Our Statement of Faith

THE

THE BIBLE

The Holy Bible is without error and is the final authority for all we believe and how we are to live. The Holy Bible was penned by men who were moved by the Holy Ghost, and it is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. This Statement of Fundamental Truths is intended simply as a basis of fellowship among us (i.e., that we all speak the same thing (I Corinthians 1:10; Acts 2:42). The phraseology employed in this statement is not inspired or contended for, but the truth set forth is held to be essential to a full-gospel ministry. No claim is made that it contains all biblical truth, only that it covers our need as to these fundamental doctrines. (Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 17:17; II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:16-21)

ONE GOD

There is one and only one living and true God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 5:48; 28:19) Each person of this Godhead trinity is separate, and all are one in unity. (I John 5:7-8)

A. God the Father

God the Father is eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, and present everywhere at one time. With the Son and the Holy Spirit, He made man, male and female, in His image. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. In love He both seeks and receives repentant sinners. (Psalm 68:5; Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 23:23-24; Matthew 5:45; 7:11; John 3:17; Romans 8:15; I Peter 1:17)

B. God the Son

Jesus the Christ (the Messiah) is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare:

He was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31,35)

He lived His life sinless (Hebrews 7:26; I Peter 2:22)

He performed miracles on earth (Acts 2:22; 10:38)

He was crucified on the cross and He died (I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21)

He was raised from the dead on the third day (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; I Corinthians 15:4)

He returned to heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father (Acts 1:9-11; 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:2-3)

He will come back one day as far as the clouds to catch away believers from the earth, first those that are dead in Christ, then joining those yet living together with them, and so we will forever be with the Lord. (I Corinthians 15:51-52; Titus 2:13; Luke 21:34-36) After a time of tribulation here on earth (described in Daniel and confirmed in Revelation), Jesus will return to earth in power and glory to judge the world and to finish His mission of redemption. (Revelations 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 19:16)

C. God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine.

He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. (II Peter 1:21)

He lives within the believer, baptizing him/her into the body of Christ. (I Corinthians 6:19; 12:12-13)

Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. (John 16:13)

He exalts Christ. (John 16:14)

He reproves mankind of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement. (John 16:8)

He bears witness with our spirit, assuring us that we are children of God. (Romans 8:16)

He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. (Ephesians 4:30-32)

He causes the yielded believer to bring forth good fruits of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. (Galatians 5:22)

By the power of the Holy Spirit, we strive to obey the command, “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” Sanctification is the will of God for all believers and should be earnestly pursued by walking in obedience to God’s Word. (Hebrews 12:14; I Thessalonians 5:23-24; I Peter 1:15-16; I John 2:6)

The baptism of believers with the Holy Spirit is a separate event from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at salvation. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance. (Acts 2:4; 10:44-48; 19:6) With the baptism of the Holy Spirit comes extraordinary power to deal with warfare in the spiritual realm (Luke 24:49; Acts 13:8-12). This power will cause believers to be witnesses of Jesus to the uttermost parts of the world, as miraculous signs and protection follow them. (Mark 16:17-18; Acts 1:4-8)

THE SALVATION OF MAN

Man’s Fall and Redemption

Man was created good and upright, for God said, “Let us make man in our image and after our likeness.” Man, by voluntary transgression, fell, and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Genesis 1:26-31; 3:17-20; Romans 5:12-21)

A. God’s Plan

The Grace of God, which brings salvation, has appeared to all men (Titus 2:11), through the preaching of repentance toward God and through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21; Romans 10:14). Salvation is free, having been paid for with the blood of Jesus on the cross at Calvary; there is no work that a person can do to deserve salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7)

All that is required to obtain salvation is to confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord and to believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. (Romans 10:9-10)

The same grace that brings the believer salvation, teaches us how to then live as believers: denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world: looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:11-15)

Faith is necessary to live a life pleasing to God. This means simply that in faith a person must first believe that God does exist, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) This faith will help us to stay away from anything that even appears evil. (I Thessalonians 5:22)

B. The Gift of Salvation

Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement of Christ and is the privilege of all believers (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 16:18; John 5:14). In fact, all that we need in life and all that we need to remain godly are made available to us within the gift of our salvation (II Peter 1:3-4).

