{"id":205,"date":"2022-05-12T18:07:34","date_gmt":"2022-05-12T23:07:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/christian-tshimanga\/?page_id=205"},"modified":"2022-05-12T21:59:15","modified_gmt":"2022-05-13T02:59:15","slug":"our-doctrinal-statement","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/christian-tshimanga\/our-doctrinal-statement\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Doctrinal Statement"},"content":{"rendered":"

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0One God\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We believe in one God, holy, all-knowing, all-powerful, and eternally existing in three persons: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. (Is. 44:6-7, Lev. 19:2, Heb. 1:3, Matt. 28:19)<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Revelation\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Scripture (66 canonical books) is the inspired Word of God, inerrant, and the final authority for all of life and practice. It is living and active, providing spiritual nourishment, refreshment and admonishment to the believer. It is God\u2019s gracious revelation of Himself to mankind, expressing His glory, love and purpose towards His creation.\u00a0\u00a0(2 Tim. 3:16, Heb. 4:12, Psalm 19:7-11)<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Creation of Humanity\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

God created man, male and female, in His own image on the sixth day. Man\u2019s primary end was to be in relationship with God to bring God glory and to enjoy fellowship with Him forever. Man\u2019s original mandate was to fill the earth and to subdue it, that God\u2019s glory would be known throughout the world\u2013to the ends of the earth. (Gen. 1:16-31, Gen 2:4-25, Hab. 2:14)<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Fall\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam and Eve\u2019s first disobedience in the Garden, the Fall, brought death (physical, spiritual and eternal) as they stepped out from under God\u2019s Law. As a result of the fall, all mankind are sinners, dead in sin and completely separated from the Holy God. Sin is passed on through Adam, the first man, and every descendant of Adam is a sinner from birth\u2013under the curse of sin, condemned, and without righteousness. (Gen. 3, 1 Cor. 15:22a, Romans 6:23)
\n5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Plan of God\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

God\u2019s plan is eternal and no one, man or Satan can thwart it. God\u2019s purposes in creation were for His Glory to be manifest through the created order of man\u2019s humble worship. Yet when man sinned, God\u2019s eternal purposes were not hindered. The Old Testament repeatedly points forward to Jesus Christ as the only sufficient sacrifice for sins. The New Testament Gospels introduce Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, fully man and fully God. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died as a sacrifice for mankind\u2019s sins, and rose again in victory over death. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ lives in heaven, as head of the Church, advocating on our behalf. He is worthy of worship, and it is for this purpose that missions is both a command and a privilege for the Church. (Eph. 1:1-14, 1 Cor. 15: 1-10, Rev. 5:9, Matt. 28:18-20)<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Gospel\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Good News of the Gospel is that God acted out of his great glory and love on behalf of his fallen creation demonstrating perfect love and justice while we were yet sinners. Jesus Christ came into the world and provided atonement for sins through his death and resurrection for those who believe on His name and confess him as Lord. (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8, Rom. 10:9-10)<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Salvation through Christ Alone\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Salvation is a free gift received through faith in Christ alone. There is no other way for man to be reconciled with God, not through good works or any other means. It is only through the completed work of Christ upon the cross that God\u2019s righteous wrath against sin is satisfied and man can find forgiveness through a personal faith in Christ\u2019s work on his behalf. (Eph. 2:8-9, John 14:1-7, Is. 64:6)<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Justification of Sinners\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

God in his holiness and justice cannot forgive sin unless the debt (death) has been paid. Christ made a substitutionary atonement by becoming sin for us and dying in our place. His perfect life and sinless death impute his righteousness to believers. Jesus Christ\u2019s declaration that, \u201cIt is finished\u201d and his resurrection from the dead assures us that each sinner who believes upon him will be forgiven and saved from eternal separation from God and to eternal life in heaven. (2 Cor. 5:21, Eph. 2:13)<\/p>\n

