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Doctrines Of Faith

The Word Of God
Theology Proper
Patrology
Pneumatology

THE WORD OF GOD

The Bible is the Word of God in its entirety, written by men through the Divine agency of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme authority that governs all matters of faith and practice.

Revelation
Revelation is the sovereign act of God by which He reveals to man that which would otherwise be unknown. God has revealed Himself through general and special revelation:

General Revelation – God has revealed himself to a certain degree through:

1. Creation– Externally to man, revealing an omnipotent God (Romans 1:19-20)
2. Conscience – Internally to man, revealing a moral God (Romans 2:14-15)
3. Providence– Around man, revealing a benevolent God (Acts 14:17)

General revelation is a way of describing God’s unchanging presence, power, glory and orderliness without revealing all of His purposes and plans. It shown in Scriptures as a means of condemning man universally (Romans 1:20; 2:1), however, God’s intention is that it invites man to search for a deeper understanding of Him and His plan for salvation (Acts 14:15-18; 17:26-28; Psalms 8:26).

Special Revelation – God has revealed who He is and all that He has done in terms of salvation through special acts and words (i.e. miracles, prophecies, angels, dreams and vision, etc). The final revelation came through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Bible is the recorded and final record of this revelation (Acts 14:15-18; 17:26-28; Psalms 8:26)fully.

Inspiration
Inspiration is God’s act of directing men moved by the Holy Spirit to write the Scripture so that they accurately composed and recorded revelation to man. There are three elements in inspiration:

1. From a divine source – God “breathed” scripture (2 Timothy 3:16).
2. From a human agent – God worked through human personality, culture and genre style (2 Peter 1:20-21).
Without flaw in their original context – All sixty-six books of the bible are thus fully and equally inspired. Every book, idea, and word is from God our benefit (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The words of the Bible are fully inspired by God. Because of this inspiration the Bible is:

1. Inerrant – In the original autographs it is without error (John17:17).
2. Infallible – Incapable of teaching deception (Psalms 119:9).
3. Unique – The only revelation from God to man. It is not to be revised or reedited (Revelation 22:1-19).
4. Unchanging – It’s truths are relevant for all time (Isaiah 40:8).
5. Sufficient – The is sufficient to meet all the needs of the human soul (2 Peter 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17).

God verbally and plenarily inspires the Scripture through the assistance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is in inspired and inerrant for the following reasons:

1. Inerrant – In their original writings they are without error (John 17:17).
2. Infallible – They are entirely true in all of it’s content (Psalms 119:9)
3. Unique – It is the only revelation from God to man. It is not to be added to, nor taken away from (Revelation 22:1-19)
4. Unchanging – It’s relevancy is for all people in every generation (Isaiah 40:8)
5. Sufficient – It meets all of human needs.

Canonicity

All 66 books of the Bible are canonical which mean that in there content they measure up to the final and fixed standards that authenticate them as being Scripture. Even though the Scriptures were canonical the moment they were written, we may only trace the history of them and recognize them as canonical. The historical standards of measuring canonicity of Scripture:

1. Qualified Authority – Was by men who spoke for God? (Hebrews 11:1)
2. Divine Authority – Does the book speak as the voice of God? (Luke 24:52; Mark 1:22)
3. Evident Authority – Is it consistent, factual and aligned with truth? Does it square up with the whole of Scripture? (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1-6)
4. Spiritual Activity – Does it produce spiritual fruit? (Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15-17)
5. Accepted by the Universal Church – Was it widely accepted in the first few centuries amongst the mainline orthodox churches?

THEOLOGY PROPER

The Bible is very clear that there is only one God who eternally exist in three persons, same in nature, co-equal and unchanging in attributes and sovereign glory. God is infinite and perfect, the source, substance and support of all things.

God’s Existence

The Bible affirms that He is self-existing (Exodus 3:14; John 8:58). The Scriptures imply the eternally and constant existence of God. It is also explicit that there is an awareness of God within the heart of man (Romans 1:15, 20; 2:14; Acts 14:17).

