We uphold Biblical cardinal beliefs.
We believe:
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments have been given by the verbal plenary inspiration of God and therefore are inerrant in the original (Ps. 19:7-13; 119:89,105). They are designed to lead us to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. They are fully inspired by God and, therefore, serve as the authoritative guide for Christian understanding, life, and ministry (II Timothy. 3:15-17). The Scriptures are not to be added to, superseded, or changed by tradition or any supposed later revelation (Isa. 8:20; Gal. 1:8-9). Every doctrinal formulation, whether of creed, confession, or theology, must be put to the test of the full counsel of God in the Holy Scriptures (Matt. 22:29-33; Eph. 2:20; Acts 28:23). All redemptive understanding of the Scriptures depends upon the illumination of the Holy Spirit; therefore, the most accurate factual knowledge attained through exegesis, exposition, and interpretation does not bring about conversion or spiritual comprehension without the Holy Spirit creating an understanding through the Word and applying the message to the heart ( I Cor. 2:7-16).
God is triune. There is but one God, infinite, eternal, almighty, and perfect in holiness, truth, and love (Deut. 6:4; I Cor. 8:4,6; IA. 44:6-8; 57:15; I John 4:8; Gen. 17:1; Ps. 145:3). In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who are co-existent, co-equal, co-eternal (Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; I Cor. 12:4-6; II Cor. 13:14). The Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Holy Spirit, yet each is true Deity. One God - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - is the foundation of Christian faith and life (John 14:23,25; 15:26; 16:13-15).
God the Father is the Creator of heaven and earth (Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:3; Ps. 33:9). By His Word, all things were made. And through the same Word, He daily sustains all of His creation (John 1:3,10; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:2-3; Ps. 147:13; Rom. 8:28; John 3:16). He made man for fellowship with Himself and intended that all creation should live to the praise of His glory (Rom. 11:36; Rev. 4:11).
Man was created male and female, in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Through the original sin of man (Adam and Eve), mankind has fallen from God and has become corrupt in his whole nature. By himself, he is totally incapable of returning to God (Rom. 5:12, 16-17; Jer. 17:9; Eph. 2:1-3; John 6:44). Fallen, sinful men, whatever their character or attainments, are eternally lost and without hope apart from salvation in Christ (John 3:3-7; Acts 4:12).
Jesus Christ the Son is fully God and fully man; the only Savior for sins of the world (John 1:1, 20:28; Col. 1:19; I Tim. 2:5-6; Heb. 2:14-18). He was the Word made flesh; supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit; born of the Virgin Mary; and was perfect in nature, teaching, and obedience (John 1:14; Matt. 1:18, 22-23; Luke 1:35; John 8:29). He died on the cross as the vicarious sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. He rose from the dead in His own glorified body, ascended into heaven, and will return in glory (John 19:33-37; Rom. 4:24-25; I Cor. 15:1-3; II Cor 5:21; I Peter 2:24; I John 2:2; Acts 1:9-11; I Thes. 4:16-17). He is the Head of His body the Church, and Victor over all the powers of darkness. He now reigns at the right hand of God the Father (Col. 1:8, 2:15; Heb. 1:3-4).
Salvation, the gift of God, is provided solely by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 5:1; Acts 16:31). Turning from sin in repentance, looking to Christ and His vicarious death, man is born anew into eternal life by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; Titus 3:4-7; Acts 3:19-21). There is no other name except Jesus Christ by which man may be saved (Acts 4:12). Through His great redemptive act, there is forgiveness of sin, liberation from bondage to the world, and freedom in His Spirit (Eph. 1:17; Gal. 6:14-15).
The Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; unites man to Jesus Christ in faith; brings about the New birth; and dwells within the regenerate, producing in them the fruit of the Holy Spirit, thus enabling them to grow in sanctification (John 15:8-10; I Cor. 12:13; John 3:5; I Cor. 6:19; Rom. 8:9-11; Gal 5:22-23; II Cor. 3:17-18). The Holy Spirit inspired prophets, judges, and kings in ancient times; anointed Jesus Christ for His ministry, filled the church with pentecostal power, and will transform the mortal bodies of believers into one like His own immortal body in the glory of the resurrection (I Peter 1:2, 10-12; II Peter 1:20-21; Luke 4:1, 18-21; Acts 2:4, 4:31; Rom. 8:11; Phil. 3:21; I Cor. 15:51-52).
