WE BELIEVE that God is the Eternal (1) King (2). He is
an infinite (3), unchangeable (4) Spirit (5), perfect (6)
in holiness (7), wisdom (8), goodness (9), justice (10),
power (11) and love (12). From all eternity (13) He
exists as the One (14) Living (15) and True (16) God in
three persons (17) of one substance (18), the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit (19), equal in power and glory
(20).
WE
BELIEVE that God's kingdom
is everlasting (21). From His throne (22), through His
Son, His eternal Word (23), God created (24), upholds
(25) and governs (26) all that exists (27): the heavenly
places (28), the angelic hosts (29), the universe (30),
the earth (31), every living thing (32) and mankind (33).
God created all things very good (34).
WE BELIEVE that Satan, originally a great, good angel,
rebelled against God, taking a host of angels with him
(35). He was cast out of God's presence and, as a usurper
of God's rule established a counter-kingdom of darkness
(36) and evil on the earth (37).
WE BELIEVE that God created mankind in His image, male
and female (38), for relationship with Himself and to
govern the earth (39). Under the temptation of Satan
(40), our original parents fell from grace (41), bringing
sin (42), sickness (43) and God's judgment of death to
the earth (44). Through the fall, Satan and his demonic
hosts gained access to God's good creation (45). Creation
now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's
original sin (46). Human beings are born in sin (47),
subject to God's judgment of death (48) and captive to
Satan's kingdom of darkness (49).
WE BELIEVE that God did not abandon His rule over the
earth (50) which He continues to uphold by His providence
(51). In order to bring redemption, God established
covenants (52) which revealed His grace to sinful people
(53). In the covenant with Abraham, God bound Himself to
His people Israel, promising to deliver them from bondage
to sin and Satan and to bless all the nations through
them (54).
WE BELIEVE that as King, God later redeemed His people
by His mighty acts from bondage in Egypt (55) and
established His covenant through Moses, revealing His
perfect will and our obligation to fulfill it (56.) The
law's purpose is to order our fallen race (57) and to
make us conscious of our moral responsibility (58). By
the work of God's Spirit (59), it convicts us of our sin
(60) and God's righteous judgment against us (61 ) and
brings us to Christ alone for salvation (62).
WE BELIEVE that when Israel rejected God's rule over
her as King (63), God established the monarchy in Israel
(64) and made an unconditional covenant with David (65),
promising that his heir would restore God's kingdom reign
over His people as Messiah forever (66).
WE BELIEVE that in the fullness of time (67), God
honored ALL His covenants with Israel and His
prophetic promises of salvation (68) by sending His only
Son (69), Jesus, into the world (70). Conceived by the
Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (71), as fully
God and fully man in one person (72), He is humanity as
God intended us to be (73). Though retaining His identity
as deity, He had no advantages over you and I (74), but
came as a man in union with God to win the battle for
man.(75) Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and
empowered by the Holy Spirit (76), inaugurating God's
kingdom reign on earth (77), overpowering the reign of
Satan by resisting temptation (78), preaching the good
news of salvation (79), healing the sick (80), casting
out demons (81) and raising the dead (82). Gathering His
disciples (83), He reconstituted God's people (84) as His
Church (85) to be the instrument of His kingdom (86).
After dying for the sins of the world (87), Jesus was
raised from the dead on the third day (88), fulfilling
the covenant of blessing given to Abraham (89). In His
sinless, perfect life (90) Jesus met the demands of the
law (91) and in His atoning death on the cross (92) He
took God's judgment for sin (93) which we deserve as
law-breakers (94). By His death on the cross He also
disarmed the demonic powers (95). The covenant with David
was fulfilled in Jesus' birth from David's house (96),
His Messianic ministry, (97) His glorious resurrection
from the dead, (98) His ascent into heaven and His
present rule at the right hand of the Father (99). As
God's Son and David's heir (100), He is the eternal
Messiah-King (101), advancing God's reign throughout
every generation and throughout the whole earth today
(102).
