Church of God in Christ - Beliefs

Beliefs

The Church of God in Christ is a trinitarian Pentecostal-Holiness denomination. The church believes that there are three works of grace (salvation, sanctification, spirit baptism) that God bestows on believers often testified by many COGIC saints in this affirmation, "I am saved, sanctified, baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost." The church believes that the Bible "contains one harmonious and sufficiently complete system of doctrine" and is the inspired Word of God. The church believes that "man is saved by confessing and forsaking his sins, and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ". The church believes that sanctification and the baptism in the Holy Spirit are subsequent, distinct, and separate experiences to the new birth. As a Holiness church of the Wesleyan tradition, COGIC believes that Sanctification is "that gracious and continuous operation of the Holy Ghost, by which He delivers the justified sinner from the pollution of sin, renews his whole nature in the image of God and enables him to perform good works". The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience distinct from and subsequent to conversion and sanctification that empowers and equips the believer to live a life of holiness. As a Pentecostal church, COGIC believes that Speaking in tongues is the consequence of Spirit baptism and is given to believers who ask for it. The church believes in the visible Second Coming of Christ. The church believes in divine healing, however, it does not advocate the exclusion of medical supervision. It believes that the gifts of the spirit are given to believers and are active in the church today. The ordinances of the church are water baptism by immersion, the Lord's Supper and foot washing.