The Holy Spirit is imparted to all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him as Savior (Acts 2:38-39; Luke 11:13). The promise of the Father that the Holy Spirit would be sent in power was not only made to the early disciples, but continues through generations to come. The gift of the Holy Spirit is God's sovereign action for edifying the Body of Christ (I Cor. 12:7-11, 28-31; 14:1,13; Rom. 12:6-8; I Pet. 5:10-11). The gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor/teachers were given by the Lord Jesus Christ for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the Body of Christ. These Holy Spirit directed gifts to the Body of Christ are the direct results of the Lord Jesus Christ's promise to guide all believers into the truth (Eph. 4:7-16; Lk. 11:28; John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13).
The Church, which is the Body and future Bride of Christ, is dedicated to the worship and service of God, the observance of the sacraments or ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, as well as the practice of good works (Rom. 12:4-5; I Cor. 12:27; Eph. 2:22; 5:23,27; I Peter 2:5, 9-10; Eph. 2:10; Titus 2:14). The primary task of the Church in all ages is to teach all nations and to make disciples, bringing the Gospel into every aspect of life and thought. The ultimate mission of the Church is the redemption of souls. When God transforms human nature, this then becomes the chief means of society's transformation (Matt. 28:19-20; II Cor. 10:4-5).
The consummation of all things includes the visible, personal, and glorious return of Jesus Christ; the resurrection of the dead and the translation of those alive in Christ; the judgment of the just and the unjust; and the fulfillment of Christ's kingdom in the new heaven and the new earth (I Thes 4:13-17; Rev. 1:7; Acts 1:11; Rev. 20:11-15; II Cor. 5:10; Rev. 21:1-4). Satan with his hosts and all men outside of Christ are separated eternally from the presence of God, enduring eternal punishment (Matt. 25:41; Mark 9:47-48; II Thes. 1:7-10). All who have been redeemed by Christ from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light will be in the presence of God forever.
Special Creation: We believe the triune God created the universe apart from the preexisting materials and without any evolutionary process. We believe in the historicity of the first eleven chapters of Genesis.
Satan: We believe that Satan was originally a perfect being. He rebelled against God. (As a result, he became depraved, the Devil and adversary of God and His people, the leader of a host of angels who fell with him.) Satan has been judged and defeated at the cross and awaits his ultimate doom at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.
Supporting Scriptures
Ps. 19:7-13;
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The
statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring for ever. The ordinances
of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they
are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great
reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from wilful sins; may they not rule
over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great
transgression.
Ps 119:89,105
89 Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the
heavens.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
II Timothy. 3:15-17
15 and how from infancy you have known the holy
Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through
faith in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work.
Isa. 8:20
20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak
according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
Gal. 1:8-9
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel
other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally
condemned!
9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is
preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him
be eternally condemned!
Matt. 22:29-33
29 Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do
not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in
marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
31 But about the resurrection of the dead--have you not read what
God said to you,
32 `I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."
33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his
teaching.
Eph. 2:20
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
Acts 28:23
23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came
in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From
morning till evening he explained and declared to them the
kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the
Law of Moses and from the Prophets.
I Cor. 2:7-16
7 No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has
been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time
began.
8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has
heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who
love him"--
10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit
searches all things, even the deep things of God.
11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's
spirit within him? In the same way no-one knows the thoughts of
God except the Spirit of God.
12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit
who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given
us.
13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom
but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in
spiritual words.
14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that
come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and
he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually
discerned.
15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he
himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may
instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
God is triune
Deut. 6:4
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
I Cor. 8:4,6
4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We
know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there
is no God but one.
6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
Isaiah 44:6-8
6 "This is what the LORD says--Israel's King
and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the
last; apart from me there is no God.
7 Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and
lay out before me what has happened since I established my
ancient people, and what is yet to come--yes, let him foretell
what will come.
8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and
foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God
besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."
Isaiah 57:15
15 For this is what the high and lofty One says--he who lives for
ever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place,
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive
the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
I John 4:8
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Gen. 17:1
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him
and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be
blameless.
Ps. 145:3
3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his
greatness no-one can fathom.
Matt. 3:16-17
16 As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At
that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and lighting on him.
17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I
love; with him I am well pleased."
Matt 28:19
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
I Cor. 12:4-6
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works
all of them in all men.
II Cor. 13:14
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love
of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
John 14:23,25
23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my
teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and
make our home with him.
