BELIEVE

WHAT WE BELIEVE

The Bible
regarding heaven, earth, and the destiny of humanity.
Moreover, there is no salvation outside of what is
taught in its pages.

God
There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). He is the
creator of heaven and earth, and of all living beings.
He has revealed Himself to humanity as the Father
(Creator), in the son (Savior), and as the Holy Ghost
(indwelling Spirit).

Father
God is a Spirit (John 4:24). He is the Eternal One, the
Creator of all things, and the Father of all humanity by
creation. He is the First and the Last, and beside Him
there is no God (Isaiah 44:6). There was no God
formed before Him; neither shall be there any after
Him (Isaiah 43:10).

Son
Jesus is the Son of God according to the flesh (Romans
1:3) and the very God Himself according to the Spirit
(Matthew 1:23). Jesus is the Christ (Matthew 16:16);
the creator of all things (Colossians 1:16-17); God with
us (Matthew 1:23); God made flesh (John 1:1-14); God
manifested in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16);He which was,
which is, and which is to come, the Almighty
(Revelation 1:8);the mighty God, everlasting Father,
and Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus Himself
testified of His identity as God when He said, "He that
hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:7-11) and
"I and my Father are one" (John 10:30). It took
shedding of blood for the remission of the sins of the
world (Hebrews 9:22), but God the Father was a Spirit
and had no blood to shed. Thus He prepared a body of
flesh and blood (Hebrews 10:5)and came to earth as a
man in order to save us, for in Isaiah 43:11 He said,
"Beside me there is no Saviour." When He came in
flesh the angels sang, "For unto you is born this day in
the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord"
(Luke 2:11).

Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost is not a third person in the Godhead,
but rather the Spirit of God (the Creator), the Spirit of
the resurrected Christ. The Holy Ghost comes to dwell
in the hearts and lives of everyone who believes and
obeys the gospel, as the comforter, Sustainer, and
keeper (John 14:16-26; Romans 8:9-11).

Sin
Sin is the transgression of the law, or commandments
of God (I John 3:4). The guilt of sin has fallen upon all
humanity from Adam until now (Romans 3:23). The
wages of sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23; Revelation
20:14) to all those who refuse to accept salvation as set
forth in the Word of God.

Salvation
Salvation consists of deliverance from all sin and
unrighteousness through the blood of Jesus Christ. The
New Testament experience of salvation consists of
repentance from sin, water baptism in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the
baptism of the Holy Ghost, after which the Christian is
to live a godly life (Acts 2:36-41).

Water Baptism
Water baptism is an essential part of New Testament
salvation and not merely a symbolic ritual. It is part of
entering into the kingdom of God (God's church, the
bride of Christ), and therefore, it is not merely a part of
local church membership. (See John 3:5; Galatians
3:27).

Mode of Baptism
Water baptism is to be administered only by
immersion. Paul said, "We are buried with him [Jesus
Christ] by baptism (Romans 6:4; see Colossians 2:12),
Jesus came up "out of the water" (Mark 1:10), and
Philip and the eunuch went down "into the water" and
came up "out of the water" (Acts 8:38-39). Jesus'
death, burial, and resurrection are applied to our lives
when we experience New Testament salvation:
"Repent [death to sin], and be baptized [burial] 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 [resurrection]." (See Acts 2:38; Romans
6:1-7; 8:2). Sprinkling, pouring, or infant baptism of
any kind cannot be substantiated by the Word of God,
but are only human traditions.

Formula for Baptism
The name in which baptism is administered is vitally
important, and this name is Jesus. Jesus' last command
to His disciples was, "Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19).
We should notice that He said name (singular) not
names. As previously explained, Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost are not names of separate persons, but titles of
positions held by God. An angelic announcement
revealed God's saving name in the New Testament:
"She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his
name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their
sins" (Matthew 1:21). The apostles understood that
Jesus was the name to use at baptism, and from the day
that the church of God was established (the Day of
Pentecost) until the end of their ministry, they baptized
all nations (Jews--Acts 8:16; Gentiles--Acts 19:5) in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus is the
only name given for our salvation. "Neither is there
salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be
saved" (Acts 4:12).

Baptism of the Holy Ghost
The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the birth of the Spirit
(John 3:5). This spiritual baptism is necessary to put
someone into the kingdom of God (God's church, the
bride of Christ) and is evidenced by speaking in other
tongues (other languages) as the Spirit of God gives the
utterance.

It was prophesied by Joel (Joel 2:28-29) and Isaiah
(Isaiah 28:11), foretold by John the Baptist (Matthew
3:11), purchased by the blood of Jesus, and promised
by Him to His disciples (John 14:26; 15:16). The Holy
Ghost was first poured out on the Day of Pentecost
upon the Jews (Acts 2:1-4), then upon the Samaritans
(Acts 8:17), and later upon the Gentiles (Acts
10:44-46; 19:6). "The promise is unto you, and to your
children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as
the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39).