We do not need to worry about any physical needs but seek God’s kingdom only and He will add to us all things else (Luke 12:22-32). As long as we are in obedience to God’s commands to love, forgive, and to freely give, we have God’s promise that good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and runner over, shall men give to us (Matthew 10:5-8; Luke 6:37-38; Romans 8:31-32).

Anything that we need or desire is made available to every believer -in fact, even beyond what we could ask or think. We must find the promise within God’s Word in order to know that it is within God’s will, and then we simply ask it and receive it of Him in the name of Jesus (Ephesians 3:14-20; I John 5:14-15).

ORDINANCES

A. Marriage and the Family

God created marriage. It is a covenant made between a man and a woman that makes them one (Genesis 2:21-24; Matthew 19:4-6). God says that marriage is the only blessed context in which He ordained sexual relations to be enjoyed. Fornication (sex outside of the boundaries of marriage), adultery (sex with any person beside one’s marriage partner), homosexuality (sex with person of the same gender), or any other perversion of this God-ordained relationship remains under the judgement of God until repented of and abandoned (I Corinthians 6:15-20; Hebrews 13:4)

Children are the heritage of the Lord and are intended to be viewed as God’s blessing (Psalm 127:3-5). Parents are instructed to bring children up nurturing them in the council of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4) God knows each child before they are even formed in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13-16) and He hates passionately the shedding of any innocent blood (Psalm 106:35-40; Proverbs 6:17). Abortion is in direct opposition to all that Scripture teaches about the sanctity of life and the blessing of children and God considers it a heathen abomination (Deuteronomy 12:29-31).

Any sin -whether sexual, abuse to children, or even abortion -will be forgiven if a person is truly repentant, as God has promised He will forgive all manner of since except the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31).

B. The Church

The New Testament speaks of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation. Each believer is an integral part of the church, and their names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (I Thessalonians 2:4; I Corinthians 12:12-27; Revelations 7:9-12)

On earth, Jesus instituted the local church body. He commanded that believers do not neglect to assemble themselves together (Hebrews 10:25) and He also laid out in Scripture the way He wanted the local church to operate. (I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9)

C. Baptism in Water

The ordinance of baptism by burial with Christ should be observed (as commanded in the Scriptures) by all that have repented of their sins and in their hearts have believed on Christ as their Savior and Lord. In doing so, they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they have also been released to walk with Him in newness of life (Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:4). Jesus set the example of water baptism, being baptized by immersion Himself when He began His own earthly ministry (Matthew 3:13-17).

D. The Lord’s Supper (Communion)

The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements bread and fruit of the vine, is the symbol expressing our sharing in a memorial to His suffering and death, and a prophecy of His second coming. It is instructed to be participated in by all believers until Jesus returns. There is no set regularity given in Scripture, only the command to always do it in remembrance of Jesus, and to be incredibly careful to never take it “unworthily” (meaning while harboring any unconfessed sin). Failure to do so can lead to health problems or even death. (I Corinthians 11:23-34)

E. Fasting

Jesus said that His followers would observe fasts until He returned in person (Mark 2:18-20). He also taught that it was going to be necessary to fast in addition to prayer in some cases, in order to be strengthened in the faith that would be necessary for victory in battles against the forces of evil (Matthew 17:19-21). Fasting helps believers focus on the task at hand when tackling steps in their God-given ministry (Acts 13:1-4) Jesus instructed that fasting never be carried out in a manner that would bring sympathy or focus to the one fasting, but that it be done joyfully and willingly (Matthew 6:16-18).

ETERNITY

All mankind is appointed to live on life on earth, to die, and then to face judgement (Hebrews 9:27). The devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and whosoever is not found written I the Lamb’s Book of Life will be sentenced to everlasting punishment in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Revelations 19:20; 20:10-15).

Believers and followers of Jesus, however, do not have to sorrow without hope when facing death. We are not appointed to suffer God’s wrath (I Thessalonians 5:9). We are promised the resurrection of those who have died in Christ and, together with those who are alive and remain, we will all be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. Together after that, we will forever be with the Lord (I Thessalonians 4:13-18). As promised in the Scriptures, we look for new heavens and a new earth wherein righteousness dwells (II Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1).