About

God is a Spirit – infinite, eternal, uncreated and unchangeable in His being or attributes. In Him all things have their source, support and end (John 4:24; Ps.102:25-27; Gen.1:1,26; John 1:1-3; Heb.1:1-3; Col.1:15-17).

There is only one true God eternally existent in three persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – all distinct personalities, all designated God (John1:1,18,14; Heb.1:8; Acts 5:3,4).

The Bible does not teach that there are three Gods, but upholds the doctrine of the Trinity – one God who reveals Himself in three persons – equal in power and glory (Gen.1:26; Matt.3:16, 17; 28:19; Acts 10:38; 1 Cor.12:4-6).

God, the Father, is the Father of all in a creative sense, but only those who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour (John 1:12) can be called His children in a redemptive sense. He is the Father of all Christians in a special, intimate relationship (Mal.2:10; Acts 17:28; John 1:13; 8:41-44; 17:3; 20:17).

Jesus Christ is Lord and the Son of God – these titles proclaim His deity. He is the Only Begotten of the Father, not that He is a son of God in a general sense, but the Son of God in a unique sense. As God He existed eternally and will exist forever (John 1:1-3, 18; 17:5; Heb.1:2- 12; 13:8). By taking on the form of man, Jesus is the Word that became flesh. His birth was supernatural and not natural as in the case of all other men. He was miraculously ‘virgin-born’ of the Holy Spirit, without a human father (John 1:14, 8; Isa.7:14; Matt.1:18-25).

The Bible declares His absolute deity and His complete humanity. He lived a sinless life on earth; teaching, preaching and performing miracles with divine authority (Matt. 16:13, 16; Philip.2:5-8; 1 Tim.2:5; Heb.2:14-18; 4:15; 2 Cor.5:21; Matt.4:23, 24; Acts 2:22). Jesus fulfilled God’s plan in history. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, was buried and went to hell for mankind.

Christ died for all and rose bodily from the dead. He did not only rise spiritually, nor just as a spirit being, but it was a physical resurrection. The doctrine of the resurrection is foundational for Christianity (1 Cor.15:3, 4, 14-21; Luke 24:6, 39; Acts 4:33; Rom.1:4; 5:10; 8:11). After His resurrection He ascended to the Father in heaven. He is alive forevermore in His resurrected body and exalted position, representing us before the throne of God as our High Priest and Advocate (1Tim.3:16; Mark 16:19; Philip.3:20, 21; Rom.8:34; Heb.4:14-16; 7:24, 25).

The Holy Spirit is a divine person, the third person of the Holy Trinity, distinct from the Father and the Son (Luke 1:35; 1 Cor.2:10, 11; 2 Cor.13:14). The clear and unmistakable teaching of Scripture is that the Holy Spirit is personal and is God. He is not an impersonal force, nor a mere principle or influence, but possesses full, distinct personality (John 14:16, 26; 16:7, 8; Acts 13:2, 4; 1 Cor.12:11; Eph.4:30).

The life of all human beings (people) starts at conception. All people have been created in the image of God, irrespective of race, ethnicity, colour, gender, age, language, culture or class (Gen.1:26-28; 3:20; Prov.22:2; Acts 10:34, 35; 17:26, 27; James 3:9; Col.3:10, 11; Gal.3:28). God created human beings in His own image. Human beings are given a free will and through Satan’s temptation sinned, thereby incurring the penalty of death, both physical and spiritual. All human beings inherit a sinful nature which results, in the case of those who reach moral responsibility, in actual transgression involving personal guilt (Gen.1:26-28; 3:1-6; Rom.5:12; Eph.2:1-3). All have sinned – therefore humankind is in a lost sinful state, fallen from original righteousness (Isa.53:6; Rom.3:9-12, 23; 1Cor.15:21, 22; Gal.3:22).

The Bible describes sin in many ways – missing the mark, not meeting God’s standards, breaking His laws, going against His will, disobeying Him, acting in unbelief, failing to do what is good, owing a debt, etc. Sin is humankind’s fallen condition evident in human character, will, thoughts, attitudes, or acts. It is proud, self-willed rebellion against God in active or passive form (Dan.9:5, 8, 9; James 2:8-11; 4:17; Rom.14:23; 1 John 3:4; 5:17; Matt.6:12).

Jesus Christ gave His life as a substitutionary sacrifice and ransom for all (1 Cor.15:3; Matt.20:28; 1 Tim.2:3-6). His atoning death on the cross and His shed blood fully paid the price of redemption required for the salvation of sinners. Through His death, burial and resurrection, people can obtain the forgiveness and remission of sins; washing and cleansing from unrighteousness; justification and pardon from the guilt of transgressions; righteousness and right standing with God; propitiation and reconciliation which restores fellowship and favour with God; healing and wholeness; the victorious life; and the gift of eternal life (Gal.3:13, 14; 1 Pet.1:18, 19; 2:24; Col.1:13, 14; Rom.3:22-26; 5:8-11, 17-19; Titus 3:4-7; 1 John 2:2; 3:8; Rev.12:10, 11). People are not able to save themselves by works; by trying to keep the Law or the Ten Commandments; by personal merit in themselves; by self-effort; or by natural development from within – no one can add anything to the completed atoning work of Christ (Isa.64:6; Rom.3:20, 28; Gal.2:16; Titus 3:5).

