DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is the only book from which mankind may learn the truths about God and His purposes. Under divine guidance, selected men wrote the words and ideas which God revealed within a specific historical and cultural context, and produced the original sixty-six books without error. Since the Bible alone is the Word of God, we recognize no other guide for doctr
ine and godly living, and no other infallible authority above or beside the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
ABOUT GOD
As taught in the Bible, we worship and serve the one and only true God, revealed in the mystery of the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—three distinct Persons, but each equally and fully God. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28: 19-20)
ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is unique because He is fully God and fully man, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, lived in a sinless life, suffered and died in the place of sinful man, was buried and rose again, ascended bodily into Heaven, and will return bodily to earth a second time. (John 1:1-14; John 14:1-3; Philippians 2:5-11)
ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is God who dwells permanently in every Christian, helps us to pray, equips us for service, provides strength for godly living, and serves as the guarantee for our eternal life. (Acts 5:3-4; Romans 8:14-16, 26)
ABOUT ANGELS
Angels are real. They are innumerable and unseen creatures who serve God and His people. Satan and demons are fallen angels who promote wickedness and opposition to God`s purposes. These demonic beings await their final and eternal judgment. (Hebrews 1:14; Matthew 18:20; Revelation 201:10)
ABOUT MAN
God created man and everything in the universe. Mankind, being male and female, bears the image of God and was created sinless. Yet, through Adam, all sinned and became condemned and separated from God. Because of this sin, man is totally unable to gain God`s forgiveness and eternal life by his self-effort. (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 5:22-14)
ABOUT SALVATION
Salvation means to be forgiven of all sins, to have the condemnation of eternal death removed, to be reconciled to God, and to receive eternal life. To be saved, a person must (1) admit that he/she is a sinner, (2) believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again to pay for the penalty of sin and remove the judgment brought by sin, and (3) receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. As a result, that person is given a new nature making him/her a child of God, born-again by the Spirit. The total experience of salvation is a gift of God`s grace which can only be received by faith in Jesus Christ alone. (Ephesians 2:1-10; John 5:11-13)
ABOUT THE CHURCH
The Holy Spirit unites all born-again Christians into the universal church, the Spiritual Body of Christ, which is the sum of all believers in local churches all over the world. To join a local church LIGHT OF THE WORLD CHURCH, one must trust Jesus alone for salvation, have experienced baptism by immersion, partake in the symbolism of the Lord`s Supper, agree with this Doctrinal Statement, and pledge to help fulfill the mission of the church to make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2: 38-47; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34; and 1 Corinthians 12-14)
ABOUT THE FUTURE
Jesus Christ will come again from Heaven to establish His Kingdom in the same way in which He went up. When Jesus returns, those who have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation—both living and dead, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and will live with Him forever. Those who refuse to accept God`s gift of salvation will suffer eternal separation from God, together with Satan and his evil forces in Hell. (Matthew 24; John 14:1-4; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19-22)
ABOUT CIVIL GOVERNMENT
Civil government is ordained by God to promote the well-being and order of society. Christians have to honor and pray for those in authority, to pay taxes, and to serve when needed. The government ought not to interfere with the mission of the church or control it in any way. (Matthew 22:17-21; Romans 13: 1-7)
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