The Bible is the inspired, Word of God
The word "inspired" means "God-breathed." Through both the Old and the New Testaments, God breathed His anointed inspiration into chosen writers in order to reveal Himself to man. He has protected the integrity of His holy Scriptures and they are the infallible and authoritative rule of faith and conduct that we are to build our lives upon. God honors and magnifies His Word, even above His name.
Through the Old Testament, God concealed the mysteries that He would reveal, through Christ, in the new. When the Old Testament is read and understood through the revelation of the new, it becomes a wonderful, and unified compilation containing many "types and shadows" of the coming life and ministry of Jesus Christ. It also contrasts the severity of disobeying God's law with the futility of trying to fulfill His commands through human flesh. Through the New Testament, God makes a way for us to fulfill His law, and thus accomplish His will, by the power of the Holy Spirit as we place our faith in Christ's loving grace.
Jesus is the Word made flesh. Through His life, He personified God's will to man through the Scriptures. As we approach God through humble and child-like faith, the Spirit of God unites with the written Word to reveal the person of Christ to our hearts. His illumination eradicates any seeming inaccuracies or contradictions that we may perceive as we try to understand the infinite God through fallen and finite minds.
Men often make God's Word ineffective in their own lives through their proud approach to God and their adherence to their traditional way of doing things. God's Word, however will never return to Him void, but will always ultimately accomplish the purpose for which He sent it. Heaven and earth will eventually pass away, but not one letter of God's Word will fail. (Psalm 138:2, Isaiah 55:11; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; Mark 7:13; John 1:14; 2 Timothy 3:15, 17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).
There is one true God
There is one true God Who has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent “I AM.” He has further revealed Himself as triune (the Trinity), embodying the persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10, 11; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22).
The Lord Jesus Christ, is God
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The scriptures reveal that He:
Was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31, 35)
Lived a sinless life (Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22)
Performed many miracles (Acts 2:22, 10:38)
Died on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
Bodily resurrected from the dead (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:4)
Was exalted to the right hand of God (Acts 1:9, 11; 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:3).
Man has fallen into a sinful nature
The first man and his wife (Adam and Eve) were created in the image and likeness of God. They, however, voluntary chose to disobey God. Their transgression resulted in both physical and spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God (Genesis 1:26, 27; 2:17; 3:6; Romans 5:12-19).
There is salvation for Man
Man’s only hope of being saved from his sins is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. He must repent (turn from his sin) and place his faith in what Christ has done. Through faith in God's grace we can become justified by Christ (just as if we'd never sinned). God cleanses us of our sin when we confess it to Him and He chooses to remember it no more. Through this tremendous act of God's mercy, man becomes an heir of God and receives the promise of eternal life (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Romans 5:1; 8:30; 10:13-15 Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; 3:5-7; 1 John 1:8-10).
We inwardly evidence our salvation through the direct witness of God's Holy Spirit to our own spirits (Romans 8:16). Outwardly we testify of our salvation to men through a life of righteousness and true holiness that bears spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 4:24; Titus 2:12).
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, being co-equal, co-eternal, and co-existent as one unit with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:14). He is omnipresent (Everywhere at once -- Psalm 139:7-10), omnipotent (All powerful -- Luke 1:35), and omniscient (All knowing -- 1 Corinthians 2:10-11). The Holy Spirit always glorifies Jesus. Before salvation He works in a person's life is to convict of sins and of the need for Christ. He baptizes believers into the body of Christ at the point of conversion (1 Corinthians 12:13) and becomes God's gift to them (John 7:39; 20:22; Acts 2:38-39). The Holy Spirit makes us sons and daughters of God (Romans 8:14-17; Ephesians 2:18), and helps us develop relationship with God and others by compensating for our weakness (Romans 8:26).
Because the Father, Son and Spirit are one, the Holy Spirit comes into the believer when he or she receives Christ. There is a difference, however, between Him residing in us, and us being baptized into Him. To be baptized into the Spirit means to be immersed into Him. Though this can occur simultaneous to conversion (Acts 10:44-48), it often happens as a second experience. The question must be asked, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? (Acts 19:2). Jesus gave the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20) but commanded His followers not to leave Jerusalem until they were baptized in the Spirit (Acts 1:4-5). It's through Holy Spirit baptism that we receive power to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8) with accompanying supernatural signs (Mark 16:15-20; Acts 4:29-31; Hebrews 2:3-4). Jesus is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; John 1:33). Through the Holy Spirit, God endows the believer with spiritual gifts (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11). We are also commanded by God to be filled with the Spirit, signifying the need to constantly surrender to His leading (Ephesians 5:18).
Sanctification is a process of separating from sin
Sanctification is an act of separation from sin and all that is evil, and of dedication unto God (Romans 12:1, 2; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:12). The Bible says that we are to walk in “holiness without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). This becomes possible, not through self confidence and reliance, but by placing faith in God's grace. Through our faith in Christ's finished work and by the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey His command, “Be holy, for I am holy” (Romans 6:1-11, 13; 8:1,2, 13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12, 13; 1 Peter 1:5, 15, 16).
The church has a mission
God calls His church the body of Christ. It is the living, moving temple that He is building and which He indwells through His Spirit. Each believer is a unique member having differing, yet complimentary gifts and callings. God has divinely appointed and commissioned her 1 Peter 2:5; Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 6:19).
The church exists to:
Evangelize lost people (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15, 16)
Function as a whole and healthy body that brings glory to God (1 Corinthians 12:13)
Fulfill God's purpose on behalf of one another until each individuals member is perfected in Christ's image (Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 14:12).
There is one body of believers joined together by one Spirit. The members of this body are instructed to love and care for one another. God hates those who cause discord between members of His body (Proverbs 6:19). We are not to compare ourselves with anyone else. All things are to be done for His glory and for the purpose of edification (1 Corinthians 1, 3, John 17, Psalm 133; 2 Corinthians 10:12; Ephesians 4).
Christ will rapture His people and return to reign on the earth for a thousand year period called the millennium.
Christ will come in the clouds to "catch away" both the living and the dead who abide in Him. This is our blessed hope. He will also visibly return with His saints to reign on the earth for a one thousand year period called the millennium (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27, 30; Revelation 1:7, 19; 11-14; 20:1-6). During this time He will establish His government and justice on the earth and will bring universal peace (Isaiah 11:6-9; Psalm 72:3-8; Micah 4:3, 4).
There will be a final judgment
There will be a final judgment. Those not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be banished to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire, which is the second death (Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 19:20; 20:11-15; 21:8).
|