Tongues
1. Speaking in other tongues as the Spirit of God
gives utterance is the manifestation God has given as
the definite, indisputable, supernatural witness or sign
of the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:4; 10:46;
19:6). It was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah as the
rest and the refreshing (Isaiah 28:11-12), foretold by
Jesus as a sign that would follow believers of the
gospel (Mark 16:17), and experienced by Jews and
Gentiles alike.
2. The gift of "divers kinds of tongues," mentioned
by Paul in I Corinthians 12:1-12 and concerning which
he gave regulations in I Corinthians 14:1-40, is given
by both for self-edification (I Corinthians 14:4) and for
the edification of the church (I Corinthians 14:27-28).
In church meetings the gift of tongues is used to give a
public message, and it is to be interpreted. Since this
gift can be misused in public, it needs proper regulation
(I Corinthians 14:23-28). Not all believers exercise the
gift of tongues, which is different in function from
tongues given by God as the initial witness of the
baptism of the Holy Ghost. Paul said, "Forbid not to
speak with tongues" (I Corinthians 14:39) and "I thank
my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all" (I
Corinthians 14:8). Who dares to teach or preach to the
contrary?
According to function: (1)speaking in other tongues as
the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost
and (2)the gift of tongues as mentioned in I Corinthians.

Holiness
After we are saved from sin, we are commanded, "Go,
and sin no more" (John 8:11). We are commanded to
live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present
world (Titus 2:12) and warned that without holiness no
one shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). We must
present ourselves as holy unto God (Romans 12:1),
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and
spirit (II Corinthians 7:1), and separate ourselves from
all worldliness (James 4:4). If the righteous scarcely be
saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
(I Peter 4:18). No one can live a holy life by his own
power, but only through the Holy Spirit. "Ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you" (Acts 1:8).

Divine Healing
God has made Himself known through the ages by
miraculous healings and has made special provisions in
the age of grace to heal all who will come to Him in
faith and obedience. Divine healing was purchased for
us by the blood of Jesus Christ, especially by His
stripes (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:16-17; I Peter 2:24).
Jesus went everywhere healing those who were sick
(Matthew 4:23-24), and He commanded His disciples
to do the same (Matthew 10:8). He said concerning
those who believe the gospel, "They shall lay hands on
the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:18). Mighty
healings and miracles followed the disciples wherever
the gospel was preached. There is no sickness or
disease too hard for God. Any of us, our children, or
our friends can be healed by the power of God. "Is
any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the
church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with
oil in the name of the Lord shall raise him up: and if he
have committed sins they shall be forgiven him.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for
another, that ye may be healed" (James 5:14-16).

Second Coming of Christ
Jesus Christ is coming back to earth in bodily form, just
as He went away (Acts 1:11). He will catch away a
holy people (His bride, His church) who have accepted
redemption through His blood, by birth of water and of
the Spirit, and who are found faithful when He comes.
"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" (I
Thessalonians 4:16-17). "One shall be taken and the
other left" (Luke 17:36). Will we be ready? The signs
of His coming are everywhere. The days of peril are
here indeed, with forms of godliness void of the power
of God; society and politics corrupted; and people's
hearts filled with pride, blasphemies, unholiness, love
of evil, and love of pleasures (II Timothy 3:1-13).
These things, together with multitudes running to and
fro, the increase of knowledge (Daniel 12:4), the
persecution of the Jews and their return to Palestine
(Luke 21:24), and scores of other things are starting
signs that Jesus' coming is drawing near. Wars, rumors
of wars, famines, earthquakes, storms, floods, distress
of nations, perplexity, and people's hearts failing them
for fear are sounding the solemn alarm that Jesus'
coming is at hand (Matthew 24:6; Luke 21:25-28).
"Prepare to meet thy God" (Amos 4:12).

Resurrection
There will be a resurrection of all the dead, both just
and unjust. "Marvel not this: for the hour is coming, in
the which all that are in graves shall hear his voice, and
shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto
the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29). "And I
saw the dead, small and great, stand before God . . .
and the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and
death and hell delivered up the dead which were in
them" (Revelation 20:12-13) (See also Daniel 12:2; I
Corinthians 15:13-23.)

Judgment
"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). For this reason there will
be a resurrection for everyone. "For we must all
appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every
one may receive the things done in his body, according
to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (II
Corinthians 5:10). The eternal destiny of every soul
shall be determined by a just God who knows the
secrets of everyone's heart. "And before him shall be
gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one
from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from
the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand,
but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto
them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world. . . .Then shall he also say unto
them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into
everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. .
. . And these shall go away into everlasting
punishment; but the righteous into life eternal"
(Matthew 25:32-34, 41, 46).