Doctrinal Statement of Faith What is a Bible believing church - - There are so many groups in the world today that may claim to be a church, but are they really? What legitimately constitutes a church? A New Covenant Congregation In order to answer that question fully must know two important facts 1. A true church according to the Scripture 2. Does the church define itself in accordance with what we know be true of the local church from Scripture? Scripture is the absolute authority, accuracy, and inerrancy of the 66 books of the Bible its full verbal inspiration of the original manuscripts and its all-sufficiency and final authority as the Christian’s rule of faith and practice. (Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 40:8, 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21) God - There is but one God, the Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of all things, who is perfect in holiness and in love, infinite in wisdom and measureless in power, and who reveals Himself to us as three distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Chronicles 29:11-12; Nehemiah 9:6; Matthew 28:19; 1 John 4:8b) Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ is the eternal and only begotten Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and He is true God and true Man, the Redeemer of man, Head Shepherd and is the only Mediator between God and man. (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:35; John 1:1, 12, 14, 12:45, 14:9; Romans 5:6; 1 Timothy 2:5) Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, the third Person of the Trinity, equal with the Father and the Son, and of the same substance and nature; He convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment; He bears witness to the church; He is the agent of the new birth; and at conversion He baptizes the believer into the Body of Christ; and He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies, and helps the believer, indwelling every true child of God. (John 3:3-7, 14:16-17, 16:8-11; Acts 1:8, 5:3-4; Ephesians 1:13; Titus3:5) Man -- created by God in His image, and he was originally in communion with God. By man’s own choice he sinned, broke this communion and incurred both physical and spiritual death. Thus, all descendants of Adam by nature and by choice are sinners and unable of their own selves to re-establish fellowship with God. Apart from faith in Christ all individuals shall be forever separated from God. (Genesis 1:26; Ezekiel 18:20a; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8-9) Lord - The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. All who believe on Him, have truly repented, accepted Jesus Christ, are justified by faith in His shed blood for the remission of sins. (Romans 3:21-26; Revelation 1:5)
Sanctification - -- Entire sanctification is the Will of God for all believers and should be earnestly pursued by walking in obedience to God's word. Romans5:16; 1 Cor. 1:30. Baptism in the Holy Spirit - The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is an operation of the Spirit distinct and separate from His work of regeneration. One can be regenerated and indwelt by the Holy Spirit but still not be baptized in the Holy Spirit. For every believer whose heart has been cleansed, an endowment of power for service, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, in accordance with Acts 2:4 and 10:44 - 48 etc.) Spiritual Gifts-- If we abide in Him, it is possible to have the "signs following", and the spiritual gifts spoken of in Corinthians, operating in the Body of Christ. Healing - Healing in the atonement, "Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses, and "with His stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5. It is our privilege to lay hands on the sick and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and "the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up", in accordance with James 5:14 - 15. Rapture - We believe: A. In the pre-millennial second coming of Jesus for His bride, (CHURCH). (The rapture} first, to resurrect the righteous dead and to catch away the living saints to meet Him in the air. (1st Thes. 4: 16-18). B. In the bodily resurrection of the just, the everlasting conscious blessedness of the saved, (Revelation 20:4-6). and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost at the great white throne judgment. (1 Corinthians 15:20-24; Revelation 20:11-15). Local church - The local church, (not the building), is God’s ordained means of continuing the work of Christ on earth. It is the physical expression of the Universal Body of Christ in a community of born-again believers, is an organized body of baptized believers in Jesus Christ, that assembles for the purpose of worship, teaching and service. Not entertainment, (Acts 1:8, 2:41-47, 4:12; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3) Jesus as the Head and Final Authority of the Church - Another characteristic of the Bible believing church is that it submits to Jesus Christ as her ultimate and final authority. It answers to Him alone for matters of faith and practice. The local church is autonomous, in the sense that it is not answerable to any one man, any group of men or women, associations, denominations, or government. The leadership of each congregation shall guide as a way to ensure order (see 1 Corinthians 14), and not to submit to human government rule if that rule is in conflict with the Biblical teachings of the Bible... (Romans 13 :1-7). What this means is that the Bible believing church recognizes that God’s Word overrules any of these authorities and systems of operation and, in the end, must have the ultimate say. Scripture is the authority of the local church. (Ephesians 4:15, 5:23-24) The Future return of the personal, visible imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory to establish His righteous reign for one thousand years, culminating in a new Heaven and a new earth. He will rule with truth and justice. His redeemed people will be in His presence forever, while those who have not obeyed the gospel will be condemned to Hell and the lake of fire, and spend eternity separated from God and His blessing. (Zechariah 14:1-11; Matthew 24:42, 25:31-46; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19:1-21:8)
|