Doctrine
Our Doctrine - What We Believe and Why
Our Foundation
The Bible: We believe the Bible to be the infallible word of God (St. John 1:1). We believe that "all scripture is given by the inspiration of God and it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (II Timothy 3:16). The Bible is the only written God given authority that man possesses. This means that all doctrine, instruction, and faith must be based upon and harmonize with the Bible. We believe that the Bible should be read and studied by all men and that we should pray and seek God in the Holy Ghost for understanding of the scriptures. II Peter 1:20-21 tells us: "Knowing this first, that no prophesy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophesy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
One God: We believe in one living, omnipotent, omnipresent God, holy in nature and possessing absolute indivisible deity. God declares in Isaiah 45:22: "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."(also read Isaiah 46:9-10 and Revelation 1:8). We believe also that God created the heavens and the earth as well as man. God also declares in Isaiah 45:12: "I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I created."(also read Isaiah 45:18).
Jesus Christ is God: We believe that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. I Timothy 3:16 reads: "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." Jesus declares in St. John 10:30: "I and my Father are one.". He also declares in St. John 5:43 that "I am come in my Father's name, ...". (Also read St. John 14:6-11)
The Holy Ghost: We believe that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God that dwells within us (I Corinthians 6:19) to lead and guide us into all truth (St. john 16:13) and righteousness. That without the Holy Ghost, we cannot fully understand the word of God. I Corinthians 2:12-14 reads: "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
Christ's Second Coming: We believe that one day Jesus Christ is coming back to receive his bride (the Church) He tells us in St.John 14:2-3: "..... I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also". In I Thessalonians 4:16-17, we read: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
The Plan of Salvation
In the Bible, Jesus tells us: "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24:47)
The Wages Of Sin: The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". The Bible also tells us in Romans 6:23 that "The wages of sin is death;..."
Repentance: Repentance is confessing your sins to God and asking his forgiveness with the intention of turning away from sin and seeking God's guidance in your life. We read in I John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Paul tells us in Romans 8:5: "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."
Baptism In Jesus' Name: We believe that baptism in water by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ is the only God-given method of baptism. Peter outlines this in Acts 2:38. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost". We are told in Acts 4:12 that: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
Receiving The Holy Ghost: We believe, to be partakers in God's complete plan of salvation, we must receive the Holy Ghost as the disciples and those in the early church received it. We read in Acts 2:4: "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance." The Bible also tells us in Acts 10:45-46: "...because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. and in Acts 19:5-6 we read: "When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied."
Living Holy: We believe that once we have the Holy Ghost living within us, and if we will seek God's leading, that the Holy Ghost will lead and guide us into all truth (St. John 16:13) and righteousness. The Bible tells us that we are to follow after the spirit and turn away from sinful things; Paul tells us in Romans 8:1 that: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.", He also tells us in Romans 6:1-2: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" and in Romans 6:4 he tells us: "....like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." In Titus 2:11-12 we are told: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;"
Our Worship
Singing: We sing to God because we read in Psalms 30:4: "Sing unto the LORD, 0 ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness". Psalms 33:2-3 tells us to: "Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise." In Psalms 95:1 we read: "0 come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation." We also read in Psalms 71:23: "My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed."
Clapping Our Hands: We clap our hands in praise because we read in Psalms 47:1: "0 clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph."
Lifting Our Hands and Praising God Aloud: We Lift our hands and praise God aloud because we read in Psalms 98:4: "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise." and in Psalms 106:1, we read: "Praise ye the LORD. 0 give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." We also read in Psalms 134:2: "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD."
Praying Together: We pray together because we read in Acts 4:24 that the apostles "...went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord,..." We also read in Acts 12:12: "...he(Peter) came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
Public Testimony: We share the things that God does for us publicly because the Bible tells us in Psalms 9:11 to: "Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings." and in Psalms 107:22 we read: "... let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing." We are told in Acts 1:8 that we are witnesses of him and that our lives are a testimony of him: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Speaking In Other Tongues: We speak in other tongues as the Holy Ghost gives utterance as did those of the early church, for we read in Acts 2:4: "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
