OUR TENETS OF FAITH
• SOLI DEO GLORIA - TO THE GLORY OF GOD ALONE: Everything God planned and executes in history (nothing that is nor happens are excluded), has one final goal, namely to glorify Himself. The pursuit of this goal is thus every man's highest calling and inescapable. To live for self, is the essence of sin.
• SOLUS CHRISTUS - CHRIST ALONE: This grace that God has bestowed upon millions of sinners in all ages, has been based solely on the perfect intercession of His Son, Jesus Christ
alone.
• SOLA SCRIPTURA - THE SCRIPTURE ALONE: The Bible and the Bible alone, is God's exceptional and inspired revelation to man. Therefore it is totally reliable and universally authoritative standard for learning and life.
• SOLA GRATIA - GRACE ALONE: Upon salvation of a sinner, it is entirely due to God's free grace, and grace alone.
• SOLA FIDE - FAITH ALONE: God declares each and every sinner righteous, if she or he from within their spiritual and moral bankruptcy, entirely rely on the mediation of Jesus Christ in order to be acceptable to God. There is no other way to be reconciled to God. No human merit whatsoever of any kind, can supplement Christ's merit, in fact, the Word warns explicitly that any attempt is futilely i.e. disqualification.
1. There is but one Verity and that is Verity as recorded in the infallible Word of the Triune God ("All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, for reproof, wrongs to correct and promote a right way of life " - 2 Tim 3:16).
2. Furthermore we believe Scripture, Old and New Testament, to be God's exceptional revelation to man; that, as originally written, fully inspired by God; this revelation (the cannon) is concluded and sufficient; that it is completely reliable with regard to instruction and content; and it is the supreme and final authority for faith and life (2Tim.3: 15-17; Jes.8: 20; Luk.16: 29-31; Eph.2: 20; Rom 1:19-21; Rm.2: 14-15; Psalm 19: 1-3; Hebr.1: 1; Spr.22: 19-21; Rom.15: 4; 2Pet.1: 19-20).
3. We believe in the only and eternal Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit - as He Himself, in all His Glory, exalted in Holy Scripture, is revealed to us (Dt.6: 4; Jer.10: 10; 1Cor.8: 4-6; 1Tes.1: 9; Matthew 28: 19; 2Kor.13: 14).
4. We believe that God created all things, with man as crown and steward of His creation. The first man, Adam, fell into sin and thus lost his original righteousness. Thus plunging himself and all of creation into misery. This applies specifically to his descendants (all mankind), which subsequently, in their lost state, is under God's wrath. Consequently, all humans, from conception and birth, share in the original sin, which is partially inherent guilt (judicially guilty state under the judgment of God) and partially inherently tainted (morally depraved state and propensity to sin). Thus fallen man is spiritually dead and without the quickening regeneration of the Holy Spirit, it is beyond man's capability to grasp the Gospel, trust in Christ, repent of sin, love God and obey Him (Genesis 1 : 31; Col. 1: 16; Rom.3: 23; 5:12; Titus 1:15; Gen.6: 5; Jer.17: 9; Rom.3: 10-19; 5:12-19; 1Cor.15: 21, 22, 45, 49; Ps.51: 7; Job 14: 4; Eph.2: 3; Romans 6: 20; 5:12; Hebr.2: 14-15;
1Tes.1 : 10).
5. We believe in Jesus Christ, God's Son, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, fully God and fully man forever. He came to earth as God's Great Prophet, Priest and King. He is Head of the elect and God's supreme and final revelation to man (Matt.1: 22-23; Luke 1: 27, 31, 35; Rom 1: 3-4; Php.2: 6 11; Col. 2: 9).
6. We believe in Jesus Christ as the only mediator between God and sinners. He was crucified and died in order to save sinners from the rule and the consequences of their sin. He lived in perfect obedience of the Law for the purpose of His justice to be imputed to them. This dual redemption from God cannot be earned in any way or form on own merit but freely given by faith alone. This belief is not a merely orthodox opinion, but, from a deep awareness of ones own unworthiness, lifelong and exclusive trust in Jesus Christ, our propitiation, that satisfied the Father's requirement for righteousness. Religion is partially a sovereign gift from God, working through His Spirit; and partially the responsibility and action of man himself. Amongst this double sided faith, there is absolutley no contradiction (John 5: 39; 14: 6; Acts 4: 12; Romans 5: 12-19; 1: 2-4, 16-17; 11:33-36; Eph.2: 8-9; 3: 1-14; Revel 5: 9-10; 7:10; Rm.4: 16, 23-25; Ps.110: 3; Jn.6: 37, 44; Acts 13:48; 16:14).
