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Great Commission Church of
God
OUR BELIEFS
Statement of Beliefs:
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Preamble
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The following doctrinal statements are
designed to represent the fundamental beliefs of the Great
Commission Church of God. Intending to summarize each
doctrine, these statements are not designed to provide an
exhaustive coverage of the beliefs of the Church, nor do they
represent the complete the teachings of the Church. As the
Holy Spirit leads us further and further into all truth (John
16:13-15), the Church and each individual Christian must be
willing to re-examine doctrinal positions and repent (change)
whenever appropriate (2 peter 3:9; Rev 2:5).
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The Bible
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We believe that Scripture, both Old & New
Testaments, is God's revelation, and His complete, expressed
will to humanity. Scripture is inspired in thought and word,
infallible in the original writings, is the supreme and final
authority in faith and in life, and is the foundation of all
truth.
The Bible is God's revelation of knowledge
that man cannot discover for himself. The Bible is profitable
for man's complete spiritual knowledge, understanding and
growth to salvation. Holy men of God, inspired by the Holy
Spirit through various means, recorded the truth revealed to
them.
The whole canon of Scripture, completed with
the book of Revelation, includes the sixty-six books of the
combined Old and New Testaments. The Bible is not human
philosophy to be freely interpreted. However, by gathering all
pertinent scriptures, using sound reason and the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, one can understand God's intent and
meaning.
Scriptures: Deuteronomy 8:3; Psalm
119:33-40, 97-99, 172; Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 8:16; 28:9-11;
Matthew 4:4; 5:18; Luke 4:4; 24:44-45, 47; John 10:35; 17:17;
Romans 8:16; I Corinthians 2:6-14; I Thessalonians 5:21; II
Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; II Peter 1:20-21; Revelation
22:18-19;
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God
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The God Family
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We believe that God is the eternal,
supreme, all-powerful, creating, ruling and life-giving
spirit Family (Elohim). They are one in unity and perfect
in character, love and purpose. Through their plan for
mankind, they reveal an overall purpose of expanding the
Family and thereby sharing their magnificent glory for all
eternity. Presently, the God Family consists of God the
Father and God the Son.
Scriptures: Genesis 1:1, 26;
Nehemiah 9:6-8; Psalms 2:2, 7, 12; 8:1-9; 19:1; 110:1;
139:1-10; Isaiah 40:12-17, 25-26; 44:6; Daniel 7:9-10;
John 1:1, 14; 4:24; 14:8-9; Romans 1:20; 8:29; Ephesians
1:3-5, 9-10; 3:14-15; Colossians 1:12-18; I John 3:1-2.
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God the Father
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We believe that God the Father is an
eternally existing Spirit, a personal Being of supreme
intelligence, knowledge, love, justice, power and
authority. He, through Jesus Christ, is the Creator of the
heavens and the earth and all that is in them. God the
Father is the supreme Ruler of the universe, the Source of
life and the One for whom human life exists. He is the
object and focus of our worship and the Being to whom His
children pray. He sent Jesus Christ to the earth and
instructed Him as to what to say and do.
The Father's purpose is to be reconciled
to His creation and to expand His family by bringing many
sons to glory. The Father accomplishes His will by means
of the Holy Spirit by which He calls, begets, and through
the process of conversion, transforms His begotten
children into His image and into His glory by means of a
resurrection. He is directly involved in the life of each
individual He calls, and imparts to them His holy
characteristics as they yield to Him.
Scriptures: Psalm 110:1; Daniel
7:9-14; Matthew 11:27; John 1:1-2; 5:17, 20, 22-23, 36-37,
43; 6:44; 8:27-29, 38; 10:18, 29; 12:50; 14:8-9, 28;
16:27; 17:5, 20-21; I Corinthians 15:24-28; Ephesians
3:14-15; 4:4-6; Hebrews 1:1-2; 2:3-9; Revelation 21:22-23;
22:1, 3.
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God the Son - Jesus Christ
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We believe in one Lord, Jesus of Nazareth
who is the Christ, the Son of God, and the Son of man. As
the second member of the God family, He has existed
throughout eternity as the "Word." It is by Him that God
created all things and that without Him was not anything
made that was made. All things were created through Him
and for Him. Before His human birth, He revealed Himself
to the patriarchs as "the Eternal" (YHWH) and by a variety
of other names and thus, he is the God of the Old
Testament. We believe that He is God incarnate, the
prophesied Messiah, the Christ, the divine Son of the
living God, and the Savior of mankind.
