I regard these beliefs as essential to my Christian faith:
• I believe that there is one living and true God, who eternally exists in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (John 1:1-2, Matthew 28:18-20)
• I believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are given by divine inspiration and are the written Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16)
• I believe in God the Father, an infinite Spirit, perfect in wisdom, power and love; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men through His providence and His power; that He hears and answers prayers; that He has created all and is able to recreate all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 19:1, 102:25-27; Matthew 7:11; Ephesians 1:3-6).
• I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, both true God and true man; I believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, and fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah; I believe in His miracles, teaching, atoning death, bodily resurrection, and ascension into heaven; His continual intercession for His people and His personal, visible return to earth. (Matthew 1:20-23, 5:15-18; Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:1-17; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 2:4, 4:15, 7:25, 10:19-20).
• I believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower for ministry all who believe in Christ; I believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and He is an abiding Helper, Teacher, Gift-giver and Guide; I believe that through the indwelling Holy Spirit we can experience a progressive liberation from the bondage of Satan, the world and sin.
• I believe that the born again believer is given authority through Christ over the powers of spiritual darkness led by Satan, the ruler of this world; I believe we actively exercise this authority as we pray, do spiritual warfare, walk by faith, exercise spiritual gifts, and progress to spiritual maturity in Christ; I believe that Satan and demons are intelligent beings, who have been defeated in their rebellion by Christ, who will destroy them eternally when he returns to bring His Kingdom to earth. (Matthew 12:28; Luke 9:1-2; 2 Corinthians 4:4-5, 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:10-17; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 Peter 5:8-9).
• I believe that every re-born believer should be baptized by full immersion and participate in the Lord’s Supper with other believers in Jesus Christ, on a regular basis. (Acts 2:38, 2:42)
• I believe that Jesus will rapture His Church ( His Bride ) before the Tribulation, that there will be a wedding feast in heaven after which Jesus will return to earth with His saints (Second Coming), visible to all, in Power and Glory and establish His thousand year Millennium Kingdom. (1 Thess. 4:16-18, 1 Cor 15:51-53, Rev. 19:7-9, Rev:19:11-16)
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