Fundamental Christian Beliefs
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In
setting the rules for whether a religious body
is called Christian or a cult or even aberrant; orthodox Christian groups
affirm the foundational Christian truths as clearly taught in the Bible and reflected in the
universal creeds of the Christian faith (i.e., the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene
Creed, the Athanasian
Creed, and the Creed of Chalcedon.) Thus, the group must
affirm:
The historic understanding of the Triune nature of God. That God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all one and the same deity.
The
True Deity and True Humanity of Jesus Christ. That Jesus Christ, God the Son,
did come to earth as a human.
The
physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Salvation
of the believer by grace alone through faith alone in the
finished
work of Christ on the cross. (careful with the definition of faith though -
Faith without action and works may be head knowledge and not really faith in
God's eyes)
The
substitutionary atonement of Christ on the cross for the believer
(i.e.,
Christ died on the cross in the place of the sinner - salvation).
The
physical return of Christ to earth at the end of time to judge the
wicked
and reward the righteous; normally referred to as Christ's second coming.
An
aberrant Christian group is one that would undermine or distort one
or
more of the essential above orthodox teachings either by what they teach
or
by what they practice.
Christian
beliefs
Our Holy Spirit School is of no particular affiliation. Most affiliations are
plagued with man's doctrines
and rules that do not follow scripture. Our Holy Spirit School only
teaches what is found in Bible Scripture.
We focus on Jesus and the Holy Spirit. God is spirit. He communes through us
through our spirit. We must be born again of the spirit in order to partake and
commune with God.
1. The Holy Scriptures:
The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God,
given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote as they
were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to man the
knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible
revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of
experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record
of God's acts in history. (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps. 119:105; Prov.
30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12.)
2. The Trinity:
There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three
co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and
ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through
His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by
the whole creation. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Peter
1:2; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7.)
3. The Father:
God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all
creation. He is just and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and
abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited
in the Son and the Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father. (Gen. 1:1;
Rev. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John
14:9.)
4. The Son:
God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through Him all things
were created, the character of God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is
accomplished, and the world is judged. Forever truly God, He became also truly
man, Jesus the Christ. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the
virgin Mary. He lived and experienced temptation as a human being, but perfectly
exemplified the righteousness and love of God. By His miracles He manifested
God's power and was attested as God's promised Messiah. He suffered and died
voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from the
dead, and ascended to minister in the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf. He will
come again in glory for the final deliverance of His people and the restoration
of all things. (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30; 14:9; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor.
5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 2:9-18; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb.
8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)
5. The Holy Spirit:
God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in Creation,
incarnation, and redemption. He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled
Christ's life with power. He draws and convicts human beings; and those who
respond He renews and transforms into the image of God. Sent by the Father and
the Son to be always with His children, He extends spiritual gifts to the
church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ, and in harmony with the
Scriptures leads it into all truth. (Gen. 1:1, 2; Luke 1:35; 4:18; Acts 10:38; 2
Peter 1:21; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26, 27;
16:7-13.)
6. Creation:
God is Creator of all things, and has revealed in Scripture the authentic
account of His creative activity. In six days the Lord made "the heaven and
the earth" and all living things upon the earth, and rested on the seventh
day of that first week. Thus He established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial
of His completed creative work. The first man and woman were made in the image
of God as the crowning work of Creation, given dominion over the world, and
charged with responsibility to care for it. When the world was finished it was
``very good,'' declaring the glory of God. (Gen. 1; 2; Ex. 20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6;
33:6, 9; 104; Heb. 11:3.)
7. The Nature of Man:
Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality, the power and
freedom to think and to do. Though created free beings, each is an indivisible
unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon God for life and breath and all
else. When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence upon
Him and fell from their high position under God. The image of God in them was
marred and they became subject to death. Their descendants share this fallen
nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses and tendencies to
evil. But God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and by His Spirit
restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created for the glory of
God, they are called to love Him and one another, and to care for their
environment. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8; Acts 17:24-28; Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5;
Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Ps. 51:10; 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 20; Gen. 2:15.)
8. Spiritual Warfare:
All humanity is now involved in a great conflict between Christ and Satan
regarding the character of God, His law, and His sovereignty over the universe.
This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of
choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, God's adversary, and led into rebellion
a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of rebellion into this world
when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This human sin resulted in the distortion of
the image of God in humanity, the disordering of the created world, and its
eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide flood. Observed by the whole
creation, this world became the arena of the universal conflict, out of which
the God of love will ultimately be vindicated. To assist His people in this
controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit and the loyal angels to guide,
protect, and sustain them in the way of salvation. (Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14;
Eze. 28:12-18; Gen. 3; Rom. 1:19-32; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 3:6; 1
Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:14.)
9. The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ:
In Christ's life of perfect obedience to God's will, His suffering, death, and
resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that
those who by faith accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole
creation may better understand the infinite and holy love of the Creator. This
perfect atonement vindicates the righteousness of God's law and the graciousness
of His character; for it both condemns our sin and provides for our forgiveness.