Jesus Christ is described in the New
Testament as being fully human and fully divine. He
divested Himself of this power and His majesty, and became
a human being, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born in the
human flesh of the virgin Mary. Though tempted in all
points like other men, He lived sinlessly throughout His
life, giving Himself to be crucified as the perfect
atonement for mankind's transgressions of God's laws, as
our loving and merciful Savior. After being dead for three
days and three nights, He was resurrected as a divine
spirit Being and ascended to the Father's right hand in
heaven, becoming our High Priest, Advocate and Mediator
before the Father. He is now Head of the church, and shall
return soon as King of kings and Lord of lords to
establish the Kingdom of God on earth, sharing His rule
with His resurrected brothers and sisters.
Scriptures: Deuteronomy 18:15;
Matthew 12:40, 17:15-17; John 1:1-14, 29-36, 3:16,
8:53-58; 15:26; 16:7; Acts 2:32-35; Romans 5:8-9;
Colossians 1:13-20; Ephesians 4:7-8; I John 2:1-2; Hebrews
1:1-4; 2:9-14; 4:14-16; 9:11-15; Ephesians 1:19-23;
Philippians 2:5-7; I Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation
1:13-16, 5:9-10; 11:15; 19:11-16.
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The Holy Spirit
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We believe that the Holy Spirit is the power
of God-not a personage, consciousness, entity, part of the
godhead or part of a trinity. It is the mind and essence of
the divine nature and the spiritual extension of God through
which He carries out His will. God begets humans as His sons
and daughters through this Spirit. It strengthens a Christian
spiritually, converts his mind, and serves as an earnest or
guarantee of eternal life. God's Spirit empowers the mind to
comprehend spiritual matters, producing conversion. It leads
us into all truth; convicts us of sin and righteousness; and
imparts faith, the love of God, power to overcome sin and
other gifts essential to do His will. It begets a human spirit
with the Spirit of God, the Father, thus creating a "new
creature in Christ," which shall be born as a child of God.
Scriptures: Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30;
Isaiah 11:2; 32:15; 40:13; Ezekiel 39:29; Joel 2:28-29; Luke
24:49; John 7:37-39; 14:16-17, 26; Acts 1:8; 2:38; 8:15-17;
Romans 8:9-14; I Corinthians 2:9-16; 12:4-11; II Corinthians
5:17; Ephesians 1:13-14; II Timothy 1:6-7; II Peter 1:2-4.
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Mankind
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We believe that humanity was created in the
image of God with the potential to become children of God,
partakers of the divine nature. God formed humanity of flesh,
which is material substance. Human beings live by the breath
of life, are mortal, subject to corruption and decay, without
eternal life, except as the gift of God under God's terms and
conditions as expressed in the Bible. We believe that God
placed before Adam and Eve the choice of eternal life through
obedience to God, or death through sin. Adam and Eve yielded
to temptation and disobeyed God. As a result, sin entered the
world, and through sin, death. Death now reigns over all
humanity because all have sinned.
Humans, created male and female in God's
image, yet mortal, are physical beings whose life is in the
blood. However, God imparted a spirit essence to humans,
empowering man with intellect and setting him far above the
animals. This human spirit enables God to join His Spirit with
man's so he might become a child of God. When a man dies, his
conscious thoughts cease, his spirit returns to God who gave
it and his body returns to dust. God's purpose for man is that
he enter the Family of God by means of begettal by His Spirit
and later be born again in a resurrection from the dead to
immortality and glory.
Scriptures: Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7, 17;
3:19; Psalm 146:3-4; Ecclesiastes 3:19; Ezekiel 18:4, 20; Job
32:8; Zechariah 12:1; I Corinthians 2:11; Hebrews 12:28; I
Timothy 6:15-16; Romans 8:29; I Corinthians 15:44, 50-54; I
John 5:11-13.
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Angels
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We believe that long before the creation of
man and the earth, God created powerful spirit beings to act
as His agents and messengers. Since man's creation, these
spirit beings function as ministering spirits to help mankind
attain salvation. Created in many forms for varying functions,
God also gave them, like man, free moral agency. Although
created to help God, some of them--led by Satan the
devil-rebelled against God's government, transforming
themselves into demons. Beside Satan, only two other angels
are named in the Bible: Michael and Gabriel.