9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Ministry of the Holy Spirit\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our family rejoices in both the ministry and mystery of the Holy Spirit\u2019s work on our behalf.<\/p>\n

In Salvation: We believe that the Holy Spirit quickens and convicts the hearts of sinners, who have a responsibility to respond with repentance and faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit gives life and indwells upon salvation bringing the believer into God\u2019s Family. (John 16:8, Rom. 8:15)<\/p>\n

In Sanctification: The Holy Spirit indwells and gives spiritual life upon salvation. Positionally, we are new creatures with right standing before God. In progressive terms of sanctification, the Spirit is our \u201cHelper:\u201d guiding, convicting and producing fruits of salvation as we abide and walk with Christ in the Spirit\u2019s power. (Gal. 5:13-25)<\/p>\n

In Glorification: Our glorious inheritance as God\u2019s children is sealed and preserved by the guaranty of the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 1:13-14)<\/p>\n

On Sign Gifts:\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

We do not practice or seek sign gifts; we believe there were purposed for affirmation of the Gospel during the early church. However, we do not presume upon God\u2019s right to act in these ways within His created world if He deems it best.\u00a0\u00a0(Acts 2, Romans 12, 1 Cor. 12)<\/p>\n

10.\u00a0\u00a0The Church\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Universal Church:<\/em>\u00a0We believe that the Church is the Bride of Christ and is made up of true believers from the New Testament age with Christ as its Head. The Church was instituted at Pentecost in Acts 2.\u00a0\u00a0(Acts 2)<\/p>\n

The Local Church<\/em>: The local church functions as the tangible body of Christ within its community. It is made up of believers who have joined together in fellowship through baptism and church membership. Within this local body, members are blessed to grow: in their identity in Christ and as His Body, in their knowledge of the Scripture, in their participation in body life by exercising their spiritual gifts for the edification of the church; and in their witness to the world, participating in making disciples of every nation. It is the privilege of the Church to participate in making Christ known among the nations until He returns.\u00a0\u00a0(Eph. 1:22-23, Eph. 4:11-16, Matt. 28:19-20)<\/p>\n

11.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Baptism and the Lord\u2019s Supper\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Within the local church, Christ has instituted two ordinances: Baptism and the Lord\u2019s Supper. We believe in baptism of the believer by immersion to declare to the world their belief and allegiance to Christ. It is a visible sign of our identification and union with Christ in His death and resurrection to new life.\u00a0\u00a0We believe Christ instituted the Lord\u2019s Supper for the Church as an ordinance to remind and preach to itself and observers the Good News and Work of Christ until He returns. (Matt 3:13-17, Acts 9:10-19, Acts 8:26-40, Matt. 28:19, 1 Cor. 11:17-32)<\/p>\n

12.\u00a0\u00a0Things to Come\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The hope of the Church is in the imminent return of Christ to gather His saints and to carry out the final judgement and restoration of all things. We root our confidence and courage in the Revelation passages that detail the throngs of people from every nation, tribe and tongue before the throne singing, \u201cWorthy is the Lamb that was slain!\u201d The beauty of God\u2019s glory and love\u2013from even before creation made manifest in Christ\u2019s ultimate selfless sacrifice\u2013is what compels us to go to the ends of the earth with the Gospel.\u00a0\u00a0(1 Thess. 4:13-18, 2 Cor. 5, Rev. 5:9-14)<\/p>\n

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1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0One God\u00a0 We believe in one God, holy, all-knowing, all-powerful, and eternally existing in three persons: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. (Is. 44:6-7, Lev. 19:2, Heb. 1:3, Matt. 28:19) 2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Revelation\u00a0 Scripture (66 canonical books) is the inspired Word of God, inerrant, and the final authority for all of life and practice. It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1176,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-205","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/christian-tshimanga\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/christian-tshimanga\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/christian-tshimanga\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/christian-tshimanga\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1176"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/christian-tshimanga\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=205"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/christian-tshimanga\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/205\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/christian-tshimanga\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}