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Statement of Faith

Statement of Faith  

 

The Bible 
We believe in the Divine inspiration granted through the Holy Spirit to those who wrote the sixty-six books within the Old and New Testament of the Bible, and that this represents God’s infallible Word. All scripture is God breathed and given to man so that he may fully comprehend God. The Word of God is the sole and final authority on all matters of faith, truth, and life, and was written without error in the original manuscripts. 2 Tim 3:16-17, Acts 1:16, 2 Pet 1:21, Rom 15:4

 

The Trinity 
There is one true God, John 17:3,  1 Cor 8:6, Isa 44:6 who has and always will be the same Ps102:12,26-27 Mal 3:6 Heb 13:8 James 1:17. He is without beginning and end Gen 21:33 Ps 90:1-2 1 Tim 1:17, eternally existing in three persons Gen 1:26, Matt 28:19. Together as Father, Son and Holy Spirit they co-exist as One, yet each possess equally all the attributes of Deity and personality.

 

The Father 
The Father is perfect in wisdom Rom 11:33, light 1 John 1:5, power Jer 10:12 Ps 62:11, holiness Ps 99:9 and love 1 John 4:7-8. He is the Father of all Creation, and presides over all He has made in righteousness and justice James 1:17, 1 Cor 8:6, Eph 4:6. God the Father is love, and gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ for the salvation of the entire world from judgement of sin John 3:16, 1 John 4:9-10. The Father gave us Jesus His Son as the only Way, Truth and Life, to restore man back into a relationship with Himself. John 14:6

 

The Son 
The Son is known as Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father John 1:14, John 3:16. He is the Word who became flesh John 1:14 through the immaculate and miraculous virgin conception by the Holy Spirit Isa 7:14, Matt 1:18-25. He is both fully God Col 2:9 Heb 1:3 and fully man Php 2:5-11, John 1:14, and will remain so forever Heb 13:8. Jesus lived a sinless life 1 Pet 2:22, 2 Cor 5:21, 1 John 3:5, 1 Pet 1:18-19 upon the earth and willingly surrendered His life John 10:18 unto death upon the cross as an acceptable sacrifice for the sin of the entire world 1 John 2:2. He was without spot or blemish of any kind 1 Pet 1:19, yet took upon himself the unrighteousness of mankind, providing through His death the means for atonement, salvation and divine justice 1 John 2:2, for all those who choose to believe in Him John 3:16. Jesus suffered death upon a cross by means of crucifixion Matt 27:26, Luke 23:33. His body was dead and removed from the cross and placed into a tomb John 19:33-42, but on the third day Jesus arose from death and the grave 1 Cor 15:4, in the same body John 2:19-21, John 20:27, Luke 24:36-43,although now glorified Php 3:21. After a short period of time with His disciples, Jesus ascended bodily in full view up into a cloud Acts 1:9-10, and was taken from the earth to sit at the right hand of God the Father Rom 8:34, Eph 1:20 Col 3:1, where He now serves as the only mediator between God and man, and continually makes intercession on our behalf 1 Tim 2:5

Jesus is the Bridegroom King Mark 2:18-20, Rev 19:7,16, and He will return for His bride once she has made herself ready Rev 19:7, 2 Cor 11:2, Eph 5:25-27. When He returns it will be in full view so that every eye shall see Him Rev 1:7, Matt 24:27, and He shall come to fulfil the eternal purpose of God. Rev 11:15

 

The Holy Spirit 
The Holy Spirit is an equal person of the Holy Trinity 2 Cor 13:14, Matt 28:19, Acts 28:25-27, 2 Pet 1:21, Acts 5:3-5. He regenerates Titus 3:5-6 and indwells every believer 1 Cor 3:16, baptizing them into the body of Christ 1 Cor 12:13. The Holy Spirit guides John 16:13 and empowers all believers Acts 1:8 and gives them gifts to enable them to fulfil their function within the church and their calling upon the earth 1 Cor 12:4-11, Eph 4:7-13, Rom 12:3-8. The Holy Spirit reveals truth and draws them willing into a closer intimacy with God John 16:13, 1 Cor 2:10. The Holy Spirit empowers the church to prepare as the Bride before the glorious return of Jesus the Bridegroom Rev 19:7.

 

The Five-fold gifts of the ascended Lord Jesus 
There are five unique gifts of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher, given by Jesus to His Bride, the church, in order to enable her to mature and become complete without “spot or blemish” until “we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ” Eph 4:11-13 These five gifts are widely distributed throughout the geographical/regional church and are not hierarchal or a remote elite sect, but living and serving amongst the local body.

