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These are the Tenets of Faith stated when Word of Life Christian Ministries was incorporated in 1982.
Tenets of Faith and Doctrine of Word of Life Christian Ministries
The church accepts the Scriptures as the revealed will of God, the all sufficient rule of faith and practice, and for the purpose of maintaining general unity, adopts these statements of Fundamental Truths and Doctrine.
The
Scriptures Inspired
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation of God to man, the
infallible rule of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and
reason, but not contrary to reason.
(2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1
Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12)
The
One True Godhead
The triune Godhead is comprised of three (3) separate and distinct
personalities; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who are
eternally self-existent, self-revealed and function as one
entity.
Jesus Christ, who is God manifested in the flesh is the second member
of the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy
Spirit.
Man,
His Fall and Redemption
Man was created good and upright, for God said, “Let us make man in our
image and after our likeness”. But, man, by voluntary transgression,
fell and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ the Son of God.
(Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7;
Romans 5:12-21)
The
Salvation of Man
a) Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of
Jesus
Christ. On the cross Jesus Christ became sin and sickness
providing
both salvation and divine healing for all mankind, (Psalm 103:3) being
justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus. For by grace we are saved through faith.
“The word is near
you, in your mouth and in your heart – that is the word of faith which
we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord,
and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you
shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in
righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in
salvation.” (Romans
3:24; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:8-10)
b) The evidence of salvation. The inward
evidence to the believer of
his salvation, is the direct witness of the Spirit (Romans
8:16). The
outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true
holiness. “And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of
His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us” (1
John 3:23)
c) Faith and Works. Salvation is by faith in Jesus
Christ and not by
human works; however, our works will determine the rewards in eternity
(Acts 16:3; Romans
10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Romans
14:10-12; and 2 Corinthians 5:10)
Baptism in Water
The ordinance of baptism by a burial with Christ should be observed as
commanded in the Scriptures by all who have really repented and in
their hearts have truly believed on Christ as Savior and
Lord. In so
doing, they declare to the world that they have died with Jesus and
that they have also been raised with Him to walk in newness of life.
(Matthew 28:19; Acts
10:47; Romans 6:4)
The
Lord’s Supper
“And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, ‘This is My body
which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.’ In
the same
way also the cup, after supper saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in
My blood, do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ Let
a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1
Corinthians 11:24,25,28)
The
Promise of the Father
All believers are entitled to, and should ardently expect and earnestly
seek, the promise of the Father, the Baptism in the Holy Ghost and
Fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This
was the
normal experience of all in the early Christian church. With
it comes
the endowment of power for life and service, the bestowment of the
gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. (Luke 24:49; Acts
1:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31) This wonderful experience is
distinct
from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth. (Acts 2:38;
10:44-46; Acts 11:14-16; Acts 15:7-9)
The
Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
The full consummation of the Baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is
evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues
as the Spirit gives utterance, and by the subsequent manifestation of
spiritual power in public testimony and service. (Acts 1:8;
2:4;
10:44-46; 19:2,6)
The
Church
The
church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit,
with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great
commission.
Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general
assembly and church of the first born, which are written in Heaven.
(Ephesians 1:22;
2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23)
Blessed Hope
Jesus
is coming again to gather all His saints to Heaven. (1
Corinthians
15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; and 2 Thessalonians 2:1)
The
Lake of Fire
Those who have not accepted the redemptive work of Jesus Christ will
suffer eternal separation from the Godhead. The devil and his
angels,
the beast and the false prophet, and anyone whose name was not found
written in the book of life, shall be consigned to everlasting
punishment in the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
This is the
second death, the lake of fire. (Revelation 19:20;
Revelation 20:10-15)
The
Millennial Reign of Jesus
The return of our Lord Jesus Christ with His saints from Heaven to rule
and reign for one thousand years on earth as the scriptures
promised.
(Romans
11:25,27; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation
19:11-16; Revelation 20:1-7)
After this there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. (Revelation 21)
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