God’s Essence and Attributes

  1. The divine nature which makes up His essence can be seen in His:

    • Eternity (Psalm 90:2) – God is infinite with reference to time.
    • Spirituality (John 4:24) – God is invisible, immaterial, living, active and personal.
    • Immensity (Jeremiah 23:24) – God’s spatial dimensions are infinite.
    • Self-existence (Exodus 3:14) – The foundation of God’s existence is God.
  2. His divine attributes can be seen in His:
    • Incommunicable attributes which mean how He is different than us:
      • Omnipresence “All-everywhere” (Psalms 139:7-12)
      • Omniscience “All-knowing” (Psalms 147:5)
      • Omnipotent “All-powerful” (Job 42:2)
      • Immutability (Malachi 3:6)
    • Communicable attributes which mean how we can share in His likeness:
      • Holiness (1 Peter 1:16)
      • Righteousness (Genesis 18:25)
      • Justice (Romans 2:6)
      • Goodness (Mark 10:18)
      • Love (1 John 4:8)
      • Grace (Ephesians 2:8-9)
      • Mercy (Ephesians 2:4-7)
      • Truth (John 14:6; 17:3)
      • Long-suffering (2 Peter 3:9)

God’s Tri-Unity
The triune God exist in three persons, which consist of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The harmony of the trinity is maintained both in the Old and New Testament (Genesis 1:1-2,26; Matthew 28:19-20) and in the apostolic benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14). Each of the Godhead is seen as God in both function and essence: God the Father (Galatians 1:1-3), God the Son (John 1:1-3,14; Titus 2:13) and God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3; 2 Corinthians 3:17). They are all seen as be co-equal but yet varying in roles (John 10:30; 14:6-17; Philippians 2:6).

Creator
We believe that God created the world in six actual days through His Word (Genesis 1:1). Jesus Christ sustains all things by the word of His power (Colossians 1:17). God continues to preserve, guide and govern all events, environments and peoples to bring glory to His name (Psalm 19:1; Isaiah 43:7; Revelation 4:11).

PATROLOGY – The Theology of the “Father”

His Person
The first person of the trinity is seen as God the Father. He can see His work in in many ways and the Bible calls Him “Father” in many different senses.

1. He is the originator of all created things (1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 3:15)
2. He maintained a fatherly relationship to the nation Israel under the Old Covenant (Deuteronomy 32:6; Malachi 1:6; 2:10).
3. He maintains a fatherly relationship to believers under the New Covenant (Matthew 5:45; 6:6-15; Romans 8:16; 1 John 3:1).

His Work

1. He designed the work of redemption, including election (Ephesians 1:3-6).
2. He is the source of creation and providence (1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 2:9).
3. He is the member of the Trinity to whom propitiation is made (John 17:2-7; Hebrews 9:14; 10:10-12).

CHRISTOLOGY – The Theology of “Jesus Christ”

His Person
The second person of the Trinity is Jesus Christ who possesses both the essence and attributes of the Godhead.

1. His Pre-existence – Christ has existed forever. From eternity to eternity, Christ has always been with God and was God (John 1:1). The Father compose the earth in such way that it would ultimately point to and summed in Christ (Ephesians 1:10; Hebrews 1:2). In Christ, God elected all believers (Ephesians 1:9).
2. His Incarnation – While He was fully God (Colossians 1:19), Jesus Christ became fully man through human conception of a virgin, Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21,25). He was conceived by the agency of the Holy Spirit, thus being perfect human being without the sin nature of Adam (Hebrews 4:15). He retained His deity, yet laid aside the privileges of God as He gave Himself as a sacrifice for sin (Philippians 2:6-8).
3. His Hypostatic Union – Jesus is the perfect God-man who is wholly both divine and human in nature. These two natures are eternally united in one person, which never contradict one another.
4. His Impeccability – This union of the two natures perfectly empowered Christ accomplish His work of redemption and yet remain free from sin. His impeccability is based upon His sinless union of both natures. In His sinless humanity, Christ was fully capable of real temptation (Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 4:1-11). Christ in His deity was not only sinless, but he also could not succumb to temptation (James 1:13). Christ inability to give into temptation was due to unchanging nature (Hebrews 13:8), His infinite power to resist temptation (Matthew 28:18; John 5:19) and His perfect knowledge of the full impact and effects of sin (John 2:24-25; 16:30).

