Esler Pentecostal Church

"THE ONE TRUE GOD"

We believe in the One ever-living, eternal God; infinite in power, holy in nature, attributes and purpose, and possessing absolute, indivisible Deity. This one true God has revealed Himself as Father in creation, through the Son in redemption, and as the Holy Ghost by emanation (I Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; II Corinthians 5:19; Joel 2:28).

The Scripture does more than attempt to prove the existence of God; it asserts, assumes and declares that the knowledge of God is universal (Romans 1:19, 21, 28, 32; 2:15). God is invisible, incorporeal, without parts, without body and therefore free from all limitations. He is Spirit (John 4:24), and "a spirit hath not flesh and bones…" (Luke 24:39).

The first of all commandments is, "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD:" (Mark 12:29; Deuteronomy 6:4). "One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all:" (Ephesians 4:6).

THE NAME

"… unto us a child is born, unto us a son in given:… and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). This prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled when the Son of God was named, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: For he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

DIVINE HEALING

The physical suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ purchased healing for our bodies, as His death, burial and resurrection provided for the salvation of our souls, for "… with his stripes we are healed," (Isaiah 53:5). Matthew 8:17 reads, "… Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." (See also I Peter 2:24)
We see from this that healing for the body is in the atonement. That being true, then it is for all who believe. Jesus said of the believer, "… they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Later James wrote in his epistle to all the church, "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:14-16).

REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SIN

The only grounds upon which God will accept a sinner is repentance from the heart for his sins that he has committed. A broken and contrite heart He will not despise (Psalm 51:17). John preached repentance, Jesus proclaimed it, and before His ascension commanded that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47). Peter fulfilled this command on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38).

WATER BAPTISM

The scriptural mode of baptism is immersion, and is only for those who have fully repented, having turned from their sins and a love of the world. It should be administered by a duly authorized minister of the Gospel in obedience to the Word of God and in the name of Jesus Christ, according to the Acts of the Apostles; 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5, thus obeying and fulfilling Matthew 28:19.

HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM

John the Baptist, in Matthew 3:11, said "… He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost."  Jesus, in Acts 1:5, said, "… ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." Luke tells us in Acts 2:4, "… and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, (languages) as the Spirit gave them utterance."

The terms "baptized with the Holy Ghost," "filled with the Holy Ghost," and the "gift of the Holy Ghost," are synonymous terms which are interchangeable in the Bible  

                                    We Pray Together Out Loud
                                                                    because... In the Bible we read:
                                  "they lifted up their voice to God with one accord..."Acts 4:24

We Lift Our Hands In Praise
because... In the Bible we read:
"Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord." Psalm 134:2

We Sing With All Of Our Hearts
because... In the Bible we read:
"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and
rejoice, and sing praise." Psalm 98:4

We Play Musical Instruments
because... In the Bible we read:
"...and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all
manner of instruments..." II Samuel 6:5

We Clap And Shout Unto God
because... In the Bible we read:
"...O clap your hands all ye people; shout unto God
with the voice of triumph." Psalm 47:1

We Dance In The Spirit
because... In the Bible we read:
 "...Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with
stringed instruments and organs." Psalm 150:4

We Testify Publicly
because... In the Bible we read:
"I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the
congregation will I praise thee." Psalm 22:22

We Anoint With Oil For Divine Healing
because... In the Bible we read:
"Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church;
and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the
name of the Lord." James 5:14

We Allow The Operation Of The Spiritual Gifts
because... In the Bible we read:
"When ye come together, everyone of you hath a psalm,
 hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath
an interpretation..." Corinthians 14:26