The death of Christ is substitutionary and expiatory, reconciling and
transforming. The resurrection of Christ proclaims God's triumph over the forces
of evil, and for those who accept the atonement assures their final victory over
sin and death. It declares the Lordship of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee
in heaven and on earth will bow. (John 3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor.
15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John
2:2; 4:10; Col. 2:15; Phil. 2:6-11.)
10. The Experience of Salvation:
In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us,
so that in Him we might be made the righteousness of God. Led by the Holy Spirit
we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and
exercise faith in Jesus as Lord and Christ, as Substitute and Example. This
faith which receives salvation comes through the divine power of the Word and is
the gift of God's grace. Through Christ we are justified, adopted as God's sons
and daughters, and delivered from the lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are
born again and sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes God's law of love
in our hearts, and we are given the power to live a holy life. Abiding in Him we
become partakers of the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now
and in the judgment. (2 Cor. 5:17-21; John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7; Titus 3:3-7;
John 16:8; Gal. 3:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5; Mark 9:23,
24; Eph. 2:5-10; Rom. 3:21-26; Col. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; John
3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom. 12:2; Heb. 8:7-12; Eze. 36:25-27; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rom.
8:1-4; 5:6-10.)
11. The Church:
The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and
Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are
called out from the world; and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for
instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, for service
to all mankind, and for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. The church
derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate Word, and from the
Scriptures, which are the written Word. The church is God's family; adopted by
Him as children, its members live on the basis of the new covenant. The church
is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which Christ Himself is the Head.
The church is the bride for whom Christ died that He might sanctify and cleanse
her. At His return in triumph, He will present her to Himself a glorious church,
the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His blood, not having spot or
wrinkle, but holy and without blemish. (Gen. 12:3; Acts 7:38; Eph. 4:11-15;
3:8-11; Matt. 28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18; Eph. 2:19-22; 1:22, 23; 5:23-27; Col.
1:17, 18.)
13. Unity in the Body of Christ:
The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race,
culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich
and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in
Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with
one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation.
Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures we share the same faith
and hope, and reach out in one witness to all. This unity has its source in the
oneness of the triune God, who has adopted us as His children. (Rom. 12:4, 5; 1
Cor. 12:12-14; Matt. 28:19, 20; Ps. 133:1; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Acts 17:26, 27; Gal.
3:27, 29; Col. 3:10-15; Eph. 4:14-16; 4:1-6; John 17:20-23.)
14. Baptism:
By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,
and testify of our death to sin and of our purpose to walk in newness of life.
Thus we acknowledge Christ as Lord and Saviour, become His people, and are
received as members by His church. Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ,
the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit. It is by full
immersion in water and is contingent on an affirmation of faith in Jesus and
evidence of repentance of sin. It follows instruction in the Holy Scriptures and
acceptance of their teachings. (Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:12, 13; Acts 16:30-33; 22:16;
2:38; Matt. 28:19, 20.)
15. The Lord's Supper:
The Lord's Supper is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood of
Jesus as an expression of faith in Him, our Lord and Saviour. In this experience
of communion Christ is present to meet and strengthen His people. As we partake,
we joyfully proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again. Preparation for the
Supper includes self-examination, repentance, and confession. The Master
ordained the service of foot washing to signify renewed cleansing, to express a
willingness to serve one another in Christlike humility, and to unite our hearts
in love. The communion service is open to all believing Christians. (1 Cor.
10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Matt. 26:17-30; Rev. 3:20; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17.)
16. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries:
God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts which
each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church
and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each
member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed by the
church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions. According to the Scriptures,
these gifts include such ministries as faith, speaking in tongues, healing, prophecy,
wisdom, proclamation,
teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing
service and charity for the help and encouragement of people. Some members are
called of God and endowed by the Spirit for functions recognized by the church
in pastoral, evangelistic, apostolic, and teaching ministries particularly
needed to equip the members for service, to build up the church to spiritual
maturity, and to foster unity of the faith and knowledge of God. When members
employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God's varied grace, the
church is protected from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with
a growth that is from God, and is built up in faith and love. (Rom. 12:4-8; 1
Cor. 12:9-11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8, 11-16; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Peter 4:10,
11.)
17. The Law of God:
The great principles of God's law are embodied in the Ten Commandments and
exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God's love, will, and purposes
concerning human conduct and relationships and are binding upon all people in
every age. These precepts are the basis of God's covenant with His people and
the standard in God's judgment. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit they point
out sin and awaken a sense of need for a Saviour. Salvation is all of grace and
not of works, but its fruit is obedience to the Commandments. This obedience
develops Christian character and results in a sense of well-being. It is an
evidence of our love for the Lord and our concern for our fellow men. The
obedience of faith demonstrates the power of Christ to transform lives, and
therefore strengthens Christian witness. (Ex. 20:1-17; Ps. 40:7, 8; Matt.
