Basic Doctrines of Christ

THAT WHICH WE ALSO BELIEVE

We preach Christ, His virgin birth, His works, His teachings, His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension, His Second Coming, the Millennial Reign, the White Throne Judgment and Eternity. The following are the doctrines of the Church which is the Body of Christ:

TRINITY : God is one, but in three Persons — God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. They are three distinct Persons, yet co-equal and co-eternal. Faith in the triune God is the backbone of the Church (Isa.48:16 ; I Jn.5:7).

NEW BIRTH :

(i ) Conviction of sins (Acts 2:37)

(ii) Repentance from dead works and faith towards God (Acts 2:38; Heb.6:1)

(iii) Confession of sins (I Jn.1:9)

(iv) Reconciliation with God and man (II Cor.5:20; Matt.5:21-26)

(v) Restitution (Lk.19:8)

(vi) Justification (Rom.5:8,9)

(vii) Sanctification (I Jn.1:7)

WATER BAPTISM administered by a Spirit-baptized minister in the name of the triune God (Matt.28:19). This is given only to a born-again child of God (Mk.16:16; Acts 19:5).

DIVINE HEALING : Our sicknesses and infirmities were borne by Jesus on the cross
(Matt.8:17; I Pet.2:24). He gave to His disciples, the power to heal (Mk.3:15). Divine healing is children’s bread (Matt.15:26).

THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT is the endowment of power from on high (Lk.24:49). The triune God comes to dwell in us (Jn.14:16,20). Our heart is filled with the love of God (Rom.5:5). It is evidenced by speaking in tongues, as the Spirit gives utterance (Acts 2:4).

SEPARATION : We are to separate ourselves from the untoward generation (Acts 2:40)

(i) untoward or perverse in life (II Cor. 6:14 -18; Phil.2:15)

(ii) untoward or perverse in doctrine (Gal.1:7; I Tim. 4:1-3; II Jn.10).

ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION : God wants us to be sanctified wholly in our spirit, soul and body (I Thess.5:23).

(i) Sanctification through the blood of Jesus (Heb.13:12)

(ii) Sanctification through the Word of God (Jn.17:17)

(iii) Sanctification through the Spirit (Rom.15:16).

OVERCOMING LIFE speaks of a total victory in our life and ministry over the flesh, Satan and the world. To such is given the promise of inheriting all things (Rev.21:7).

CONSECRATED MINISTRY : God has ordained five kinds of offices in the Church. The servants of God holding these offices come under the order of Melchisedec and are called the gifts of Christ (Eph.4:7,11-13 ; Heb.7:1-3 ; Lk.14:26,27,33). Unto them are revealed the mysteries of the kingdom of God (Matt.13:11) . They become the foundation stones upon Christ, the Chief Corner Stone (Eph.2:20-22).

PERFECTION : This is the whole concern of God for man. However, the privilege of attaining this perfection in Christ Jesus is given only to the New Testament Church (Matt.5:48; Col.1:28).

RAPTURE : The sudden transportation of the perfected saints, of those who have slept in Christ and those who are alive in Christ to heaven is known as the ‘Rapture’. This will take place at the ‘secret’ coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (I Thess.4:16,17).

TRIBULATION AND GREAT TRIBULATION : This will be for a period of seven years, divided into two equal halves, under the reign of the Antichrist, in which the remnant Church and the Jews will be persecuted respectively (Rev.12:6,13-17; Dan.9:27; 12:7).

RESURRECTION : Given below are the different orders of resurrection. The first order of resurrection namely, that of Christ has already taken place. The next four orders will take place before the Millennial Reign, and the last two, after the Millennial Reign (I Cor.15:23). The first five orders of resurrection are together called the ‘first resurrection’ (Rev.20:6).

(i) Christ, the Firstfruits (I Cor.15:23)

(ii) The New Testament Church (I Cor.15:23)

(iii) The Tribulation martyrs (Rev.14:15)

(iv) The two witnesses (Rev.11:12)

(v) The Old Testament saints and general martyrs (Rev.11:18,19) (vi) The saved (Jn.5:28,29)

(vii) The wicked or the unsaved (Jn.5:28,29; Rev.20:12-15)

THE MILLENNIAL REIGN : This is the thousand year reign of the Lord Jesus Christ and His saints who come under the ‘first resurrection’, on this earth. The devil will be bound during this time (Rev.20:2-4).

THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT :

:The sea, death and hell shall give up the dead
(Rev.20:13). God shall judge both the living and the dead according to their works (Rev.20:11,12). The righteous (sheep) shall enter into everlasting life and the wicked (goats) shall be cast into unquenchable fire (Matt.25:34,41).

ETERNITY: The different eternal habitations are

(i) Zion (Rev.14:1)—Overcomers—144,000 servants of God

(ii) New Jerusalem (Rev.21:2)—Overcomers—believers

(iii) New Heaven (Rev.21:1)—the Old Testament saints and martyrs

(iv) New Earth (Rev.21:1)—the saved

(v)Lake of fire or second death (Rev.20:14; 21:8)—the wicked, death,
hell and Satan shall be cast into the lake of fire.