25 "All this I have spoken while still with you."
John 15:26
26 "When the Counsellor comes, whom I will send to
you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the
Father, he will testify about me.
John 16:13-15
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will
guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will
speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to
come.
14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and
making it known to you.
15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the
Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
God the Father
Gen. 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the
earth.
Heb. 11:3
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's
command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was
visible.
Ps. 33:9
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it
stood firm.
John 1:3,10
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing
was made that has been made.
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him.
Col. 1:15-17
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
over all creation.
16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on
earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers
or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Heb. 1:2-3
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,
whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made
the universe.
3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact
representation of his being, sustaining all things by his
powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he
sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Ps. 147:13
13 for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses
your people within you.
Rom. 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good
of those who love him, who have been called according to his
purpose.
John 3:16
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one
and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life.
Rom. 11:36
36 For from him and through him and to him are all
things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
Rev. 4:11
11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive
glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by
your will they were created and have their being."
Man was created
Gen. 1:26-27
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in
our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the
birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and
over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he
created him; male and female he created them.
Rom. 5:12, 16-17
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one
man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all
men, because all sinned--
16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one
man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought
condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought
justification.
17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through
that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant
provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life
through the one man, Jesus Christ.
Jer. 17:9
9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond
cure. Who can understand it?
Eph. 2:1-3
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and
sins,
2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this
world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who
is now at work in those who are disobedient.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the
cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and
thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
John 6:44
44 "No-one can come to me unless the Father who
sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 3:3-7
3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth,
no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus
asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his
mother's womb to be born!"
5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no-one can enter
the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to
spirit.
7 You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born
again.'
Acts 4:12
12 Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no
other name under heaven given to men by which we must be
saved."
Jesus Christ the Son
John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.
John 20:28
28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Col. 1:19
19 For God was pleased to have all his fulness dwell in
him,
I Tim. 2:5-6
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and
men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given
in its proper time.
Heb. 2:14-18
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too
shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy
him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--
15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by
their fear of death.
16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's
descendants.
17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every
way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high
priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for
the sins of the people.
18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to
help those who are being tempted.
John 1:14
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came
from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Matt. 1:18, 22-23
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His
mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they
came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy
Spirit.
22 All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through
the prophet:
23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a
son, and they will call him Immanuel"-- which means,
"God with us."
Luke 1:35
35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come
upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So
the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
John 8:29
29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me
alone, for I always do what pleases him."
John 19:33-37
33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was
already dead, they did not break his legs.
34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear,
bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is
true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that
you also may believe.
36 These things happened so that the scripture would be
fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken,"
37 and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the
one they have pierced."
Rom. 4:24-25
24 but also for us, to whom God will credit
righteousness-- for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our
Lord from the dead.
25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to
life for our justification.
I Cor. 15:1-3
1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I
preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken
your stand.
2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I
preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
II Cor 5:21
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that
in him we might become the righteousness of God.
I Peter 2:24
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we
might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you
have been healed.
I John 2:2
2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it
you may grow up in your salvation,
Acts 1:9-11
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and
a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going,
when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand
here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken
from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have
seen him go into heaven."
I Thes. 4:16-17
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud
command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet
call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught
up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be with the Lord for ever.
Col. 1:8
8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
Col. 2:15
15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a
public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Heb. 1:3-4
3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact
representation of his being, sustaining all things by his
powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he
sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has
inherited is superior to theirs.
Salvation
Eph. 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
9 not by works, so that no-one can boast.
Rom. 5:1
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Acts 16:31
31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and
you will be saved--you and your household."
Acts 2:38
38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptised, every
one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of
your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Titus 3:4-7
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour
appeared,
5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but
because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our
Saviour,
7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become
heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Acts 3:19-21
19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may
be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for
you--even Jesus.
21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to
restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy
prophets.
Acts 4:12
12 Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no
other name under heaven given to men by which we must be
saved."
Eph. 1:17
17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and
revelation, so that you may know him better.
Gal. 6:14-15
14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me,
and I to the world.
15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what
counts is a new creation.
The Holy Spirit
John 15:8-10
8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much
fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now
remain in my love.
10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I
have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
I Cor. 12:13
13 For we were all baptised by one Spirit into one
body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all
given the one Spirit to drink.
John 3:5
5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no-one can
enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the
Spirit.
