This God is the God of the Bible, the only true God, and the Author and the Maker of all life. He is the Preserver and the ruler of all things throughout all creation, seen and unseen. He is perfect in every way, not needing anything or anyone to sustain Him. By his very nature He sustains all things and He alone has life within Himself, being immortal; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of each Christian. He is the Almighty, Who has always been and Who always will be. (John 17:3, Ephesians 1:3, 1Corinthians 8:6, Revelations 4:11, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 4:13, 1 Timothy 6:16, Hebrew 11:6).
We believe that Jesus Christ, the "last Adam," is the only-begotten Son of God. He was born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, suffered and died on the cross to provide payment for all men's sins. Because of his perfect obedience on earth, all the way to the Cross, he was highly exalted to the position of Lord by God his Father (Acts 2:36; Phillippians 2:8, 9). We believe in His bodily resurrection and ascension into heaven where He currently He is seated at the right of God and exalted to the position of "Lord" of all creation by God His Father. Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Mattew 28:18). His present ministry is that of intercession for us, and we eagerly await His return to earth in power and glory on the "Last Day." He is worthy that every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phillippians 2:10, 11). The Christian’s daily walk of service to him means continually setting him apart as Lord (1 Peter 3:15), seeking to submit to his direction and guidance as the Master of his life. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-21, 26:64;; Luke 1:34-35, 4:18-19; John 1:1, 14; Acts 1:10-11;1 Corinthians 15:1-5,12-20; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Timothy 2:4;-6;Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 3:18; Revelations 19:11-16)
We believe in the divine, truthfulness and authority of both the Old and New Testaments Scriptures in the entirety as the only written word of God, without error in all that it affirms and applicable in entirety to all men and women. The whole Bible is inspired in the sense that holy men of God were moved by the Holy Spirit to write the very words of Scripture. This divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the writings as appeared in the original manuscripts. Therefore, the whole Bible, in the originals, is without error. As the revelation of God, we believe the Bible to be the sole authority and sufficiency with regard to Christian faith and practice. The Scriptures center upon the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work in His first and second coming, and hence no portion is properly read, or understood, until it leads to Him. The Christian's responsibility and duty is to handle accurately the Word of Truth. The reading and interpretation of the Scriptures is to be under the guidance and illumination of the Holy Spirit. (Isa 55:11; Mt 5:17,18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39, 10:35; Acts 17:2-3; Romans 1:16, 15:4; 1 Corinthians 2:12-16; Ephesians 1:17, 18; Ephesians 3:10,18; 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21)
We affirm that there is only one Savior and only one gospel, although there is a wide diversity of evangelistic approaches. We recognize that everyone has some knowledge of God through his general revelation in nature. But we deny that this can save, for people suppress the truth by their unrighteousness. We also reject as derogatory to Christ and the gospel every kind of syncretism and dialogue which implies that Christ speaks equally through all religions and ideologies. Jesus Christ, who gave himself as the only ransom for sinners, is the only mediator between God and people. There is no other name by which we must be saved. All men and women are perishing because of sin, but God loves everyone, not wishing that any should perish but that all should repent. Yet those who reject Christ repudiate the joy of salvation and condemn themselves to eternal separation from God. To proclaim Jesus as "the Savior of the world" is not to affirm that all people are either automatically or ultimately saved, still less to affirm that all religions offer salvation in Christ. Rather it is to proclaim God's love for a world of sinners and to invite everyone to respond to him as Savior and Lord in the wholehearted personal commitment of repentance and faith. Jesus Christ has been exalted above every other name; we long for the day when every knee shall bow to him and every tongue shall confess him Lord. (Galatians 1:6-9; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Timothy 2:5, 6; Acts 4:12; John 3:16-19; 2 Peter 3:9;1Thessalonians 1:7-9, John 4:42; Matthew 11:28; Ephesians 1:20,21; Phi. 2:9-11)
We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God. Adam fell through sin, and as a consequence of his sin, lost his spiritual life. Becoming dead in trespasses and sins, he became subject to the power of the devil. This spiritual death, or total depravity of human nature, has been transmitted to the entire human race of man, the Man Christ Jesus alone being excepted. Thus every child of Adam is born into the world with a nature which not only possesses no spark of divine life, but is essentially and unchangeably sinful apart from divine grace. (Genesis 1:26, 2:17, 6:5; Psalms 14:1-3, 51:5; Jer 17:9; John 3:6, 5:40, 6:35; Romans 3:10-19, 8:6-7; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 5:6; 1John 3:8)
