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DOCTRINE OF FAITH |
This ministry accepts the Holy Scriptures as the revealed will of God, the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice, and for the purpose of maintaining unity, adopts
the Statement of Fundamental Truths as follows:
1. The Scriptures Inspired
The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct (2 Tim. 3:15-17; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).
The One True God has revealed Himself as the Eternally Self-Existent "I AM", the Creator of the heavens and the earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10-11; Matt. 28:19; Luke 3:22).
3. The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare:
a. His virgin birth (Matt. 1:23; Luke 1:31, 35).
b. His sinless life (Heb. 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22).
c. His miracles (Acts 2:22; 10:38).
d. His substitutionary death on the cross (1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21).
e. His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matt. 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Cor. 15:4).
f. His exaltation to the Right Hand of God (Acts 1:9, 11; 2:33; Phil. 2:9-11; Heb. 1-3).
4. The Fall of Man
Man was created good and upright; for God said, "Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness." However, man by voluntary violation of God's Word fell and thereby became enslaved and subject to or a citizen of the law of sin and death (separation from God or absolute mortality, which resulted in spiritual death and having a body sentenced to die; the Second Death is Eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire) (Gen. 1:26, 27; 2:17, 3:6, Rom. 5:12-19; 8:2; Rev. 20:14-15).
5. The Salvation of Man
Man's only hope of redemption is through the shed BLOOD OF JESUS Christ the Son of God.
a. Conditions to Salvation
Salvation is received through repentance (changed thinking, to rethink) toward God and have faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, being justified BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH, man becomes an heir of God according to the hope of Eternal Life (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Rom. 10:13-15; Eph. 2:8; Titus 2:11; 3:5-7).
b. The Evidences of Salvation
The inward evidence of salvation, rescue, or deliverance is the direct witness of the Spirit (Rom. 8:16). The witness (verb) or act of being furnished proof by a sober declaration spoken within the spirit of man brings confirmation, proof, evidence and authentication from the Testifier, Who can only speak or give testimony under an oath; an oath being, according to God, a condition that is impossible to violate, the condition being that it is impossible for God to lie even as it is impossible for truth to be a lie.Therefore, the Evidence of Salvation, as provided by God, is the greatest testimony of Truth that can ever exist, that evidence being the very spoken testimony of God Himself, thus His own personal being within the spirit of man is the ultimate proof of Salvation that can ever occur. The first part of "witness" is the word "wit". According to Roget's Thesaurus, "wit" is "the faculty of thinking, reasoning, and acquiring and applying knowledge". Getting to know God through the understanding of His Word brings Supreme Intelligence as a relationship is developed between God and man through communication with the Holy Spirit in the Word of God. The outer evidence of salvation to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24; Titus 2:12).
6. The Ordinances of the Church
a. Baptism (submerged, buried) in Water
The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life through repentance (or a change of the heart and mind that results in changed living habits; to change your mind to come under the Rule of the Holy Spirit, Who is now the Leader of your life) (Mark 1:4, Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16, Acts 10:47-48; Rom. 6:4).
b. Holy Communion
The Lord's Supper, consisting of these elements-bread and the fruit of the vine-is the symbol expressing our sharing the Divine Nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4); a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Cor. 11:26); and a prophecy of His Second Coming (1 Cor. 11:26). Partaking of the bread and cup of the Lord is required of all believers and should be practiced according to the prescribed manner recorded in Scripture, 1 Corinthians 11:23-34, "until He comes!" Proper observance of this ordinance includes the promise that weaknesses, illnesses, and early or premature death will be removed from the midst of the local congregation (1 Cor. 11:27-31).
c. Laying On of Hands
Laying on of Hands is and IMPORTANT PART of our Christian Faith. Laying on of hands was done by holy men to commission and grant authority to others over the congregation of Israel (or the Body of Christ) (Num. 27:18-23). Laying on of Hands was practiced by Jesus when He healed the sick (Mark 5:23), and this authority and POWER to lay hands on the sick and to see them recover was granted, transferred, signed over, awarded, and given to EVERY Believer to use in Jesus' Mighty Name!!! The laying on of hands was also used to impart spiritual gifts (1 Tim. 4:14).[ more on LAYING ON OF HANDS ]
d. Anointing With Oil
Oil signifies the Holy Spirit. It was a practice of the early New Testament Church for the people of the Congregation to request prayer for their illnesses, as long as it was done in proper order and not interrupting or disturbing the order of the
congregation. At an appointed time, those who are sick may call out for the Elders of the Church to anoint them with oil in the name of Jesus, and to pray over them, and the Word of God says that the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well (raise or build them up). At this time, if any sins have been committed, the person requesting prayer may also receive forgiveness, pardon, or remission (the laying aside of your sin and guilt in order to enable you to cease or desist from sinful activity and the effects of sin) so that the individual may have full confidence that they will be healed, in
Jesus Mighty Name (James 5:14-16).
