Statement of Faith

Articles of Our Statement of Faith

We believe that the Holy Bible is the Word of God, verbally inspired and inerrant in the original writings by holy men of God; and, that the Bible is the supreme and final authority relative to the faith, practice, doctrines, and order of the church; and, that it must be literally (or normally) interpreted.  (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 22:18-19)

    Therefore, we believe that the Bible teaches the following truths, and we agree to hold these truths above and against all other traditions and/or teachings.

1. God – The Trinity

1.      We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  (Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:21-22; I John 5:7)

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
  (Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:21-22; I John 5:7)

2. Jesus

1.      Birth:
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, Jesus was born of a virgin, and Jesus is true God and was true man.  (Luke 1:32-37, 2:10-11; John 1:1-2, 1 John 5:7)

2.    The Cross:
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins as a representative and substitionary sacrifice, and that all who believe on Him are justified on the basis of the cleansing received by His shed blood.  (I Corinthians 15:3-4; Colossians 1:14; Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:8-10)

3.    Resurrection:
We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, His ascension to Heaven, and his present life seated in Heaven as High Priest and advocate for us.  (Hebrews 9:24, 10:19-21; 1 Timothy 2:5-6)

3. Man’s Relationship with God

1. Sinful Man:
We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned, and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death – which is separation from God; and that all mankind are born with a sinful nature, and in the case of those who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word and deed. (Romans 3:23, 5:12; Genesis 1:26-27; I Corinthians 11:7)

2. Conviction of Man:
We believe that the Holy Spirit convinces mankind that he is lost and needs a Savior; that the Spirit convicts man that sin is wrong, and that sin will keep him out of Heaven; that man’s righteousness is not suitable in the sight of God; that judgment is coming.  (John 16:7-11)

3. Salvation of Man:
  We believe that only those who, by faith, receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior are miraculously born again of the Holy Spirit, and thereby, without benefit of human merit or religious rite, partake of His divine life and nature.  We believe that this salvation is by Grace, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not by works.  We believe that at the time of the “new birth”, the believer receives the Holy Spirit and, by Him, is baptized into the body of Christ.  (John 1:23-34; Acts 15:7-9; Romans 6:13; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 2:1-9)

4.    Sanctification of Man: We believe in separation from the world and that all believers are called unto a life of separation from sinful practices.  (James 4:4. 7-8; Romans 12:1-2; II Corinthians 6:14-18)

5.     Filling of the Holy Spirit:
We believe in the person and power of the Holy Spirit to convict, to convert, to comfort, and to control man. We believe that subsequent to the “new birth” EXPERIENCE; it is a scriptural command and blessing to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  This filling comes then the conditions of sanctification are met and the Holy Spirit is allowed to fill completely, every area of the believer’s life.  We believe that the evidence of being filled with the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit.  (Ephesians 3:14-21, 4:22-32, 5:18-21; I Corinthians 6:19-20; Galatians 5:22-26)

1.      Sign Gifts We believe in the individual priesthood and power of each believer as is set forth in the complete and perfect Word of God; that the partial, temporary and incomplete sign gifts[i] (see appendix) given to the early church have been replaced by the complete, eternal, and perfect Word of God – the Bible – and that the Bible is the perfect proof and final authority of our ministry.  (I Corinthians 13:8-10)

2.    Heavenly Prayer Language We believe that through prayer, a closeness and fellowship with God is established; that there is a heavenly language[ii] (see appendix) which no one understands but God; and that it is a blessing enjoyed by some believers in their praying and communion with God.  (I Corinthians 14:2, 9)

2.    The Church

1.      The Body of Christ:
We believe that the body of Christ is the church.  Jesus Christ is the head of the body (the church) made up of all those who have experienced the “new birth”.  (I Corinthians 12:13-14; Ephesians 1:22-23;Colossians 1:9-22)

2.    The New Testament Church:  We believe that there is no evidence in the Scriptures of denominational beginnings; and
that there is one faith, one Lord, one Baptism, and one Body.  (I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:4-6)

3.    The Pastor’s Role:  We believe that the Pastor of the church is the overseer – the shepherd of the flock – and that no
office in the church is higher or of greater importance; and that the office of the pastor is to be respected and reverenced by all members.  (Hebrews 13:7, 17)