God saves us by grace. Salvation is the free gift of eternal life from God to all those who believe in Christ. It is received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, resulting in the supernatural work of the new birth, which is essential to make the sinner a new creation in Christ Jesus and a child of God (Eph.2:8, 9; Gal.3:26; Rom.6:23; 10:9, 10; 2 Cor.7:10; 5:17; John 3:3-5, 16; 1:12, 13; 1 John 5:1).

Water baptism is a direct commandment of our Lord. Scripture requires that all who have become disciples through repentance and faith in Christ as Saviour and Lord are to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Baptism is by immersion of water and is for believers only (Matt 28:19; Acts 2:38, 39; 8:36-39; 16:31-33).

The ordinance of baptism is an act of obedience; a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection; a declaration that the believer has died with Christ and has been raised with Him to walk in newness of life; a public confession of the new believer’s faith in Christ; and the answer of a good conscience toward God (Matt.3:13-17; Rom.6:3-5; Col.2:12; 1 Pet.3:21)

God saves us by grace. Salvation is the free gift of eternal life from God to all those who believe in Christ. It is received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, resulting in the supernatural work of the new birth, which is essential to make the sinner a new creation in Christ Jesus and a child of God (Eph.2:8, 9; Gal.3:26; Rom.6:23; 10:9, 10; 2 Cor.7:10; 5:17; John 3:3-5, 16; 1:12, 13; 1 John 5:1).

Communion is the regular partaking of the bread and a drink as the Saviour’s broken body and the shed blood. In following this ordinance, believers are remembering the Lord Jesus Christ; proclaiming His death; enforcing the defeat of the adversary; giving thanks for the benefits of his broken body and shed blood; expressing their communion with Him and one another; celebrating His resurrection; and anticipating His return (Matt.26:26-29; 1Cor.10:16,17; 11:23-32).

The new birth is the work of regeneration that the Holy Spirit executes, by which He then indwells the believer. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience distinct and subsequent to the new birth (Titus 3:5; John 3:5, 6; 14:16, 17; Acts 8:14-17; 19:2). Jesus baptizes in the Holy Spirit and according to His command all believers are entitled to and should expect the Promise of the Father – the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This was the normal and needful experience of Christians in the Church of the early days (Matt.3:11; Acts 1:4, 5; 2:38, 39; 11: 15, 16).

Through baptism in the Holy Spirit believers are empowered and equipped for life and service; and with it comes the bestowment of the supernatural gifts of the Spirit and their uses in the work of the ministry (Mark 16:17; Acts 1:8; 1Cor.12:4-11). The baptism of the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance (Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:6).

The Scriptures demand a life of holiness. Believers are called to separation and consecration unto God (1 Pet. 1:14- 16; 1Thes.3:12, 13; 4:3-7; 5:23; Heb. 12:14). Christ’s holiness is imputed to the regenerated believer, but this positional holiness must be worked out as practical sanctification in the believer’s conduct. Sanctification is a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the new birth and continuing throughout the life of the Christian (1Cor. 1:2; 6:11; Heb. 10:10, 14; Philip. 3:12-14; 2Cor. 3:18; 1 John 3:2, 3). Sanctification is an act of purification and separation from that which is evil; and of dedication unto God (2Cor. 7:1; Eph. 4:22-24; 2 Tim. 2:21-22). Sanctification is realized in the life of believers by recognizing the identification with Christ in His death and resurrection; by faith reckoning daily upon the fact of that union; and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God (1Cor. 1;30; Rom. 6:11-14, 18-22; Gal. 5:16-25; John 17:17; James 1:21).

Divine healing was provided for in the Old Testament and is an integral part of the Gospel. The New Testament declares that through Christ’s redemptive work, full provision has been made for the physical healing and health. It is the privilege of believer today (Ex. 23:25; Isa.53:4, 5; Matt. 8:16, 17; 1 Pet. 2:24; Gal. 3:13, 14; Luke 10:9).

Healing is for physical ills of the human body and is wrought by God’s power indifferent ways, like laying on of hands; the prayer of faith; anointing with oil; or the gifts of healing (Mark 16:17, 18; 6:13; Acts 28:8, 9; James 5:14-16; 1Cor. 12:9). Miracles are supernatural works, signs or wonders of the unchangeable God and are possible in the present day (Mark 16:17-20; John 14:12; Acts 6:8; 8:6; 1Cor. 12:10; Rom. 15:18, 19; 2Cor. 12:12).

The one true Church is the whole company of all believers who have been called out of sin and the world, redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. It is universal in the sense that it includes all true believers out of all nations from all generations. Each Christian is an integral part of the general assembly and Church of the firstborn registered in heaven. (Matt.16:16-19; Eph.4:3-6; 1Pet. 2:5, 9, 10; Heb.12:23).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church and the Bible describes it in different terms, for example, the Body of Christ, His Bride, the family of God, the building and habitation God (Eph.1:22, 23; 2Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25-27; 3:15; 2:19-22).

The Church also has a visible, local expression – a company of believers voluntarily fellowshipping together in a given locality. The local Church on earth should take its character from the conception of the Church universal (Matt. 18:15-17; 1Cor. 1:2; Heb.10:24, 25).