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The Bible verses that accompany each point are by no means
'exhaustive' but are simply meant
as references to illustrate that particular point. |
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 THE
TRUE GOD
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I believe the Bible
teaches that there is only one God, who is eternally existent in three persons,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, forming the 'Trinity' and comprising what is known
as the 'Godhead'. Each One has the very same eternal nature and deity forming
one God, yet eternally existing as three separate Persons. I believe that God
can do anything He chooses to do (omnipotent), He knows everything He chooses to
know (omniscient), and is everywhere He chooses to be (omnipresent). (Matthew
28:19; John 1:1-3; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians
13:14
and Psalm 139:7)
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CREATION |
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I believe in the Genesis
account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not
allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God's own image
and after His own likeness; that man's creation was not a matter of evolution or
evolutionary change of species, or development through interminable periods of
time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made
directly and God's established law was that they should bring forth only "after
their kind."
(Genesis 1:1,11,24,26-27;
2:21-23;
Exodus 20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Jeremiah 10:12; John 1:3; Acts
4:24;
17:23-26;
Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 10:6)
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SATAN |
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I believe the Bible
teaches the reality and personality of Satan. I believe him to be our enemy and
that his power was broken when Jesus died on the cross and will one day be cast
into the Lake
of Fire.
(Isaiah 14:12-15; John 16:11; and Revelation 20:10)
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ORDINANCES |
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I believe there are only
two (2) ordinances belonging to the local church, that being Baptism and the
Lord's Supper. I do not believe these to be 'sacraments', which, according to
certain religious groups, impart spiritual merit to the recipient, thus helping
them to obtain eternal life. I believe they are symbols, done in obedience to
Christ by faith, and thus picture our salvation and closeness to Christ. I
believe these ordinances were given to the local church only and not to
non-church or para-church groups.
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BAPTISM |
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The Greek word 'baptizo'
means to immerse or submerge completely, and was understood to also carry with
it a change of some sort afterwards. (It does not mean to 'sprinkle', as this is
the Greek word 'rantizo'.) Baptism is meant for people who have experienced
salvation (Acts
2:38)
and is therefore not for babies or lost persons. I believe it is the command of
Christ for all believers to be publicly baptized by a local church (Matthew
28:19).
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LORD'S
SUPPER |
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I believe the Lord's
Supper is a picture of Christ’s death (1 Corinthians
11:26)
to be partaken of by believers only. Because the Lord's Supper is also a time of
personal heart searching (for sin) before the Lord (1 Corinthians
11:27-31),
I believe that only obedient believers should partake of it. Thus, a believer
who refuses baptism, membership (or any other clear teaching of Christ) or is
living in sin ought not to partake. No specific instruction is given as to how
often a church is to partake, aside from "as often as ye eat this bread and
drink this cup" (1 Corinthians
11:26).
Therefore, I believe the decision rests in the hands of the local church.
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MUSIC |
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I believe we are to
strive to maintain an adherence to godly music, as typified in our hymnbooks. I
believe godly music comprises the following:
Be decent and in order:
God has shown his love of variety through creation and there are certainly
various music styles in our world. However, there are places
for certain music that would not be appropriate for Church and I believe that
the music itself should be balanced, refreshing, uplifting and honoring to God
and not to man. (1 Corinthians
14:40).
Teach the Word of
God: The
purpose of Christian music in our churches is to convey a Biblical message and
to promote the worship of God, instruction to Christians, or a call to sinners.
The message should be a clear truth or principle from the Word of God. This may
include human experience as it relates to the Word of God. Give glory to God:
The music should have a tone of reverence and give glory to God rather than
attract attention to the performer or the music. (1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians
5:19)
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LAST
THINGS |
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I believe the Bible
teaches the coming again of Jesus Christ back into the world to take out all
Christians. This is known as the 'rapture' of the church.
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) I
believe the world will then undergo seven years known as the 'Tribulation'. (Jeremiah 30:7;
Daniel
9:27; and Matthew 24:21) I believe that after these seven years Christ shall
return to earth with the saints of God to rule for one thousand years, known as
the "Millennial
Kingdom",
in which Satan will be bound. (Revelation 19:11,14; 20:1-3) I believe that after
these one thousand years, Satan will be loosed for a short amount of time, and
then Christ will put down all sin and wrong. (Revelation 20:7-9) I believe that,
at that time, Christ will judge all sinners, sending them to the
Lake
of Fire,
where Satan is to be cast, and that He will then bring about a new Heaven and a
new Earth. (Revelation 20:10-15; 21:1) |
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