WE BELIEVE that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the
Church at Pentecost in power (103), baptizing believers
into the Body of Christ (104) and releasing the gifts of
the Spirit to them (105). The Spirit brings the permanent
indwelling presence of God to us (106) for spiritual
worship (107), personal sanctification (108), building up
the Church (109), gifting us for ministry (110), and
driving back the kingdom of Satan (111) by the
evangelization of the world through proclaiming the word
of Jesus (112) and doing the works of Jesus (113).
WE BELIEVE that the Holy Spirit indwells every
believer in Jesus Christ (114) and that He is our abiding
Helper (115), Teacher (116), and Guide (117). We believe
in the filling or empowering of the Holy Spirit (118),
often a conscious experience (119), for ministry today
(120). We believe in the present ministry of the Spirit
(121) and in the exercise of all of the biblical gifts of
the Spirit (122). We practice the laying on of hands for
the empowering of the Spirit (123 ), for healing (124),
and for recognition and empowering of those whom God has
ordained to lead and serve the Church (125).
WE BELIEVE that the Holy Spirit inspired the human
authors of Holy Scripture (126) so that the Bible is
without error (127) in the original manuscripts. We
receive the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments
(128) as our final, absolute authority, the only
infallible rule of faith (129) and practice (130).
WE BELIEVE that the whole world is under the
domination of Satan (131) and that all people are sinners
by nature (132) and choice (133). All people therefore
are under God's just judgment (134). Through the
preaching of the Good News of Jesus and the Kingdom of
God (135) and the work of the Holy Spirit (136), God
regenerates (137), justifies (138), adopts (139) and
sanctifies (140) through Jesus by the Spirit (141) all
who repent of their sins (142) and trust in Jesus Christ
as Lord (143) and Savior (144). By this they are released
from Satan's domain and enter into God's kingdom reign
(145).
WE BELIEVE the Scripture describes a new Christian as
a spiritual baby. (146) The primary focus and burden of
the New Testament is to call the believers to grow in
grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. (147) This
growing process is called sanctification. (148)
Sanctification is a present reality and an on-going
process. The first is the result of the finished work,
the latter the result of the indwelling Spirit. (149) The
fullest meaning of sanctification is that Jesus Christ is
made unto us sanctification, (150) that is, He creates in
us what He is Himself. We believe that Jesus Christ is
coming back for a bride in the image of her bridegroom
(151) The primary work of the Holy Spirit is to prepare
this bride to meet her bridegroom. (152)
WE BELIEVE in the maturity (153) of the saints in
intimacy with God, (154)in Character (155) and in power
and authority.(156) “The Faith, according to the New
Testament, is sonship, and is the occasion of much
conflict.(157) The New Testament clearly shows the
bringing of the Lord’s people to full spiritual
growth to be as important as bringing them to New Birth.
Sonship is infinitely more than getting your sins
forgiven; it is coming to maturity. Because the powers of
darkness will not be ousted by spiritual babes(158), but
by believers who express the fulness of Christ. The
adversary, the devil, is opposed to the full maturation
of the sons of God and will resist all attempts to their
conformity to the full image of Christ.
WE BELIEVE
that the gospel can be summed up as: Jesus Christ, God
manifest in flesh in terms of sonship, brought through to
glory to generate a new race after His own kind-- to
bring many sons to glory (159) Sonship is the deep, deep
inner secret of God of how He is eventually going to
triumph in His original purpose in the earth. (160)
WE BELIEVE that the crowning achievement of the cross
of Christ is not found in just His being able to populate
heaven with man, but it in the union established between
God and man. The meaning of the cross is thus revealed,
man in God, and God in man, unified into one spirit, one
purpose, one effort, one power, and one glory.
(161)
WE BELIEVE in the one (162), holy (163), universal
Church (164). All who repent of their sins and confess
Jesus as Lord and Savior are regenerated by the Holy
Spirit (165) and form the living Body of Christ (166), of
which He is the head (167) and of which we are all
members (168).
WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ committed two ordinances
to the Church: water baptism (169) and the Lord's Supper
(170). Both are available to all believers.
WE BELIEVE that ruling and reigning in God’s
kingdom is the inheritance of the New Testament saints in
Christ (171) and can be lost.(172) It is separate than
making it to heaven. (173) We believe the primary focus
of the New Testament is not in populating heaven, but in
bringing believers to the kingdom. (174)
WE BELIEVE that God's kingdom has come in the ministry
of our Lord Jesus Christ (175), that it continues to come
in the ministry of the Spirit through the Church (176),
and that it will be consummated in the glorious, visible
and triumphant appearing of Christ (177) - His return to
the earth as King (178). After Christ returns to reign
(179), He will bring about the final defeat of Satan and
all of his minions and works (180), the resurrection of
the dead (181), the final judgment (182) and the eternal
blessing of the righteous and eternal conscious
punishment of the wicked (183). Finally, God will be all
in all (184) and His kingdom, His rule and reign (185),
will be fulfilled in the new heavens and the new earth
(186), recreated by His mighty power, in which
righteousness dwells (187) and in which He will forever
be worshipped (188).
Biblical References:
(1) Deuteronomy 33:27; Romans 1:20;
(2) Psalm 95:3; Is 43:15; (3) Psalm 147:5; Job 11:7-9;
(4) James 1:17; (5) John 4:24; (6) Matthew 5:48; (7)
Isaiah 6:3; I Peter 1:15-16; (8) Psalms 104:24; Proverbs
2:6; Isaiah 28:29; (9) Exodus 33:19; Psalms 63:2; Psalm
31:19; (10) Psalm 33:5; Psalms 89:14; Isaiah 30:18; (11)
Exodus 15:6; (12) I John 4:8; (13) Isaiah 43:13; (14)
Isaiah 45:5; I Corinthians 8:4; (15) Psalm 42:2; Psalm
84:2; (16) Jeremiah 10:10; (17) John 1:18; John 10:30; I
John 14:9; John 14:16-17; John 14:26; John 15:26; II
Corinthians 3:17-18; (18) John l:l; John 1:14; II
Corinthians 3:17; (19) Matthew 28:19-20; II Corinthians
13:14; Revelation 1:4; (20) Revelation 5:13; Ephesians
3:14-21).
(21) Psalm 45:6; Psalm
145:13; Daniel 4:3; (22) Psalm 93:1-2; (23) John l:l-3; I
Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:1-2; (24)
Genesis 1:l; Psalm 95:3-5; (25) Colossians 1:17; Hebrews
1:3; (26) Psalm 103:19; Psalm 104:24-29; (27) Psalm
96:4-6; (28) Psalm 89:11; (29) Psalm 103:20-21; (30}
Colossiansl:l6-17; (31) Psalm 104:5; (32) Psalm 103:22;
(33) Psalm 22:28; Psalm 47:8; (34) Genesis 1:31).
(35) Revelation 12:7-9; (36)
II Corinthians 11:14; Colossians 1:13-14; Ephesians 6:12;
(37) Mark 3:22-26; Ephesians 2:1-2; I John 5:19).
(38) Genesis 1:26-27; (39)
Genesis 1:26; (40) Genesis 3:1; Revelation 12:9; (41)
Genesis 3:8; Romans 1:21; Romans 5:16; (42) Romans 5:12;
(43) John 5:14; (44) I Corinthians 15:22; (45) John 8:44;
I John 5:19; (46) Romans 8:20-23; (47) Psalm 51:5; (48)
Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 2:5; Romans 2:12; Hebrews 9:27; (49)
Galatians 1:3-5; Galatians 4:8-9; Colossians 1:13).
