Featured Defining Pentecostal Doctrine

I believe hearing from God and experiencing the actual Holy Spirit is a seven step process... And from the Azusa Street revival....

1. The Outer Court - Justification - Faith to enter in.
2. The Altar - Salvation by acknowledging and believing on Jesus
3. The Laver - The clean effects of sanctification.
4. Table of Showbread – Partaking of the Word of God.
5. Light at the Lightstand - Faith, hope, charity, joy, grace, spiritual fruit, etc.
6. The Golden Incense Altar - Prayer and Praise meetings.
7. The Holy of Holies - The Shekinah Glory and Baptism of the Holy Ghost.

And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him. - Numbers 7:89

It was in the Holy of Holies that God spoke to Moses. It is also the place where you can hear from him too. This is Pentecostal doctrine whose architect, William Seymour, issued this disclaimer...

William Seymour warned that, “Whenever the doctrine of the baptism in the Holy Ghost will only be known as the evidence of speaking in tongues, that work will be an open door for witches and spiritualist and free loveism. That work will suffer because all kinds of spirits can come in.”

From the William Seymour archives....

 

I went from GARBC Baptist to a Pentecostal Holiness church that was in revival. It was easy to experience the things of God in those days. And you could tell the sanctification was something that took root within the heart. I worry these days that the sanctification is no longer emphasized.

 

That would be what I would call Oneness Pentecostalism, the Wesley Pentecostals such as Assembly of God and Pentecostal Holiness do not believe that way. I do not like Oneness Pentecostalism.

 

It is the will of God for us to be...

1. Saved
2. Sanctified
3. Filled with the Holy Spirit

"Sanctification makes us pure on the inside." - William Seymour

The Ordinances of the Azusa Street Mission were Basically Seven….

Justification by faith – We are saved, or justified, by simple faith in Christ.
Sanctification by faith - As a second definite work of grace upon the heart and evidenced by the sweet spirit of Christ in the experience!
Power - The baptism in the Holy Ghost is a gift of power upon the sanctified life, anointing it in service and in work, with the speaking in tongues as one of the ‘signs following’ in the baptized believer along with casting out devils, healing the sick and the fruits of the Spirit accompanying the signs.
Marriage – As a holy union between a man and a woman.
Water Baptism – On those who have reached the age of accountability
Communion - “We believe in the ordinance of the Lord’s supper as instituted by Jesus and followed by the apostles, and teach that it should be frequently observed in holy reverence.”
Foot Washing - “We believe in feet washing as an ordinance, as it was established by our Master before the Lord’s supper, according to John 13:4-18, and believe it was practiced by the Apostles and disciples through the First Century” (1 Tim. 5:10).

The Methods to the Fullness of the Spirit of God were Basically Seven....

1. Justification - Faith to enter in
2. Salvation - Christ is our sacrifice
3. Sanctification - "Sanctification makes us clean on the inside." - William Seymour
4. Bible Reading - At the Table of Shewbread
5. Spiritual Fruit - At the Lampstand
6. Prayer and Praise meetings - At the Altar of Golden Incense
7. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit - In the Holy of Holies

And in William Seymours own handwriting....

 

The problem being, nobody teaches sanctification these days.

 

It is not new that demonic things accompany religious gatherings....

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. - Job 1:6

I find the way to recognize the good from the bad is that the bad is accompanied with a terrible ego. Which makes the footwashing service a good thing. Demonic ego will never go for rituals such as foot washings.

 

I am a member Pentecostal Holiness, started in the late 1800s from a Methodist evangelist in North Carolina.

International Pentecostal Holiness Church - Wikipedia

Here in 2020 we have many of our people getting advanced degrees from Baptist seminaries. My pastor has a Masters degree at Lynchburg’s Liberty University.

 

As far as the tongues part it was never scriptural to forbid it...

Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. - 1 Corinthians 14:39

But to exercise judgement and discernment is good.

 

Here is a lady speaking in tongues in church. There was a pause in service, as there was no interpreter the service moved on. And everything was done decently and in order. There has been interpretations after the pause in service....

 

She did not know there would be no interpreter. We consider the woman in obedience.

 

I left that church service in good Christian spirits and refreshed.

 

She did cease and the service progressed with the preaching.

 

I don't mind recommending Baptist churches. I had a book ministry at work in which some guy, after reading one of the testimonial books, wanted to get saved but not in my Pentecostal Holiness church. I had a friend I knew as Ray who was baptist, so I took him to a Baptist church. Well, they had a Franklin Graham testimonial film that Sunday night and my friend goes up to get saved... Only... There is no altar! Some guy gets my friend and takes him to a Sunday School room and begins to talk all that doctrine.... Now get the picture... Here is a guy ready to receive Christ with tears running down his cheek and he is getting doctrinalized! I was thinking to myself for the crying out loud say the sinners prayer! Let him acknowledge Christ so he can go through to salvation!