PREAMBLE:
The Word of God warns The Church that “there are many voices in the world (1 Corinthians 14:10).” These voices often are not echoing THE VOICE OF GOD and therefore Calvary Apostolic Ministries deems it extremely essential that The Church appraises The Tenets OF FAITH of Calvary Apostolic Ministries prior to embracing its ministry. THE TENETS OF FAITH are clearly and explicitly defined so as to avoid any confusion and misinterpretation.
No doubt the lifestyle and character of the ministers of The Gospel of Jesus Christ is just as important as their doctrine. Like all men Dr D’Allende has also made his mistakes and fallen short of God’s glory. God’s goodness, mercy and abundant grace have led him to repent and to seek the favour of God over the years. Forgiveness and The Love of Almighty God has over the many years moulded, refined and shaped Dr D’Allende to where he is at in his God ordained ministry today.
TENET 1. THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
The Old and New Testaments are THE AUTHENTIC, INSPIRED AND INFALLIBLE WORD OF GOD and are profitable for:
Doctrine,
Reproof,
Correction and
Instruction in righteousness (1Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1: 21; 2 Titus 3:16).
TENET 2. THE TRINITY
There is only ONE TRUE GOD (Deuteronomy 6:4), the Creator of the universe (Isaiah 43:10) and mankind (Genesis 1:26-27), who has revealed Himself in The Holy Scriptures as God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son of God and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2Corinthians 13:14; John 14:26; 15:26).
TENET 3. THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), who was in the beginning with God (Genesis 1:1-4), and is God (John 1:1-4; Hebrews 1:8). The Holy Scriptures emphatically teach the following concerning Jesus Christ:
His virgin birth (Isaiah 7: 14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31, 35),
His sinless life (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22),
His miracles (Acts 2:22; 10:3),
His substitutionary sacrifice (Isaiah 53:1-12; 1Corinthians 15:3; 2Co 5:21),
His bodily resurrection (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthans 15:4),
His exaltation to the right of God The Father (Acts 1:9-11; 2: 33),
His abiding ministry of intercession (Hebrews 7:25) and
His imminent return (John 14:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
TENET 4. THE DEPRAVITY OF MANKIND
Although men and women were initially created in the image and likeness of Almighty God (Genesis 1:26), like Adam and Eve, all human beings have wilfully sinned and therefore come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), thus incurring upon themselves the penalty of labour, disease. physical and spiritual death (Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 3:10; 23; 6:23).
TENET 5. SOTERIOLOGY
Salvation is only through the acceptance of Jesus Christ as one’s Personal Saviour (John 1:12; 14:6; Acts 4:12). It is never experienced through self righteous deeds (Is 64:6). Salvation is experienced by exercising faith in the gracious act of Christ’s substitutionary death on the Cross of Calvary and His bodily Resurrection over death and the grave (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1Corinthians 15:1-8; Ephesians 2:8-9). Other than exercising faith, all have to:
Repent of their sins (Acts 2:38),
Believe and confess the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 10:8-10) and
Walk in the newness of life (Hebrews 12:14).
TENET 6 . HELL – THE SECOND DEATH
Although Hell was initially prepared for the devil and the fallen angels (Matthew 25:41), the Word of God emphatically declares that the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters and all liars, shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the Second Death (Revelation 21:8; 2:11: 20:6).
TENET 7. THE ORDINANCES
The two Ordinances practiced in The Church are Water Baptism and The Lord’s Supper. Both these Ordinances are not Sacraments. They do not possess soteriological benefits as found in the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ over death and the grave. They are but analogies and visual aids to constantly remind The Church of the accomplished atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins of depraved humanity.
WATER BAPTISM: All Born Again Believers (John 3:1-6) are instructed in the Holy Scriptures to PUBLICLY IDENTIFY with Jesus Christ through the act of Water Baptism (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-4). The mode being IMMERSION (Matthew 3:16; Acts 8:36-39) and IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Matthew 28:19-20).
THE LORD’S SUPPER: All Born Again Believers (John 3:1-6) are instructed in The Holy Scriptures to partake of the Lord’s Table (Holy Communion, The Lord’s Table) as a sign of their faith in the efficacious atonement for sin and the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ for His Church (1Corinthans 11:23-34).
TENET 8. THE BAPTISM INTO THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Baptism (immersion) into the Holy Spirit, with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues is God’s divine purpose of enabling the Born Again Believer to effectively witness of Jesus Christ (Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 17-21; 8:14-17; 10:44-48; 19:1-6).
TENET 9. THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit are Almighty God’s endowment to the Spirit filled Born Again Believer to express God’s omnipotence and omniscience at given times for the purposes of: The common good of The Church (profit withal 1Corinthians 12:7) and Edification, exhortation and comfort (1Corinthians14:3:12, 26, 31).
TENET 10. THE CHURCH
The Church comprises of all Born Again Believers called out from the world by The Spirit of God (John 16:8) to constitute The One True Church upon the earth with the expressed purpose of establishing The Kingdom of God. The Church in The Holy Scriptures is also termed:
The Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:17:12:12-13),
The Temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16) and
The Habitation of God (Ephesians 2:22).