His Work

A) Earthly Ministry

Christ’s purpose was to first glorify His heavenly Father and bring reconciliation to men through His atoning death (John 17:4; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19). Jesus authenticated His ministry by His claims to deity and living a sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21), demonstrating signs and wonders (John 20:30-31), dying and rising bodily from the grave (John 20; Matthew 20:19) and ascending in His glorified body to sit at the right hand of God (Acts 1:9-11; Romans 8:34).

1. His Atonement – The death of Jesus Christ is sufficient for all but effective for those whom He has chosen from the foundation of the world (1 Timothy 2:5; John 10:11,15). His death was efficacious as recognition and redemption, propitiation, a substitution and a proof of God’s love and concern for sinners (Romans 3:25-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 2:9; 1 John 2:2).
2. His resurrection – The resurrection is seen in Scriptures as a working of the triune God. Christ prophesied His own resurrection (John 2:19-21; 10:18). The Father also raised Him from the dead (Romans 6:4; Hebrews 1:1). The Holy Spirit was operative in the resurrection of Christ (Romans 8:11). The resurrection of Christ is critical to the gospel message (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), a proof of Christ claims (Romans 1:4), the ground of the believer spiritual power and authority (Ephesians 1:19-20), and the guarantee of the believer glorious resurrection (1 Peter 1:3).

B) Present Ministry

Christ is presently seated at the right hand of God functioning in His intercessory ministry for His people and serving as their High Priest (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1-2). He also exercises His rulership over the church and creation (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:17). He ministers through the Holy Spirit to empower the saints (John 14:16-17).

C) Future Ministry

PNEUMATOLOGY – The Theology of the “Holy Spirit”

The Person of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity possessing completely the essence and attributes of the Godhead.

1) His Personality – The Holy Spirit has all the qualities that a personality consists of: Cognition (1 Corinthians 2:10-12), volition (1 Corinthians 12:11), and emotion (Ephesians 4:30). His personality is further demonstrated through His work.
2) His Deity – The Holy Spirit in Scripture is identified as God (Acts 5:3) and ascribes to Him the attributes of deity (1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Genesis 1:2; Psalms 39:7). His deity is further demonstrated through His work.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

1) Under the Old Covenant

The Holy Spirit was involved in creation (Genesis 1:2) and revealed God to man through men (Numbers 11:25). He came upon certain individuals in order to fulfill His divine plans or offices (Genesis 41:38; Daniel 4:8; Psalms 51:11). He also guided men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to write the holy Scriptures (2 Peter 2:20-21).

2) Under the New Covenant

a. The Holy Spirit’s ministry to Christ – Jesus was wrought by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18, 20). During His earthly ministry, He was anointed and empowered by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; 4:18; Acts 10:38).

b. The Holy Spirit’s ministry to unbelievers – Through the proclamation of the gospel, the Holy Spirit brings conviction to the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11). He also restrains evil in the world (2 Thessalonians 2:7).

c. The Holy Spirit’s ministry to believer’s – At salvation the Holy Spirit regenerates (Titus 3:5; John 3:5-8; Ephesians 2:5), seals (Ephesians 1:13), indwells (Romans 8:9), gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7) and baptizes the believer into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). He also gives insight into the Word of God (John 14:26), the Spirit fills continuously (Ephesians 5:18; Acts 2:4; 4:31), empowers (Acts 1:8), comforts (John 16:7), sanctifies (1 Thessalonians 5:23) and teaches and guides (Romans 8:19; John 16:13).

