JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY & TODAY & FOREVER.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE APOSTOLIC DOCTINE

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING APOSTOLIC DOCTRINE

WHAT IS MEANT BY "APOSTOLIC DOCTRINE"?
. Apostolic means like the Apostles. Thus, our doctrine or church teaching is, to the best of our understanding, the same as taught by the Apostles.

WHAT IS THE PLAN OF SALVATION ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE?
The plan of salvation is to be born again.Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." How does a person become "born again"? One must obey the plan of salvation found in Acts 2:38, "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." This is the "new-birth" experience that Jesus spoke of in John chapter 3. He told Nicodemus that unless one is born of the water (baptism) and of the spirit (receive the Holy Ghost), he cannot see, nor enter into the kingdom of God

WASN'T THE HOLY GHOST ONLY FOR THE APOSTLES?
No! Acts 2:39 says, "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." There were 120 in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:15) that received the Holy Ghost, and later that day, 3000 more souls were added to the Church (Acts 2:41). Saul of Tarsus (Paul) received the Holy Ghost in Acts Chapter 9; Cornelius' household (which were Gentiles) received the Holy Ghost in Acts Chapter 10; the disciples of John the Baptist received the Holy Ghost in Acts Chapter 19, and believers are still receiving the Holy Ghost in this day and time. The scripture I Corinthians 13:8 - 10 is often used to prove that the Holy Ghost isn't for people today. This passage proclaims that "charity never faileth, but that prophecies, tongues, and knowledge shall cease - when that which is perfect is come". We all know that knowledge has not ceased. It increases daily! The word "perfect" in the Greek is teleios which means completeness. Taken in context, if we know that knowledge has not ceased, how can we say that prophecies and tongues have ceased? There are still many prophecies that have not been fulfilled. This scripture is teaching us that when this age is complete, and the Lord comes back, we will have no need of prophecies, tongues, or knowledge. These things shall not cease until that time.

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WHY DO THE PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES BAPTIZE IN THE NAME OF JESUS WHILE MOST OTHER DENOMINATIONS BAPTIZE USING THE TITLES "FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST"?


. Acts 10:48 says, "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." Acts 2:38 says, "be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ". Every instance in the Bible where someone was baptized after the Day of Pentecost, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. The Pentecostal Church follows the Biblical example that the Apostles laid down for us. In Acts 19, the disciples of John were rebaptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. For information regarding other denominational use of the titles in baptism, see the following references:

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. BRITANNICA ENCYCLOPEDIA, 11th Edition, Volume 3, pp. 365 - 366: The baptismal formula was changed from the name of Jesus Christ to the words Father, Son, and Holy Ghost by the Catholic Church in the Second Century.


. BRITANNICA ENCYCLOPEDIA, Volume 3, page 82: Everywhere in the oldest sources it states that baptism took place in the name of Jesus Christ.
CANNEY ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION, Page 53: The Early Church always baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus until development of Trinity Doctrine in the Second Century.

HASTINGS' ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION, Vol. 2, Pg. 377: Christian baptism was administered using the words, "In the Name of Jesus."

Vol. 2, pg. 378: The use of a Trinitarian Formula of any sort was not suggested in early church history.

Vol. 2, pg. 389: Baptism was always in the name of the Lord Jesus until the time of Justin Martyr when Triune Formula was used.

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