Tenants of Faith

  The Bible is the inspired Word of God: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Tim 3:16). The Holy Scriptures provide direction for living, illuminating the pathway of those who believe and obey its instruction (Ps 119:105). It is the final and highest authority on all matters: “For ever O LORD, they word is settled in heaven.” (Ps. 119:89). 

The scriptures declare that there is but one God: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” (Dt. 6:4). “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me” (Isa. 45:5).

God is the Father and Creator of Heaven and Earth, and everything within it (Mal. 2:10). The scriptures further reveal that: “God is a Spirit (Jn 4:24)”; “God is Love” (1 Jn 4:8); “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 Jn 1:5). God is Holy, He is morally pure, just, upright and faultless (1 Pet 1:16). God is known by many titles, such as: Father, Holy One, Spirit of God, Holy Spirit, yet He is the same one God. The Psalmist exclaimed, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Ps 34:8).

 Humankind was created in the image and likeness of God, meaning we possessed his moral characteristics and attributes (Gen 1:26). However, after Adam sinned, the nature of man became corrupted (Eph 2:2-3). This made it impossible for us to do the things that please God on our own self-effort (Rom 8:8). “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). As such, all humankind is deserving of God’s penalty for sin, which is death: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:23). 

 “All unrighteousness is sin” (1 Jn 5:17). Sin then is not just murder, fornication, or theft. To hate is sin, to gossip is sin, to lie is sin, greed is sin, unbelief is sin. We all sin in different ways, but we have all sinned (Rom 3:23). Sin attracts the wrath of God (Rom 1:18); unless we repent of our sin and turn to Jesus Christ, we will suffer judgment for our sins and the punishment in an everlasting Lake of Fire (Rev 21:8). 

God is not willing that any man should perish, but He wants us to have everlasting life (Jn 3:16). Therefore, God became a man in order to save all men: “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…” (1 Tim 3:16). To redeem humankind God manifested Himself in flesh: “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them…” (2 Cor 5:19). “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14).

Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man (Jn 20:28). According to the Bible, Jesus Christ the Son of God is also the “Everlasting Father” and “The Mighty God” (Isa 9:6) because within Him dwells “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col 2:9-10).

Through the shedding of His blood at Calvary and His death, burial and resurrection, all who believe in Him can obtain Everlasting Life: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins….” (Eph 1:7).

Simply put, the Holy Spirit is God at work. In Genesis, when God began His work of Creation, it was said “the Spirit of God moved across the face of the deep” (Gen 1:2). When God was ready to come on earth as the Son of God, the angel told Mary: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee…” (Lk 1:35). When God was ready to work in the earth through His Church, the believers were “…all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4).

However, the Bible reveals that the Holy Spirit is not just synonymous with God, but He is also synonymous with Christ (Jn 14:18; Rom 8:9). The scripture uses the term “Spirit of God” and “The Spirit of Christ” interchangeably. When we receive the Holy Spirit, it is Christ within us (Rom 8:9-10). This is because the One True God manifested Himself as Father in Creation, was in His Son for the purpose of Redemption, and now also dwells in His Church as Holy Spirit.

Salvation is not earned. It is the result of God’s grace towards humankind. He did not have to send His Son to die for us, but God so loved the world (Jn 3:16).  “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph 2:8)

To receive God’s free gift of salvation we must believe and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ (Act 2:38), which means to accept His teachings and believe that His death, burial and resurrection was for our salvation: “But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (Jn 1:12).

 The New Birth calls for a new life (Rom 6:4). Therefore, we believe in living a holy life, set apart from sin and worldliness and dedicated and devoted unto God. This involves cultivating a lifestyle of prayer, fasting, bible study, worship and fellowship with the saints of God.  We are commanded to “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb 12:14). It is our belief from the scriptures that holiness is holistic and encompasses our entire being (i.e. thoughts, words, actions, associations and appearance).