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The Scriptures
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of holy men of old who
spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant, as
recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our infallible guide in matters
pertaining to conduct and doctrine (II Timothy 3:16; I Thess. 2:13; II
Peter 1:21).
The
Godhead
Our
God is One but manifested in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
neither being created but infinite and eternal, each being co-equal (Phil.
2:6).
God the Father is greater than all, the Source of the Word (logos) and the
Begetter (John 14:28; 16:28; 1:14).
The Son is the Word flesh-covered, the One begotten and has existed with the
Father from the beginning (John 1:1, 14, 18).
The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son (John
15:26).
Divine Healing
Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought
by the power of God through the prayer of faith and by the laying on
of hands. It is provided in the atonement of Christ and is the privilege of
every member of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ today (Mark 16:18; James
5:14-15; I Peter 2:24; Matthew 8:17; Isaiah 53:4-5).
Man, His Fall & Redemption
Man
is a created being made in the likeness and image of God. But through Adam's
transgression and fall, sin came into the world. "All have sinned and
come short of the glory of God." "As it is written, there is none righteous,
no not one." (Romans 3:10; 3:23; 5:14).
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the work of the devil
and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God
(I John 3:8).
Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the law, and is
made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and the confession of
Him as Saviour and Lord producing works acceptable to God (Ephesians 2:8;
Romans 10:8-10).
Forgiveness
If
any believer sins, he has an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
Righteous, and, therefore, if he confesses his sin, He is faithful and just
to forgive him his sin and to cleanse him from all unrighteousness (I John
1:9-2:1).
Eternal Life & The New Birth
Man's first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that works repentance. The
New Birth is necessary to all men and when fulfilled produces eternal life
(II Cor. 7:10; I John 5:12; John 3:3-5).
Water Baptism
Baptism in water by immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord and is
for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian's
identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (Matt.
28:19; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-38).
Baptism in The Holy Ghost
The
baptism in the Holy Ghost is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus
Christ to all believers in this dispensation and is received subsequent to
the New Birth. The experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of the
speaking in other tongues as the Holy Ghost Himself gives utterance
(Matthew 3:11; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 2:38-39; 19:1-7).
Sanctification
The
Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe in
the doctrine of sanctification as a definite yet progressive work of grace
commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation
of salvation (Hebrews 12:14; I Thessalonians 5:23; II Peter 3:18; II Cor.
3:18; Philippians. 3:12-14; I Corinthians 1:30).
The
Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ
"He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that His soul was
not left in hell neither His flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God
raised up..."
. Christ did truly rise again from the dead and ascended into Heaven and is
seated at the Father's right hand where "He ever liveth to make
intercession" for all believers (Acts 2:21-32; Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews
7:25).
Resurrection of the Just and the Return of the Lord
The
angels said, "This same Jesus shall so come in like manner." His
coming is imminent. When He comes, "The dead in Christ shall rise first;
then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds to meet the Lord in the air...." (I Thessalonians 4:16-17;
Acts 1:11).
Following the Great Tribulation, He will return to earth as King of kings
and Lord of lords and together with His saints, who shall be kings and
priests, He shall reign a thousand years (Revelation 20:6).
Hell and Eternal Retribution
The one who physically dies in his sin without Christ is hopelessly and
eternally lost in the Lake of Fire and, therefore, has no further
opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. The Lake of Fire is literal.
The terms "eternal" and "everlasting" used in describing the duration of the
punishment of the damned in the Lake of Fire carry the same thought and
meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and
ecstasy of saints in the presence of God (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 20:11-15). |
