What We Believe

THE BIBLE (THE HOLY SCRIPTURES)

The Bible (The Holy Scriptures contain 66 books) is the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), spoken by God through The Holy Spirit to men (2 Peter 1:20-21) , active and alive piercing the soul and spirit of men (Hebrews 4:12), written for our instruction to obey God's commandments (men's love for God) (John 15:14; Romans 15:4; Romans 16:26), which shall not be modified or altered (Revelation 22:18-19).

GOD THE FATHER

God is the creator of Heaven and Earth (Genesis 1:1), the only one living and true God (Isiah 45:5-7; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6) one eternally existing in three Persons (The Holy Trinity) - Father, Son and Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2), before Creation (Genesis 1:2, John 1:1 and John 1:14).  God the Father, the first person of the Holy Trinity, is sovereign in creation and redemption (Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:36) Creator to all men (Ephesians 4:6) but Spiritual Father to all believers (Romans 8:14) that He saves from sin who come to Him through God the Son - Jesus Christ (John 3:16 and John 14:6).

GOD THE SON - JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ, eternally existing in the second person of the Holy Trinity, possessing all divinities co-equal and co-eternal with the Father (John 10:30 and John 14:9), incarnated God becoming man (John 1:14) accepting all characteristics of humanity, surrendering deity,  but nothing of the divine essence (Philippians 2:5-8).  Jesus Christ, virgin born (Luke 1:26-35) who lived a sinless life (1 Peter 2:22) was incarnated to reveal God (Isiah 9:6), redeem men (John 1:29) and rule over God's kingdom (Philippians 2:9-11 and 1 Peter 1:18-19).  

Jesus Christ accomplished men's redemption through the shedding of His blood and sacrificial death on the cross at Calvary and that His death was voluntary (John 10:15), sacrificial and redemptive (Romans 3:24-25, 1 Peter 2:24).

Men's justification of eternal life was made possible through Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead and ascension into Heaven (Romans 4:25), seated at the right hand of God The Father, where He mediates as our High Priest (Luke 24; Acts 2:30-34; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1).

Jesus Christ's resurrection from the grave confirms God's sovereignty of His Son and acceptance of the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross (John 5:25-31) and assures resurrection life for all believers (Romans 6:5-11; John 14:6; 1 John 2:24-24).

Jesus Christ will judge, through God, all humanity (John 5:22-24) including all believers (2 Corinthians 5:10) and unbelievers (Revelation 20:11-15) and will return and reign as King with all believers for eternity (Revelation 21:1-7) while unbelievers will be judged to the lake of fire forever (Revelation 21:8). 

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, possess all divine attributes of God The Father and Jesus Christ, coequal (Matthew 28:19; John 16:5-15).

The Holy Spirit executes the divine work of Father to mankind: His sovereignty at Creation (Genesis 1:2); the incarnation of God the Son (Matthew 1:18); the written revelation to men for the Holy Scriptures (2 Peter 1:20-21); and salvation to all who believe (John 3:5-7).  The Holy Spirit, a sovereign agent of God, convicts mankind of sin, righteous, judgement (John 16:7-11), transforming believers into the image of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:5; Acts 2:4 and Romans 8:29), baptizing into one body of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), indwelling upon salvation to sanctify, teach, and lift for service until day of redemption (Romans 8:9-11; John 14: 16-31).    

MAN

Man was initially created by God in His image free of sin responsible to God (Genesis 2:7, 15-25), intended for man to fellowship, live his life in the will of God with the purpose of glorifying God (Isiah 43:7 and Revelation 4:11).

Man's (Adam) sin to the revealed will and Word of God (eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17)) incurred the penalty of physical and spiritual death; became subject to the wrath of God and corrupt in himself (Genesis 3:17-19).  Adam's sin resulted, by divine declaration of God, transmitted to all, a sinner, except Jesus Christ (Psalm 14:1-3; Romans 3:9-18, 23; Romans 5:10-12).  Man's  salvation is wholly only through God's grace by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ (John 3:36; Ephesians 2:1-8).

