Our Beliefs.
ARTICLES OF THE FAITH AND PRACTICE:
1. THE TRIUNE GOD - THE TRINITY
We believe that the One and Only True GOD is SPIRIT. We believe in the Deity of the FATHER:
Self-existent, infinite, eternal, unchangeable in His Being; perfect in holiness, love, justice, Goodness, wisdom and truth;
Omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent;
Creator and Sustainer of all things, visible and Invisible;
Both immanent and transcendent to creation;
One in substance and co-equal in power and glory With the Son and with the Holy Spirit.
We believe in the Deity of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, The SON OF GOD, and in His eternal generation From the FATHER;
In His incarnation by which He was conceived by The HOLY SPIRIT and born of the Virgin Mary, thus Uniting the Divine and human natures in their Completeness into the Unique Person of the LORD JESUS CHRIST;
In His sinless life and miraculous works; In His vicarious death to make atonement for the Sins of the world;
In His bodily resurrection and ascension to the Right hand of the FATHER;
In His sovereign power and Lordship;
In His present mediatorial ministry as the Believer's Advocate;
In His imminent, personal and visible coming in Power and glory.
We believe in the Deity of the HOLY SPIRIT, the Third Person of the Trinity, proceeding from the FATHER and sent by the SON;
That He is of one substance, majesty and glory With the FATHER and the SON, Very and Eternally GOD;
That His office and work is to reprove the world Of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; to Regenerate such as repent of their sins and Believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and to endue Them with power.
2. THE BIBLE
We believe the Bible to be the Word of God, in 66 Books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
We believe that, as such, it is inerrant in the Manuscripts as originally given, and is the un- -changing authority in all matters of faith and Practice.
3. MAN
a. HIS CREATION - By an act of God Himself, not By evolution. As such, created in the image of God.
b. HIS FALL - Deluded by Satan, he voluntarily Disobeyed the positive command of God. The entire human race was Corrupted, leaving man without The will or the power to turn to God by himself, destined to remain In his sin forever.
c. HIS REDEMPTION-Only as he accepts the voluntary Offering that Jesus made of Himself On the cross at Calvary as a perfect sacrifice for sin, Jesus bore sins Curse and tasted death for every man.
4.SALVATION
All men are guilty before God. We are commanded to Repent. This means that we should confess and forsake Sin. Faith must accompany repentance and is the means Whereby man fully believes the promises of God and Rests upon the complete atoning work of JESUS CHRIST. JUSTIFICATION takes place whereby the sinner's STANDING before God is changed; whilst REGENERATION At the same time changes the sinner's NATURE before God.
5. THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE
A life that is victorious over the power of sin, the World, the flesh and the Devil, is provided for each Believer through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. He promises to "Baptize", or to "Immerse" or "fill" us with His Holy Spirit. We are Commanded in Ephesians 5.18 to "Be filled with the Spirit" and in Romans 12.1 to "Present your bodies". Available for the believer's personal life and his Character is the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (Galatians.5. 22&23) and for his warfare, witness and worship are The GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT. (Romans 12.6-8; I.Corinthians 12.A-31)
6.RESURRECTION AND GLORIFICATION
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that, because He lives, we too Shall live. (I.Corinthians 15) The Scriptures teach That, at the return of the Lord Jesus, the bodies of The righteous dead will be raised, and the living Believers will be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air. (1 .Thessalonians 4.13-5.11) All Will then have literal, spiritual and immortal Bodies like unto Christ's own glorious body.
7.THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
Although actual detailed interpretations differ, The hope of the church is the personal, bodily and Visible return of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who will Descend from Heaven in order to institute His total Rule and kingdom on a new earth and new heavens. Although believers have been judged as sinners and Forgiven at the Cross of Christ, they will appear Before the Judgment Seat of Christ to be judged for Their deeds, and to receive rewards for service. Every unsaved person will appear at the Judgment of The Great White Throne. There is no second chance.
EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH IN PRACTICE:
1.BAPTISM BY IMMERSION for believers was introduced By the Lord Jesus Himself as the evidence which a Believer could give to the church, the world, and The Devil that he/she meant business with God in Commitment to Jesus. It is also a wonderful symbol Of the believer's past life being buried, and a New life rising in its place.
2.BREAKING OF BREAD, Communion, or the Lord's Table Was also introduced by the Lord Jesus to His Disciples with the command that they do this as Often as they ate the bread and drank the cup to Remember His death and sacrifice.
3.HEALING and THE LAYING ON OF HANDS is provided for, Not only by example when Jesus sent His Disciples Out, but more specifically for the church in James Chapter 5 where anointing with oil is indicated at The same time as the laying on of the Elders hands. We believe that the Atonement provided for physical As well as spiritual healing.
4.THE LORD'S DAY, the first day of the week, Sunday, Is to be set aside as a day of worship, praise and Service for the Lord as we remember the first day Of resurrection.
5.GIVING. The Christian ought to lay aside each week As God has prospered him, so that the Lord's work May be supported through the tithes and offerings Of His people.
6.DEDICATION OF CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS replaces Infant baptism for us who practice Baptism by Immersion.
7.CONDUCT. It is inconsistent for a believer to injure his body with drugs, tobacco, and alcohol or to engage in illicit sexual relationships. The believer must live a clean and upright life in a careless world.
