Statement of Beliefs and Practices
THE SPIRIT WORLD
There is one God and Father of all, who is above all. (Eph 4:6). He is immortal and eternal (1 Tim 1:17) and He is love (1 John 4:16). He is all-powerful (Matt 19:26) and all-knowing (1 John 3:20). He is the Judge of all (Heb 12:23) and created the universe by His Word (John 1:3).
Jesus Christ, as the Word, existed in the beginning, as God, with the Father (John 1:1), and shared the Father's glory (John 17:5). He voluntarily gave up that glory (Philip 2:5-8) and, conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:20), was born of a virgin (Matt 1:23), to become the Son of God (Luke 1:35, Heb 1:1-5) and live a sinless human life (Heb 4:14-15). After his crucifixion, he spent three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matt 12:40), after which he was resurrected (Matt 28:6), and ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father where he makes intercession for us (Rom 8:34) as our High Priest (Heb 4:15, 9:11) and Lord and Savior (Philip 3:20).
Jesus Christ is returning visibly to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Tim 6:14-15, Rev 1:7). He will restore the government of God to the earth and establish the Kingdom of God, which will last forever (Isa 9:6-7, Dan 2:44). No one can know the timing of his return (Mark 13:32), but he will come when mankind is facing a crisis through which it would not survive otherwise (Matt 24:21-22).
God's people are to pray to and worship the Father (Matt 6:9), in the name of Jesus (John 14:13-14), who is the Mediator of the new covenant (1 Tim 2:5, Heb 4:14-16 and 8:1-6).
Scripture uses terms applicable to human families to describe God. God the Father has a Son named Jesus (2 John 3). He is also the Father of all believers (Rom 8:15). Jesus is the firstborn of many brethren. (Rom 8:29) Believers enter into this family relationship (Rom 8:14-17).
The Holy Spirit is the Comforter Jesus promised to his disciples (John 14:16). It is the gift of God (Acts 2:38), power of God (Acts 1:8, 2 Tim 1:7) and presence of God in obedient believers (2 Cor 1:22, Acts 5:32). The Holy Spirit reveals truth (John 16:13), convicts of sin (John 16:8), produces fruits of righteousness (Gal 5:22-23) and provides gifts for service (Rom 12:4-11).
Angels are spirit beings (Ps 104:4) with free will (2 Pet 2:4), created by God to serve Him (Heb 1:14), and assigned by God to serve those who will receive salvation. Disobedient (or fallen) angels are called demons, and their leader is a fallen cherub named Satan (Jude 6). He is called the devil, a murderer and liar (John 8:44), tempter (Mk 1:13), and the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4). As the accuser of the brethren, he is the adversary of God's people, and must be resisted (1 Pet 5:8-9). He is in constant rebellion to God, and disguised as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14), he deceives all of mankind (Rev 12.9).
MAN
Humans were created in the image of God (Gen 1:26) for the purpose of becoming His children, with His nature (1 John 3:2). However, being created from the earth, mankind is temporary and subject to decay, having no eternal life apart from God's gift (Exe 18:20, Luke 13:3). Humans are free to make choices (Deut 30:15,19), and the first humans, Adam and Eve, yielded to temptation and disobeyed God, introducing sin (disobedience to God's law- 1 John 3:4) and death to the world (Rom 5:12). Since all have sinned, death now reigns over all mankind (1 Cor 15:22).
Man's only hope for life beyond the physical lies in a resurrection from the dead (Ezek 18:4, 1 Cor 15:16-19). There is no consciousness in death (Ecc 9:5). Those who are dead in Christ will be resurrected to spirit life at his return along with those who are alive in Christ at that time (1 Thes 4:13-18). This is the first resurrection (Rev 20:4-7). Another resurrection will follow one thousand years later, when all who have not had the opportunity to accept Christ will be given physical life and an opportunity to be converted and receive eternal life (Ezek 37:1-14, Rev 20:7, 11-13). The punishment for the disobedient who refuse to repent is death (Rev 20:14-15).
GOD'S PLAN
The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are the divinely inspired and authoritative Word of God (2 Tim 3:15-17, 2 Pet 1:20-21, John 17:17). They alone contain the revelation of God essential for salvation (Deut 12:32, Prov 30:5-6).
The Ten Commandments summarize the eternal law of God, and therefore are in full force today (Ex 20:1-17, John 15:10, James 2:10-12). Under the new covenant, they are written in the hearts of believers (Heb 8:8-10), and they define, in principle, how to love God and love fellow man (Matt 22:35-39). Jesus magnified the law by instructing his disciples about its spiritual intent (Matt 5:19-48, Matt 12:9-13). Keeping the law cannot justify the Christian (Gal 3:21, Eph 2:8-9), but habitual lawbreakers will not be in the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21).