1. Baptism of the Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit permanently immerses or baptizes the believer into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation (1 Corinthians 12:13).
2. Filling of the Holy Spirit – The Spirit fills the believer continuously throughout the believer’s life. The believer is filled to the degree they yield to the Holy Spirit and His Word (Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16).
3. Gifts of the Spirit – Spiritual gifts are given for the common good of all in the body (1 Corinthians 12:7). The gifts are given sovereignly and to fulfill His purposes (1 Corinthians 12:11). Spiritual gifts are given to aid in edification (1 Corinthians 14:5, 26) and evangelism (1 Corinthians 14:24,25). The gifts should be placed in the three following categories:

a) Support gifts: (i.e. apostles, prophet, evangelist, pastor-teachers) – gifts that establish the church (Ephesians 4:11).

b) Service gifts: (i.e. administration, teaching, giving) – gifts that sustain the church (Romans 12:3-8).

c) Sign Gifts: (i.e. tongues, healing, miracles) – gifts that authenticate the church (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).

ANTHROPOLOGY AND HAMARTIOLOGY

Man’s Creation

On the sixth day of creation God formed man in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). The image of God refers to the immaterial nature, not to the corporeal. This image involves a rational, moral, communal, spiritual and social likeness to God. Man is essentially in three parts; the body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). God created man by an immediate act with a free will and without sin, the highest form of God’s earthly creation (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7; Hebrews 2:7).

The Provision for Salvation

The only way of salvation is by the means of God’s grace through personal trust and faith in Jesus Christ. Christ was offered as a substitutionary sacrifice for man’s sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). The finished work of the cross purchased all that was necessary for salvation through Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:13; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 9:22). The death of Christ was the only satisfactory sacrifice that would appease God’s wrath (Romans 3:23; 5:12; Hebrews 10:4-14).

The Power of Salvation

1. Regeneration – Regeneration is a work of God in which He creates a new birth or makes alive in order for an individual to respond to Him (John 3:3-8; Ephesians 2:5).
2. Faith – Faith is a response to God’s gracious election and efficient call. It is a gift of God in which He enables the individual to believe (Ephesians 2:8-9).
3. Repentance – Repentance is a renunciation of sin and a complete turnaround from that lifestyle. Repentance is also a gift of God in which He enables someone to seeing how sinful they are and thus repent (2 Timothy 2:25; Acts 11:18).
4. Justification – Through faith, God graciously declares righteous the sinner that believes on Christ. The believer is imputed the righteousness of Christ judicially and is forgiven from the guilt and penalty of all sin (Romans 3:22-28).
5.Adoption – Adoption is an act of God at salvation in which He makes us forever a member of his family (John 1:12; Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 3:23-26).
6. Sanctification

  • Positional Sanctification – At the moment of regeneration and justification, the believer is seen in Christ eyes as perfect before God (1 Corinthians 1:30).
  • Progressive Sanctification – Throughout the believer’s life he cooperates with the Holy Spirit as he is being brought into obedience to the Word of God in order to reflect the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:16,24; John 17:17).
  • Perfect Sanctification – This is the final culmination of sanctification in glory when we shall become like Christ, seeing Him as He is (1 John 3:2).

7. Preservation of the Saints – Those who God brings to saving faith shall never lose their salvation (John 10:28; Romans 8:31-39). Because God’s work is unfailing, the believer’s salvation is secured forever. Any true believer will never fall from a state of grace, but will certainly endure to the end (1 John 2:19; 4:4; Luke 22:31-32).
8. Glorification – It is future and the fullest and final aspect of sanctification. Totally a work of God, the believer is totally delivered from the “body of this death” and granted a new, glorified, immortal, spiritual and heavenly after Christ’s glorified body. He will be separated completely and eternally from the presence of sin (1 Corinthians 15:50-54; Revelation 21:27).

ANGELOLOGY, DEMONOLOGY AND SATANOLOGY
Angels

1. Nature – Angels are finite, non-corporeal, spirit beings (1 Peter 1:12; Hebrews 1:7, 14) created by God before the material world (Job 38:7; Psalms 148:25). Though they can appear as men, they are not glorified human beings and are without the power to reproduce (Genesis 18:1-2; Mark 12:25; 1 Corinthians 6:3; Hebrews 12:22-23). They are extremely intelligent but they do not possess omnipotence or omniscience (Matthew 24:36; Psalms 102:20; 2 Peter 2:11).
2. Ministry – Angels execute the sovereign purposes of Christ in the universe (Psalm 103:30). They declare God’s Word (Luke 1:26; Hebrews 2:2), give Him praise (Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 4:5; and perform His will and work (Psalms 103:20; Daniel 12:1). They ministered to Christ on earth (Luke 1:26-33; Matthew 28:6). They minister to the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14; Acts 12:11).
3. Order – the innumerable company of angels is divided into distinct functions, orders and ranks (1 Timothy 5:21; Jude 9; Daniel 8:16; Ephesians 3:10; Genesis 3:33; 6:2-3).
4. Some angels (maybe 1/3 of the angelic host) in an exercise of pride and willful rebellion tried to withstand God (Isaiah 14:13-15; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:7-9)