1. THE TRIUNE GOD - THE TRINITY
We believe that the One and Only True GOD is SPIRIT. We believe in the Deity of the FATHER:
Self-existent, infinite, eternal, unchangeable in His Being; perfect in holiness, love, justice, Goodness, wisdom and truth;
Omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent;
Creator and Sustainer of all things, visible and Invisible;
Both immanent and transcendent to creation;
One in substance and co-equal in power and glory With the Son and with the Holy Spirit.
We believe in the Deity of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, The SON OF GOD, and in His eternal generation From the FATHER;
In His incarnation by which He was conceived by The HOLY SPIRIT and born of the Virgin Mary, thus Uniting the Divine and human natures in their Completeness into the Unique Person of the LORD JESUS CHRIST;
In His sinless life and miraculous works; In His vicarious death to make atonement for the Sins of the world;
In His bodily resurrection and ascension to the Right hand of the FATHER;
In His sovereign power and Lordship;
In His present mediatorial ministry as the Believer's Advocate;
In His imminent, personal and visible coming in Power and glory.
We believe in the Deity of the HOLY SPIRIT, the Third Person of the Trinity, proceeding from the FATHER and sent by the SON;
That He is of one substance, majesty and glory With the FATHER and the SON, Very and Eternally GOD;
That His office and work is to reprove the world Of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; to Regenerate such as repent of their sins and Believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and to endue Them with power.
2. THE BIBLE
We believe the Bible to be the Word of God, in 66 Books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
We believe that, as such, it is inerrant in the Manuscripts as originally given, and is the un- -changing authority in all matters of faith and Practice.
3. MAN
a. HIS CREATION - By an act of God Himself, not By evolution. As such, created in the image of God.
b. HIS FALL - Deluded by Satan, he voluntarily Disobeyed the positive command of God. The entire human race was Corrupted, leaving man without The will or the power to turn to God by himself, destined to remain In his sin forever.
c. HIS REDEMPTION-Only as he accepts the voluntary Offering that Jesus made of Himself On the cross at Calvary as a perfect sacrifice for sin, Jesus bore sins Curse and tasted death for every man.
4.SALVATION
All men are guilty before God. We are commanded to Repent. This means that we should confess and forsake Sin. Faith must accompany repentance and is the means Whereby man fully believes the promises of God and Rests upon the complete atoning work of JESUS CHRIST. JUSTIFICATION takes place whereby the sinner's STANDING before God is changed; whilst REGENERATION At the same time changes the sinner's NATURE before God.
5. THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE
A life that is victorious over the power of sin, the World, the flesh and the Devil, is provided for each Believer through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. He promises to "Baptize", or to "Immerse" or "fill" us with His Holy Spirit. We are Commanded in Ephesians 5.18 to "Be filled with the Spirit" and in Romans 12.1 to "Present your bodies". Available for the believer's personal life and his Character is the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (Galatians.5. 22&23) and for his warfare, witness and worship are The GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT. (Romans 12.6-8; I.Corinthians 12.A-31)
6.RESURRECTION AND GLORIFICATION
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that, because He lives, we too Shall live. (I.Corinthians 15) The Scriptures teach That, at the return of the Lord Jesus, the bodies of The righteous dead will be raised, and the living Believers will be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air. (1 .Thessalonians 4.13-5.11) All Will then have literal, spiritual and immortal Bodies like unto Christ's own glorious body.
7.THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
Although actual detailed interpretations differ, The hope of the church is the personal, bodily and Visible return of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who will Descend from Heaven in order to institute His total Rule and kingdom on a new earth and new heavens. Although believers have been judged as sinners and Forgiven at the Cross of Christ, they will appear Before the Judgment Seat of Christ to be judged for Their deeds, and to receive rewards for service. Every unsaved person will appear at the Judgment of The Great White Throne. There is no second chance.
EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH IN PRACTICE:
1.BAPTISM BY IMMERSION for believers was introduced By the Lord Jesus Himself as the evidence which a Believer could give to the church, the world, and The Devil that he/she meant business with God in Commitment to Jesus. It is also a wonderful symbol Of the believer's past life being buried, and a New life rising in its place.
2.BREAKING OF BREAD, Communion, or the Lord's Table Was also introduced by the Lord Jesus to His Disciples with the command that they do this as Often as they ate the bread and drank the cup to Remember His death and sacrifice.
3.HEALING and THE LAYING ON OF HANDS is provided for, Not only by example when Jesus sent His Disciples Out, but more specifically for the church in James Chapter 5 where anointing with oil is indicated at The same time as the laying on of the Elders hands. We believe that the Atonement provided for physical As well as spiritual healing.
4.THE LORD'S DAY, the first day of the week, Sunday, Is to be set aside as a day of worship, praise and Service for the Lord as we remember the first day Of resurrection.
5.GIVING. The Christian ought to lay aside each week As God has prospered him, so that the Lord's work May be supported through the tithes and offerings Of His people.
6.DEDICATION OF CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS replaces Infant baptism for us who practice Baptism by Immersion.
7.CONDUCT. It is inconsistent for a believer to injure his body with drugs, tobacco, and alcohol or to engage in illicit sexual relationships. The believer must live a clean and upright life in a careless world.