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The Revelation of God

We believe that God revealed Himself to the world in two main ways: through His Son Jesus Christ, who is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature (Heb. 1:1-3), and through the written and inspired Word of God, the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16). The Holy Spirit caused the prophets and scribes in the Old Testament and the apostles in the New Testament to write an accurate revelation of God to humanity. All 66 books and everything written in them have been breathed out by God through the working of the Holy Spirit and preserved for the Church. Thus, nothing may be added to it or removed from it, and everything in it is of equal value and importance to the Church (2 Pet. 3:15-16, Rev. 22:18-19). The Bible is necessary for the Church and sufficient for training in life, faith, and beliefs. It has authority because God brought it into existence, and God preserved the message of the Bible perfectly, without error, to this very day. All books and writings not included in the 66 books of the Bible should be treated as human writings not inspired by the Holy Spirit (Luk. 24:44).


God
We believe that God is:
  • Love (1 Joh. 4:8, 16)
  • Light (1. Joh. 1:5)
  • Spirit (Joh. 4:24)
  • Living and True (1 Thess. 1:9, Joh. 14:6)
  • Creator of everything but not of sin (Gen. 1, Isa. 40:12, 22, Jas. 1:13, 1 Joh.1:5)
  • Invisible and Eternal (1 Tim. 1:17)
  • Omnipotent (Rev. 1:6, 8)
  • Omnipresent (Ps. 139:7-8)
  • Omniscient (Heb. 4:13, 1 Joh. 3:20)
  • Unchanging (Mal. 3:6, Heb. 13:8, Jas. 1:17)
  • Good (Ex. 33:18, Ps. 145:9, Mar. 10:18)
  • Merciful and Gracious (Ex. 33:19, 34:6-7, Rom. 5:17)
  • Jealous (Ex. 20:5, 34:14, Philip. 2:10-11)
  • Holy (Lev. 11:44, 1 Pet. 1:15-16)
  • Free (Ps. 115:3)
  • Just (Ps. 9:7-8)
  • Self-existent, uncaused, and not created, He exists eternally (Joh. 1:1, Col 1:17)
  • He tempts no one (Jas. 1:13). God is actively involved in the world and makes everything work together for His good and unchanging will (Rom. 8:28). He is, however, separate from the world. He manifests His glory to the entire world through everything He created (Rom 1:20, Ps. 19:1-6). He forgives the sins of the world, rewards those who seek him, and executes vengeance and justice against the ungodly (Ex. 34:6-7, Rom. 12:19, Heb. 11:6). 
  • The Lord, our God, is the only true God and is to be worshipped (Ps. 29:2, 95:6, 99:5, Matt. 4:10, Rev. 4:8-11, 7:11), served (Matt. 4:10, 1 Cor. 6:19-20, Heb. 9:14) and proclaimed to all creation (Matt 28:19, Mar. 16:15-18, Acts 1:8).

In the Bible, God reveals Himself as a trinity, yet He is one Being. The Bible teaches us three main ideas about the Trinity:
  1. God is three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit (John 1:1-3, 14:16, 16:7, 17:1-5, Rom. 8:27,1 Cor. 12:4-6).
  2. All three persons are fully God (Gen. 1:1-3, Joh. 1:1-3, Heb. 1:1-3, Matt. 28:19, Acts 5:3-4).
  3. There is only one God (Deut. 6:4, Isa. 45:21-22).
Thus, we are opposed to the belief that there is only one person in the Godhead that takes on various forms (Modal Monarchianism). We are also opposed to the idea that only the Father is God and that the Son and the Spirit are not God (Dynamic Monarchianism). We are also opposed to the idea that there are three gods (Tritheism). The Bible plainly teaches that each person in the Godhead is not the other. All three are God, and that God is one.

Man and Sin

The Creation of Man
We believe that God created man, male and female, equal in His own image, different from animals (Gen. 1:26). God gave human beings spirits and the ability to reason, love, and worship God. God created man good and righteous and walked with man in perfect fellowship and unity in the Garden of Eden that He created for them to live in (Gen. 2, Matt. 10:28, Col. 3:10). He commanded them to have dominion over all creation, to work the ground and to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth (Gen. 1:28). He also commanded them not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil that He placed in the midst of the Garden. Yet, He gave them the freedom, in their sinless state, to disobey the commandment of God so that they may also truly be free in their obedience to Him (Gen. 2:17).