(50) Psalm 24:1; (51) Psalm
96:10; Isaiah 40:22; Heb1:3; (52) Romans 9:4;(53)
Ephesians 2:12; (54) Genesis 17:3-8; Genesis 12:2-3;
Genesis 15:4-6; Romans 4:3-5; Romans 4:16; Romans
4:20-25; Galatians 3:6-9; Galatians 3:13-14).
(55) Exodus 15:3-18; (56)
Exodus 19:3-6; Exodus 24:3-4; Exodus 24:7; Romans 8:3-4;
Romans 8:12-14; (57) Deuteronomy 5:1-3; Deuteronomy
30:15-18; Galatians 3:23-25; (58) Psalm 25:8-10; Romans
7:7; (59) John 15:26; John 16:8-1 l; II Corinthians
3:14-17; (60) Romans 7:13; Galatians 3:21-22; (61) Romans
2:1-11; {62) Galatians 3:24; Philippians 3:8-9).
(63) I Samuel 8:6-8; (64) I
Samuel 8:21-22; I Samuel 9:15-16; I Samuel 10:1; I Samuel
10:24; (65) II Samuel 7:llb-16; Psalm 89:34-37; (66)
Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 1l:l-5; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Ezekiel
34:23).
(67) Mark 1: 15; Galatians
4:4; (68) Romans 1:2-4; (69) John 1:14; (70) John
1:17-18; (71) Luke 1:30-35; (72) John 1:14; Philippians
2:5-7; (73) Romans 5:19; I Corinthians 15:22; IPeter
2:22; II Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:29; (74) Philipians
2:5-9; Hebrews 2:16-18; John 5:19 (75) I Corinthians
15:21 (76) Luke 3:21-22; Luke 4:16-21; (77) Mark 1:14-I5;
Luke 11:20; Luke 17:20-21; (78) Luke 4:1-13; (79) Luke
4:43; (80) Luke 4:40; (81) Luke 4:41; (82) Luke 7:14-17;
(83) Mark 1:16-17; (84) Mark 3:13-15; (85) Matthew 16:18;
(86) Luke 9:1-2; Luke 10:1-17; (87) John 1:29; John 6:51;
John 4:9-10; (88) Mark 8:31; I Corinthians 15:3-5; (89)
Galatians 3:13-14; (90) Acts 3:14-15; Hebrews 4:15; (91)
Romans 5:18-19; (92) I Peter 2:24; (93) Galatians 3:13;
II Corinthians 5:21; (94) Romans 1:18; Romans 1:32;
Romans 2:12; II Thessalonians 1:6-10; (95) Colossians
2:13-15; (96) Matthew 1:l; (97) Luke 1:68-72; Luke
2:10-11; Matthew 9:27; (98) Acts 2:24-28; (99) Acts
2:29-36; (100) Romans 1:1-4; (101) Hebrews l:l-3; (102) I
Corinthians 15:24-26; Ephesians 1:19-23; Revelation
5:5).
(103) Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-4;
(104) I Corinthians 12:13; (105) I Corinthians 12:4-7;
(106) John 14:16-17; (107) Romans 12:1; Ephesians
5:18-20; (108) Romans 8:3-4; (109) I Corinthians 14:12; I
Corinthians 14:26; (110) Romans 12:4-6; (111) Luke 11:20;
I John 3 :8b; (112) Ephesians 6:10-20; (113) John
14:12-13; Romans 15:18-19; I Corinthians 4 : 20).
(114) Romans 8:9-10; (115)
John 16:7; (116) John 14:26; (117) John 16:13-15; Romans
8:14; (118) Luke 24:49; Acts 4:31; (119) Acts 8:18-19;
Acts l9:l-2; (120) I Corinthians 2:4-5; II Corinthians
4:7; II Corinthians 6:4-7; (121) Joel 2:28-29; Acts
2:15-17; (122) I Corinthians 12:7-1 l; I Corinthians
14:1; I Corinthians 14:5; I Thessalonians 5:19-21; (123)
Acts 8:14-17; Acts 19:6; (124) Mark 1:41; Luke 6:18b-19;
Mark 16:18; (125) Acts 13:1-3; I Timothy 4:14; II Timothy
1:6).
