Tenants of Faith

1. Christianity is not an organization, denomination or religion, but a relationship between God and men, individually and personally.

2. This relationship with God can only be achieved by receiving the free gift of salvation, and this gift can only be obtained through faith in the work of God’s son, Jesus Christ, by the leading and drawing of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:6/John 10:7/Acts 4:12/1 Peter 3:18/1 John 2:23/2 John 9/Hebrews 7:25/Hebrews 10:19-22/John 6:44)

3. Christianity, as a Divine relationship between God and man, is based upon the following truths as revealed in the Word of God, especially in the New Testament:

a. The Bible is the mind of Christ, and is the only inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16/2 Peter 1:21/Hebrews 4:12/Romans 15:4/Romans 3:2/Acts 28:25/Acts 1:16/John 10:35)

b. There is one God, eternally existent in three distinct persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (1 John 5:7/Matthew 3:16)

c. The Divinity of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and 2nd person of the Trinity. (Psalms 2:7/Matthew 1:23/John 1:18/John 3:16/1 John 4:9)

d. Jesus is all God, yet at the same time, is all man. (1 Timothy 2:5/1 Corinthians 8:6/Matthew 1:23/John 1:1/Psalms 45:6,7/Philippians 2:6-11)

e. The sinless and perfect life of Christ. He is the Lamb of God who took away the sin (John 1:29), and the sins (Hebrews 1:3) of the world. “Sin” (singular) deals with our sinful nature (Ephesians 2:3). “Sins” (plural) deals with all a man’s willful decisions to disobey God’s will and word. (Hebrews 9:28)

f. The miracles of Christ, and that these miracles are evident in the world today, through anyone with faith to believe (Acts 10:38/John 14:12-14/Hebrews 13:8)

g. The sacrifice and atoning death of Christ through His shed blood, and the reconciliation of man to God by that death and shed blood. (Hebrews 9:12/Ephesians 2:14-18)

h. The ascension of Jesus Christ to the right hand of God the Father in heaven (Mark 16:19/Luke 24:50,51), and His personal return in power and glory as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. (Acts 1:11/Hebrews 1:1-3/Hebrews 9:28)

i. The existence and reality of satan, a fallen archangel now called the devil, who is the enemy of God and man (Isaiah 14:12/Luke 10:18,19). He is an intelligent, created being (Ephesians 6:11), and is called the god of this world system, or age (2 Corinthians 4:4), who uses deception and lies (John 8:44) to blind the minds of men. (Genesis 3:13/1 Corinthians 6:9/2 Corinthians 11:3/1 Timothy 2:14/2 Timothy 3:13/James 1:16/Revelation 19:20/Revelation 20:8,10)

j. There are various classes of demon spirits who work with and for the devil to steal, kill and destroy the lives of men. (Luke 11:14/Luke 13:16/John 10:10/Ephesians 6:10-20)

k. There are 3 enemies of man on earth today. First, the devil and his demons. Second, the world system he controls to deceive men, and third, the flesh – our bodies. (James 4:1-7/Romans 8:7)

l. The fall of man through sin, and his present state of spiritual death, which makes a spiritual rebirth necessary by faith and faith alone. This rebirth is accomplished by believing and confessing Jesus Christ as one’s own personal Lord and Savior, trusting His work alone as the only way of salvation for mankind (John 3:16/John 10:9/John 14:6/Acts 4:12/Hebrews 9:28)

m. Its appointed for man once to die, followed by judgment. The results of both judgments are eternal in terms of reward or consequence, based solely on the choices made by each individual in this life, according to the Word of God. (Ecclesiastes 11:9/Ecclesiastes 12:14/Matthew 25:31-46/Acts 17:31/Romans 2:5/1 Corinthians 4:5/2 Corinthians 5:10/Hebrews 6:2/Hebrews 9:27/Revelation 20:6,10-15)

n. Death means separation, never cessation of existence. There are three kinds of death. First, spiritual death, which is separation of the Holy Spirit from the human spirit (Genesis 2:17/Romans 7:9). Second, physical death, which is separation of the human spirit from the physical body (James 2:26). Third, eternal death, or the second death, which is eternal separation from the presence of God (Revelation 20:6/20:14/21:8)

o. The bodily resurrection of believers to everlasting life and blessings with God in heaven, and the bodily resurrection of unbelievers to everlasting punishment and torment in Gehenna, the lake of fire (Matthew 25:31-46/1 Corinthians 15:50-56/1 Thessalonians 4:13-18/Revelation 20,21)

p. The word “everlasting” applies the same to the promised blessings in heaven for believers, as much as it does to the punishment and torment for unbelievers in the lake of fire. (Matthew 25:46/John 3:15-36/Revelation 20:10-15)

q. The present-day ministry of the Holy Spirit, Who bestows the spiritual gifts of healing, working of miracles, faith, the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, the discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy. All these gifts are operating today in and through believers worldwide, and they will continue until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)

r. The authority of the church, which is the body of Christ. Believers have authority over all the works of satan and his demons (Matthew 28:18/Mark 16:17/Luke 9:1/Luke 10:17-19/Philippians 2:8-10/Acts 16:18)

s. The great commission is the job and responsibility of every believer, to go into all the world, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and teaching converts the life of faith, love, sanctification and discipleship (Mark 16:15-18/Matthew 28:18-20/Acts 1:8)

4. There are six principles which make up the doctrine of Christ, as outlined in Hebrews 6:1, 2. They are:

a. Repentance from dead works.

b. Faith towards God.

c. Doctrine of Baptisms

d. Laying on of hands

e. Resurrection of the dead

f. Eternal judgment