literally what will happen. This will be experienced only by those who are part of the Bride of Christ (Revelation 19:6-9). Scripture is very plain concerning the fact that no man knows the day nor the hour of the Rapture. It will be an instantaneous happening, and numerous warnings are given in Scripture concerning the dangers of neglecting to prepare for this event.The second part is the Revelation of Christ, when He returns with His saints to execute judgment upon the ungodly and to set up His millennial kingdom on earth.Matthew 24:40-44; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Zechariah 14:3-4; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Jude 14-15
The Great Tribulation will occur between Christ’s coming for His Bride and His return in judgment. (Isaiah 26:20-21; Revelation 9 and 16)
The Great Tribulation is a short interval of time immediately preceding the Revelation of Christ and the beginning of the Millennial Reign of Christ on earth. Its total length is thought to be no longer than seven years (Daniel 9:27). At or near its beginning, the Rapture of the Church will take place. At its ending, the Revelation of Christ will occur, which is when Jesus returns to earth with ten thousands of His saints. The period of time between the Rapture and the Revelation, The Great Tribulation, is also called the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7) because the Jews will suffer in a greater measure than ever before. The severity of their suffering will cause them to cry out for their Messiah to come and deliver them. See Zechariah 13:9.The dominant figure of the Tribulation will be the Antichrist, a personal being with supernatural, satanic powers, who will take his seat at Jerusalem. All who dwell upon the earth whose names are not written in the Book of Life will worship him (Revelation 13:8).Great plagues will be sent upon the earth during this terrible time. These will include wars, civil uprisings, riots, famine, death, pestilences, rending of the universe, earthquakes, and geographical upheavals. The wrath of God will be poured out upon this earth in a time of fear and terror, and of darkness and torment beyond description. During this time, a huge portion of the earth’s population will be destroyed.Revelation 6:1-17; 8:6-13; 9:1-21; 16:1-21
Christ’s Millennial Reign is the literal 1000 years of peaceful reign by Jesus on earth. (Isaiah 11 and 35)
The thousand-year literal reign of Jesus on earth will be ushered in by the Revelation of Christ—the coming of Jesus back to earth with ten thousands of His saints at the close of the Great Tribulation. At this time, He will judge the nations that dwell upon the face of the earth and Satan will be bound. It will be a reign of peace and blessing. The curse, which fell when Adam and Eve transgressed the command of God, will be lifted from all creation and the world will enjoy Christ’s righteous government. The saints of God who will return with Jesus from Heaven after the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will rule and reign with Him on earth.The Millennial Reign will close with the final Judgment from the Great White Throne.Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:6-9; 65:25; Hosea 2:18; Zechariah 14:9-20; 1 Corinthians 6:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Jude 14-15; Revelation 3:21; 20:2-3
The Great White Throne Judgment is the final judgment when all the wicked dead will stand before God. (Revelation 20:11-15)
The Great White Throne Judgment, which occurs at the end of Christ’s Millennial Reign, God will assemble the wicked living and the wicked dead (the righteous dead came forth at the First Resurrection) to stand before Him. Though these may have been dead for thousands of years and their physical bodies long since returned to dust and ashes, the Almighty God will gather the fragments once again into a body. Then that person will stand on his feet before the Judge who sits upon the Great White Throne. God will pronounce final judgment on the living and the dead according to their works done during their life on earth. Since none of their names are found in the Book of Life, they will be cast into the lake of fire. Daniel 12:2; Acts 10:42; Revelation 20:11-15
