|
|
|
Our
Statement of Fundamental Truths
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; Acts 2:42).
The phraseology employed in this statement is not inspired
or contended for, but the truth set forth is held to be
essential to a full-gospel ministry. No claim is made that
it contains 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
verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to
man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and
conduct (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter
1:21).
|
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 Ghost (Deuteronomy
6:4; Isaiah 43:10,11; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22).
THE ADORABLE 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 Being of three persons, and still be
absolutely scriptural (examples,
Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 14:16,17).
(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 Ghost, but that this distinction and
relationship, as to its mode is inscrutable and
incomprehensible, because unexplained (Luke 1:35; 1
Corinthians 1:24; Matthew 11:25-27; 28:19; 2 Corinthians
13:14; 1 John 1:3,4).
(c) Unity of the One Being of Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost
Accordingly, therefore, there is that in the Father which
constitutes Him the Father and not the Son; there is that
in the Son which constitutes Him the Son and not the
Father; and there is that in the Holy Ghost which
constitutes Him the Holy Ghost and not either the Father
or the Son. Wherefore the Father is the Begetter; the Son
is the Begotten; and the Holy Ghost is the One proceeding
from the Father and the Son. Therefore, because these
three persons in the Godhead are in a state of unity,
there is but one Lord God Almighty and His name one (John
1:18;
15:26; 17:11,21; Zechariah 14:9).
(d) Identity and Cooperation in the Godhead
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are never
identical as to person, nor confused as to relation; nor
divided in respect to the Godhead; nor opposed as to
cooperation. The Son is in the Father and the Father is in
the Son as to relationship. The Son is with the Father and
the Father is with the Son, as to fellowship. The Father
is not from the Son, but the Son is from the Father, as to
authority. The Holy Ghost is from the Father and the Son
proceeding, as to nature, relationship, cooperation and
authority. Hence no person in the Godhead either exists or
works
separately or independently of the others (John
5:17-30,32,37; 8:17,18).
(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 Ghost. It therefore belongs exclusively to the
Son of God. (Romans 1:1-3,7; 2 John 3).
(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.
(Matthew 1:23; 1 John 4:2,10,14;
Revelation 1:13,17).
(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 (Matthew 1:21-23; 2 John 3; 1
John 3:8; Hebrews 7:3; 1:1-13).
(h) Transgression of the Doctrine of Christ
Wherefore, it is a transgression of the doctrine of Christ
to say that Jesus Christ derived the title Son of God
solely from the fact of the Incarnation, or because of His
relation to the economy of redemption. Therefore, to deny
that the Father is a real and eternal Father, and that the
Son is a real and eternal Son, is a denial of the
distinction and relationship in the Being of God; a denial
of the Father and the Son; and a displacement of the truth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh (2 John 9; John
1:1,2,14,18,29,49; 1 John 2:22,23; 4:1-5; Hebrews 12:2).
(i) Exaltation of Jesus Christ as Lord
The Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, having by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty
on high, angels and principalities and powers having been
made subject unto Him. And having been made both Lord and
Christ, He sent the Holy Ghost that we, in the name of
Jesus, might bow our knees and confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord to the glory of God the Father until the end, when
the Son shall become subject to the Father that God may be
all in
all (Hebrews 1:3; 1 Peter 3:22; Acts 2:32-36; Romans
14:11;
1 Corinthians 15:24 - 28).
(j) Equal Honor to the Father and to the Son
Wherefore, since the Father has delivered all judgment
unto the Son, it is not only the express duty of all in
heaven and on earth to bow the knee, but it is an
unspeakable joy in the Holy Ghost to ascribe unto the Son
all the attributes of deity, and to give Him all the honor
and the glory contained in all the names and titles of the
Godhead except those which express relationship (see
paragraphs b, c, and d), and thus honor the Son even as we
honor the Father (John 5:22,23; 1 Peter 1:8; Revelation
5:6-14; Philippians 2:8,9; Revelation 7:9,10; 4:8-11).
|
3.
The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The
Scriptures declare:
(a) His virgin birth (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31,35).
(b) His sinless life (Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22).
(c) His miracles (Acts 2:22; 10:38).
(d) His substitutionary work on the cross (1 Corinthians
15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
(e) His bodily resurrection from the dead
(Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:4).
(f) His exaltation to the right hand of God (Acts 1:9,11;
2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:3).
|
4.
The Fall of Man
Man was created good and upright; for God said, .Let us
make man in our 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 (Genesis 1:26,27; 2:17; 3:6; Romans
5:12-19).
|
5.
The Salvation of Man
Man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of
Jesus Christ the Son of God.
(a) 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 Ghost, being
justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of
God according to the hope of eternal life (Luke 24:47;
John 3:3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 2:8;
Titus 2:11; 3:5-7).
