Church Services Online Near Kenosha WI 53140
The Church of God in Kenosha WI invites you to come as you are and experience the love and grace of Jesus of Nazareth. The Church has a several fold reason for existing in the world today. These important purposes are divinely originated and are found in the New Testament.
In what appears to be the closing hours of the present order of things in the light of Scripture, there is mounting concern about the Church’s role. The denominational “Babel,” or doctrinal confusion, is clearly at variance with the major scriptural references to the Church. This “church confusion” had its beginning with the Council of Nicea in A. D. 325 when The Church of God of apostolic times plunged into what history has called the “Dark Ages.”
Church Services Online Near Kenosha WI 53140
The faith of the gospel has been committed solely into the hands of the Church and thus the responsibility for keeping and guarding the faith rests upon the Church’s shoulders.
It is The Church of God’s duty to keep the faith pure and unadulterated and to defend it against all enemies. One phase of keeping and guarding the faith is the searching out and putting into operation God’s laws for the Church, the full restoration of the New Testament doctrine and governing principles.
These teachings are all based on the Scripture; they were taught and practiced by the early Church; and they have been searched out in these last days by godly men and women not concerned with their own opinions. However, the Church does not make a “hobby horse” of any one teaching or group of teachings, but accepts the whole Bible rightly divided with the New Testament as the only rule for government and discipline. These teachings of the Church do not constitute a creed or statement of beliefs, for The Church of God accepts the whole Bible as the inspired Word of God.
All those who become members of the Church assume the following obligation:
“Will you sincerely promise in the presence of God and these witnesses that you will accept this Bible as the Word of God—believe and practice its teachings rightly divided—the New Testament as your rule of faith and practice, government and discipline, and walk in the light to the best of your knowledge and ability?” This is a “perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.”
Justification is both a state and an act; it is the state of being void of offense toward God brought about by the act of God in forgiving actual transgressions for which one has repented. It is the result of repentance and faith. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Also, read Romans 5:2-9; Titus 3:7. Justification precedes regeneration.
Speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance is the initial, physical evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. No one ever receives the Holy Ghost without speaking in tongues. This is separate and distinct from the gift of tongues which is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit. “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). Also read John 15:26; Acts 10:44-46 and 19:6.
Feet washing was instituted by Jesus on the night of the Last Supper and is a New Testament ordinance we are enjoined to observe in addition to communion. Its observance was taught by the apostles and practiced by the early Church. Charity and good works do not fulfill this obligation. “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). Read John 13:4-17; 1 Timothy 5:10.
Christ is coming back to earth again. First, to resurrect the dead saints and to catch away the living saints to meet Him in the air, where they will attend the marriage supper of the Lamb. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). Read Matthew 24:27, 28; 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52.
Second, to return with the saints to reign on earth a thousand years. “…And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrections” (Revelation 20:4, 5). Read Zechariah 14: 4, 5; Luke 1:32; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Jude 14, 15; Revelation 5:10; 19:11-21.
Our life in this present world determines our eternal reward. The unconverted and the wicked are doomed to eternal punishment, from which there is no escape—no liberation but annihilation. “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:46). Read Mark 3:29, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9; Revelation 20:10-15; 21:8.
Divorce and remarriage constitute the sin of adultery. Matthew 5:32, “But I say unto you, That whosever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced comitteth adultery.” The only allowable causes for remarriage are fornication and death. However, fornication is not unfaithfulness or simple adultery, but is a state of being married to another’s wife or husband. 1 Corinthians 7:2, “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife.” Read Matthew 5:32; 19:3-9; Mark 10:12; Romans 7:2, 3; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 13; 1 Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:10, 11; Revelation 2:22.