SALVATION

Salvation is God's wholly grace, based upon the redemption of Jesus Christ, the shedding of His blood and not by human works (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:4-7; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19).   
 
Through God's divine grace, He saves with regeneration, justification and sanctification (Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-11).  That however, does not negate the responsibility of man to repent, and trust in faith Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (John 3:18-19; John 3:36; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12, 1 Peter 1:1-5).  When offered by God as gift, those of whom come in faith, God will receive (John 6:37-40).  God exercises His sovereignty with the saved in many of His attributes (Romans 9:11-16), exalting the will of God consistent with His character as revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:25-30).  

REGENERATION

Regeneration, the  divine work and power of the Holy Spirit, gives divine life to repentant sinner, enabled by the Holy Spirit when responding in faith to the provision of salvation (John 3:3-8, John 5:24).  Genuine regeneration is manifested through the Holy Spirit by fruits in righteous attitude and conduct (Galatians 5:22-23, Matthew 5:2-12) and being glorified with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:16-17).

JUSTIFICATION

Justification is an act of God whereby He declares righteous those who through faith and trust in Jesus Christ, repent of sins (Isiah 55:6-7; Luke 13:3) and confess Him as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10).

SANCTIFICATION

Every believer is sanctified (set apart) unto God by justification, and therefore is holy and considered as a saint (Romans 8:27).  Though a believer's standing with God is sanctified, this does not represent the present walk (2 Thessalonians 2:13).  The Holy Spirit desires each believer to a progressive sanctification of being closer to Jesus Christ through understanding and obedience of the Holy Scriptures (John 17:17-19), of which includes in part, prayer (Matthew 7:7-8; Matthew 18:19), and in conjunction at times with fasting (Matthew 6:16-18).

THE CHURCH

The Church, comprised of all believers, are unified into one spiritual body by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12-13), the bride of Jesus Christ of which Christ is the head of the church (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:22-23; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 19:7-8).  Believers are to associate together in local assemblies (Hebrews 10:25) lead by elders (Ephesians 4:11-12) serving under the headship of Jesus Christ.  The purpose of the church is to worship (John 4:23-24) and glorify God (Ephesians 3:21), by humbling our hearts (1 Peter 5:6), growing in all aspects of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:15), by teaching of the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16-17), by keeping of communion and baptism ordinances (Acts 2:38-42), and equipping saints in obeying the great commission to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, making new disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit teaching them all that Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:18-20).  

COMMUNION (LORD'S SUPPER)

The Communion ordinance includes elements of eating bread which represents the broken body of Jesus Christ and drinking of the cup which  represents the blood of Jesus Christ.  As often as partaken, Communion proclaims the death of Jesus Christ until He comes again (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).  While the elements of the Communion are representative of the flesh and blood of Christ, there is an actual Communion with Jesus Christ present, fellowshipping with His believers (1 Corinthians 10:16).  As part of the Communion, each believer must self-examine themselves prior, humbling himself in his own judgement, thus not allowing judgement by Him (1 Corinthians 11:27-32).

BAPTISM

Immersed Baptism (Acts 8:34-39) represents the beautiful testimony of a believer showing his faith and relationship in Jesus Christ with his death to sin (submerged) and resurrection to a new life (coming out of the water) (Romans 6:1-11).

RESURRECTION

The resurrection of dead in Christ and then those who are alive in Christ will be caught up together and always be with Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

FINAL JUDGEMENT

Following casting of the devil, his angels, the beast and false prophet into lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10), Jesus Christ, sitting on white throne, with the unbelievers raised from dead standing there, will open books including the book of life.  He will judge them all (unbelievers) from things written in the books (those names not in the book of life) and they will be thrown into the lake of fire, an everlasting second death (Revelation 20:11-15, Revelation 21:8).  

NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH

Following the judgement, God will ascend a new heaven and new earth as the first heaven and earth passed away and Jesus Christ will dwell among His believers forever, making all things new and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, no longer any death, mourning, crying or pain (Revelation 21:1-7).