Scriptures: Job 38:7; Luke 1:19;
Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 1:7, 14; 5:5-9; Psalm 91:11-12; Ezekiel
1:5-14; Ephesians 6:12; Daniel 10:13; Revelation 12:1-5, 7-9.
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Satan and Demons
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We believe that Satan is a spirit being who
is the adversary of God and the children of God. Satan has
been given dominion over the world for a specific period of
time. Satan has deceived humanity into rejecting God and His
law. Satan has ruled by deception with the aid of a host of
demons who are rebellious angels, spirit beings, who followed
Satan in his rebellion.
Originally created as the cherub Lucifer and
given great powers and beauty, Satan became transformed into
the Adversary through pride, leading him into rebellion
against the government of God. From the angels first estate
here on earth, he led one-third of his fellows to attack God
in heaven, who cast them down to earth in defeat where they
remain restrained to this day. As the god of this world and
man's mortal enemy, Satan now uses his power and beauty to
deceive all of mankind. He and his demons, though they have
already been defeated and their fate is sealed, are doing all
they can to frustrate God's purpose for man.
Scriptures: Ezekiel 28:14-17; Isaiah
14:12-15; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:1-5, 7-9; Jude 6;
II Peter 2:4; Luke 22:31; Ephesians 6:12; Jude 13; Revelation
20:10.
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The Gospel
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We believe that the gospel is the message
preached by Christ and His church - the "good news" about
God's coming Kingdom, the restoration of His government on
earth, and how mankind can enter that Kingdom and government.
Its focus is God's purpose and plan to expand His Family
through mankind. Christ, John the Baptist and the apostles
generally call it the "gospel of the Kingdom of God," but
biblical writers use over a dozen other titles to describe it.
Ultimately, it is the complete message of the entire Old and
New Testaments, containing the message of what God the Father
and His Son have done, are doing and will do to accomplish
their purpose. It contains detailed information on the King,
subjects, laws and territory of the Kingdom of God and how
mankind can become part of it.
Scriptures: Matthew 3:2; 24:14; Mark
1:14-15; Acts 28:30-31; Romans 1:1, 15-16; 15:16; Galatians
3:8-9; Ephesians 1:13; Revelation 14:6.
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The Kingdom of God
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We believe that the Kingdom of God is the
creating and ruling Family of God soon to administer the
government of God on earth. Though the Kingdom of God does not
now rule the earth, those who have God's Spirit are under its
rule in their lives. When Jesus Christ returns, He will
reestablish its rule on earth, and the saints, resurrected as
spirit kings and priests, will reign with Him for a thousand
years. Following the second death and the Lake of Fire, the
Kingdom will be completely fulfilled when God the Father
descends from heaven to rule for all eternity from New
Jerusalem.
Scriptures: Exodus 19:6; Daniel 2:44;
Isaiah 2:2-4; 9:6-7; 11:1-10; Micah 4:1-4; Mark 4:11; John
3:3-7; I Corinthians 15:50-54; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews
11:13-16; Matthew 25:31; 20:21; Revelation 2:26; 5:10; 19:16;
20:4-6, 12-15; 21:1-4, 7, 10.
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Salvation
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We believe that salvation, a freely given
gift from God the Father, is the means by which a person is
saved from the penalty of sin and given eternal life. The
process of salvation begins with God's calling, opening the
mind to spiritual truth. This leads to reconciliation with God
through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of sins, then to repentance toward God, baptism,
receipt of the Holy Spirit, sanctification unto holiness
through a life of overcoming, and rebirth and glorification as
God. Though salvation cannot be earned through works of the
law, the keeping of the Ten Commandments is nonetheless
required as a condition to receive salvation. Everyone, at the
time God chooses, will have an opportunity for salvation.
Scriptures: John 6:44-45; 14:15; Ephesians 1:13-14;
2:4-10; Romans 2:12-13; 5:8-11; 6:1-6, 15-18; 8:29-30; II
Thessalonians 2:13-14; I Peter 1:2; II Corinthians 3:18; 7:1;
Hebrews 12:14; I John 3:1-2; James 1:25; Matthew 19:16-17; I
Corinthians 15:21-23, 35, 42-44, 50-54; Revelation 20:4-15.
