Defying Gravity
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BELIEFS!

Defying Gravity

 

It's time for Christians in this generation to rise up and defy the tug of mediocrity and soar - do you have what it takes?

 

The Bible is our all-sufficient rule for faith and practice. This Statement of Fundamental Truths is intended simply as a basis of fellowship among us (i.e., that we all speak the same thing, 1 Corinthians 1:10 [KJV/NIV]; Acts 2:42 [KJV/NIV]). The phraseology employed in this Statement is not inspired nor intended to be, but the truth set forth is held to be essential to a full-gospel, evangelical ministry. No claim is made that it covers all Biblical truth, only that it covers our need as to these fundamental doctrines.

1. The Scriptures Inspired

The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the authoritative rule of faith and practice.

2. The One True God

The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent "I AM," the Creator of heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Trinity or Godhead

a. Terms Defined
The terms "Trinity" and "persons" as related to the Godhead, while not found in the Scriptures, are words in harmony with Scripture, whereby we may convey to others our immediate understanding of the doctrine of Christ respecting the Being of God, as distinguished from "gods many and lords many." We therefore may speak with propriety of the Lord our God who is One Lord, as a trinity or as one essence of three persons, and still be absolutely scriptural.

b. Distinction and Relationship in the Godhead;
Christ taught a distinction of Persons in the Godhead which He expressed in specific terms of relationship, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

c. Unity of the One God consisting of Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
The Father is not the Son, The Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father, but the Trinity is three persons who are one God. Therefore, because these three persons in the Godhead are in a state of unity, there is but one Lord God Almighty .

e. The Title, Lord Jesus Christ;
The appellation, "Lord Jesus Christ," is a proper name. It is never applied in the New Testament, either to the Father or to the Holy Spirit. It therefore belongs exclusively to the Son of God.

f. The Lord Jesus Christ, God with Us;
The Lord Jesus Christ, as to His divine and eternal nature, is the proper and only Begotten of the Father, but as to His human nature, He is the proper Son of Man. He is therefore, acknowledged to be both God and man; who because He is God and man is "Immanuel," God with us.

g. The Title, Son of God;
Since the name "Immanuel" embraces both God and man in the one Person, our Lord Jesus Christ, it follows that the title, Son of God, describes His proper deity, and the title, Son of Man, His proper humanity. Therefore, the title Son of God, belongs to the order of eternity, and the title, Son of Man, to the order of time.

3. The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare:
His virgin birth,

His sinless life,

His miracles,

His substitutionary work on the cross,

His bodily resurrection from the dead,

His exaltation to the right hand of God.

4. The Fall of Man

Man was created good and upright; for God said, "Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness." However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God.

5. The Salvation of Man

Man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

Conditions to Salvation

Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God, according to the hope of eternal life.

The Evidence of Salvation

The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit.

The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness, obedience and true holiness.

6. The Ordinances of the Church

Baptism in Water

The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures, however, it is not necessary for Salvation. All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord have the opportunity to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life.

Holy Communion

The Lord's Supper, consisting of the elements --bread and the fruit of the vine-- is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4 [KJV/NIV]), a memorial of his suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26 [KJV/NIV]), and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26 [KJV/NIV]), and is enjoined on all believers "till He come!"

7. The on going infilling of the Holy Spirit

All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the continual filling of the Holy Spirit , according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.

This filling of the Holy Spirit is needed every day.

With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as:

  • an overflowing fullness of the Spirit, John 7:37-39 [KJV/NIV], Acts 4:8 [KJV/NIV]
  • a deepened reverence for God, Acts 2:43 [KJV/NIV], Hebrews 12:28 [KJV/NIV]
  • an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work, Acts 2:42 [KJV/NIV]
  • and a more active love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost, Mark 16:20 [KJV/NIV]

8. Sanctification

Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God.

The Scriptures teach a life of "holiness without which no man shall see the Lord."

By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey the command: "Be ye holy, for I am holy."

Sanctification is realized in the believer by recognizing his identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, and by the faith reckoning daily upon the fact of that union, and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit. It is an ongoing process of washing and being set apart for exclusive use by and for God.

9. The Church and its Mission

The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the Church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven.

Since God's purpose concerning man is to seek and to save that which is lost, to be worshipped by man, and to build a body of believers in the image of His Son, the priority reason for being part of the Church is:

  1. To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world.
    Acts 1:8 [KJV/NIV]
    Matthew 28:19,20 [KJV/NIV]
    Mark 16:15,16 [KJV/NIV]

  2. To be a corporate body in which man may worship God.
    1 Corinthians 12:13 [KJV/NIV]

  3. To be an expression of God's purpose to build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son.
    Ephesians 4:11-16 [KJV/NIV]
    1 Corinthians 12:28 [KJV/NIV]
    1 Corinthians 14:12 [KJV/NIV]

It is imperative that all we do is in the strength and Power of the Holy Spirit. This experience:

  1. Enables them to evangelize in the power of the Spirit with accompanying supernatural signs.
    Mark 16:15-20 [KJV/NIV]
    Acts 4:29-31 [KJV/NIV]
    Hebrews 2:3,4 [KJV/NIV]

  2. Adds a necessary dimension to worshipful relationship with God.
    1 Corinthians 2:10-16 [KJV/NIV]
    1 Corinthians 12 [KJV/NIV]
    1 Corinthians 13 [KJV/NIV]
    1 Corinthians 14 [KJV/NIV]

  3. Enables them to respond to the full working of the Holy Spirit in expression of fruit and gifts and ministries as in New Testament times for the edifying of the body of Christ.
    Galatians 5:22-26 [KJV/NIV]
    1 Corinthians 14:12 [KJV/NIV]
    Ephesians 4:11,12 [KJV/NIV]
    1 Corinthians 12:28 [KJV/NIV]
    Colossians 1:29 [KJV/NIV]

10. The Ministry

A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for the threefold purpose of leading the Church in:

Evangelization of the world.

Worship of God.

Building a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son.

11. Divine Healing

Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers.

12. The Blessed Hope

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 is the blessed hope of the church. Known as the Rapture. It will take place prior to the wrath that is to come on this world.

13. The Millennial Reign of Christ

The second coming of Christ (after the Rapture and the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven with all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ ) with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years.

This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel,

and the establishment of universal peace.

14. The Final Judgment

There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be consigned to the everlasting punishment in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

15. The New Heavens and the New Earth

We will live for eternity in the new Jerusalem, that city built by Christ for His Bride, the Church. It will be on the new earth.

 

 

Gravity does not have to always get the best of you...