Repentance is a response to the conviction of the Holy Spirit that includes remorse for past sins combined with a resolution to forsake sin and walk according to the eternal law of God as summarized in the ten commandments- a process known as conversion (Acts 3:19, 2 Cor 7:9-11).
Baptism is a commanded ordinance that outwardly demonstrates a believer's repentance of sin and acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:37-38). Baptism, by definition and biblical example, is by immersion, and performed on those mature enough to repent and make a commitment to live according to God's law (John 3:23, Rom 6:3-6). The repentant and baptized believer is then justified, or forgiven of all sins and their penalty, eternal death (Col 2:12-13, Rev 20:6). The believer receives the gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, and is thus sanctified, or made holy, becoming Christ's (Acts 8:14-17, Rom 8:14).
Salvation is the deliverance from sin, and thus from sin's ultimate end, death. (Rom 6:18, 23) It is a gift of God, given by the grace of God, made possible by the sinless life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and is personally received through a believer's faith in God (Eph 2:4-9).
THE CHURCH
The spiritual body of all believers in whom the Holy Spirit dwells is called the church, or assembly (Rom 12:5, 1 Cor 12:13, 37, Col 1:18). The church is commissioned to make disciples, to baptize them, and to teach them all that Jesus taught (Matt 28:19-20), which includes serving others, both in and out of the body according to the gift of God (Matt 25:31-40, Gal 6:10).
Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, and so it is to him that the church looks for leadership (Col 1:18). Biblical precedent defines roles for elders, deacons and deaconesses in local congregations, as well as describing various other responsibilities (such as evangelizing, teaching, etc) to be fulfilled by those so gifted (Rom 12:1-8, Eph 4:11-12, 1 Tim 3:1-12).
The elders are available to pray for the sick and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith saves the sick (James 5:14).
SABBATH AND HOLY DAYS
The Sabbath is a weekly holy day to be observed on the seventh day of the week (Ex 20:8-11). It is a day of rest from work, and participation in collective worship and fellowship (Lev 23:3). The biblical pattern for Sabbath observance is from sunset to sunset (Lev 23:32). The Sabbath reminds Christians of creation (Gen 2:1-3), the Creator (Ex 31:13), deliverance from bondage (Deut 5:15) and the Kingdom yet to come (Heb 4:9-11).
The annual festivals given by God to Israel (Lev 23) were kept by Jesus (Matt 26:17, John 7:10-14, 37), the apostles (Acts 2:1, 18:21, 20:16), and the early church (1 Cor 5:7-8, 1 Cor 16:8). They will also be kept in the future (Zech 14:16-18), so it follows that they should be kept today. The festivals include the seven annual sabbaths, or holy days, and they illustrate God's plan of salvation- past, present and future- therefore serving as annual reminders of God's purpose with man (Col 2:16-17). The festivals enumerated in Levitcus 23:4-44 include Passover, Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles and the Eighth Day.
By acceptance, not command, annual festivals are observed according to dates on the calculated Hebrew calendar. Passover is observed on the night of Nisan 14 (Lev 23:5) with unleavened bread and wine, and the addition of the foot-washing ordinance added by Jesus before his death (John 13:14). Pentecost is observed on a Sunday, 7 weeks after the day of the Wave Sheaf. The Day of the Wave Sheaf is the Sunday (day after the Sabbath) that occurs during Unleavened Bread (Lev 23:11-16).
CHRISTIAN OBLIGATION
Meats called unclean by God are not intended to be eaten by humans (Gen 7:2, Lev 11, Deut 14:3-20).
The work of the church is supported by the financial stewardship of individual Christians (1 Cor 9:3-14). The only proportionate example of giving in scripture is the tithe, or tenth, which was a standard of giving even before it was institutionalized under the Levitical priesthood (Gen 14:20 and 28:22). Although the New Testament mentions the tithe as well (Matt 23:23), it clearly teaches that the giver's attitude is more important than the amount. (Luke 21:1-4) The biblical method for financing festival worship, including travel, was a second tithe. It was to be used by the saver, as well as shared freely with those who had less, so that all could rejoice at the festivals (Deut 14:22-27).
Christians are instructed to love and forgive their enemies, and work for peace (Matt 5:43-45, Luke 6:27-36, John 18:36, Rom 12:17-21). It is therefore incompatible for a Christian to participate in military combat, or in training and preparation for warfare (Mic 2:3).
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