 

Man 
Man was created by God as male and female, in the image of God Gen 1:26,27. God created the male/female relationship as the means through which they were to be blessed, and become fruitful to fill and subdue the earth. Gen 1:28 Gen 2:22-25 He was created without sin and was perfect. Rom 5:12 Man was free to enjoy relationship with God and given stewardship over Creation. Gen 1:28 But man sinned of his own free choice Ecc 7:29 James 1:14, and disobeyed God. The consequence of his sin was to be separated from God and that he would now die Gen 3. This consequence is a reality for every human being, and that everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God Rom 3:23. The nature of man is corrupted and sinful Jer 17:9 Rom 7:15-24, and everyone needs to be restored back into God’s original Creation 2 Cor 5:17, Eph 4:24, Col 3:10 to be born again of the Holy Spirit John 3:3-8. This salvation work is wholly a work of God by His grace. There is no thing, either in part or in whole, of any works, or goodness, or self-righteousness, or religious observance that can gain or work towards a person’s salvation. Eph 2:8-9 It is the sovereign will of God alone who grants His own righteousness to anyone who puts their faith in Christ Jesus alone for their salvation 2 Cor 5:21. To anyone who calls upon Jesus for forgiveness and salvation, they will never be turned away by God, and will receive instantly at that moment of confession the forgiveness of their sins and the salvation of their souls Rom 10:9,13, John 6:37. They become a new creation 2 Cor 5:17, adopted as sons Rom 8:14-17, John 1:12, 1 John 3:1 and receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit 2 Tim 1:14 Rom 8:9-11 to enable them to live their new life Gal 5:18-25, and to bring assurance of their salvation Rom 8:16. This new life is to grow in spiritual maturity, and becoming fruitful to the glory of God 2 Cor 3:18 .

 

The Church 
The church is the body of Christ 1 Cor 12:27, with Jesus Christ Himself as the Head Col 1:18. The church is made of all those who have been saved through faith in Him. The church is a spiritual entity and corporately represents all those who confess Jesus as Lord regardless of nationality, gender, race, ethnicity, background or denomination 1 Cor 12:13. Furthermore, this spiritual church is ultimately the Bride of Jesus who is the Bridegroom King Rev 19:7. The destiny of the Bride is for union with the Bridegroom Eph 5:31-32 and together with Him will reign forever over all creation 2 Tim 2:12, Rev 3:21.

The Bride of Christ is also the One New Man or creation Eph 2:13-16 that all of nature is “eagerly awaiting to see revealed” Rom 8:19. She is neither a Jew nor Gentile Gal 3:28 but both Jew and a Gentile and is made up of the full number of the Gentiles and My people Israel Rom 11:25-26.

The Bible teaches that the church should meet together regularly for worship, fellowship, prayer, ordinances, encouragement, witness and day to day life of loving one another Acts 2:42-47 Heb 10:25.
All those who are included within the church enjoy equality with one another and a place to serve and grow together as each one develops in their gifting, character and calling 1 Cor 12:12-26.

 

The Future 
At physical death, the believer’s soul and spirit enters immediately into eternal and conscious fellowship with the Lord Ecc 12:7, Luke 23:43, Php 1:23, whilst their bodies wait for the resurrection that will take place when Jesus visibly returns to the earth in glory and power 1 Thess 4:15-17, Mark 13:27. Believers shall be judged according to what they have or have not done whilst upon the earth, and shall receive rewards accordingly 2 Cor 5:10.

At physical death, the unbeliever’s soul and spirit enters immediately into eternal and conscious separation from the Lord 2 Thess 1:9, Luke 16:19-31. There will also be a resurrection of their bodies, which will take place after the Millennium Rev 20:12-13, and they shall be judged and condemned to eternal and conscious death Rom 2:1-12.

Before Jesus returns in glory there will be a time of unequalled tribulation upon the earth Matt 24:21. During this time, many will fall away from truth and devotion to the Lord Matt 24:22 2 Thess 2:1-3. It will be a time of great distress and deception, yet those who remain firm to the end shall be saved when Jesus returns Matt 24:18. It is at this time during the great tribulation and probably towards the end during the great falling away, but before the final outpouring of the wrath of God 1 Thess 5:9 in the seven bowl judgements Rev 15-16  that the Bride shall be raptured to the Wedding of the Lamb and the resurrection of the righteous shall occur Rev 14:14-16, 1 Thess 4:17. Then they shall meet the Lord in the air and shall be changed to be like Him when they see Him as He is. 1 John 3:2

After the wedding celebration, Christ and His Bride now one, return to Jerusalem Rev 19:7-16 to defeat the armies of the earth (including the beast and the false prophet) who have gathered to make war against them and Israel at Jerusalem Rev 19:19-20, Zech 14:1-4 Satan is bound and thrown into the bottomless pit, and for one thousand years (the Millennium Reign) Rev 20:1-6 Christ and His Bride reign together and “the Kingdoms of this earth become the Kingdoms of our God and His Christ” Rev 11:15.
After the Millennium, Satan is loosed and will come out from his prison to deceive the nations one final time, culminating into the last battle when all nations surround Israel to defeat her. But fire from Heaven will come down to consume them all, and Satan will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, which will be his eternal abode together with the beast and the false prophet Rev 20:7-10.

It is after Satan’s final defeat and banishment, that the Great White Throne appears in preparation for the second resurrection, ie. the resurrection of the unrighteous, and the final judgement. Books are opened which chronicle everything done by those being judged whilst alive. And anyone whose name is not written in the “Book of Life” shall be thrown into the “lake of fire” Rev 20:11-15.

Then after the Great White Throne judgments, there will be a new heaven and a new earth Rev 21:1. God himself will dwell among man once more Rev 21:3, and will live together in the new City of Jerusalem, which comes down out of Heaven dressed like a bride Rev 21:2. God will make everything new and the old order shall pass away. Rev 21:4