What does the free apostolic church of pentecost believe?
1. The Free Apostolic Church of Pentecost in Düsseldorf-Meerbusch (EAEP), is part of the Greek EAEP, which is a doctrine recognized by the Greek state and operates as a church with the permission of the Ministry of National Education and Religions. We dogmatically accept all the articles of the Apostles’ Creed, as enacted by the 318 fathers, in order to distinguish heresies from the church that stands on the word of God. It has as its statute the New Testament, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and believes that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable (2 Timothy 3: 16). Its leader is our Savior Jesus Christ, and those who serve Him are considered His servants.
The meaning of the words of the acronym (name) is:
1. Free: As it is self-governing, i.e. it is not dependent - directly or indirectly - on any 3rd Greek or foreign organization.
2. Apostolic: As its purpose is, its operation and life to be identified with the first church of the apostles of Jesus Christ.
3. Church: As it wants to be part of the "body of Christ".
4. Pentecost: As it believes that the believer should receive the Holy Spirit, and be clothed with power from on high, as the apostles received on the day of Pentecost, as well as all the Christians of the first Apostolic Church.
2. The church believes and performs:
a) Baptism in water, after the person first believes in Christ and repents of his sins. (Mark 16:16 „He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.“, Acts 8:36-39 „And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.“).Therefore, it is performed on women, men and children who are able to believe and repent.
b) The Holy Communion, in which only Christians who have repented of their sin take part, (1. Corinthians 11:28 „But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.“) taking first the bread and then the wine as Christ and the apostles did. (1. Corinthians 11:23-27 „ For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.“) This is held on each Sunday: (Acts 20:7 „And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.“ )
c) The marriage that must be held in honour, according to the Word of God: (Hebrews 13:4 „Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.“) where any divorce is forbidden, except on the grounds of fornication (Matthew 5:32 „But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.“) and a second marriage is not permitted: (1. Corinthians 7:11 „ But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.“) Only death can separate the married couple (1. Corinthians 7:39 „ The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.“) and for this reason the Free Apostolic Church of Pentecostal does not divorce married couples.
d) The anointing that concerns the sick and gives healing to the body. The shepherd of the church and the elders anoint the sick with oil, lay their hands on them and pray as instructed by the Word of God: (James 5:14 „Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.“ ,Mark 6:13 „And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.“) Jesus Christ heals the sick.
3. The Free Apostolic Pentecostal Church does not worship with priests, who were necessary for the sacrifices in the Jewish faith according to the Old Testament, but with shepherds, apostles, teachers, prophets and evangelists, according to the Word of God, for the perfecting of souls. The shepherd is a believer with a good family and he does not need an outward mark of recognition. The church is led by the shepherd and by the elders, who are also called bishops: (Acts 20:28 „Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.“ Philippians 1:1 „Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: „) It is necessary that the shepherd and the elders are to be married and have believing children: (Titus 1:5 „For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:“) They are concerned about the spiritual issues of the congregation, constantly in the Word of God and in prayer. (Acts 6:4 „But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.“) Deacons also serve in the church, taking care of material things of the church, taking care of the poor so that there are no needy people: (Acts 6:3 „But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.“ ,Acts 5:34 „Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;“) .
4. The confession of the believers is made directly before Christ, who is the only one competent to forgive sins. (Acts 4:12 „Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.“) But if someone is guilty of something towards another, he must also go to him, confess his deeds and ask for forgiveness: (Matthew 5:25 „Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.“ James 5:16 „Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.“)
5. The Free Apostolic Church of Pentecos has in its name Pentecostal Church, because she believes in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, not formally with the anointing of oil, but in essence the believer purifies himself with the blood of Christ, he is forgiven and he is born again. He asks and waits for the baptism in the Holy Spirit and he receives it like the apostles on the day of Pentecost. As a sign that the believer has been baptised, he is given a foreign language and speaks it as the Holy Spirit gave it to him: (Acts 2:2-5 „And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.“, Acts 10:44 „While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.“, Acts 19:6, „And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.“, 1. Corinthians 14:22 „ Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.“)
6. The Free Apostolic Church of Pentecos has as its statutory life purpose marriage, the family, the church, the gospel and the New Testament. Any tradition or custom that does not agree with the Gospel of Christ is rejected, because the Word of God cannot be rejected or invalidated by traditions or customs, as the Pharisees did: (Mark 7:3 „ For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.") So the church does not believe that the soul rests or is forgiven through a memorial, because after death there is no repentance or mercy. (Luke 6:19-31)
7. The church does not worship the material image of God, who has a spiritual form, but "in spirit and in truth".: (John 4:24 „God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.“). The saints do not accept worship, knowing the Word of God which says "Your Lord and God you shall worship and worship Him only". So Peter forbade Cornelius to worship him: (Acts 10:25-26 „And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.“) Likewise, the angel forbade John to worship him, saying: (Revelation 22:8-9 „And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. “)