Statement of Faith We are committed in faithfullness to the defense of the revealed truths of the Bible. In doing such we labor to unite believers and provide a safeguard against false doctrine, false prophets, and the spirit of anti-christ. Therefore we stand on the following vital teachings of Holy Scripture, and Historic Orthodox Christianity. The 66 canonical books of the Old and New Testament are fully and verbally inspired; therefore, infallable and free from error in the original writings (the autographa, the autographs). Their central message of salvation and essential doctrine can be clearly apprehended to any who follow the basic and self-evident rules of literary interpretation. Because God is the author of the Bible, it is the authoritive and lone standard for human life, faith, and practice. (sola scriptura). The Trinity. There is one God (Monotheism), The Hebrew Shama 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One.' The Father is God, the Son is God, and The Holy Spirit is God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are eternally distinct from one another. The Persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are formed and completed on the basis of their relational aspects within the Godhead, being aware of one another. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God in essence, nature, and substance; co-equal in power and glory. In the beginning, God created the material universe from nothing (ex nihilo). God who is other than (aseitic), and who transcends the limits of time, location, and matter, created the elements that comprise matter. He spoke, and by His word and His power, the heavens and the earth were created. God created mankind in His own image and likeness. Therefore man finitely possesses certain communicable attributes of God such as rationality, personality, spirituality, morality, volition, contemplation, etc. Man was not created with the incommunicable attributes of God such as perfection, omnipotence, omniscience or divinity. Man is a creation completely subject to his Creator. By disobedience, mankind fell through temptation by satan and severed his relationship with God, therefore, plunging humanity into a state of sin, separation, and spiritual death. Mankind of his own freewill can be found in salvation through the Person and finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit leads man to reconciliation. Man's freewill is not efficacious towards his salvation. Man is saved by grace alone (Sola Gratia), through faith alone (Sola Fide), in the Person of Christ Jesus alone (Solo Christo). Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary. He became man, lived, died, and rose again to atone for our salvation. Thus, in the Lord Jesus Christ, divine and human natures were united in one Person; both natures being whole, perfect, and distinct. Jesus Christ rose from the grave in a physical, flesh and bone body, and was seen numerous times by certain selected people. After 40 days He ascended into heaven in his human body. Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man according to the scriptures. The Holy Spirit is the 3rd Person of the Triune God, possessing a unique distinction from the Father and the Son in idenity. He was present and active during creation and led the Prophets in the writing of the Word of God. The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary during the conception of Jesus. Furthermore, He is always present within the Trinity. He regenerates willing fallen men and actively indwells the born again believer. He applies to man, the finished work of Christ in regeneration and empowers man for service to God during man's earthly sojourn bestowing on believers the Fruit of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides and empowers the Church and convicts the world of sin. We who have turned to God in repentence through Jesus Christ are accountable to God for living a life separated from the world, and characterized by the Fruit of the Spirit. It is our responsibility to contribute by word and deed to the universal spread of the Gospel. We can know for certain if we are saved, as the Holy Spirit witnesses to our spirit that we are the children of God. Jesus Christ shall return, Personally, visably, and bodily, to judge every human being who has ever lived. Those dead who have trusted in Christ's righteousness shall be raised to eternal life and receive glorified bodies that are no longer subject to entropy, sin or death. Those alive will be transformed, also receiving glorified bodies. Those saved will be rewarded for the deeds that were done in their earthly lives. Those who wear the filthy robes of their own self-righteousness and have chosen to reject the righteousness of Christ, shall be raised to eternal damnation; eternally separated from God forevermore, according to their own desires. The Essential Doctrines of the Historic Orthodox Christian Faith The authority and inerrancy of the scriptures (autographs) The Nature of God The Trinity The Creation Humanity Sin Jesus Christ Christ's Death, Burial & Resurrection The Holy Spirit Salvation For a complete explanation of these Doctrines click HERE. (Hermeneutics) The Basic Principles of the Art and Science of Biblical Interpretation The Literal Principle The Illumination Principle The Grammatical Principle The Historical Principle The Teaching Principle The Scripture Harmony Principle (The Analogy of Faith)
Statement of Faith We are committed in faithfullness to the defense of the revealed truths of the Bible. In doing such we labor to unite believers and provide a safeguard against false doctrine, false prophets, and the spirit of anti-christ. Therefore we stand on the following vital teachings of Holy Scripture, and Historic Orthodox Christianity.
The Essential Doctrines of the Historic Orthodox Christian Faith
For a complete explanation of these Doctrines click HERE. (Hermeneutics) The Basic Principles of the Art and Science of Biblical Interpretation
(Hermeneutics) The Basic Principles of the Art and Science of Biblical Interpretation