The Fall
Adam and Eve rebelled against God and ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen. 3). Consequently, man was driven out from the Garden of Eden and became corrupt and defiled in all the faculties of the soul and the body. They were separated from the presence of God, death, guilt, and shame entered into the world, and man stood condemned into eternal judgement (Rom. 3:9-20). This corruption and sin was transmitted to and imputed upon all the generations to follow, resulting in man's inability to please God in act, attitude, and nature, leaving man enslaved to the law of sin and death and accountable to God, each for their own sin as well as the original sin of the first Adam (Rom. 3:19-20, 5:12-14). Therefore, man is in total dependence upon God to atone for his sins (cf. The Gospel and Salvation).

Creation of the World

The world was originally created good (Gen. 1:31) but was also affected by sin (Gen. 3:17-18). God created the entire universe, all things visible and invisible, through His Word out of nothing, separate from Himself to manifest His glory, eternal power, wisdom, and goodness (Gen. 1, Ps. 19:1-6, Jo. 1:1-3). God is diligently involved in the world and is free and able to intervene, re-order creation, and perform miracles as He wills (Ex. 7:14-14-31, Matt. 8:14-17, Heb. 2:4). The Lord upholds the universe by the Word of His power (Heb. 1:3). For this reason, we believe it is important that believers handle creation with reverence to God.

Angels and Demons
We believe that angels and demons, immaterial spirits, were created at the same time the material universe was created. Somewhere between the creation and the fall, some of these spirits rebelled against God. We believe that angels execute His will. They are both messengers and ministering spirits sent to minister in support of those who have received salvation. Angels also warn, protect, defend, war and comfort in the power of God's Spirit (Gen. 3:24, Isa. 6:3, Ez. 1:27, 1 Sam. 4:4, Ps. 103:20-21,1 Thess. 4:16, Jud. 9, Heb. 1:14). Conversely we believe demons are fallen beings, who formerly possessed the Glory of God but because of their disobedience and rebellion against God has lost their heavenly glory and entered into a fallen state. Their mission and activities are opposed to the will of God and in opposition to people, especially the born-again saints of God (Eph. 6:12, 2 Pet. 2:4, Rev. 12:3-4).

Jesus Christ – The Son of the Living God

We believe that God so loved the world that while we were dead in sin, God chose to send His Son into the world as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world (Jo. 3:16, Rom. 3:21-25, Eph. 2:1-3, Heb. 10:12). Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that the Scriptures may be fulfilled. He was sinless and also the only acceptable substitutionary sacrifice that could atone for the sins of the world (Matt. 1:18-25, Heb. 4:15, 10:14, 18, 1 Pet. 2:22). 

Jesus Christ is God incarnate, the exact imprint of God's nature; He existed before the world was created and was crucified before the foundation of the World (Jo. 1:1-3, 14, 17:5, Heb. 1:1-3, 1 Pet. 1:20). He is fully God and also fully man. He was like us in His humanity in every way (Heb. 4:15-16). He physically died on the cross for the sins of the world (1 John 4:1-6, Jo. 3:16, Matt. 27:32-44). He then physically rose again by the power of God and appeared to many disciples (Matt. 28, Luk. 24). 

He ascended to heaven after His resurrection to sit at the right hand of God the Father to intercede for us (Luk. 24:50- 53, Rom. 8:34, Heb. 10:12, 12:2). He will come again on the clouds to judge the living and the dead. All the world will see Him, and He will fully and finally establish His reign on earth (Matt. 24:29-30, Rev. 1:7). Furthermore, we affirm that no one knows the exact day or hour of Jesus Christ’s return or the rapture, not even the angels in heaven nor the Son Himself, but only the Father (Matt. 24:33-36, Mark 13:29-32). Therefore, we are called to live in faithful anticipation and readiness, watching and remaining spiritually alert as we await His coming.

Jesus is our faith's founder and God, who came to save the world (Heb. 12:1-2). All authority on heaven and earth is given to him, and at His name, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord (Matt. 28:18, Phil. 2:9-10).

The Gospel and Salvation

The Bible teaches that the Gospel is an event that took place at a specific point in history related to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the redemption of sinners (1 Cor. 15, 2 Cor. 5:21). We believe that while we were still dead in trespasses and sins, God sent His son to become the propitiation for our sins. God knew that we were unable to be saved by ourselves and chose to give us righteousness and eternal life as a free gift. This free gift is to be received by faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:25, 4:23-25, 6:23, Eph. 2:5, 8). Thus, salvation is not gained by any form of human merit but is entirely built upon the work of Christ. No person is able to be justified either by the law written on their heart or by the law given by Moses (Rom 2:24, 3:20-21). We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, because of the sufficient work of Christ alone (Rom. 4:23-25, Eph. 2:5, 8). This was God's plan from the very beginning.

Being Born again
We believe that a person is born again upon accepting this finished work of Jesus Christ. It is with your heart that you believe and are justified. It is with your mouth that you confess and are saved (Rom 10:10). This rebirth is the work of the Holy Spirit where a person receives new life from God and transformation in their spirit (Jo. 3:3). After being born again we believe that the next step in their walk of faith is baptism.