We believe that, due to universal death through sin, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born again. No degree of reformation, no attainments in morality, no baptism or other ordinance or other good works can help the sinner to take even one step toward heaven. Our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made to be sin, and was made a curse for us by dying in our place. (Leviticus 17:11; Isaiah 64:6; Mathew 26:28; John 3:7-18; Romans 5:6-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13, 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:4-9; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:18-19,23)
We believe that the new birth of the believer comes only through faith in Christ and that repentance is a vital part of believing. Repentance is not in itself a separate and independent condition of salvation. Nor are any other acts, such as confession, baptism, prayer, faithful service, or manifestation of certain spiritual gifts, to be added to believing as a condition of salvation. (John 1:12; 3:16,18,36, 5:24; 6:29; 14:6; Acts 13:39; 16:31; Romans 1:16-17; 3:22,26 4:5, 10:4; Galatians 3:22)
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus that is obligatory upon every believer (Matthew 28:19), wherein he is immersed in water in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit as a sign of his fellowship and participation in the death, burial, and resurection of Christ (Colossians 2:11-15). At the moment of baptism each individual particiaptes in a new birth, a spiritual birth, by which they are then able to see and enter the kingdom of Heaven (John 3:1-5). With Baptism and the immersion of the person in the Holy Spirit, one becomes identified with the Lord Jesus and one’s old nature is crucified with Christ (Colossians 2:12), and they becomes a new creation with the ability to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-11) and the ability to say no to sin in their body (Romans 6:5-8). When a believers becomes baptized, they are grafted into Christ Jesus and the gifts of the Holy Spirit is poured upon them along with the remission of sin (Acts 2:43). At this moment, the believer becomes a new creation with the ability to to say no to sin in their body and to walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:3-11)
We believe that God's has gifted His Holy Spirit to His church. The gifts of the Holy Spirit is manifest in 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 lists of these gifts in the Bible are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to desire earnestly the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of biblical parameters. (Romans1:11, 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; Ephesians 4:7-16; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:5-6; Hebrews 2:3,4; 1 Peter 4:10)
We believe it is the privilege, not only of some, but of all who are born again by the Spirit through faith in Christ as revealed in the Scriptures, to be assured of their salvation from the very day they take Him to be their Savior. This assurance is not founded upon any discovery of their own worthiness or fitness, but wholly upon the testimony of God in His written word. Such assurance will motivate in God's children love, gratitude, and obedience to His commands. (Luke 10:20; John 6:37; 10:28-30; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-8; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 10:22; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 5:13)
Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who makes alive those who are dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone. (Jeremiah 31:31-34, 33:8,9; Ezekiel 36:23-29, 39:23)
Repentance is an evangelical grace, wherein the Holy Spirit makes a person aware of the manifold evil of his sin, so that he humbles himself with godly sorrow, detesting sin, and abhorring [i.e., hating] evil; with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God so as to please Him in all things. (Hos 14:12; Ro 3:24; Ezekiel 18:30; Psalms 51:4; Amos 5:15; 2 Corinthians 7:11; Luke 1:6; Ephesians 1:7; Luke 13:3; Romans 6:23; Psalms 32:5; Peter 28:13; 1Jn 1:9; James 5:16)
We believe that the principal acts of a saving faith are first hearing the Word of God, accepting all scripture as God Himself speaking therein, confessing ones sins before God and man and proving ones repentance by his deeds. True salvation is obvious to all. Anyone who is truly saved will be a new creation in Christ and will not resemble the person who they were prior to the moment that God took their heart of stone and worked a miracle in it to turn it into a heart of flesh. These are signs accompany a person has been truly regenerated and has a saving faith:
We do not believe that one can be saved by believing in Jesus as people believe today. If this were true then the demons who believe in a God would also be saved but they are not! (1Thessalonians 2:13; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1John 1:9, 2:3-6, 15-7, 1 John 3:14 2:36, 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 12:2; James 2:19; 4:4, 7)
Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners who believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made. It is given not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith. (Acts 13:39, Romans 4:2, 5:1; Galatians 2:17)