7. We believe in Jesus Christ's personal, physical and historical resurrection from the grave (death); His ascension; and in His current Lordship for the sake of His people as well as for all to submit to Him (Acts 1: 3; 2:33; 13: 38-39; 1Cor.15: 3-6; Galatians 3: 16-22; Eph.1: 10; Col. 1: 20).
8. We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ (Acts 10: 42; Romans 14: 9-10; 1:11; 2Pet.2:4).
9. We believe that Jesus Christ gathers from the entire human race, through the work of the Holy Spirit, an eternal people, regardless of race, gender or class. Authenticity is displayed by fervent persevering in obedience to Him. (John 17: 2-5; 2Kor.5: 18-19; 1Pet.1: 3-4; John 1: 12-13; 1 Cor.2: 6-16; 1Jn.5: 1).
10. We believe in the Holy Spirit, sent at Pentecost as Paraclete (Comforter / Mediator / Helper) from the Father and the Son to the New Testament church. Subsequently He lives in all true believers to realize Christ's role as Mediator and governing them. Thereby exulting Jesus Christ in and through believers, as well as, Him being the guarantee that God's children will eventually receive their full inheritance. He leads each of them, without abolishing their responsibility or fervent obedience upon the final completion of their salvation, by means of the Word and coherent grace. Without His regenerating enlightenment, assurance, sanctification, and equipping of the believer, true Christianity and the church are completely impossible (Acts 2: 39; Romans 8: 9, 14, 17, 23, 26; Lk.11: 13; Eph.1: 13 -14; 4:30; 5: 18-21; 1Kor.12: 4-11; 12-13; 2Kor.3: 18; Col. 3: 10; John 14: 16-18, 26; Gal.5 : 16-26; 1Tes.5: 19).
11. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all people - those who died in Christ to be partakers of eternal salvation and the rest to be partakers of eternal damnation (Rom 1: 4; 4:25 ; 6: 5; 1Pet.1: 3; 1Cor.15: 12-21, 20-21; Matt.27: 53; Acts 1: 21; 2:31; 3:21).
12. We believe that Jesus Christ commands all true believers (and only them) not to forsake the gathering together in a congregational context, to serve Him, according to the guidelines recorded in Scripture. Every believer is responsible to Him and every attempt is to be made to join a local church where the Lord is served in spirit and truth; to dedicate himself to the brothers and sisters; and to abide by the related discipline. Such a local church is only subject to the authority of Jesus Christ, but need to be independent on fellowship with other churches of likemindedness (Acts 2:2; 42-47; 20: 7; Ps.119 : 148; Mt.6: 6; 18: 15-20; 1Kor.12: 12-27; Ps.84; Hebr.10: 25; Rom 1: 7; Eph.1: 20-22).
13. We believe that Jesus Christ instituted the baptism and His Supper. These ordinances should be kept by all true believers (and only them) as an outward sign in obedience and as a confession, pointing to the most basic aspects of their faith and redemption. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water as a confession of identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. The Lord's Supper is the participation in the bread and the cup, depicting Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice, His broken body and shed blood (Acts 2: 37-41; 8: 12-13, 36-38; 9:18; 10 : 47-48; 11:16; 15:9; 16: 14-15, 31-34; 18: 8; 19: 3-5; 22:16; 1Pe.3: 21; Romans 6: 3-4 ; Galatians 3: 27; Col. 2:12; 1Pe.3: 21; Hebr.9: 25, 26, 28; 10:22; Mt.7: 6; 15: 9; 26: 26-28; 28 : 19-20; John 3: 23; 6:29, 35, 47-58; 1Cor.10: 1-2, 16, 17, 21; 11: 23-29; 2Kor.6: 14-15; Exodus .20: 4-5;).