My faith I confess, live and defend
“THE INSPIRATION AND INERRANCY OF THE BIBLE”
I believe in the Divine Product: Inspiration of the Bible.
Inspiration establishes that the Bible is a divine product. In other words, Scripture is divinely inspired in that God actively worked through the process and had his hand in the outcome of what Holy Scripture would say. Inspired Scripture is simply written revelation.
I believe that the Bible is God’s word.
The doctrinal statement I affirms, “The Bible, including both the Old and New Testaments, is a divine revelation, the original autographs of which were verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit.” (2Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21)
I believe Revelation is God’s self-disclosure.
It is God making Himself known to men. (1 Corinthians 2:11–16) God has revealed himself in a limited way in creation. (Psalm 19:1) But the Bible is a form of special revelation. The Bible is “special” revelation in the sense that it goes beyond what may be known about God through nature. (Romans 1:19, 20). It is divine in origin, since in the Bible God makes known things which otherwise could never be known. The Bible is unique because it is God’s revelation recorded in human language. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).
According to 2 Timothy 3:16-17 the words of Scripture are “God breathed” or inspired. This implies that God is the source or origin of what is recorded in Scripture. God, through the Holy Spirit, used human authors to write what He revealed in the Bible. They were not mere copyists or transcribers. The Holy Spirit guided and controlled the writers of Scripture, who used their own vocabularies and styles but wrote only what the Holy Spirit intended. (2 Peter 1:21, 1 Corinthians 2:12–13). This is true only of the original manuscripts, not the copies or translations. Although the original manuscripts have been lost to us, God has preserved the biblical text to a remarkable degree.
I believe The Bible is verbally inspired.
This means that the words of the Bible, not just the ideas, were inspired. What is more, this is true of not just some, but all the words of the Bible. As a result, the Bible is free from error in what it says. I believe strongly in the factual, verbal, historical inerrancy of the Bible. That is, the Bible, in its original documents, is free from error in what it says about geography, history and science as well as in what it says about God. Its authority extends to all matters about which the Bible speaks. (Matthew 5:18; John 10:35)
It is the supreme source of our knowledge of God and of the salvation provided through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 5:39–47). It is our indispensable resource for daily living. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 1 Peter 2:2).
I believe even though the Bible is God’s revelation, it must still be interpreted.
Interpretation has to do with our reception and understanding of that which God revealed and recorded. (John 16:13). Revelation is a divine act. Interpretation is a human responsibility. Divine inspiration guarantees the truthfulness of God’s word but not the accuracy of our interpretation. The Bible is infallible in all it affirms to be true and therefore absolutely reliable. I (We), however, may be fallible in our interpretation of the Bible.
My Statement of Faith
The Holy Scriptures
I believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, are the inspired Word of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible Divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.
The One True God
I believe there is one God, Creator of all things, Who is infinitely perfect and eternally existent in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
The Deity of Lord Jesus Christ
I believe Jesus the Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, miracles and healings attest to His earthly ministry. He died on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins. He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.
The Fall of Man
I believe man was created in the image and likeness of God, but man voluntarily sinned and thereby incurred both physical and spiritual death, which is separation from God.
The Salvation of Man
I believe the only means of our reconciliation to God is through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential for personal salvation and eternal spiritual life. The born-again believer is to separate from that which is evil and live a life of holiness unto God.
The True Church
I believe the true Church is composed of all those who are born again, as taught in the scriptures. Through this new birth, we are united together in the body of Christ. Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church. Every local church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its own affairs.
The Ministry of the Holy Spirit
I believe the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. During this age He has been sent to indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living and service. The Holy Spirit bestows the spiritual gifts of: (1) Word of Wisdom, (2) Word of Knowledge, (3) Faith, (4) Gifts of Healings, (5) Working of Miracles, (6) Prophecy, (7) Discerning of Spirits, (8) Diverse Kinds of Tongues, (9) Interpretation of Tongues in and among believers on the earth since the Day of Pentecost and continuing until our Lord’s return.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit
I believe the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is granted to all believers who ask for this experience. We believe this experience is distinct from and follows the new birth. Every believer can and should be filled with the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues. We believe the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance.
The Ordinances of the Church
I believe water baptism by immersion is a natural outward expression of the inward acceptance of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ; however, it is not to be regarded as means of salvation. I believe the communion of the Lord’s Supper is done in remembrance of Him: His suffering and death, burial and resurrection, His present priestly ministry and His coming again. I believe the elements, bread and the fruit of the vine, are the symbols expressing our sharing in the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Mission of the Local Church
I believe the mission of the local church is to assemble together as a corporate body in which man may worship God, to be an agency of God for evangelizing the world, to be a storehouse wherein may be shared all things pertaining to life and godliness, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, to edify the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith.
The Ministry
I believe Christ has set in the church Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastor and Teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, to edify the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith, wherein the mission of the local church may be accomplished.
Prosperity: Spirit, Soul and Body
I believe that without faith it is impossible to please God. The atonement provides salvation for the believer, healing for the soul, healing for the body. I am redeemed from the curse of the law which is poverty, sickness and death. I (Our) lives will be prosperous and healthy if we will walk in the light of this redemption with faith in God’s Word.
The Rapture of the Church
I believe in the personal, pre-millennial, imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ, and their translation together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. I believe this happening, referred to as “the Rapture”, will deliver us from the Tribulation. We will be resurrected unto everlasting life and blessing in the presence of the Lord.
The Millennial Reign of Christ
I believe in the second coming of Christ with His saints to rule on the earth for a thousand years.
The Lake of Fire
I believe the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life, shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. This is the second death.
The New Heaven and the New Earth
I believe heaven and earth shall pass away and a new heaven and a new earth shall be created wherein God Himself will make His residence. Believers shall be with Him eternally.