(b) The Evidences of Salvation
The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of
the Spirit (Romans 8:16). The outward evidence to all men
is a life of righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians
4:24; Titus 2:12).
|
6.
The Ordinances of the Church
(a) Baptism in Water
The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the
Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as
Saviour and Lord are 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
(Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16;
Acts 10:47,48; Romans 6:4).
(b) 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);
a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians
11:26); and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians
11:26); and is enjoined on all believers "till He
come!."
|
7.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit of God takes residence in our lives at the
point of salvation. The evidence of His presence at this
point in our relationship with God is in our conscience.
We have a fresh hunger for holy living and an increased
disdain for sin and ungodliness.
A
wonderful gift becomes available to us at this time
through the Holy Spirit: a baptism of power. The baptism
in the Holy Spirit is a baptism in the power of God. Jesus
told the disciples in Acts 1:8 they would receive power to
be His witnesses when the Holy Spirit had come upon them.
With
this baptism come such experiences as an overflowing
fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37-39;Acts 4:8), a deepened
reverenced for God (Acts 2:43, Hebrews 12:28), an
intensified commitment to God and dedication to His work
(Acts 2:42), and a more active love for Christ, for His
Word, and for those who have not yet become believers
(Mark 16:20).
Confusion
over this empowerment has arisen between believers
primarily due to focus on the "experience"
instead of focus on the power Jesus promised. Many
believers have extraordinary experiences receiving this
wonderful empowerment. Others have a far different
experience. The experiences we have in God will be as
different as individuals are from each other. The
experience is not what we seek…it is the person of the
Holy Spirit and the power described by Jesus that we seek
and receive by faith. This is available to us as we avail
ourselves by faith to baptism in the Holy Spirit.
|
8.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit resides in us and enables us to
express ministry gifts. These ministry gifts are stated in
1 Corinthians 12: 8-10, Romans 12:6-9, and Ephesians
4:11-12. The gifts are: Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge,
Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Distinguishing of
Spirits, Various Tongues (Languages), Interpretation of
Tongues, Service, Teaching, Exhortation, Leadership,
Mercy, Love. (This is not an exhaustive list as the Holy
Spirit can enable us to do many things as He wills.)
The
scriptures teach us that these are given to individuals as
God wills. The primary reason for the giving of these
gifts is so that non-believers may be converted, and
believers may be encouraged.
The results desired from the exercise of these gifts are
unity and maturity in the church at large.
|
9.
Sanctification
Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is
evil, and of dedication unto God (Romans 12:1,2; 1
Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:12). Scriptures teach a
life of holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.
(Hebrews 12:14). By the power of the Holy Ghost we are
able to obey the command: Be ye holy, for I am holy. (1
Peter 1:15,16). Sanctification is realized in the believer
by recognizing his identification with Christ in His death
and resurrection, and by faith reckoning daily upon the
fact of that union, and by offering every faculty
continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit (Romans
6:1-11,13; 8:1,2,13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12,13;
1 Peter 1:5).
|
10.
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 general assembly and church of the firstborn, which
are written in heaven (Ephesians 1:22,23; 2:22; Hebrews
12:23). Since God's purpose concerning man is to seek and
to save that which is lost, to be worshiped
by man, and to build a body of believers in the image of
His Son, the priority reason-for-being of the Assemblies
of God as part of the Church is:
a. To be an agency of God for evangelizing the
world (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15,16).
b. To be a corporate body in which man may worship
God (1 Corinthians 12:13).
c. To be a channel of God's purpose to build a body
of saints being perfected in the image of His Son
(Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 14:12).
|
11.
The Ministry
A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has
been provided by our Lord for the threefold purpose of
leading the Church in: (1) evangelization of the world
(Mark 16:15-20), (2) worship of God (John 4:23,24), and
(3) building a body of saints being perfected in the image
of His Son (Ephesians 4:11,16). |
12.
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 (Isaiah
53:4,5; Matthew 8:16,17; James 5:14-16).
|
13.
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 imminent and
blessed hope of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17;
Romans 8:23; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 15:51,52).
|
14.
The Millennial Reign of Christ
The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the
saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible
return of Christ with His saints to reign on the earth for
one thousand years (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27,30;
Revelation 1:7; 19:11-14; 20:1-6). This millennial reign
will bring the salvation of national Israel (Ezekiel
37:21,22; Zephaniah 3:19,20; Romans 11:26,27) and the
establishment of universal peace (Isaiah 11:6-9; Psalm
72:3-8; Micah 4:3,4).
|
15.
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 everlasting punishment
in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which
is the second death (Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43- 48;
Revelation 19:20; 20:11-15; 21:8).
|
16.
The New Heavens and the New Earth
We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a
new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Peter 3:13;
Revelation 21,22).
|
|
|
|
|
|