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Faith
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We believe that faith is the sure knowledge
that God exists, and that He will accomplish those things He
has promised. God commands us to live by faith. As the
foundation of the process, it is essential for salvation.
Without faith it is impossible to please God because, as man's
foundational response to God, it leads to obedience and the
completion of God's purpose. Because of faith in Christ's
blood, we are forgiven, and righteousness is imputed to us.
Both a gift of God and a fruit of His Spirit, faith is
perfected through the good works God has ordained.
Scriptures: Romans 1:17; 4:5, 9-13,
20-22; 5:8-11;10:17; 12:3; Hebrews 10:37-39; 11:1-6; I Peter
1:5, 9; Ephesians 2:4-10; 3:17; I Corinthians 12:4, 9;
Galatians 5:22; James 2:14-26; II Corinthians 5:7.
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Repentance
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We believe that repentance is deep contrition
of mind and spirit over one's spiritual condition, combined
with resolve to change what one is and does. The goodness of
God leads one to repentance, which begins when God enables one
to see himself in comparison to Him. Only then can one
acknowledge that he is a sinner in need of forgiveness.
Repentance is the first step in reconciliation with God. It
moves one to confess his sin, and with deep desire, conform
his life to God's will as revealed in the Holy Bible.
Repentance occurs, not just once, but continuously as we grow
in the knowledge of God.
Scriptures: Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew
9:13; II Corinthians 7:9-11; Romans 2:4; II Timothy 2:25; Acts
2:38; 3:19-21; 8:22; 11:18; 20:21; Luke 13:3, 5; 24:47; Psalm
51; Mark 1:15; I John 3:4.
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Baptism
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Water Baptism
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We believe in the ordinance of Water
Baptism by immersion. Its purpose is for the forgiveness
of sins, upon true repentance and acceptance of Jesus
Christ as personal Savior. It symbolizes the death and
burial of a sinner into the death and burial of Jesus
Christ. Rising out of the watery grave symbolizes His
resurrection. Also symbolizing purification, baptism
prepares one for the receipt of the Holy Spirit. When one
rises from his watery grave, he is to be a new person, led
by God's Spirit and conducting his life according to God's
way. After this ceremony, and as a result, one receives
the Baptism of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of
hands.
Scriptures: Matthew 3:13-16;
28:19-20; Acts 2:38; 8:12-17; Romans 6:1-7; Colossians
2:12.
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Baptism of the Spirit
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We believe that Baptism of the Spirit
means receiving the Holy Spirit as a downpayment from God
the Father on eternal life, placing one into the spiritual
body of Jesus Christ, the Church.
Scriptures: Matthew 3:11; I
Corinthians 12:13.
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Baptism of Fire
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Baptism by fire means immersion into the
Lake of Fire. It is the second, and therefore eternal,
death for the incorrigibly wicked, who have willingly and
persistently rejected the salvation of God the Father
through Jesus Christ. All who have blasphemed the Holy
Spirit and committed the unpardonable sin will be
destroyed.
Scriptures: Matthew 3:11-12;
12:31-32; Revelation 20:14-15; 21:8; II Peter 3:10-12;
Malachi 4:1-3.
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Laying on of Hands
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We believe that the laying on of hands, one
of the most ancient of biblical rituals, signifies an
ordination or a setting apart. It is an act performed by
elders in the Church on special occasions, such as for the
receiving of God's Holy Spirit after baptism, at ordination,
for marriage, anointing of the sick, and for other special
purposes.
Scriptures: Genesis 48:12-14; Matthew
19:13-15; Acts 6:5-6; 8:15-17; 13:3; 19:5-6; I Timothy 4:14;
Hebrews 6:2; James 5:14-15.
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Resurrections
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We believe that the hope of all mankind and
the promise to the Christian is the resurrection from the
dead. The Bible refers to (1) the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, the firstborn from the dead and the pioneer of our
salvation; (2) the resurrection of the saints-called the
"first resurrection"-at the return of Christ when the true
believers shall become spirit-composed members of God's
family; (3) the resurrection back to physical life of all who
have ever died without having understood God's way, for their
first opportunity for salvation; (4) the resurrection of the
incorrigibly wicked-those who have refused to repent and have
rejected God's way-to be consumed in the lake of fire (called
the "second death").