(126) II Timothy 3:16-17; II
Peter 1:20-21; I Corinthians 2:12-13; John 14:26; (127)
Psalm 19:7-9; Psalm 119:1 l; Psalm 119:30; Psalm 119:43;
Psalm 119:89; Matthew 5:17-18; John 3:34; John 10:35; I
Thessalonians 2:13; Revelation 22:6; (128) Luke 24:44; II
Peter 3:15-16; Revelation 22:18-19; (129) Isaiah 40:8;
Matthew 24:35; (130) Matthew 7:21; Matthew 7:24; Luke
1:38; James 1:22-25).
(131) Luke 4:5-7; I John
5:19; (132) I Corinthians 15:22; Ephesians 2:1-3; (133)
Romans 1:21-23; Romans 1:32; (134) Romans 1:18; Romans
2:5; II Corinthians 5:10; Ephesians 5:6; (135) Mark
1:14-15; Acts 8:12; Acts 28:31; Ephesians 5:5; (136) John
16:7-11; (137) John 3:5-8; (138) Romans 5:1-2; Romans
5:9; (139) Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6; (140) Ephesians
5:25; Hebrews 13:12; I Peter 1:1-2; (141) I Peter 1:23;
(142) Acts 2:38; (143) Romans 10:9; (144) I John 4:13-15;
(145) Colossians 1:13-14; Philippians 3:20).
(146) I Peter 3:2; (147) II
Peter 3:18; (148) I Thessalonians 4:34; II Thessalonians
2:13; Hebrews 10:10; (149) Hebrews 10:4; (150) I
Corinthians 1:30; (151) Ephesians 5:25-27; (152) I Peter
1:2).
(153) Galatians 4:19;
Ephesians 4:13-14; (154) Daniel 11:32; Jeremiah 9:23,24;
Philipians 3:10; (155) Matthew 5-7; I Corinthians 13; II
Peter1:4-8; (156) Luke 12:32; Hebrews 2:5,6; Revelation
2:26-27; Revelation 5:9,10; (157) Book of Galatians;
(158) Ephesians 3:11; Revelation 12:5, 7-11).
(159) John 12:24; Hebrews
2:10; (160) I John 4:4; Colossians 1:27; Galatians 4:4-7;
Romans 8:20,21; (161) Mark 16:19-20; John 20:17; Romans
8:17; I Corinthians 3:9; Hebrews 3:1 (Partakers =
partners)
(162) John 17:20-21;
Ephesians 4:3-6; (163) I Corinthians 3:16-17; (l64)
Matthew 16:17-18; I Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 2:18-19; I
Peter 2:9-10; (165) Titus 3:4-7; {166) Romans 12:4-5;
(167) Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 5:23; (168) I Corinthians
12:27 ).
( 169 ) Matthew 28:19-20; (
170) I Corinthians 11:23-26).
(171) Hebrews 2:5-6; I Peter
1:3-5; Revelation 2:25-27; Revelation 3:21;(172) Hebrews
2:1-3; Hebrews 4:1,11; (173) Revelation 3:21; (174)
Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:14; Matthew 11:12; Mark 1:14,15
).
(175) Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew
4:23; Matthew 12:28; (176) Matthew 6:10; Matthew 10:7-8;
Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:1 l; John 15:26-27; Romans
14:17-18; (177) Mark 13:26; Acts 1:9-11; II Thessalonians
2:8; (178) Revelation 19:11-16; (179) Matthew 25:31-32; I
Corinthians 15:23-25; (180) Revelation 20:10; (181) I
Corinthians 15:51-52; (182) John 5:28-30; Revelation
20:11-15; (183) Matthew 25:31-46; (184) I Corinthians
15:24-28; (185) I Timothy 6:13-16; (186) II Peter 3:13;
Revelation 21:5; (l87) Revelation 21:27; (188) I Timothy
1:17; Revelation 7:9-12).
