APOSTOLIC CHURCH INTERNATIONAL
❤️Greetings in the name of Lord Jesus Christ!
GOD IS ONE, NOT THREE
ጌታ አምላካችን አንድ ጌታ ነው ! [የማርቆስ ወንጌል 12: 29]
The Lord our God is one Lord! [Mark 12:29]
GODHEAD
The ACI adheres to a "Oneness" concept of the Godhead, in contrast to traditional Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant understandings, which incorporate Trinitarian dogma. Hence, an understanding of Oneness is critical in any analysis of ACI doctrine.
While Trinitarians say that God is one being who exists eternally as three persons who are one in essence , Oneness teaching asserts that God is a singular spirit who is one , not three persons. "Father", "Son" and "Holy Ghost" are merely titles reflecting the different manifestations of the One True God in the universe.
According to the Oneness understanding, the "Son" did not exist in any form prior to the incarnation of Jesus of Nazareth, other than in the foreknowledge of God. In Jesus(Christ), God took on heavenly flesh at a precise moment in time, while remaining fully and eternally God: "for in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (John 1:1-14; 1 Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9). So JESUS Is God Manifested in the Flesh!
Baptism in Jesus' Name
Baptism is a second essential component of ACI doctrine. Members of the ACI affirm an indispensable need for baptism, citing John 3:5, Acts 2:38 and Matthew 28:19. They point to Matthew 3:13-16 as evidence that even Jesus himself was baptized. The ACI mode of baptism is complete immersion in water, completed in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.
This Jesus' Name doctrine is a point of contention between the ACI and Trinitarian Christians. Like other Oneness believers, the ACI baptizes "in the Name of Jesus Christ", while Trinitarians use "in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit". Both sides utilize Matthew 28:19 to support their claims, with the ACI holding that the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is Jesus. They insist that the word name in the scripture is singular, and that implies all three titles refer to Jesus. Other Oneness believers assert that Matthew 28:19 was changed to the traditional Triune formula by the Catholic Church. The Jesus' Name belief originates from Acts 2:38, and members also stress Acts 8:16, Acts 10:48, and Acts 19:5, claiming that these are the only scriptures showing how the early Church performed baptisms, and that the Bible authorizes no departure from that formula