Scriptures: Job 14:14-15; 19:25-26;
Daniel 12:2-3; Ezekiel 37:1-14; Matthew 27:52-53; Mark
5:35-42; John 5:28-29; 11:20-24; Acts 2:32; 9:40-41; 20:7-12;
Romans 8:11; I Corinthians 15:3-8, 20-23, 51-52; I
Thessalonians 4:13-17; II Peter 3:10-12; Revelation 20:4-6,
13-14; 20:11-15.
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Eternal Judgement
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We believe that the time of one's judgment is
the time of his opportunity for salvation. Beginning with God
opening the individual's mind to understand His way of life,
the judgment extends to the end of his life, and its
consequences are eternal. God looks upon the heart, mercifully
judging a person based on his attitude, his knowledge of God
and His way, his application of what he understands, and his
personal relationship with the Father and Son. By this
judgment, God determines who will be in His Family. The vast
majority of mankind will receive the gift of eternal life, and
only the few who deliberately and willfully reject God's
salvation will not but will instead be consumed in the Lake of
Fire. The judgments are broken into three broad periods: from
Adam to Christ's return, the thousand-year reign of Jesus
Christ, and a period following the Millennium when all those
who have not had an opportunity for salvation will be
resurrected to physical life.
Scriptures: I Samuel 16:7; Ezekiel
37:12-14; Matthew 11:20-24; 12:41-42; 13:49-50; 25:34; John
5:26-30; Acts 10:42; Romans 2:16; 14:10-12; II Corinthians
5:10; Hebrews 6:2; 9:27; 10:26-27; I Peter 4:17; Revelation
20:5-6, 11-15; 21:8.
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Heaven
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We believe that the Bible speaks of three
heavens: 1) the firmament, which is the air or atmosphere, 2)
the starry heaven or outer space, where stars, planets, and
galaxies exist and 3) the heaven of heavens of the "third
heaven" which is the dwelling place of God and the location of
His throne. Heaven is not the immediate reward of the saved,
as we have been promised that we will inherit the earth.
However, our reward is now being saved in heaven, to be
brought back with Christ when He returns. When all of mankind
is either converted into spirit beings in the Kingdom of God
(the righteous) or destroyed in the lake of fire (the
unrighteous), God Himself will bring heaven, the Holy City -
New Jerusalem, to the new earth and will establish His throne
there.
Scriptures: Genesis 2:19; 7:3, 23;
Psalm 8:8; 115:16; 148:4; Lamentations 4:19; Deuteronomy
10:14; 17:3; Jeremiah. 8:2; Matthew 24:29; I Kings 8:27; II
Corinthians 12:2; John 3:13; 14:2-3; Acts 2:34; Matthew 5:12;
6:20; Revelation 21; 22:12.
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Hell
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We believe that hell is the grave, not an
ever-burning place where the wicked live in eternal torment.
The Hebrew word translated as "hell" is Sheol and simply means
the grave, where the dead are buried. In the New Testament
Greek, there are three words used for "hell"; 1) Hades, 2)
Tartaroo and 3) Gehenna. Hades is the equivalent of Sheol and
again simply means the grave. Tartaroo is only used once in II
Peter 2:4 and is a place of restraint for angels who sinned
(demons) while they await judgement. Gehenna means the valley
of Hinnom, an area outside of Jerusalem where garbage was
continually burned. It was here that the bodies of criminals
were also disposed of. Christ used this as an analogy of the
Lake of Fire, also known as the Second Death, where those who
have rejected God's offer of eternal life will be destroyed
once and for all. The incorrigible wicked will have eternal
punishment, not eternal punishing.
Scriptures: Matthew 5:29-30; Psalm
37:20; Malachi 4:1, 3; II Peter 2:4; Revelation 20:13-15.
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Sin
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We believe that sin is the transgression of
God's law. It has a broad application in that sin can be
defined as all unrighteousness, missing the mark or falling
short of the character of God. Whatever is not of faith is
sin, and when a person knows to do good but does not do it, it
is sin. The penalty for sin is death in the Lake of Fire.
Unpardonable sin is the willful, knowledgeable and continued
transgression of the commandments of God. It also includes the
willful rejection of God's salvation and blasphemy of the Holy
Spirit, which is despising the works God does by the power of
His Spirit and attributing them to Satan. These sins are
unpardonable because the person will not repent. All sins can
be forgiven by God's mercy through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Scriptures: Matthew 12:31; Romans
6:23; 8:1-3; 14:23; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 2:1; 4:32;
Colossians 1:14; James 4:17; Hebrews 10:26-29; I John 1:3-4,
7, 9; 3:4; 5:17; Revelation 20:14.