I Cor. 6:19
19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the
Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You
are not your own;
Rom. 8:9-11
9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature
but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if
anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to
Christ.
10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet
your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is
living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give
life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
Gal 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no
law.
II Cor. 3:17-18
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of
the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory,
are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing
glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
I Peter 1:2
2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of
God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for
obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and
peace be yours in abundance.
I Peter 1:10-12
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of
the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the
greatest care,
11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the
Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the
sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves
but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told
you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy
Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these
things.
II Peter 1:20-21
20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of
Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation.
21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men
spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Luke 4:1, 18-21
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the
Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert,
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has
anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to
proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the
blind, to release the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant
and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened
on him,
21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is
fulfilled in your hearing."
Acts 2:4
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began
to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Acts 4:31
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting
was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and
spoke the word of God boldly.
Rom. 8:11
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the
dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will
also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who
lives in you.
Phil. 3:21
21 who, by the power that enables him to bring
everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so
that they will be like his glorious body.
I Cor. 15:51-52
51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep,
but we will all be changed--
52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable,
and we will be changed.
The Holy Spirit is imparted to all who believe
Acts 2:38-39
38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptised, every
one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of
your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are
far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
Luke 11:13
13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in
heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
I Cor. 12:7-11,
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is
given for the common good.
8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom,
to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of
healing by that one Spirit,
10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another
distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different
kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of
tongues.
11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he
gives them to each one, just as he determines.
I Cor. 12:28-31
28 And in the church God has appointed first of all
apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of
miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help
others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in
different kinds of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all
work miracles?
30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all
interpret?
31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
I Cor. 14:1, 13
1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual
gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
13 For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says.
Rom. 12:6-8
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given
us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion
to his faith.
7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him
teach;
8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing
to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is
leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy,
let him do it cheerfully.
I Pet. 5:10-11
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his
eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while,
will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Eph. 4:7-16
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ
apportioned it.
8 This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led
captives in his train and gave gifts to men."
9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also
descended to the lower, earthly regions?
10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all
the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets,
some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body
of Christ may be built up
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of
the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure
of the fulness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by
the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and
by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things
grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every
supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each
part does its work.
Lk. 11:28
28 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear
the word of God and obey it."
John 14:26
26 But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind
you of everything I have said to you.
John 15:26
26 "When the Counsellor comes, whom I will send to
you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the
Father, he will testify about me.
John 16:13
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will
guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will
speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to
come.
The Church
Rom. 12:4-5
4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and
these members do not all have the same function,
5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member
belongs to all the others.
I Cor. 12:27
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you
is a part of it.
Eph. 2:22
22 And in him you too are being built together to become
a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Eph. 5:23, 27
23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is
the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour.
27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
I Peter 2:5, 9-10
5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a
spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the
praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful
light.
10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;
once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Eph. 2:10
10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Titus 2:14
14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all
wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very
own, eager to do what is good.
Matt. 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
II Cor. 10:4-5
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the
world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish
strongholds.
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up
against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought
to make it obedient to Christ.
The consummation of all things
I Thes 4:13-17
13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about
those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who
have no hope.
14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe
that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in
him.
15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are
still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will
certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud
command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet
call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught
up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be with the Lord for ever.
Rev. 1:7
7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will
see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the
earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
Acts 1:11
11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do
you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has
been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way
you have seen him go into heaven."
Rev. 20:11-15
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was
seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was
no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the
throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is
the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had
done as recorded in the books.
13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades
gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged
according to what he had done.
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The
lake of fire is the second death.
15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he
was thrown into the lake of fire.
II Cor. 5:10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, that each one may receive what is due to him for the
things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Rev. 21:1-4
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first
heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no
longer any sea.
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her
husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the
dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They
will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be
their God.
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more
death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things
has passed away."
Matt. 25:41
41 "Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart
from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for
the devil and his angels.
Mark 9:47-48
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It
is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than
to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,
48 where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'
II Thes. 1:7-10
7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as
well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from
heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the
gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out
from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power
10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to
be marvelled at among all those who have believed. This includes
you, because you believed our testimony to you.
Last updated 09/04/07
© Greater Grace Evangelical Church, UK 2007
Doctrine of faith text copyright
© 1996, 1997 Maryland Bible College and Seminary
Last modified Saturday, 30-Aug-1997 18:29:36 EDT
Scripture quotations taken from
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