What We Believe

Statement of Faith

THE HOLY BIBLE –The scriptures inspired

We believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, containing revelations from God to man. We hold the word of God to be the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and it is the only authority in all matters, constituting the divine and sole rule of Christian faith and practice. (II Timothy 3:15-16; I Thessalonians 2:13; II Peter 1:20-21)

THE FATHER

We believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator and Source of all things. God is omnipotent and all-knowing; His perfect knowledge includes everything—past, present, and future—including the future choices of His free creatures. We owe Him the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal God reveals Himself to us as Father, with distinct personal attributes, yet without division of nature, essence, or being. (Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 7:11; 23:9; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; Acts 1:7)

The Gospels in the New Testament reveal our knowledge of God the “Father” or “My Father,” illustrating the relationship between God and Jesus as Father, or depicting Him as the Father in the Godhead, with Jesus Himself as the Son (St. John 15:8, 14:20). Jesus also emphasizes God’s role as “Fatherhood” to all believers when He describes God in the context of “Your Father in Heaven” (St. Matthew 6:8).

 THE SON

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second person in the Godhead. We believe that Jesus was and is eternal in his person and nature as the Son of God, who was with God at the beginning of creation (St. John 1:1). We believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin named Mary according to the scripture (St. Matthew 1:18), thus establishing our core belief in the Virgin Birth and in all the miraculous events surrounding this phenomenon (St. Matthew 1:18-25). We believe that Jesus Christ became the “suffering servant” to mankind; this suffering servant came to seek and to save man from sin and to reconcile him back to God, his Father (Romans 5:10). We believe that Jesus Christ is presently standing as the mediator between God and mankind (I Timothy 2:5).

THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is the third person in the Godhead, proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is together with the Father and the Son to be believed in, obeyed, and worshipped. The Holy Ghost is a gift given to the believer to equip and empower them, making them a more effective witness for service in the world. He teaches and guides into all truth. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts through which they serve God and His church. He seals the believer until the day of final redemption. (John 16:13; Acts 1:8, 8:39; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7).

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit of God grants them utterance (Acts 2:4). The speaking in tongues in this case is essentially the same as the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:4-10, 28), but it differs in purpose and use. To be filled with the Spirit means to be Spirit-controlled, as described by Paul in Ephesians 5:18-19. Since the charismatic demonstrations were essential for helping the early church succeed in fulfilling the command of Christ, we therefore believe that a Holy Ghost experience is mandatory for all people today.

THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is manifested through various spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The list of these gifts in the Bible is not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in different combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of these gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters (Hebrews 2:4; Romans 1:11, 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:16; 2 Timothy 1:5-16, 4:14; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; 1 Peter 4:10).

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 transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God (Genesis 1:26, 27; 2:17; 3:6; Romans 5:12-19).

THE SALVATION OF MAN

Salvation involves the redemption of the entire person and is offered freely to anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who through His own blood secured eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense, salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation without personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.

Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God’s grace in which believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It involves a heart change brought about by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds with repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are essential and inseparable aspects of grace.

Repentance is a true turning away from sin toward God. Faith involves accepting Jesus Christ and dedicating your entire self to Him as Lord and Savior.

Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal based on His righteousness for all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification establishes a relationship of peace and favor with God for the believer.

Sanctification is the process that begins with regeneration, through which the believer is set apart for God’s purposes and enabled to grow toward moral and spiritual maturity by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit living in them. Growth in grace should continue throughout the life of the regenerated person.

Glorification represents the peak of salvation and is the ultimate, blessed, and eternal state of the redeemed.

Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29; 3:3-21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.

THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHIRST

The blood Jesus Christ shed on the Cross of Calvary was sinless and is fully sufficient to cleanse mankind of all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death (1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23, 5:9; John 1:29).

SANCTIFICATION OF BELIEVERS

Sanctification is the ongoing process of surrendering to God’s Word and His Spirit to develop Christ’s character in us. It is through the current ministry of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word that Christians are empowered to lead a godly life (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, Romans 8:29, 12:1-2, Hebrews 2:11).

