TENETS OF FAITH AND DOCTRINE
This Church (Word of Life Ministries) accepts the Scripture 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.
Section 1. The Scriptures Inspired
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to man, the infallible rule of Faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason. (II Timothy 3:15-17; I Peter 1:23-24; Hebrews 4:12) Section 2. The One True God-Head The triune God-head is comprised of 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 God-head; co-equal and co-eternal with the father and the Holy Spirit. (John 1:1; John 1:14; John 16:28; John 1:18; John 15:26) Section 3. Man, His Fall and Redemption Man was created good and upright. For God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, 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; Genesis 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21) Section 4. 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 raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes, resulting in salvation.” (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:8-10) b. The evidences 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.” (I 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, II Corinthians 5:10) Section 5. 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 the newness of life. (Matthew 29:19; Acts 10:47; Acts 10:48; Romans 6:4) Section 6. The Lord’s Supper “And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is my body which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way he also took 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.’” (I Corinthians 11:24, 25, 28) Section 7. 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 the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; I Corinthians 12:1-31) This wonderful experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth.” (Acts 2:38; Acts 10:44-46: Acts 11:14-16; Acts 15:7-9) Section 8. 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; Acts 2:4; Acts 10:44-46; Acts 19:2, 6) Section 9. 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, is an integral part of the general assembly and Church of the firstborn, which are written in Heaven. (Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23) Section 10. Sanctification The Bible teaches that without holiness, no man can see the Lord. We believe in Sanctification as a definite yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation. (Hebrews 12:14; I Thessalonians 5:23; II Peter 3:18; II Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:12-14; John 17:17; Romans 15:16; I Peter 1:2) Section 11. Divine Healing Divine Healing is provided for in the redemption of Christ and it is the privilege of every believer today. Divine Healing is an integral part of the gospel. (Mark 16:18; James 5:14-20; I Peter 2:24; Matthew 8:17; Isaiah 53:4-5) Section 12. Total Prosperity a. Spiritual - John 3:3, 11; I Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10 b. Mental - II Timothy 1:7; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3 c. Physical - Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:17; I Peter 2:24 d. Financial - III John 1:2; Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; II Corinthians 9:6-10; Deut. 28:1-14 e. Social - Proverbs 3:4; Luke 2:52; Acts 2:47 Section 13. Blessed Hope Jesus is coming again to gather all His Saints to Heaven. (I Corinthians 15:51-52; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; II Thessalonians 2:1) Section 14. The Lake Of Fire Those who have not accepted the redemptive work of Jesus Christ will suffer eternal separation from the God-head. 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 2nd Death, the lake of fire. (Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10-15) Section 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 scripture promised. (Romans 11:25-27; II Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-7) After this there shall be a New Heaven and a New Earth. (Revelation 21) Section 16. Human Sexuality We believe that God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family, the basic structure of human society (Genesis 2:24). God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of the context of marriage between a man and a woman. (Genesis 19:5; 26:8-11; 5:1; 6:9; I Thess. 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4). Hence, sexual activities such as, but not limited to adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, pedophilia, and bestiality are inconsistent with the teachings of the bible, the Church, and a Christian life. (Lev. 18:22; Lev. 20:13) We stand fast on the scriptures in Romans 1:25-27, I Corinthians 6:9-11, and I Timothy 1:9-10 and believe the homosexuality is as sin. We determine to show compassion to all with no compromise. Accordingly, neither this organization, its churches or its members shall conduct any marriages between persons of the same sex and shall not condone, support, or facilitate any activities that conflict with this tenet of faith. Definition of Marriage
a. We believe the original definition of marriage came from God. Genesis 2:24 – “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” b. We believe Jesus Christ upheld this definition of marriage. Matthew 19:4-6 – “"Haven’t you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."” c. We believe the Early Church upheld this standard of marriage between male and female. Ephesians 5:31 – “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” d. We believe the Bible in its entirety condemns any form of sexual activity outside of the biblical definition of marriage. Hebrews 13:4 – “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Sexual Relationships Strictly Forbidden by God
a. Adultery: Sexual union between male & female while married to another. (Exodus 20:14, Proverbs 6:32, Matthew 5:28) b. Fornication: Sexual union between individuals prior to marriage (I Corinthians 6:9) c. Homosexuality: Sexual union between males (I Corinthians 6:9, Romans 1:27) d. Lesbianism: Sexual union between females (Romans 1:26, 27) e. Bestiality: Sexual union between human beings and animals (Leviticus 18:23) f. Incest: Sexual union between members of same biological family (Leviticus 18:6-17) We believe same sex unions are forbidden by God in any context Romans 1:26 – “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.” Why? a. Society could not sustain itself with same sex unions dominating society. b. The natural needs of children is best served by the healthy role modelling of a father and mother in a healthy loving relationship covenant as designed by God, this has been proven to give children security, significance, and confidence for civilizations and centuries past. c. Marriage of this nature is typified by God to demonstrate HIS relationship with HIS church typified as bride and bridegroom. Ephesians 5:32 – “This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.” We reserve the right for our staff or approved wedding officiate to only perform marriages where the union would conform to the scriptural definition of marriage We reserve the right for our facility to be used only in facilitating marriages that conform to our beliefs and practices about marriage as defined by scripture. |