HOLY BIBLE:
The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible, and inerrant. (See 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; Prov. 30:5; Rom. 16:25, 26.)
TRINITY:
There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and coeternal. (See 1 John 5:7; Gen. 1:26; Matt. 3:16, 17; 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isa. 9:6; Heb. 3:7-11.)
JESUS CHRIST:
Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was one hundred percent God and one hundred percent man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind and thus, redeemed us from our sins through the shedding of His blood. He arose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory. (See John 1:1, 14; 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:16; Isa. 9:6; Phil. 2:5, 6; 1 Tim. 2:5.)
Virgin Birth:
Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the Virgin Mary’s womb; therefore, He is the Son of God. (See Matt. 1:18, 25; Luke 1:35; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18, 23-25; Luke 1:27-35.)
Redemption:
Man was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression he fell; his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (See Gen. 1:26-31; 3:1-7; Rom. 5:12-21.)
Regeneration:
For anyone to know God, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. (See John 6:44, 65)
Salvation:
We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ: His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts. (See Eph. 2:8; Gal. 2:16; 3:8; Titus 3:5; Rom. 10:9, 10; Acts 16:31; Heb. 9:22.)
Repentance:
Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Through repentance, we appropriate salvation. (See Acts 2:21; 3:19; 1 John 1:9.)
Sanctification:
Sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (See 1 Thess. 4:3; 5:23; 2 Cor. 3:18; 6:14-18; 2 Thess. 2:1-3; Rom. 8:29; 12:1,2; Heb. 2:11.)
Jesus’ Blood:
The blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross of Calvary was sinless and is one hundred percent sufficient to cleanse mankind of all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death and eternal separation from God. (See 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5; 5:9; Col. 1:20; Rom. 3:10-12, 23; 5:9; John 1:29.)
Jesus Christ Indwells All Believers:
Christians are people who have sincerely invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by His Holy Spirit. They relinquish the authority of their lives over to Him thus making Jesus the Lord of their life as well as Savior. They put their trust in what Jesus accomplished for them when He died, was buried, and rose again from the dead. (See John 1:12; 14:17, 23; 15:4; Rom. 8:11; Rev. 3:20.)
Baptism in the Holy Spirit:
Given at Pentecost, it is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after His ascension, to empower the Church to be effective witnesses of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the whole earth. (See Joel 2:28, 29; Matt. 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5,8; 2:1-4, 17, 38, 39; 8:14-17; 10:38, 44-47; 11:15-17; 19:1-6.)
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit manifests through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the Church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Bible lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in love and in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters. (See Heb. 2:4; Rom. 1:11; 12:4-8; Eph. 4:16; 2 Tim. 1:5, 16; 4:14; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; 14:1-40; 1 Peter 4:10.)
The Church:
The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the Church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. (See Eph. 1:22; 2:19-22; Heb. 12:23; John 17:11, 20-23.)
Water Baptism:
Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus Christ. (See Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38.)
The Lord’s Supper:
A unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and grape juice (representing the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. (See Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47, 48; 1Cor. 10:16; 11:23-25.)
Healing of the Sick:
Healing of the sick is illustrated in the life and ministry of Jesus and included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples. It is given as a sign, which is to follow believers. It is also a part of Jesus’ work on the cross and one of the gifts of the Spirit. (See Ps. 103:2, 3; Isa. 53:5; Matt. 8:16, 17; Mark 16: 17, 18; Acts 8:6, 7; James 5:14-16; 1 Cor. 12:9, 28.)
God’s Will for Provision:
It is the Father’s will for believers to become whole, healthy, and successful in all areas of life. But because of the fall of man, many may not receive the full benefits of God’s will while on the earth. That fact, though, should never prevent all believers from seeking the full benefits of Christ’s provision in order to better serve others. Benefits are:
Spiritual
(See John 3:3-11; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; Rom. 10:9,10)
Mental and Emotional
(See 2 Tim. 1:7; 2:11; Phil. 4:7,8; Rom. 12:2; Isa. 26:3)
Physical
(See Isa. 53:4,5; Matt. 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24)
Financial
(See Joshua 1:8; Mal. 3:10, 11; Luke 6:38; 2 Cor. 9:6-10; Deut. 28:1-14; Ps. 34:10; 84:11; Phil. 4:19)
Resurrection:
Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. In addition, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected: they that are saved to the resurrection of the life and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation. (See Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21; 20:26-28; 21:4; Acts 24:15; 1 Cor. 15:42, 44; Phil. 1:21-23; 3:21.)
Heaven:
Heaven is the eternal dwelling place for all believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ. (See Matt. 5:3, 12, 20; 6:20; 19:21; 25:34; John 17:24; 2 Cor. 5:1; Heb. 11:16; 1 Peter 1:4.)
Hell:
After living one life on earth, unbelievers will be judged by God and sent to hell where they will be eternally tormented with the devil and the fallen angels. (See Matt. 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Heb. 9:27; Rev. 14:9-11; 20:12-15; 21:8.)
Second Coming:
Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures. (See Matt. 24:30; 26:63, 64; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; 2 Thess. 1:7, 8; Rev. 1:7.)