THE CHURCH

The Church consists of all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed by His blood, and are born again through the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church (Ephesians 1:22–23), which He has commissioned to go into all the world as witnesses, preaching the gospel to every nation (Matthew 28:19–20). The local church is a community of believers in Christ who gather for worship of God, spiritual growth through the Word, prayer, fellowship, sharing the gospel, and observing the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:41–47).

THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH- EVANGELISM

It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and each church of the Lord Jesus Christ to work toward making disciples of all nations. The new birth of a person’s spirit by God’s Holy Spirit signifies the development of love for others. Missionary effort by everyone is rooted in a spiritual need for the renewed life and is clearly and repeatedly commanded in Christ’s teachings. The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations. It is the responsibility of every child of God to consistently seek to bring the lost to Christ through verbal testimony supported by a Christian lifestyle and other methods consistent with the gospel of Christ.

Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-6; Isaiah 6:1-8; Matthew 9:37-38; 10:5-15; 13:18-30, 37-43; 16:19; 22:9-10; 24:14; 28:18-20; Luke 10:1-18; 24:46-53; John 14:11-12; 15:7-8,16; 17:15; 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2; 8:26-40; 10:42-48; 13:2-3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 3:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 2:1-3; 11:39-12:2; 1 Peter 2:4-10; Revelation 22:17.

THE FAMILY

God has established the family as the basic institution of human society. It consists of individuals connected through marriage, blood, or adoption.

Marriage is the union of one man and one woman in a covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to illustrate the relationship between Christ and His church and to provide the man and woman in marriage with a framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.

The husband and wife are equally valuable before God, since both are created in God’s image. The marriage relationship reflects how God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, protect, and lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to her husband’s servant leadership, just as the church willingly submits to Christ’s headship. She, being in God’s image just like her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given duty to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.

Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and a heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents.

Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 51:5; 78:1-8; 127; 128; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.

DIVINE HEALING

Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the mortal body (Matthew 8:16–17). Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the Church in this present age (James 5:13–16).

MIRACLES

We believe that miracles happen to demonstrate that the Bible is God’s Word. A miracle can be described as an extraordinary visible act of Divine power, performed by God’s will, to ultimately affirm the righteousness of God’s Word. We believe that the works of God, which occurred during the early days of Christianity, do and will continue to happen today wherever God is preached, faith in Christ is exercised, the Holy Spirit is at work, and the Gospel is proclaimed in truth (Acts 5:15; 6:8; 9:40; Luke 4:36, 7:14-15; 5:5-6; St. Mark 14:15).

THE BLESSED HOPE- THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH

The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their transformation, along with those who are alive and remain until the Lord’s return, is imminent and serves as the church’s blessed hope (1 Thess. 4:16; Titus 2:13; 1 Cor. 15:51, 52).

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will happen at a date not revealed by the Scriptures (Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7).

THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST

The second coming of Christ is His visible return with His saints to reign on the earth for a thousand years (Zechariah 14:5; Revelation 20:1-6). This millennial reign will bring salvation to national Israel (Ezekiel 37:21, 22; Zephaniah 3:19, 20; Romans 11:26,27) and establish universal peace (Isaiah 11:6-9; Micah 4:3,4).

THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT

There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, along with the devil and his angels, the beast, and the false prophet, will be sent to everlasting punishment in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Mark 9:4348; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8).

THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH

“We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21: 22).

THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH

BAPTISM IN WATER

The ordinance of baptism by immersion is instructed in the Scriptures. All who repent and believe in Christ as their Savior and Lord should be baptized. In doing so, they publicly declare that they have died with Christ and have also been raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47, 48; Romans 6:4).

HOLY COMMUNION

The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements—bread and the fruit of the vine—is a symbol of sharing in the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4), a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26), and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26). It is enjoined on all believers “till He come!”