The Father

He is Jehovah (Yahweh), the self-existent one, Creator and Sustainer of heaven and earth and all forms of life. The father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ruler of the entire universe, who is love by nature.

 Jesus Christ (Yashua)

The Son of God and one with the Father. Through Christ, the work of creation was accomplished. Sent by the Father to Earth to take on human flesh, lived the human experience, suffered, bled and crucified at Calvary to redeem fallen mankind. Resurrected the third day and now on the right hand of the Father, interceding for man. Will come again to receive his faithful children, judge the world and reign forever.

 The Holy Spirit

One with the Father and Son. Participated in the work of creation. Since Christ’s ascension back to heaven, dwells in man. The function of the Spirit is to teach men the ways of Jesus and bring conviction to the heart. Poured out fully on the day of Pentecost, giving God’s people power to do his work and walk in his will. Confirms us as children of God and seals us against the day of judgement.

 Salvation by Faith

Salvation from sin and the gift of eternal life come only through faith in Jesus Christ and not by works. By faith, believers accept Jesus’ sacrificial death for their redemption, which was wrought by grace on God’s path.

 Repentance, Confession and Baptism Necessary for Salvation

Repentance is the recognition of one’s sinful condition, regret for one’s sins and a turning away therefrom. This inward recognition must be followed by confession of one’s sin. After repentance and confession, a believer must undertake watery baptism as an outward gesture of a turning from sin, acceptance of salvation and a resolution to walk in the ways of God, by the help of the Spirit. This baptism is by complete immersion in water, performed in accordance with the great commission given to the Church by Jesus Christ.

 Marriage and Divorce

Marriage is the spiritual and legal joining together of a man and a woman, as the kernel of a family. It is declared by the Bible as honourable and sanctioned by God, who joined Adam and Eve in Eden, and by Jesus through his presence and first miracle at a marriage ceremony in Cana of Galilee. The vows of marriage are sacred and represent a lifelong commitment. Desolation of marriage through divorce is therefore not approved by God, except in circumstances of infidelity.

 Healthy Living

The Church of God believes that the Supreme God, who creates and sustains us, has an active interest in our physical wellbeing. He also knows what is best for us. He therefore provides in the scripture clear guidelines as to what foods we must consume. The Church of God therefore does not sanction the eating of unclean meats as indicated in the scripture. This is an important part of our stewardship of our bodies, which do not belong to us, but to Christ who has redeemed us with His blood.

 The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments represent the fundamental guiding principles that God gave mankind to regulate relationship with Himself and with our fellowmen. They are founded on love, which must be the Christian’s motivation for observing them. These laws exist from creation and they will subsist as long as human society exists. They were magnified by Christ and observed by Him and all the apostles of the New Testament. They are deemed by the apostle Paul to be “holy and just and good” (Romans 7:12), and according to David “in keeping of them is great reward” (Psalm 19:11). Keeping them is evidence of love for God. The observance of the Ten Commandments will be one of the signs of God’s true people in the end time (Revelation 12:17, 14:12). 

 The Seventh Day Sabbath

Having completed the creation in six days, the Lord rested on the seventh day. Thus He instituted the Sabbath at creation as a day of rest, reflection and celebration of His great work of creation. The Sabbath is therefore an essential part of the Ten Commandments and its observance is intended for all of God’s people. It is a sign that we are God’s people (Ezekiel 20:20) and has been observed by all of God’s people both in the Old and New Testament, including Jesus Christ himself, during his earthly sojourn (Luke 4:16). 

 The Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper and Foot Washing

The sacrificial death of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith. It is the death of Jesus that made our redemption possible. Jesus therefore instructed his children to commemorate His death “till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26) through the observance of the Lord’s Supper. This ordinance was instituted by Jesus himself during the last Passover He celebrated with His disciples the night before his death. It is celebrated with the use of unleavened bread and unfermented grape juice, representing his broken body and his shed blood for us.

Jesus on the same occasion instituted the ordinance of foot washing. By washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus demonstrated humility, love for each other and an obligation to serve each other. Every child of God must observe these ordinances – The Lord’s Supper which gives us life, and the foot washing, without which we have “lot with him” (John 13:1-17).

 Christian Deportment and Dressing

We were made in God’s image and declared to be “a peculiar people…a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). Therefore, at all times God’s people must reflect His glory and image through our deportment and dressing. The bible gives us clear guidelines for Christian dressing and deportment, reflecting modesty and sobriety. The Church of God consistent with the scriptures, therefore rejects any artificial means that alter our physical bodies that were made in the image of God “fearfully and wonderfully” (Psalm 139:14). In worship women’s hair must be covered and men’s hair must be properly groomed at all times. The church also promotes the highest standard of personal hygiene and modesty in dressing – refraining from chemical processing of hair, wearing of false hair, jewellery, body piercing, skin bleaching, tattoos, and any other activity that alters our natural body.

 Christian Stewardship – Paying of Tithes

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” Psalm: 24:1. God gives his people stewardship of all Earth’s material resources, health and strength to exploit them for our sustenance. He however requires us to return a portion, a tenth, of what he has given us. Tithing involves giving back to God a tenth of our earnings or material increase. This is to be used for the sustenance of God’s church and the spread of the gospel. Although it is mandatory, it should be given “not grudgingly”, but “cheerfully” (2 Corinthians 9:7). 

 The Resurrection and Second Coming of Jesus

Jesus, having accomplished the work of redemption through his death and resurrection, ascended to the Father in heaven. However, he promised that he will “come again and receive us to himself”(John 14:3).

The bible teaches that Jesus will return to this Earth physically to receive his faithful ones and execute judgement on those who refuse Him as saviour in their lifetime.  At the instance of His coming, the dead saints will be resurrected from the grave and together with the living saints given celestial bodies to meet and thereafter to reign with Christ.

Although Christ gives us signs of his second coming, the people of God do not and will not know the exact time of his coming. It therefore behoves believers to continually live uprightly through the power of His spirit, so that when He returns, He will find us watching.