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Grace
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We believe that God's grace is the dynamic of
salvation. Grace expresses God's freely given gifts. It is
present, not just in the forgiveness of sin, but through the
entire process of salvation. Grace gives to the called
whatever is necessary to enable God's purpose for them to
succeed. Men have always been saved by grace through faith.
Scriptures: Genesis 6:8; Exodus
33:12-17; Romans 3:24; 4:4, 16; 5:2, 15; 11:5-6; 12:3, 6;
Hebrews 4:16; 13:9; I Peter 4:10; II Peter 1:2; 3:18; I
Corinthians 12:4-11.
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The Law of God
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We believe that the law of God is the written
expression of the character, mind and will of God for His
people. God's Laws appear in both Old and New Testaments,
teaching how to love and worship God, love fellow man and
prepare for eternal life in the Family of God. They cover both
physical actions and spiritual motivations. The Ten
Commandments were given directly by God Himself, codified by
Moses and magnified and ratified by Jesus Christ. A perfect
spiritual law, they are always in force whether or not a
person is aware of them. Obedience to them brings blessings;
disobedience brings curses. To transgress them is to sin and
incur the death penalty. Keeping God's law, thus showing one's
submission to the government of God, is a condition for
eternal life.
Scriptures: Exodus 20:1-17;
Deuteronomy 30:15-20; 28:1-15; Psalm 19:7-11; 119:172; Isaiah
42:21; Romans 7:7-12, 14; John 14:15, 21; 15:14; Matthew
5:17-32; 19:17; 22:36-40I John 2:2-3; 3:4; 5:2-3;Revelation
22:14.
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The Sabbath
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We believe that the seventh-day Sabbath is to
be taught and kept holy in accordance with the biblical
instruction. The Sabbath is a regularly recurring holy day.
Keeping it is basic to a Christian's relationship with God.
When He rested on the seventh day at creation, God set it
apart, reaffirming it to Israel in the wilderness by giving it
as the fourth of the Ten Commandments in the section Jesus
summarized as showing how to love God. Idolatry and Sabbath
breaking were largely responsible for Israel's downfall.
Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, clearly taught that the
Sabbath is made for man. He and His apostles kept it, and it
is nowhere abrogated either by command or example in the New
Testament. The prophets show the Sabbath being kept after
Christ's return.
Scriptures: Genesis 2:1-3; 26:1-5;
Exodus 16:4-30; 20:8-11; 31:12-17; Leviticus 23:1-3;
Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Matthew 22:37-40; Ezekiel 20:12-16, 20,
24; Mark 2:27-28; Luke 4:16; Acts 17:2; 18:4, 11; Hebrews
4:1-10; Isaiah 58:13-14; 66:22-23; Ezekiel 45:17; 47:3-4, 12.
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The Annual Holy Days and Festivals
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We believe that the seven annual holy days,
like the weekly Sabbath, were ordained by God and commanded to
be observed as holy convocations by His people. Both His
covenant people Israel and the New Testament Israel of God,
the Church, observed them. Jesus and His apostles kept them,
and they are prophesied to be kept after Christ's return. The
holy days are Sabbaths but may fall on any day of the week.
Each festival has special meaning, depicting an important step
in God's plan of salvation for man, and the teaching on that
day centers on its meaning to God's purpose. The festivals and
holy days are Passover, a festival but not a holy day; the
seven Days of Unleavened Bread, with the first and last being
holy days; Pentecost; Trumpets; Atonement; the seven-day Feast
of Tabernacles, with the first being a holy day; and the Last
Great Day.
Scriptures: Exodus 12:1-17; 23:14-17;
Leviticus 23; Matthew 26:17-18; John 7:1-39; 13:1-17; Acts
2:1; 12:3; 18:21; 20:6, 16; 27:9; I Corinthians 5:7-8; 16:8;
Ezekiel 45:17-25; Zechariah 14:16-19.
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The Return of Jesus Christ
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We believe in the personal, visible,
premillennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule the
nations on earth as King of kings and to continue His priestly
office as Lord of lords. At that time, He will sit upon the
throne of David. During His thousand-year reign upon the
earth, He will restore all things and establish the Kingdom of
God forever.
