WHAT DOES THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH TEACH?
THE GODHEAD
Apostolic theology differs from that of other Pentecostals in that while we accept the full deity of Jesus Christ we do not believe in the Catholic model of a triune Godhead that arose in the 4th and 5th century A.D. of three distinct co-equal, co-powerful, and co-eternal persons, but rather believe that all the fullness of God resides in Jesus as described in (Colossians 2:9, Deut 6:4, and Isaiah 9:6; John 10:30; John 14:5-15) and that father, son, holy spirit are titles used to describe God's relation to us - not a declaration of a triune cosmic being.
God relates himself to humanity as our Father within creation, he manifests himself in human form as the Son by virtue of his incarnation as Jesus Christ 1 Timothy 3:16, and he is the Holy Spirit (John 4:24) by way of his activity in the life of the believer. We do not ascribe to the use of the unbiblical terms "persons", "personas" or "trinity", or "triune", rather like our Jewish forbears we affirm that the Bible emphasizes continually that God is One (Deut 6:4), that Jesus Christ is express image of his person (singular)(Hebrews 1:3) and the the Holy Spirit is the power of the risen Christ come to indwell the believer. (John 14:8-21 and John 17:17-24)
THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS
As Apostolic believers, we hold that the fulfillment of what Jesus told Nicodemus about how he must born again of water and of spirit to see the Kingdom of God(John 3:3-5), is what John the Baptist was referring to in Matthew 3:11
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:"
"For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."
This was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:4 when they were baptized in the Spirit just as John and Jesus said would happen.
And then Peter, to whom Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom of heaven, reaffirms this in the first sermon ever preached Acts 2:37-41
"Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost"
Every subsequent time we see a major conversion we see water and spirit working together
Acts 8, Acts 10, Acts 19.
This is what the Bible refers to as the "doctrine of baptisms" (Heb 6:2). Note the word "doctrine" is singular as in "one teaching" and "baptisms" is plural signifying more than one sort of baptism.
1 John 5:7-9 (NIV) explains how the Spirit & Water work together with the Blood of Jesus Christ as a testimony before God.
"This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that testify: 8the a Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement."
WATER BAPTISM
Because all of the recorded instances of Christian baptism in the New Testament were performed, and referred to as using only the name of the Lord Jesus (Christ), we practice water baptism of a repentant believer by invoking the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:37-39), rather than using the trinitarian formula or using sprinkling methods created by the Catholic Church and other denominational Christian churches. Why? Because...
In Colossians 3:17, Paul instructs us:
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
Water Baptism is no exception to this principle. Jesus is the only name given to mankind to call upon which holds the power of salvation.
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
MATTHEW 28:19
When baptizing someone we do not quote Matthew 28:19 as is the Catholic and trinitarian practice by saying "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" for more than a few reasons.
- The Apostles did not use the tripartite formula because they understood grammar. The word "name" is singular and the list that follows is a series, each prepositional clause referring back to the direct object of "name". Read correctly for grammar, Jesus is illustrating that there is ONE name of the father, of the son and of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles understood that the name was the one speaking to them - Jesus! The acts of the apostles confirms this understanding because this is how they baptized, Peter stating explicitly that we should be "baptized in the name (singular) of Jesus Christ". They did not disobey Jesus. Those who use the formula are repeating the words, not fulfilling them.
- The phrase has been used for centuries to replace the glorious NAME of Jesus Christ. Recently the Catholic church has defrocked a priest and negated 20 years of his formulaic baptisms because he said "We baptise you..." vs. "I baptise you...". While this seems to be much ado about nothing, baptism is a binding covenant between the believer and our Lord. Removing his name negates the entire purpose of the rite.
- Concerning the name of Jesus, Isaiah 9:6 gives us some further insight into the confusion about Jesus' name.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
Note that the name of the son shall be called "Wonderful, Counsellor" - titles typically attributed to the Holy Spirit; and the Mighty God, The Everlasting Father - titles reserved for what we call "the father", and "prince of peace" - a title reserved for Jesus as the son of a king. The name of the son, is the name of the ONE God who is known by other titles according to his manifestation. This shows how Jesus is God's name, regardless of what role he assumes. - Appealing to simple logic: I am a father of four sons. I am a son to my father, I was a husband when I was married, and in professional activity I am a businessman, I am also a hobby musician. If I were to write you a check for $1000 and not sign it, the following exchange might ensue:
Banker: "I'm sorry sir, I cannot cash this. It's not signed. In whose name is the check written?"
