|
Doctrinal Statement
Scripture: We believe that all Scripture
is inspired by God as He carried men along by the Holy Spirit. Scripture
constitutes both Old and New Testaments, words and ideas, all parts being
authoritative, inerrant, and unbreakable. These Scriptures have been preserved
by the Church through the Holy Spirit in such a way that after much persecution,
copying and translating the Scriptures still are an authoritative representation
of the originals for doctrine and life.
(2
Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 2 Pet 3:16 (Paul’s writings called Scripture);
Matt 5:18; Rev 22:18-19; Jn 17:17; Jn 10:35; 2 Tim 2:9)
God: We believe in God Almighty, creator
of Heaven and Earth, revealed in the Bible and the Incarnation. God is
perfect, holy, eternal, sovereign, loving and just. Furthermore, we believe
that God exists in one nature and three persons - Father, Son, and Spirit
- coequal and coeternal.
(Gen
1:1; Jn 12:45; De 32:4; Isa 6:3; Deut 10:14-17; Ps 90:2; 1 Jn 4:8; 1 Ti
6:15; Deut 6:4; Mt 28:19)
We deny the worldly beliefs that there is no God, that
there is more than one God, that all God’s are the same God, and
that all is God. (Ps
53:1; Deut 6:4; Isa 43:10;44:6; Deu 32:16,17; Isa 44:9-20;)
Jesus: We believe in the deity and humanity
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God by whom all things
were created. He was born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died
on the cross, rose again bodily, ascended into Heaven, sits at the right
hand of the Father and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
He is the object of our faith, Savior, and Lord.
(Jn
1:1; Rom 1:3; Jn 3:16; Col 1:16; Mt 1:18-23; Heb 4:15; Mt 28:6-7; Acts
1:9-11; 1 Pet 3:22; Jn 5:25-30; Jn. 3:16; Titus 3:6; Jn 15:14)
Holy Spirit: We believe in the Holy Spirit,
who is God (and not a mere force or energy thereof). He convicts the world
of guilt in regards to sin, righteousness and judgement. When people believe
in Jesus they are baptized in the Holy Spirit who then enters their life
and makes them a part of the Church Body. They are then sealed with the
Holy Spirit as a guarantee of Heaven. From this position He teaches, encourages,
equips, empowers, and fills the believer.
(Acts
5:3,4; Jn 16:8-11; 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 1:13,14; Jn 14:26,16; Jn 16:7; Lk
24:49; Eph 5:18)
Man: We believe that man was made in the
image of God without fault. Nevertheless Adam and Eve willfully chose
to sin resulting in sin entering the world and death through sin, and
in this way death came to all men because all sinned. We believe that all
have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That man cannot free
himself from his predicament and that he/she must trust God alone for
his/her salvation.
(Gen
1:27; 3:6; Rom 5:12; Rom 3:20-24)
Salvation: We believe that salvation is
by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and not by man’s own works
or merit. This salvation was accomplished through the substitutionary
death of Christ on the cross, resurrection, and ascension to His priestly
office. Such a transformation involves faith which looks to God and believes
that He can and will save, repentance which is the counterpart of faith
for as one looks to God and moves towards Him he/she must look away from
sin and leave it behind, and grace which answers the faith and makes the
repentance possible. At this point a sinner is forgiven, made righteous,
set free from sin, and baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Church. Now
he/she will live a life of love which comes as a natural response of walking
in the God who is love.
(Eph
2:8,9; Heb 7:23-8:2; 1 Cor 15:17; Jn 3:14-15; 1 John 1:9; Rom 4:5; Rom
6:7,18; 1 Cor 12:13; James 2:14; James 2:15-16, 1 Jn 2:9-11, 1 Jn 1:5-7)
Sanctification: We believe that sanctification
is the work of God as His child humbly submits to his work. This involves
faith that one has indeed died to his/her sinful nature with its desires
and raised to a new life in Christ. Since a believer has died his love
for the world’s ways must be considered dead. Since a believer has
been raised with Christ and is now in Him he shall remain in the love
of God which will cause him to love others.
(Rom
1:17; James 4:4-10; Rom 6:2-4,8,11; Gal 2:20; 1 Jn 2:15-17, 4:12,16)
Church: We believe that church is a union
of people with individual giftings to be used in love for the common task
of building up the Church. We believe that Christ is the head of the Church
and He has given some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and
teachers to prepare God’s people for works of service. This will
cause the building up of the Church so she may be united and mature, attaining
to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
(1
Cor 12:11-13; 1 Cor 13; 1 Cor 12:7, 14:12; Eph 4:11-16)
End Times: We believe that a time is coming
when there will be a rapture, tribulation, resurrection, millennium, Armageddon
and final judgement. Some have taken to debate the time when the rapture
will take place but only the Father knows this hour and so our purpose
should be to be ready for it as expressed in a holy life.
(1
Thess 4:16-18; Rev 7:14; 1 Cor 15:50-58; Rev 20; Mt 24:36; Mt 25:13;2
Pet 3:11)
Satan: We believe that Satan and demons
are angels who rebelled against God and are awaiting judgement. Some of
these demons are in prison and some like the Devil are upon the Earth.
In fact the Devil is the prince of this world and his demons can possess
people (yet not all are possessed). As Christians we have the confidence
that God is greater than Satan and can ask God to rebuke him. Furthermore
a Christian does not need to give into the Devil’s temptations but
should submit themselves unto God, resist the Devil and he will flee from
them.
(note: The first line is not directly supported by the
Bible but seems to be the best of the options, many use Isa. 14:12-15
and Ezek 28:12-19 to hint towards this idea)
(Isaiah
14:12-15; Ezek 28:12-19; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6; Job 1:7; Lk 8:27; John
12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Eph 2:2; Matthew 4:24;Acts 26:18; 1 John 4:4;
Jude 1:9; 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 4:7)
Eternity: We believe that life on Earth
is temporal and that the pursuit of wealth, fame, and position are vain
for all shall die and their wealth shall rot and their name forgotten.
True meaning in life is found in the knowledge of God and the love of
mankind that flows out of that.
We believe that every man shall stand before God and give
an account for his/her deeds. To those whose names are written in the
Lamb’s Book of Life, through a faith in Christ while living, shall
enter into an eternal existence with God in the new Heaven and Earth.
Before this they shall also stand before the judgement seat of Christ
to receive what is due him for things done in the body. To those who’s
names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, they will be thrown
into the lake of fire for eternal punishment based on their knowledge.
(Ecclesiastes; 1
Jn 2:3, 3:23, 4:19-21; Rev 20:11-15; 2 Cor 5:10; Lk 12:47-49 & Mt
11:20-24)
Summary Principles of Biblical Interpretation
1. Biblical Interpretation must be approached with integrity. For this
reason We try to say only what a verse clearly says and avoid the temptation
of forcing our own interpretation on it when another legitimate interpretation
is possible.
2. Furthermore We hold that proper interpretation of Scripture
is found in the context of the Holy Spirit and the Church (past and present).
By this, We depend upon the Holy Spirit to guide us to the truth and refuse
the cultural temptation to say something new but attempt merely to repeat
that which was said before with a freshness for today’s context.
3. We also maintain that the context of the surrounding
verses, book, entire Bible, and culture need to be examined.
4. We believe the Bible should be approached literally
(with allowance for literary devices) and the use of allegory (Gal 4:24)
is permissible to illustrate (not interpret) concepts that are clearly
stated in other verses.
5. We believe that Scripture should be interpreted in community.
See also...
TOP
|
