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WHAT WE BELIEVE
The Bible:
We believe the Bible to be the infallible
word of God (St. John 1:1). We believe that
"all scripture is given by the inspiration
of God and it is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness" (II Timothy 3:16). The
Bible is the only written God-given
authority that man possesses. This means
that all doctrine, instruction, and faith
must be based upon and harmonize with the
Bible. We believe that the Bible should be
read and studied by all men and that we
should pray and seek God in the Holy Ghost
for understanding of the scriptures. II
Peter 1:20-21 tells us: "Knowing this first,
that no prophesy of the scripture is of any
private interpretation. For the prophesy
came not in old time by the will of man; but
holy men of God spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost."
One God:
We believe in one living, omnipotent,
omnipresent God, holy in nature and
possessing absolute indivisible deity. God
declares in Isaiah 45:22: "Look unto me, and
be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for
I am God, and there is none else."(also read
Isaiah 46:9-10 and Revelation 1:8). We
believe also that God created the heavens
and the earth as well as man. God also
declares in Isaiah 45:12: "I have made the
earth, and created man upon it: I even my
hands, have stretched out the heavens and
all their host have I created."(also read
Isaiah 45:18).
Jesus Christ is God:
We believe that Jesus Christ is God manifest
in the flesh. I Timothy 3:16 reads: "And
without controversy great is the mystery of
godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit, seen of angels,
preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in
the world, received up into glory." Jesus
declares in St. John 10:30: "I and my Father
are one.” He also declares in St. John 5:43
that "I am come in my Father's name ...”.
(Also read St. John 14:6-11)
The Holy Ghost:
We believe that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit
of God that dwells within us (I Corinthians
6:19) to lead and guide us into all truth
(St. John 16:13) and righteousness. That
without the Holy Ghost, we cannot fully
understand the word of God. I Corinthians
2:12-14 reads: "Now we have received, not
the spirit of the world, but the spirit
which is of God; that we might know the
things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words
which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the
Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual
things with spiritual. But the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God: for they are foolishness unto him:
neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned."
Christ's Second Coming:
We believe that one day Jesus Christ is
coming back to receive his bride (the
Church) He tells us in St John 14:2-3:
"..... I go to prepare a place for you. And
if I go and prepare a place for you, I will
come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also". In I
Thessalonians 4:16-17, we read: "For the
Lord himself shall descend from heaven with
a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first: Then we which are
alive and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air: and so shall we ever be with the
Lord." |
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In the Bible, Jesus tells us:
"that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name among all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke
24:47)
The Wages Of Sin:
The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23: "For all
have sinned and come short of the glory of
God". The Bible also tells us in Romans 6:23
that "The wages of sin is death;..."
Repentance:
Repentance is confessing your sins to God
and asking his forgiveness with the
intention of turning away from sin and
seeking God's guidance in your life. We read
in I John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Paul tells us in Romans 8:5: "For they that
are after the flesh do mind the things of
the flesh; but they that are after the
Spirit the things of the Spirit."
Baptism In Jesus' Name:
We believe that baptism in water by
immersion in the name of Jesus Christ is the
only God-given method of baptism. Peter
outlines this in Acts 2:38. "Then Peter said
unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one
of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost". We are told in Acts
4:12 that: "Neither is there salvation in
any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved."
Receiving The Holy Ghost:
We believe, to be partakers in God's
complete plan of salvation, we must receive
the Holy Ghost as the disciples and those in
the early church received it. We read in
Acts 2:4: "And they were all filled with the
Holy Ghost and began to speak with other
tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance."
The Bible also tells us in Acts 10:45-46:
"...because that on the Gentiles also was
poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For
they heard them speak with tongues, and
magnify God. and in Acts 19:5-6 we read:
"When they heard this, they were baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul
had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost
came on them; and they spake with tongues,
and prophesied."
Living Holy:
We believe that once we have the Holy Ghost
living within us, and if we will seek God's
leading, that the Holy Ghost will lead and
guide us into all truth (St. John 16:13) and
righteousness. The Bible tells us that we
are to follow after the spirit and turn away
from sinful things; Paul tells us in Romans
8:1 that: "There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ
Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but
after the Spirit.", He also tells us in
Romans 6:1-2: "What shall we say then? Shall
we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to
sin, live any longer therein?" and in Romans
6:4 he tells us: "....like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory of the
Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life." In Titus 2:11-12 we are
told: "For the grace of God that bringeth
salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously,
and godly, in this present world;" |
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Singing:
We sing to God because we read in Psalms
30:4: "Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of
his, and give thanks at the remembrance of
his holiness". Psalms 33:2-3 tells us to:
"Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him
with the psaltery and an instrument of ten
strings. Sing unto him a new song; play
skilfully with a loud noise." In Psalms 95:1
we read: "O come, let us sing unto the LORD:
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of
our salvation." We also read in Psalms
71:23: "My lips shall greatly rejoice when I
sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast
redeemed."
Clapping Our Hands:
We clap our hands in praise because we read
in Psalms 47:1: "O clap your hands, all ye
people; shout unto God with the voice of
triumph."
Lifting Our Hands and Praising God
Aloud:
We Lift our hands and praise God aloud
because we read in Psalms 98:4: "Make a
joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth:
make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing
praise." and in Psalms 106:1, we read:
"Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the
LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth
for ever." We also read in Psalms 134:2:
"Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and
bless the LORD."
Praying Together:
We pray together because we read in Acts
4:24 that the apostles "...went to their own
company, and reported all that the chief
priests and elders had said unto them. And
when they heard that, they lifted up their
voice to God with one accord,..." We also
read in Acts 12:12: "...he (Peter) came to
the house of Mary the mother of John, whose
surname was Mark; where many were gathered
together praying.
Public Testimony:
We share the things that God does for us
publicly because the Bible tells us in
Psalms 9:11 to: "Sing praises to the LORD,
which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the
people his doings." and in Psalms 107:22 we
read: "... let them sacrifice the sacrifices
of thanksgiving, and declare his works with
rejoicing." We are told in Acts 1:8 that we
are witnesses of him and that our lives are
a testimony of him: "But ye shall receive
power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me
both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in
Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the
earth."
Speaking In Other Tongues:
We speak in other tongues as the Holy Ghost
gives utterance as did those of the early
church, for we read in Acts 2:4: "And they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and
began to speak with other tongues, as the
Spirit gave them utterance." |
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