Those who have been called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, by His Word and Spirit dwelling within them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all saints must seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in willing and joyful obedience to all Christ’s commands and by so doing put to death the desires of the flesh and strengthening them to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. (1John 1:10; 1 Corinthians 6:11, 7:1; 2 Corinthians 7:1; John 17:17; Galatians 5:24; Colossians 1:11; 1Thessalonians 5:23; Romans 6:1,6, 7:23; 2 Peter 3:18)
This hope is the assurance of everlasting life, or life in the new age that Jesus Christ will usher in when he returns to the earth. Our hope includes being rewarded for the good works we have done as Christians (Colossians 3:24) and living forever in “…the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13 KJV) after Jesus Christ, “the Last Adam,” completely restores all that the First Adam lost. (1 Corinthians. 15:24-27)
This faith is trust in the essential truths of the Christian faith, most especially the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a fact secured by both historical argument and spiritual experience. Of all the so-called “religious leaders,” only Jesus Christ has been bodily raised from the dead unto immortality. All true faith is a response of trust when hearing of the promises of God in His Word (Romans 10:17). The Lord Jesus Christ, the risen Savior, is the subject of God’s Word from Genesis through Revelation. By the grace of God, each Christian is justified by his faith in Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice and will nevermore come into condemnation. (Romans 8:1)
The Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular societies or churches; and to each of these churches He has given needful authority for administering the order, discipline and worship which He has appointed. The regular officers of a church are Elders and Deacons. (Ephesians 1:10; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; 1 Timothy 5:17-19)
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with bread and wine, and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge, and renewal of their communion with Him, and of their church fellowship. (1 Corinthians 10:16;11:23,24; 12:13; Hebrews 9:22)
The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption. Their souls return to God who gave them life. On the last day, the day of the resurrection, the souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God, in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies. The souls of the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire for eternal punishment by destruction. On that last day, those that are still alive shall not die, but be changed: and all the dead shall be raised up, with the selfsame bodies, and none other (although with different qualities), which shall be united again to their souls forever. (Genesis 3:19; Ecclesiastes 12:7, John 5:28, John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 1Thessalonians 4:17, Job 19:26, 1 Corinthians 15:42-43, Phi 3:21)
God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world, in righteousness, by Jesus Christ, to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father. In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil. (Acts 17:31; John 5:27, 1 Corinthians 6:3; Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Romans 2:16)
We believe that all those who have been truly regenerated and redeemed by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ form the Body of Christ, the Church. We also believe in the local church as the body of believers in a geographic locale who meet together to worship and serve God, observe the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and work together to further the gospel of Christ. It is the responsibility of the church to obey Christ’s great commission to reach the whole world with the whole gospel. (1 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:11-16; Colossians 1:18; Matthew 28:18-20)
We believe that each Disciple is engaged in constant spiritual warfare with the principalities and powers of evil of this world, who are seeking to overthrow the Church and frustrate its mission saving each lost soul for the glory of God. We understand that to overcome our enemies, both spiritual and physical, each believer must personal endeavor to equip ourselves with God's armor and to fight this battle with the spiritual weapons of truth and prayer. For we detect the activity of our enemy, not only in false ideologies outside the Church, but also inside it in false gospels which twist Scripture and put people in the place of God. We need both watchfulness and discernment to safeguard the biblical truth of the gospel that has been entrusted to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. We acknowledge that we are not immune to worldliness of our thoughts and actions. We accept that from time to time over the centuries, the Church has merged itself with the world by compromising our values and message so that we would garner a more positive response to the gospel. For too long we have become preoccupied more with statistics of "souls saved" instead of being preoccupied for the things of God. We must not become a "seeker friendly" Church, unless that which we "seeker friendly" towards are the things of the One true and holy God. We must understand that we Christians live in the world but are not of this world; for we are citizens of God's Kingdom on earth. We must tolerate the intrusion of the world upon the church as to dilute ourselves.