22:36-40; Deut. 28:1-14; Matt. 5:17-20; Heb. 8:8-10; John 15:7-10; Eph. 2:8-10;
1 John 5:3; Rom. 8:3, 4; Ps. 19:7-14.)
18. Stewardship:
We are God's stewards, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities, abilities
and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are
responsible to Him for their proper use. We acknowledge God's ownership by
faithful service to Him and our fellow men, and by returning tithes and giving
offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His
church. Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurture in love and
the victory over selfishness and covetousness. The steward rejoices in the
blessings that come to others as a result of his faithfulness. (Gen. 1:26-28;
2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; 1 Cor. 9:9-14; Matt. 23:23; 2
Cor. 8:1-15; Rom. 15:26, 27.)
19. Christian Behavior:
We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony with the
principles of heaven. For the Spirit to recreate in us the character of our Lord
we involve ourselves only in those things which will produce Christlike purity,
health, and joy in our lives. This means that our amusement and entertainment
should meet the highest standards of Christian taste and beauty. While
recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat,
befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but in
the imperishable ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit. It also means that
because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them
intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are encouraged to adopt the most
healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the
Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of
drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as
well. Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our thoughts and bodies into
the discipline of Christ, who desires our wholesomeness, joy, and goodness.
(Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 John 2:6; Eph. 5:1-21; Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; 6:14-7:1; 1
Peter 3:1-4; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 10:31; Lev. 11:1-47; 3 John 2.)
20. Marriage and the Family:
Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to be a lifelong
union between a man and a woman in loving companionship. For the Christian a
marriage commitment is to God as well as to the spouse, and should be entered
into only between partners who share a common faith. Mutual love, honor,
respect, and responsibility are the fabric of this relationship, which is to
reflect the love, sanctity, closeness, and permanence of the relationship
between Christ and His church. Regarding divorce, Jesus taught that the person
who divorces a spouse, except for adultery, and marries another, commits
adultery. Although some family relationships may fall short of the ideal,
marriage partners who fully commit themselves to each other in Christ may
achieve loving unity through the guidance of the Spirit and the nurture of the
church. God blesses the family and intends that its members shall assist each
other toward complete maturity. Parents are to bring up their children to love
and obey the Lord. By their example and their words they are to teach them that
Christ is a loving disciplinarian, ever tender and caring, who wants them to
become members of His body, the family of God. Increasing family closeness is
one of the earmarks of the final gospel message. (Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:3-9;
John 2:1-11; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:21-33; Matt. 5:31, 32; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke
16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11; Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1-4; Deut. 6:5-9; Prov. 22:6; Mal.
4:5, 6.)
21. The Second Coming of Christ:
The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax
of the gospel. The Saviour's coming will be literal, personal, visible, and
worldwide. When He returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together
with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven, but the
unrighteous will die. The almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy,
together with the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ's coming
is imminent. The time of that event has not been revealed, and we are therefore
exhorted to be ready at all times. (Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:28; John 14:1-3; Acts
1:9-11; Matt. 24:14; Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24:43, 44; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor.
15:51-54; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; Rev. 14:14-20; 19:11-21; Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke
21; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 Thess. 5:1-6.)
22. Death and Resurrection:
The wages of sin is death. But God, who alone is immortal presently, will grant eternal
life to His redeemed. We believe our spirit survives us at death, although our
body and mind remain behind, and has two possible destinations, heaven or
hell, depending upon what we believe and how we put those beliefs into actions.
Although we are saved by grace alone, James tells us that faith without works is
dead. We will not receive resurrected bodies until the second coming. When Christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the
living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord. The second
resurrection, will take place a thousand
years later. (Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim. 6:15, 16; Eccl. 9:5, 6; Ps. 146:3, 4; John
11:11-14; Col. 3:4; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; John 5:28, 29; Rev.
20:1-10.)
23. The Millennium and the End of Sin:
The millennium is the thousand-year reign of Christ with His saints between the first and second resurrections.
At its close Christ with His
saints and the Holy City will descend from heaven to earth. The unrighteous dead
will then be resurrected, there will be a short time period for those who had
not the chance to know Jesus, to learn about Him and make their decision, and
then those wicked, Satan and his angels will be thrown into a lake of fire
and they will be consumed as God cleanses the earth. The universe will
thus be freed of sin and sinners forever. (Rev. 20; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Jer. 4:23-26;
Rev. 21:1-5; Mal. 4:1; Eze. 28:18, 19.)
24. The New Earth:
On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will provide an eternal
home for the redeemed and a perfect environment for everlasting life, love, joy,
and learning in His presence. For here God Himself will dwell with His people,
and suffering and death will have passed away. Spiritual warfare will be
ended, and sin will be no more. All things, animate and inanimate, will declare
that God is love; and He shall reign forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3:13; Isa. 35;
65:17-25; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21:1-7; 22:1-5; 11:15.)