We Believe...
Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God ; He was eternally preexistent with the Father and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity. He became incarnate as the virgin born Savior of the world; that by His sinless life, atoning death on the Cross and through His bodily resurrection He completed God's sole plan for the redemption of fallen humanity; Jesus is the King of Glory, who is now ascended to the right hand of God as His Majesty on high, where He ever lives to make intercession for us, and from whence He will yet return to earth again to reign in righteousness.(Luke 1:34-35; John 1:1, 10:36 -38; Acts 1:9-11, 2:33 -36;
1 Cor. 15:3-5; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb.7:24-26, 9:26 )
(Matt 5:8; John 5:39 , 14:6; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 3:16-17)
The Scriptures join with God's revelation of Himself in His Messiah and in His Creation to show us the goodness and glory of the Eternal Godhead - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Creator and Sustainer of all things visible and invisible, as revealed in the scriptures; the everywhere present, almighty, all-knowing, all-loving One, whose benevolent laws have framed humankind's promise and potential, and whose redeeming grace alone provides for humankind's salvation and restoration.(John 1:3, 14:16 -21, 26, 16:12 -15; Rom. 1:20 ; Col. 1:16-17;
1 Tim. 1:17 ,2:3-6; Titus 2:11 ; Heb 1:1-3; John 4:15-16; Rev. 1:8)
(John 3:3-7; Acts 16:31, 26:17-20; Rom. 1:16, 10:8-10, 13; Titus 3:5-7; Heb.6:1-2)
The Church is constituted of all those who have believed and received the Gospel; that the global Church's essential unity is to be rooted in our mutual acknowledgement of the Saviorhood and Lordship of Jesus the Messiah; that each community and ethnicity within the global Church should receive the respect and acceptance of the other, allowing one another the liberty of doctrinal distinctive, cultural uniqueness or ministry emphasis in the spirit of love and brotherhood.(John 13:34 -35, 15:12 -13; Acts 2:36 ; Rom. 15:7; 1 Cor. 8:1-3, 12:3;
Gal. 3:26-29; Eph.2:19-23, 4:1-6; 1 Thess. 4:9-12; 1 John 4:7-21)
(Matt. 5:13-16, 24:14, 28:18-20; Mark 16:15 ; John 16:7-15; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:18-21)
The fullness of the Holy Spirit is the fountainhead of the Church's capacity for witness and ministry ; that as the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, Jesus Himself directs each of His own to receive His power from on high, that each being filled today in the same way as the earliest believers we may work the same works today, in Jesus' Name; that the gifts, fruit and power of the Spirit are essential for the Gospel of the Kingdom to be preached to all the world for a witness, and then the end shall come.(Matt.3:11, 24:13; Luke 3:16 , 24:48-49; John 14:12 , 20:21 -23;
Acts 1:4-8, 2:1-4; Rom. 12:5-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Gal. 5:22-23)
(John 5:28 -29; Rom. 14:10 -12; 2 Tim. 4:1; 1 Peter 4:7;
2 Peter 3:11-14; 1 John 3:2-3; Rev. 20:11-15)
The above affirmations of faith are founded on the revelation of God's Word and are reaffirmed in the following statements:
- We believe in the Trinity of the Eternal Godhead :
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, perfect in unity as Creator, Redeemer and Restorer of Humankind.
- We believe in the plenary verbal inspiration of the Bible :
The completed canon of the Old and New Testaments, inerrant in the original manuscripts and infallible in its truth for faith and life.
- We Believe in the creation :
The universe, the fashioning of earth for human habitation, and the historicity of primeval history as presented in the scriptures.
- We believe in the literal existence of the devil :
In the reality of the invisible war against demonic hosts who seek to tempt and separate humankind from the Father.
- We believe in the gospel of salvation through the Cross :
That humankind is lost without Jesus the Savior, whose atoning blood and substitutionary death alone provide forgiveness for and justification from sin and provide eternal life.
- We believe in the literal reality of each :
The virgin birth, reconciling death, bodily resurrection, personal ascension and promised Second Coming of Jesus the Messiah.
- We believe in the essential unity of the Church under the Saviorhood and Lordship of Christ :
With a commitment to respond to His prayer "that they may be one" in the Spirit of humility and love.
- We believe in the Savior's great commission:
Go into all the world preaching the Gospel, baptizing and making disciples.
- We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit's gifts and works of power in and through the Church:
Beginning with the believer's receiving the Baptism with the Holy Spirit as at the beginning.
- We believe in showing love and good works toward all humanity:
In serving human need, that the Gospel not be reproached, and that God's love be seen in practice as well as proclamation.
- We believe in the final judgment of all humankind:
Into eternal union or eternal separation from God; ministering in this life with the passion of those who believe.
(Used with the permission of The King's Seminary 11/2000)