(Ephesians. 6:11-18; 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4; 2 Corintihians2:17, 4:2, 10:3-5; I John 2:18-26; 4:1-3; Galatians 1:6-9; John 17:15)
We believe that Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly, in power and glory, to consummate his salvation and his judgment. This promise of his coming is a further spur to our evangelism, for we remember his words that the gospel must first be preached to all nations. We believe that the interim period between Christ's ascension and return is to be filled with the mission of the people of God, who have no liberty to stop before the end. We also remember his warning that false christs and false prophets have arisen and will continue to arise until Christ returns in all His glory. We look forward with eager anticipation to that day, and to the new heaven and earth in which righteousness will dwell and God will reign forever. Meanwhile, we rededicate ourselves to the service of Christ and of people in joyful submission to his authority over the whole of our lives. (Mark 13:10, 21-23, 14:62; Hebrews 9:28; Acts 1:8-11; Matthew 28:18,20; John 2:18; 4:1-3; Luke 12:32; Revelations 21:1-5; 2 Peter 3:13; )
We believe the explicit message and mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ is to make disciples of all the nations. During His post-resurrection ministry Christ gave two particular commands. In Matthew chapter 28, Jesus commands us to "Go and Make Disciples of All the Nations,” and just before His Ascension, in Acts 1:8 we are called by Jesus to be witnesses to "the remotest parts of the earth". The greatest responsibility and privilege of the church is to serve as ambassadors and witnesses for Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 17:18; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:18-20; 1 Peter 1:17, 2:11)
The purpose of evangelism is to spread the good news to every person that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and He is now reigning as Lord over all. Jesus now offers the forgiveness of sins and the gifts of the Spirit to all who truly repent and believe. Christians are called to be a counter force against this corrupt and wicked world. The presence of Disciples of Christ in this present world is indispensable to evangelism, and so is that kind of dialogue whose purpose is to listen sensitively in order to understand. But evangelism itself is the proclamation of the historical, biblical Christ as Saviour and Lord, with a view to persuading people to come to him personally and so be reconciled to God. In issuing the gospel invitation we have no liberty to conceal the cost of discipleship. Jesus still calls all who would follow him to deny themselves, take up their cross, and identify themselves with his new community.
(Acts 2: 32-39; John 20:21; 1 Corinthians 1:23, 15:3, 4; 2 Corinthians 4:5; 5:11, 20; Luke 14:25-33; Mark 8:34; Acts 2:40,47; Mark 10:43-45)
We affirm that God is both the Creator and the Judge of all people. Therefore the body of Christ, the Church, must share the concern that God has justice and reconciliation throughout human society and for the liberation of men and women from every kind of oppression. Since men and women are made in the image of God, every person, regardless of race, religion, color, culture, class, sex or age, has an intrinsic value to God and should never be exploited but served in love. The church is to express its penitence both for our neglect and for having sometimes regarded evangelism and social concern as mutually exclusive. Although reconciliation with other people is not reconciliation with God, nor is social action evangelism, nor is political liberation salvation, nevertheless we affirm that evangelism and socio-political involvement are both part of our Christian duty. For both are necessary expressions of our doctrines of God and man, our love for our neighbor and our obedience to Jesus Christ. The message of salvation implies also a message of judgment upon every form of alienation, oppression and discrimination, and we should not be afraid to denounce evil and injustice wherever they exist. When people receive the teachings of Jesus Christ they are born again into an eternal kingdom of love and mercy and must seek with all their heart, soul, and strength to exhibit and spread its holy righteousness in a world shrouded in evil. The salvation we claim should be transforming us in the totality of our personal and social responsibilities. Faith without works is dead.
(Genesis. 1:26, 27, 18:25; Isaiah 1:!7; Psalms. 45:7;Luke 6:27,35; James. 2:14-26; John 3:3,5; Mattew 5:20;6:33; 2 Corinthians 3:18)
More than 2,700 billion people, which is more than two-thirds of all humanity, have yet to hear the name of Jesus Christ and hear the glorious gospel of Christ. The church should be burdened and as ashamed that so many have souls remain abandoned and neglected; it is a standing rebuke to us and to the whole Church. Even in the mist of the churches neglect of the Great Commission, God is using devoted disciples in all parts of the world to spread the gospel to anyone who will hear and receive the teachings of Christ. We are convinced that this is the time for all those who call on the name of the Lord Jesus to throw away all the things that easily hinder us in completing our mission and to pray earnestly for the salvation of the unreached. We must redouble our efforts to achieve world evangelization in as short a period of time knowing that as each day that passes, the task of evangelism become much more expensive and difficult to accomplish. We cannot hope to attain this goal without personal sacrifice. Disciples must be shocked by the obstacles and injustices that results in the enslavement of billions of people to physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual poverty. Those of us who live in affluent circumstances accept our duty to develop a simple life-style in order to contribute more generously to both relief and evangelism.
(John 9:4; Matthew 9:35-38, 25:31-46; Romans. 9:1-3; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; Mark 16:15; James 1:27; 2:1-9; Acts 2:44, 45; 4:34, 35)