TENET 11.THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of The Church (Isaiah 9:6: Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22; 2:20) and governs His Church through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and The Word of God (The Sword of the Spirit John 16:12-15; Ephesians 6:17), who in turn reveals the will and purposes of Jesus Christ to the God appointed LEADERSHIP of the DENOMINATIONAL and LOCAL AUTONOMOUS CONGREGATIONS. The Leadership being THE FIVEFOLD MINISTRIES OF APOSTLES, PROPHETS. EVANGELISTS, PASTORS AND TEACHERS (Ephesians 4:8-16).
TENET 12.THE PRINCIPLE OF AUTONOMY
Although Local Churches within Church Denominations and Local Independent Churches are but part of the world wide Body of Christ, each Local Church holds true to its prerogative of being an Autonomous Indigenous organ of The Body of Christ. The principles of SELF GOVERNANCE, SELF SUPPORT and SELF PROPAGATION are inherent in each Local Church and yet every Local Church recognizes THE PRINCIPLE OF AUTHORITY and therefore Local Denominational and Independent Churches accept THE PRINCIPLE OF RELATIONSHIP TO SPIRITUAL FATHERS, COUNSELLORS AND ASCENDED GIFTED MINISTERS, who in a spirit of love and care minster to The Local Churches, bearing in mind that they never prescribe nor dictate to the Local Churches (Acts 20:28).
TENET 13. THE SPIRITUAL LAW OF ASSOCIATION
The Church is The Body of Christ, made up of all Born Again Believers. Within The Body of Christ there are diversities of interpretations and doctrines. Each Local Church reserves their prerogative to choose with whom it shall foster relationship in order to safeguard their particular persuasion of interpretation and doctrine (Acts 20:28).
TENET 14. THE FIVEFOLD ASCENDED GIFTS OF CHRIST
Jesus Christ, The Head of the Church, has blessed His Church with the Fivefold Governmental Ascended Gifts for the well being and extension of The Kingdom of God (Ephesians 4:8-11; 1Corinthians 12:28). These essential Gifts are operative till the coming of The Lord for His Church (Thessalonians 4:18), with one major distinction and that being these gifted ministries are not Foundational as the early Church Ascended Gifts (Ephesians 2:20). They do not receive Divine Revelation; rather they receive ILLUMINATION ON THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD ENTRENCED IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. Though there is this major distinction their purpose of ministry is exactly the same as The Foundational Gifted Ministries (Ephesians 4:13-15).
TENET 15. TITHING AND FREE WILL OFFERINGS
In order for The church to fulfill its God given mandate (Matthew 28:19-20), it is compulsory that all Born Again Believers support their Local Churches with the Tithes and Free Will Offerings (Genesis 14:20; 28:22; 2 Chronicles 31:1-21; Nehemiah 13:10-14: Matthew 23:23; 1Corinthians 9:7-9; 16:2: 1Titus 5: 17-18; Hebrews 7:1-11).
Tenet 16. ESCHATOLOGY
THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH : The Rapture is The Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13) of all those Born Again Believers (John 3:1-6) who have died in The Lord and living Born Again Believers, who are caught up in the air to meet The Lord. The Rapture is the imminent event that causes The Church to escape the horror of the Tribulation period (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Daniel 9:27).
THE TRIBULATION PERIOD: This is the seven year period divided into two equal parts termed in The Holy Scripture as The Lesser and Greater Tribulation (Revelation 11:2-3). It is during this period that God deals with the unsaved world and Israel. This two periods are also referred to as Jacob’s Trouble and Seventieth Week (Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:27; Revelation 20:1-6).
THE SECOND ADVENT OF CHRIST AND THE MILLENIAL REIGN OF CHRIST: The Second Advent is the visible return of Jesus Christ with His saints. Christ together with His saints will rule from Jerusalem for ONE THOUSAND YEARS whilst Satan and his Fallen Angels, the False Prophet and the Anti Christ are bound in The Bottomless pit (Zechariah 14:5; Acts 1:1-5; Revelation 20:1-6).
THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT: After The Millennial Reign of Christ and His saints, all the wicked dead will be resurrected to appear before God’s Throne and be judged according to their works and cast into the lake of fire (Re 20:11-15). Scripture also refers to this event as THE SECOND DEATH (Revelation 20:14b).
THE NEW JERUSALEM: A new Heaven and a new Earth will come down from Heaven and God will forever dwell with His people (Re 21:1-7).
THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL: The Church of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18) does not replace Israel. Throughout The Old Testament Israel is referred to as a Kingdom (1 Samuel 15:28; 24:20; 1 Kings 21:7), whereas The Church is termed A Body, Temple, Habitation, Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation and a Peculiar People (1Corinthians 3:16; 10:17;12:12; 1 Peter 2:9). Furthermore The Covenant that God made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is an EVERLASTING COVENANT (Genesis 17:7, 8, 19).