Baptism
We believe that a person must be born again to be baptised. This baptism is an expression and act of faith toward God in accepting (by choice) the cleansing work of Christ, who gives a person a clean conscience. In baptism, a person unites with and identifies with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just like Christ died to sin and became alive again to live a life to God, so the believer dies to sin, and his old self is buried with Christ and made alive to live a life to God (Rom. 6:1-11). This baptism is done in the presence of other believers by saying: "In Jesus' Name (In. Col 3:17) I baptise you in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" and by full immersion only once (Matt. 3:16, 28:19, Mk. 1:9-10). It is only necessary for a believer to be baptised once after conversion. Any baptised believer can perform a baptism. Babies do not share in baptism because they are not able to repent and confess faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sin. Baby dedication is reserved for this purpose: a baby is presented to the Lord in the midst of the congregation (Lk 2:22), and the parents commit themselves to raising the child in the fear of the Lord.

Communion
We believe communion is a symbolic act of obedience whereby believers, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialise the Lord's death for the believer's restoration and redemption. The bread symbolises the body of Christ that was broken, and the fruit of the vine represents the blood of Christ that was shed for the propitiation of our sins (1 Cor. 11:26).

The Holy Spirit – The Spirit of Truth

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God. He is also a person, not a force, and He proceeds from the Father and the Son (Jo. 14:16, 26, 15:26, Ac. 5:3-4). He is the promised gift from God for His people (Ac. 2:38-39) and is now at the centre of the Christian life:
  • He convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgement (Jo. 16:8).
  • He brings about full conviction of the Gospel, assurance, peace, joy, and righteousness (Rom. 14:15).
  • He confirms that the believer is indeed a child of God (Rom. 8:14-15).
  • He strengthens believers daily in the hope in Christ and continually works in believers to bring forth a godly character (sanctification) (Gal. 5:5, 22-25).
  • He speaks to believers and guides them daily (Ac. 8:29, 13:2, Rom. 8:1-11).
  • He gives gifts to believers as He wills to serve the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12, Rom. 12).

Baptism of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate event / act apart from the water baptism and new birth. New birth precedes the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but water baptism can either precede or postcede this baptism. Just as we are immersed in water, we are filled and immersed into the Holy Spirit. Evidence/fruit to someone receiving Holy Spirit Baptism might include the speaking of tongues and should result in a changed and empowered life for the service of God. Jesus is the Baptizer who baptises those who desire, ask, and believe to receive this endowment gift from the Father that is available to all born-again believers (Matt. 3:11, Luk. 3:16, Mk. 1:8, Jo. 1:33, 7:38-39, Ac. 1:8).

Spiritual Gifts
The Holy Spirit is both the owner and distributor who gives and distributes the gifts as He wills. These Holy Spirit gifts are there for the common good and edification (improvement) of the body of Christ. They work both in and through the lives of born-again believers under the inspiration and leading of the Holy Spirit. The gifts are not limited in number or distribution but are freely given as the Spirit wills. Gifts are to be desired & pursued along with love (1 Cor. 12:4-11,14:1-5, Heb. 2:4).

The Church

We believe the Church of Christ, which originated on the day of Pentecost with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the Apostles, is the congregation of faithful children of God where the Word is preached. The sacraments are administered according to the ordinance of Christ.

The Church is not peripheral but core to the purpose of God in the world. Jesus loves and reigns over the Church. He is the head, and the Church is His body, which functions with its various members and gifting according to the will and distribution of the Holy Spirit for the edification of the Church (Eph. 1:22-23, 4:7-16). Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and the Church is His flock (Jo.10:11, 14). We believe that the Church is God's spiritual family or household (John 1:12, Gal. 6:10, Rom 12:5, Eph. 2:19) and that the members of the Church make up the living stones that build the spiritual house of the Lord (1 Pet. 2:4-5).

We believe God has ordained the family as a fundamental institution of the Church and society. Thus, we believe that leadership patterns in a family should reflect the leadership structures in the Church (1 Tim. 3:4). We believe that church members are children of God's family (Gal. 3:26, Eph. 5:1) and that relationships in God's family must be rooted in God's love and statutes which is core to loving and knowing God (1 Jo. 4:7). We believe that Church involvement, work and service is family work that is to be done in sacrificial love and with a joyful heart, encouraging one another in thankfulness to God, our Father, whom we imitate in all we do (Acts 20:35, Eph. 5:1, Phillip. 2:1-3, 12-16).

We believe that the Church is called to seek to extend the Gospel to the ends of the earth and to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19, 1 Cor. 3:20, Eph. 4:13)