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.
During the subsequent 1,578 years, there were glimmering rays of light as the submerged TRUTH struggled to break forth—by the providence of God—into this world’s “gross darkness.” Then there came a divine revelation on June 13, 1903 in what is now known as Fields of the Wood. Though it found a welcome in hungry hearts who would give ear to it, and though thousands have accepted it, the enemy of TRUTH has waged an incessant warfare against it. This alone is the most convincing proof of its veracity.
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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.
When a person is sanctified wholly he is eligible for the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. This indwelling is a definite and instantaneous experience described in the Scripture by the word “baptism,” and always accompanied by the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. It has no reference to water baptism, regeneration or sanctification. It is the filling of the temple already made clean by sanctification. It is not a work of grace but a gift of God in answer to the prayer of Christ. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is an enduement of power for service. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Read 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; Luke 24:49; Matthew 3:11.
The Spirit-filled life will manifest the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22, 23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is not law.” These virtues cannot be manifested by the flesh or by human nature. They are divine in origin and must spring from a Spirit-filled heart. Read Romans 6:22; Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 1:11.
Restitution is the act of restoring something wrongfully taken or the satisfying of one who has been wronged. God requires those who become converted to perform such tasks if at all possible. “And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham” (Luke 19: 8, 9). Read Matthew 3:8; Romans 13:8.
The Bible expressly forbids the use of intoxicating beverages. Even slight indulgence is sinful and not in keeping with Scriptural standards of holiness. “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). Read also Proverbs 23:29-32; Isaiah 28:7; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:10; Galatians 5:21.
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.