Joe: "Simple! This check is made by the father, the son, the businessman, the husband, and the hobby musician of course. You know him, he comes in here all the time."
Banker: "So five persons then? I will need them each to sign their names for the withdrawal"
Joe: "No, no. Just ONE person. The same person is a father, a son, a businessman, a husband, and a musician"
Water Baptism is done, typically by a church leader but not always, by full immersion of the candidate in water. We do not use sprinkling, or anointing because the bible teaches that we are to be "buried with him in baptism" and our examples are of those going "down into the water" (Acts 8:38) Through baptism the believer identifies with Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection by enacting the similitude of passing beneath and the rising out of the water. (Col 2:10-15, Romans 6.) At the same time, the church confirms the application of the remission of his or her sins due to the pledge of a clean conscience toward Christ. (Acts 2:38, John 20:23, 1 Peter 3:21)
By this practice, we quite intentionally set ourselves apart from other church movements to follow more closely the prescriptions of Jesus and His apostles as written. This is why we choose to use the term "Apostolic", evoking Acts 2:42 which says of the very first converts to Christ on the day of Pentecost that: "...they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." This is the primary goal of the Apostolic Pentecostal Christian - to follow as closely as possible to the teachings of Jesus and of his direct followers whom he chose to found his church.
SPIRIT BAPTISM
Apostolic Pentecostals share doctrinal beliefs with many other pentecostal traditions who teach the essentiality of this experience for the believer and that the initial manifestation that someone has been filled with the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is that they begin to speak in tongues. This is an almost uniform experience that aligns with Acts 2, 8, 10, 19, was predicted by Jesus and John the Baptist, in the Gospels, by OT prophets, and then later expounded upon in the Epistles.
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
If God wills, the Spirit Filled Christian is then often empowered go on in their spiritual life to operate, in any of the various spiritual gifts referenced in 1 Corinthians 14 such as speaking in tongues, prophesy, working of miracles, etc. Most all who abide in their faith will retain the ability to pray and worship in tongues after their initial experience. Jesus told his disciples to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit adding that they would be "endued with power (dynamos) from on high" (Luke 24:49). This teaching is not uniquely Apostolic, as it is shared among most pentecostals at large with some variance, say with the various Charismatic movements, on the administration and operation of the gifts. Pentecostal services tend to be more orderly than the Charismatic which may be quite unstructured.
SALVATION
On the day of Pentecost, when those gathered believed Peter about Jesus Christ, they were pricked in their heart and asked him and his brothers what they should do next. Peter responded by saying:
"Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost"
3000 people joined them that day following these instructions. All subsequent conversions recorded in the New Testament follow the same pattern.
Therefore, in these ways the message of the Apostolic church is to declare the same directions today that Peter gave the church on the day of its birth.
In this way, Apostolic Christianity can be said to be the most primitive and oldest form of Christianity as its doctrine comes directly from the Bible and with no additional doctrinal "isms" or sectarian teachings that alter what was designed by Jesus and His Apostles.
So what requirements are there to being baptized?
Only that you must believe with all your heart that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died for your sins, and was resurrected to offer the promise of eternal life through faith in His name. (Acts 8:37)
The Bible teaches that is by our faith in God's grace that we will be saved. "Grace" means "unmerited favor". Therefore it is not by our deeds but in our undeservedly receiving God's favor for accepting Jesus and turning away from our sin that saves.
He that believes and is baptized shall be saved, he that believes not stands condemned (Mark 16)
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HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE CONSIDERED APOSTOLIC COMPARED TO OTHER GROUPS?
- 2,200,000,000 - Worldwide Christians
- 1,300,000,000 - Worldwide Catholics
- 900,000,000 - Worldwide Protestants
- 644,000,000 - Worldwide Pentecostals (The World Christian Encyclopedia, 3rd edition (2020)
- 500,000,000 - Have had a Pentecostal Experience
- 300,000,000 - Worldwide Orthodox
- 110,000,000 - Worldwide Reformed
- 110,000,000 - Worldwide Anglican
- 100,000,000 - Worldwide Baptist
- 70,000,0000 - 90,000,000 Worldwide Lutheran
- 68,000,000 - USA Pentecostals
- 60,000,000 - 80,000,000 Worldwide Reformed Calvinist
- 60,000,000 - 80,000,000 Worldwide Methodist
- 35,000,000 - 50,000,000 - Worldwide Apostolic Pentecostals
- 22,300,000 - Worldwide Adventism
- 16,500,000 - Worldwide Mormons