4.    Ordinances of the Church

1.      Baptism:
We believe in water baptism by immersion and all who repent should be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  (Matthew 28:18-20) The Lord’s Supper:  We believe in observing the Lord’s Supper.  (Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:17-25)

2.    Foot Washing:
We believe in the washing of saints’ feet.  (John 13:12-17; 1 Timothy 5:10)

3.    Resurrection of the Dead to Heaven or Hell
We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost; the everlasting blessedness of the saved in a place called Heaven and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost in the lake of fire.  (Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:11-15)

4.    The Return of Jesus Christ

1.      The Rapture:
We believe in the personal, pre-tribulation, premillenial, and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to resurrect the righteous dead and to catch away (rapture) the living saints to Him in the air. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Thessalonians 2:1-12; I Corinthians 15:51-57)

2.    The Second Advent – The Millennial Reign:
We believe those seven years after the rapture of the Church, the Lord will return to this earth to establish His earthly kingdom and reign for a thousand years referred to as the Millennial Reign of Christ.  (Isaiah 35, Revelation 20:1-7, Zechariah 14:16-21

5.     Satan:
We believe that Satan is a real being, a personal devil; that he is the enemy of God, the deceiver of mankind; that he is the instigator of all false systems of religion; and that with him all persistent followers will find their end in the lake of fire.  (I Peter 5:8; II Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-16, 4:3-4; Ephesians 2:2-3; Revelation 20:2)

6.    Your Battle Cry is Your Praise Ministries®

1.      Non-Denominational:
Your Battle Cry is Your Praise Ministries® is non-denominational ministry.

2.    Governance:
This ministry is governed by Jesus Christ – not by a board of members.
The ministers lead the ministry as they are led of God.

  APPENDIX [i]
SIGN GIFTS vs. THE COMPLETE WORD OF GOD

We believe that each believer has in hand, a much better instrument than the signs – the Bible.  We believe that the “perfect” spoken of in I Corinthians 13:10, is the Word of God.  At the time this passage was given to Paul, the “perfect was yet to come; it was in the future.  Therefore, the “perfect” could not have been Jesus.  He had already come.  The word “that” is neuter and could not refer to a person.  Hence, the partial knowledge, the partial prophecies, the partial sign gifts were to be replaced by something far better – the Bible.

     The sign gifts were given as a sign to the unbeliever – to them that believed not.  After Jesus ascended, He committed to about 120, the responsibility of preaching a brand new system of truth.  The death, burial and resurrection of a man called Jesus were to be proclaimed.  This was new.  Most people thought His death to be no more than an unfortunate incident – a martyr’s death.  To spread the gospel effectively, to persuade the unbeliever, to authenticate the message of the early church, demanded the accompanying signs.  Remember, the early church did not have the New Testament.  They could not call attention to the New Testament and declare, “Thus saith the Lord…”  (I Corinthians 13:8-10)

[ii] HEAVENLY PRAYER LANGUAGE
     This language is not to be confused with the sign gift of tongues, which was spoken on the day of Pentecost and subsequently in the early church.  This language is not a sign to the unbeliever, but is for the personal edification of the believer.

Notice the difference between the tongues spoken of in the fourteenth CHAPTER OF I Corinthians:
   The heavenly language is spoken to God.  (I Corinthians 14:2)
The earthly language of tongues was spoken to men.  (Acts 2) ·

   The heavenly language was incapable of being understood by man.

(I Corinthians 14:2)

The earthly language was understood by men.

  (Acts 2:11)

     The heavenly language was for self-edification (1 Corinthians 14:4)

The earthly language was for a sign to the unbeliever.  (I Corinthians 14:22)

     The heavenly language was a language of prayer not to be used in the Church for self boasting. It was used to send a message to the church and should be interpreted by a person God has chosen to interpret.
(I Corinthians 14:14-17)

The earthly language was not forbidden.
(I Corinthians 14:39)

   The heavenly language is real and can be experienced today because there is no evidence of it being replaced or done away with in the Scriptures.
The earthly language ceased along with the other sign gifts when the “perfect” – the Bible – came.  (I Corinthians 13:8-10)

Source: http://www.truthtemple.org/164191.ihtml

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