Satan
The leader of this rebellious host is Satan. Originally created Lucifer (highest in rank and beauty of the angels), he sought to exalt himself as deity. Consequently, God cast him and His followers out of heaven. Lucifer became Satan and the fallen angels became demons (Isaiah 14:12; Ezekiel 28; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). They are presently in control of this world system (2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31), counterfeiting the work of God as angels of light, bent upon thwarting God’s purposes and destroying His work (Genesis 3:1,4; Matthew 12:29; John 8:44; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; 1 John 3:8; Revelation 20:2). Satanic power extends to the possessing of unbelievers (Ephesians 2:2) and the temptation, accusing, misleading are urged to beware their activities (1 Peter 5:8), to resist the devil (James 4:7), and to put on the whole armor of God in order to engage in spiritual warfare with the evil hosts (Ephesians 6:10-18).

ECCLESIOLOGY

The Church

1. The Universal Church – The Universal Church is the whole company of regenerate believers, living or dead, during the period between Pentecost and the return of Christ (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Corinthians 15:52).
2. The Local Church – Members of this one universal body are directed to gather in local assemblies under appointed leadership (1 Corinthians 1:2; Matthew 18:15-18).
3. The Mission of the Church – The church exists to bring God glory (Ephesians 1:6,12). We are called to fame His name throughout the whole earth planting churches that reflect His glory (Matthew 28:19-20).

The Ordinances
The Scriptures command two ordinances to be observed in the local church: Baptism and the Communion Table. The believers observe them as act of obedience, and as a reminder of what Christ did on the cross.

1. Baptism – Baptism is an outward sign of an inward work. It is conducted by immersion of water (Matthew 3:16). Baptism is commanded by Christ (Matthew 28:19-20) and was practiced by the early church (Acts 2:41; 16:15,33; 1 Corinthians 1:13-14). It is always presented as a public testimony of identification of Christ. Thus, baptism before rebirth or for rebirth is unscriptural.
2. The Communion Table – The Communion Table is a memorial meal consisting of bread and cup as symbolic images of Christ’s body and blood (Matthew 26:26-29). The Communion Table was commanded by the Lord and practiced in the early church (1 Corinthians 11:2; 23-26). It is a sign of the new covenant relationship in which sins are fully forgiven (Matthew 26:19,28). It remains as a perpetual practice of church until Christ returns (1 Corinthians 1 1:26; Matthew 26:29).

Polity
Local assemblies are given the authority for administering the ordinances and for conducting worship, edification and evangelism. This means the local church have must leadership in place. The Scripture designates that in order for this to happen, two things must be in place: Elders (also called overseers or pastors) and Deacons. These should be selected by both the Elders and congregation according to the qualifications of godly character and example (1 Timothy 3:3-12; Titus 1:5-9). The Elders maintain general oversight, feed and lead the flock (1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11; 1 Peter 5:1-3), and equip the saints for ministry (Ephesians 4:12). The deacons perform a ministry of service, including physical ministering and management (Acts 6:1-6; Philippians 1:1).

The local church is an autonomous, self-supporting and self-propagating living organism that handles it’s own affairs. It is responsible to teach sound doctrine, choose it’s own officers, is the highest court of appeal in discipline and propagates itself through missions at home and abroad, under the headship of Christ (Acts 6:1-6; 15:2; 1 Corinthians 6:1-5; Acts 2:42; 1 Timothy 3:15; Matthew 18:15-18; 1 Corinthians 5:1-6; Acts 13:1-2; 14:26-27).