We believe in the divine nature of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, Who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin, Mary. Christ was both fully man and fully God. He walked our earth, suffered at the hands of men, was crucified, died, and was buried as a sacrifice for the sins and death of all men and women everywhere. The purpose was to restore our relationship to God, which was broken by sin (disobedience to God). (Luke 1:27; John 3:16; Romans 5:10; Ephesians 5:2) Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven in full victory over sin, death, and the devil (Satan). He now is seated at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, interceding for the Body of Christ (believers in Christ, the Church) to God, the Father. (Matthew 26:5-9; Luke 24:4-7; Hebrews 7:25).

We believe in the Holy Spirit as the person of the Holy Trinity Who lives within us, the believers, giving us the power to live a holy life, and guiding us into all truth. (John 16; Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6).

We believe that the 66 books of the Old and New Testament combined, constitute the Holy Bible. We believe that no books should be added to it, or deleted from it to change its constitution. The Holy Bible is the inspired, inerrant (without error or failure of basic contents and meaning in the original manuscripts). The Holy Bible contains all the necessary truth to lead men and women into salvation. (Psalm 19:7; John 17:17; Romans 15:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 2:20-21).

We believe that mankind was created by God in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:27), but because of Adam and Eve’s sin (disobedience to God), man inherited a corrupt nature that makes him a slave to sin. (Genesis 3:6; Genesis 6:5; Romans 5:12) Man is not capable of living a life without sin on his own (Proverbs 20:9; Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16). Because man is created in God’s image, we have a “God-likeness” which includes knowledge between right and wrong, the ability to choose which course of action we will take, and the responsibility for our actions and choices. (Joshua 24:15; 1 Kings 20:40; John 7:17).

We believe that Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God, was given by God as a sacrifice for the sins of all men. Christ died on the cross to mend the broken relationships which were caused by man’s sin. This severed relationship between God and man may be restored into perfect harmony through belief in Jesus Christ through faith, and not on the basis of our works. (Galatians 5:4-5; Ephesians 2:8-9). This belief and faith in Jesus Christ, recognizing Him as Savior and Lord, gives men and women the free gift of eternal life. (John 1:29; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 5:2; 1 Peter 1:19) After receiving salvation by faith through belief in Jesus Christ, the “born again” (John 3:3) believer may live free fro the judgment of God, by living a life according to the teaching of the scriptures and trusting the Holy Spirit for the power to live a holy life according to God’s Word. We believe that after we have experienced regeneration it is possible to fall back into sin, for in this life there is no such height or strength of holiness from which it is impossible to fall. It is also possible, however, through the power of God’s Holy Spirit, living within the believer, to live without falling back into sin. But, by the grace of God, one who has fallen back into sin, may, by confession and true repentance, find forgiveness and restoration of fellowship with God. (Matthew 18:21-22; 1 John 1:9; 1 John 2:1; 24-25).

We believe that even though men and women cannot receive salvation by good works, their good works are still pleasing to God, and they show the evidence of true faith in God, and Jesus Christ as Lord of the believer’s life. (Matthew 5:16; Matthew 7:16; Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16; James 2:18, 22).

We believe that sanctification is the work of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit, making the believer pure in heart and totally committed and dedicated to God. This work is both instantaneous and gradual (progressive). It begins when a person is saved and continues throughout life. It ends when we either die or see Christ at His Second Coming if that happens before we die. At this point, we will have been totally remade in the image of God as if sin had never occurred. In this process of sanctification there is a time when the believer is convicted of a “lukewarm” Christian life and looks to Christ with a total commitment and dedication to “Christ-like” living. This happens at different rates for different people. For some this happens soon after salvation, and for others, it can take a passage of considerable time. But for all believers, sanctification is the will of God (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Sanctification is the point in life when a believer renounces the desire to live for self and desires to live totally for the glory of god. Christ indeed becomes Lord of this person’s life. The believer is then empowered by the Holy Spirit, making him able to live a life of holiness. This does not mean perfection, but rather purity of heart, soul, and mind. (Deuteronomy 30:6; Luke 1:74-75; Acts 15:8-9; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 4:13, 24; 1 Thessalonians 4:3,7; James 4:8).

We believe that the Holy Spirit has given spiritual gifts to all believers for the purpose of building up the Body of Christ (the Church) and bringing glory to God. The gifts are to be exercised in love and emphasize the need for unity. (1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:11-16) The Church of God believers in the miraculous use of languages (tongues), and the interpretation of languages in its Biblical and historical setting. That is, languages were an evangelistic tool used for the purpose of spreading the Gospel. The languages were unknown to the speaker, but known by the hearers (Acts 2:8). It is contrary to the teaching of God’s Word, as understood by the Church of God, to teach that speaking in an unknown tongue, or gift of tongues, is the evidence of being filled by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24). The unity of the Body of Christ is of utmost importance, therefore, only a language readily used by the congregation is to be used in public worship, unless the obvious move of the Holy Spirit is upon the congregation in the speaking of tongues. This is only evident when there is an interpreter for what is being spoken in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:26-28).

We believe that those who have not accepted Christ as their personal Savior, and are unrepentant, will be judged by God in His perfect justice, and doomed to eternal punishment (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 2:16). We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ to receive His believers into heaven and eternal life. This is the eternal hope of all of God’s children (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; James 5:7-8; Revelation 22:12, 20). The time of His return is unknown, but it can happen at any moment. We do not believe that when Jesus Christ does return that He will set up a 1000 (millennium) literal reign on this earth, and reign here with those whom He has raptured out of the world. There will be no time for those who have rejected Christ to repent during a literal reign. We believe that the day of the Lord, coming as a thief in the night, will usher in the end of the world and the judgment (2 Peter 3; John 5:25-29). This brief synopsis of the Church of God doctrinal beliefs represents a small percentage of the Church’s position in these areas, which we firmly believe to be Biblical. More detailed information about our doctrinal beliefs can be obtained at the church, or through the Church of God, Anderson, Indiana web site.