7. The Baptism (submerging) in the Holy Ghost
All believers are entitled to and should passionately expect and earnestly seek the Promise of the Father, the Baptism with the Holy Ghost and Fire (a Holy Passion and an Earnest Zeal to be Righteous; an enthusiasm for righteous living), according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the endowment of, or having put on you, POWER for holiness, life and service and the receiving of the Gifts of the Spirit along with their employments and usages in the work of the ministry (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4, 8; 1 Cor. 12:1-31). This experience is separate from and comes after the New Birth, though it can occur immediately upon being Born-Again (Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9). With the baptism in the Holy Ghost come such experiences as an overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37-39; Acts 4:8), a deepened reverence for God (Acts 2:43; Heb. 12:28), an intensified consecration (giving yourself over to a single use or purpose) unto God and a greater dedication to His work (Acts 2:42), and a more active love for Christ, for His Word, and for the lost (Mark 16:20). The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is performed by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (John 1:33), and is FREELY GIVEN to those who ask, from the Father (Luke 11:13). The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is also for edification, assistance in prayer, and for worship (1 Cor. 14:2-4; 1 Cor. 14:14-15).
8. The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism with the Holy Ghost
The baptism (submerging) of Believers in the Holy Ghost can be seen by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4; Mark 16:17). The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the Gift of tongues, but different in purpose and use (1 Cor. 12:4-10, 28).
9. Sanctification
Sanctification is an act of separation from thinking, speaking, and doing that which is evil, and of dedication unto God (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:12). The Scriptures teach a life of "holiness without which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14). By the POWER of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey the command: "Be Holy, for I Am Holy" (1 Peter 1:15-16). Sanctification is realized in the Believer by recognizing his or her identification with Christ in His death, by becoming like Him in partaking of a similar type of His Death (mainly, dying to a self ruled life), and through suffering with Him we share in His resurrection (Philippians 3:8-11). By faith we consider, reckon, regard and look highly upon the fact of that union by offering every faculty of our being (body, soul & spirit) continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:1-11; 8:1-2 & 13; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 2:12-13; 1 Peter 1:5).
10. Satan
The doctrine of Satan is necessary for every Believer to understand if we are to achieve and maintain full victory over him in this lifetime. We must always keep before us the Truth concerning our enemy so that Satan will have no advantage over us. According to Job 1:6-12 and Isaiah 14:12-16, Satan is a living person who is now a fallen being. According to Colossians 2:15, Satan was disarmed or stripped of his victory over us, but this however does not mean that he has been stripped of his power to attack us. While we must be sure that he will attack us, we must be equally sure that we can triumph over EVERY attack of the enemy. While Satan has formed weapons against us, we are assured by the LIVING AND ACTIVELY POWERFUL WORD of the Almighty God that NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST US SHALL PROSPER (Is. 54:17). According to Luke 10:19, Jesus assures us that HE HAS GIVEN US MORE POWER THAN ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY COMBINED!!!
11. The Final Judgment
There will be final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whoever's name is not found written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be handed over and placed into Everlasting Torment in the Lake of Fire, which is the Second Death, along with the Devil and his angels and the beast and false prophet (Matt. 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 19:20, 20:10-15, 21:8).
12. The Blessed Promise
"Then I saw a NEW Heaven and a NEW Earth, for the first Heaven and the first Earth had disappeared and there was no more ocean or sea. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a Bride dressed in beauty for her Husband. Then I heard a great voice from the Throne crying, 'Behold! The home of God is with men, and He will live among them. They shall be His People, and God Himself shall be with them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. DEATH SHALL BE NO MORE, AND NEVER AGAIN SHALL THERE BE SORROW OR CRYING OR PAIN. For all those things are gone forever.' Then the One Who sat upon the Throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new!'
