What do Pentecostals Believe?
Pentecostals began in the early 1900's. They sprung out of the Baptist and Methodist denominations. There are many splinter groups that refer to themselves as Pentecostals, but lack the criteria to be truly Pentecostal. Even as with other denominations there are some basic key points that must be held to in order to be considered Pentecostal. These basic tenets are referred to as the Pentecostal Pillars.
First, all true Pentecostals hold to the Fundamentals of the Christian Faith. This means that they affirm the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ, The Deity of Christ, the Authority of the Scriptures, the Trinity, etc. Some groups claiming to be Pentecostal have erred from the way by denying these basic truths and thus are no longer truly Pentecostal or Christian for that matter.
Next, all true Pentecostals hold to Salvation by faith through grace in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8,9. There is no other way to be saved other than by faith in Jesus Christ. John 3:16 Pentecostals believe that each of us by our own will have chosen to sin and are going to hell without salvation. But God in His love sent Jesus to die on the cross for us. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. There are two lines of teaching within the Pentecostals, one that God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:4 and the other that we by our "free will" can choose to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Both lines of doctrine agree that Jesus is the only way. Baptism, Speaking in tongues, good works, etc. do not save only faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone saves.
Two Ordinances, this doctrine was borrowed from the Baptists primarily. Pentecostals generally believe in believer's immersion and the Lord's Supper. Once someone has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior they are to be Baptized usually by full immersion. The other ordinance is in memory of the Lord's Supper. Foot washing is sometimes practiced at the Lord's Supper at some Pentecostal churches.
Divine Healing is another tenet of the Pentecostals. Isaiah 53:4-6 Pentecostals and some Baptists and Methodists believe that when Jesus died on the cross, He died not only for our sins, but for our Physical Healing. The verse says "with His stripes we are healed." The Hebrew word is "Rapha" which means Physical Healing. Those who argue against this say, that this was symbolic of the stripes he bore for our sins. Jesus paid for our sins physically and thus heals our soul's diseases only. Those who argue for Divine Healing state that Jesus Paid for both our sins and our healing.
Finally, the Gift of Tongues is a tenet of the Pentecostals. Pentecostals believe that there is a second infilling of the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues doesn't save, but sometime after salvation there is a second infilling or Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2 They say the evidence of the infilling is speaking in 'unknown tongues'. Those who disagree believe that the Biblical gift of tongues was foreign languages or tongues (languages) that we unknown to that individual who was using them. I & II Corinthians They, also, teach that the Holy Spirit fills or baptizes someone at salvation and doesn't need to a second infilling. The third point those who disagree make is that they feel the gift of tongues ceased when the Bible was completed. I Corinthians 13.
These four main points are the basic tenets of the Pentecostals. Pentecostals disagree on many other issues like whether there should be women clergy, foot washing, church governments, etc. But to be a true Pentecostal a person or church must hold to the Fundamentals of the Christian Faith and Four Pentecostal Pillars (basic tenets).
Some churches that do hold to the above for the most part are the Assemblies of God, many Non-denominational churches, and some Churches of God.
Some churches that claim to be Pentecostal but deny the Trinity, a Fundamental of the Christian Faith are the United Pentecostal Church, Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, and all other "Jesus Only" or "oneness" churches. These churches have erred from the faith and are no longer Christian, but by definition a cult.
Some churches that claim to be Pentecostal but have a works based salvation are the so-called holiness groups. They teach that in order to remain saved you can't sin. Every time you sin you lose your salvation. They believe that your salvation hinges on you and not on Jesus. This group is ultra-arminian in doctrine. Pentecostal Holiness Church International is one example of a holiness denomination. Since, the holiness group errs from the faith in that they are wrong on salvation they no longer are truly Pentecostal. A works based salvation is not salvation by grace and thus we will not spend eternity together with them.