Scriptures: Acts 1:9-11; Zechariah
14:1-9; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:16-17; Revelation 1:7; 22:7,
20.
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The Christian
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We believe a true Christian is one in whom
the Holy Spirit dwells; one who has repented of sin, been
baptized, received the Spirit of God which begets him as a
"new creature in Christ." The Christian is one who seeks to
live by every word of God; to follow the example of Jesus
Christ; to allow Jesus Christ to live His perfect life within
the Christian; one who exemplifies Christian character, such
as "goodness, meekness, gentleness, faith, against which there
is no law." The Christian is Christ-like, humble, converted,
pacifistic, praying for and expecting the Kingdom of God to
appear on earth.
Scriptures: Romans 8:9; I Corinthians
12:13; Hebrews 6:1; 5:10-12; Matthew 5:48; Hebrews 2:10; 5:9;
13:21; James 1:4; II Corinthians 13:9; I Peter 2:2; II Peter
3:18; Ephesians 4:7-15.
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The Christian Family
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We believe the marriage relationship is the
basis of the family, which in turn is the core of a stable
society. As the primary physical analogy of God's plan for
mankind, marriage, child rearing, and the family are given a
preeminent place in the teachings of the Bible and the church.
Although roles are defined, men and women have equal spiritual
potential before God.
Scriptures: Exodus 20:12; Malachi
4:5-6; Ephesians 5:22-29; 6:1-3; I Peter 3:7
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The Church of God
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We believe the church is the spiritual body
of Christ, a group of persons called out by God and
impregnated with His Holy Spirit. As a spiritual body, the
church is made up of baptized, Spirit-led individuals who are
scattered around the world. As "the assembly" of called-out
individuals, the true Church of God can never become
"incorporated" in the legal sense into one "religious
organization," but consists of true Christians, in whom God's
Holy Spirit dwells, who may be members of different
organizations, but are joined directly to Christ through the
Spirit.
Scriptures: I Corinthians 12:12-14,27;
Colossians 3:1
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Prophecy
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We believe that God reveals His future
intentions to His servants by means of prophecy. Since He
inhabits eternity, God knows the end from the beginning.
Nearly one third of the Bible is prophecy and most of that has
not been fulfilled or only fulfilled in type. Since prophecy,
and the Bible in general, is only concerned with God's chosen
nation Israel and other nations only in as much as they
interact with Israel, a knowledge of the modern identity of
the twelve tribes of Israel is important for us today.
The twelve families of ancient Israel are
today scattered in northwestern Europe, the state of Israel
and the English-speaking nations of America and the British
Commonwealth. Joseph and Judah have historically been the
dominant tribes. Though knowledge of Israel's identity is not
essential to salvation, it nonetheless provides a much clearer
understanding of biblical prophecy. It in no way implies
racial superiority, but on the contrary, imposes greater
responsibility.
Scriptures: Isaiah 46:9-11; 57:15;
Amos 3:7; Revelation 1:1;: Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-16; 17:2-8;
24:60; 25:29-34; 26:2-5, 24; Romans 4:13; Genesis 27:27-29;
35:9-13, 23-26; 48:1-22; 49:1-33; Deuteronomy 33:1-29; II
Kings 17:18-24; II Samuel 7:8-16; Psalm 89:19-37; Jeremiah
33:14-26; I Chronicles 5:2; Deuteronomy 7:6-11; Luke 12:48;
Romans 11:1-29.
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Healing
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We believe that divine healing, based on His
promise to heal, is an act of mercy from God. Though God
Himself chooses the time of healing, His intervention in a
person's behalf is dependent on certain conditions being met:
Trust in His promise and power to do what He has promised when
He chooses to do it. Faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ,
represented in the Passover observance by the broken bread, a
symbol of His broken body, and the wine, a symbol of His shed
blood. Repentance, where possible, from sins that may be
involved in causing the health problem. Understanding that,
because God loves us and knows all things, the healing will be
granted in this life only if it is in the best interest of
God's purpose. The great heroes of faith have died, but they
will be healed in the resurrection and given spirit, immortal
bodies that can never die.
Scriptures: Exodus 15:26; Psalm
103:2-3; Matthew 9:1-7, 27-30; I Peter 2:24; I Corinthians
11:23-30; Matthew 8:16-17; Isaiah 53:4-5; Mark 16:15-18; James
5:14-16; Hebrews 9:27; 11:13-16.
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