We teach...
1. The Scriptures
We teach the Bible, constituting the sixty six books of both the Old Testament and New Testament, is God’s exclusive written revelation to mankind. It is without error in the original manuscripts, infallible and God breathed.
The Bible was composed as God imparted His spoken Word to men, and men, inspired by the Holy Spirit, recorded the Word of God through the vehicle of their own personalities and writing styles.
The Bible is an objective revelation. Whilst there may be various applications to a given passage of scripture, there is but one true interpretation. It is the responsibility of all believers, and especially those with the gift and responsibility of teaching, to diligently study the scriptures to ascertain the true meaning of the text. The Holy Spirit who imparted the scriptures will illuminate the true meaning of the text to those who approach the Word of God with humility, diligence and perseverance.
God has given the scriptures to be authoritative in all matters of faith and practice, useful for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness. Insights and impressions of a prophetic and experiential nature are to be weighed and tested against the testimony of whole counsel of God’s Word.
Applicable References: Ps 12:6, 18:30, 119:105, 119:160, Pr 2:1-15, 30:5, Mt 5:18, 24:35, Mk 13:31, John 7:17, 8:31-32, 10:35, 16:12-15, 17:17, 20:31, Acts 17:11, 20:32, 1 Cor 2:2-15, 1 Thess 5:20-21, 2 Tim 2:15, 3:15-17, Ti 1:9, Heb 4:12, Jas 1:21, 2 Pt 1:20-21, Rev 19:10, 22:18-19.
2. The Trinity
We teach that there is only one living and true God., who is revealed in the Word of God as the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, and made known His name to be YHWH (pronounced “Yahweh”).
This one true God is an infinite Spirit, perfect in all His attributes, one being who exists eternally as three Persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - each Person of the Trinity equally deserving of worship and obedience from the whole created order, both invisible and visible.
Applicable References: Ex 3:15-16, Deut 6:4, Ps 5:4, 18:30, 92:15, 145:17, Is 40:28, 42:8, 43:10, 44:6, 45:5-7, Mt 5:48, 28:19 Jn 4:24, Rm 1:20, 1 Cor 8:4, 2 Cor 13:14, Jas 1:17
3. God The Father
We teach that God the Father is the first Person of the Trinity, who is the Creator of all things, from whom and for whom all things have been created. He is all seeing - possessing perfect knowledge of the past, present and future.
In His omnipotent sovereignty, He sustains, regulates, governs and directs all things, so that nothing happens apart from His causation or permission. God is the author of good, but not of evil. Yet even evil is governed by God in that God limits it and directs it to an end fitting with His overall plan and purpose for His created order.
His Fatherhood refers to His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As the Creator, God is Father to all men, but He is a spiritual Father only to those who have received adoption into the family of God, through faith in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
Applicable References: Gen 1:1-31, Num 23:19, 1 Chr 29:11, Job 28:23-27, Ps 33:13, 66:7, 103:19 115:3, 135:6, 139:1-24,145:8-9, Pr 15:3, 21:1, Is 40:28, Jer 17:10, 23:24, Hab 1:13, Mt 5:45, Lk 1:52, Jn 1:12-13, Rm 8:15, 11:36, 1 Cor 8:6, 2 Cor 6:18, Gal 3:26, 4:15, Eph 1:11, 3:9, 3:14-15, 4:6, Hbe 12:5-9,1 Jn 3:1-2.
4. The Lord Jesus Christ
We teach that Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, possesses all the divine attributes, and in these He is coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father.
God the Father created all things, visible and invisible, according to His own will, through and for His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, the heir of all things, and the one by whom all things continue to exist and function.
In coming to earth and taking on flesh, by being born in the likeness of men, Jesus Christ laid down only the privileges of deity but nothing of the divine substance. In the man Jesus Christ, the eternally existing second Person of the Trinity, the very Word of God, dwelt in human form upon the earth. Thus Jesus Christ represents divinity and humanity in indivisible oneness.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary; was God incarnate; and the purpose of his coming to earth was to reveal God to mankind, to redeem the world from its bondage to sin, and to rule over God’s kingdom.
He accomplished the redemption of all those who exercise faith in Him through the shedding of His blood and sacrificial death on the cross - His death being voluntary, substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive.
God confirmed the deity of His Son and gave proof that He has accepted the atoning work of Christ on the cross by raising him from the dead on the third day. Jesus’ bodily resurrection is also the guarantee of a future resurrection life for all believers, which will occur at the return of Christ.
After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to the Apostles and over five hundred men before ascending to heaven, where He sits for His followers as their Mediator, Great High Priest and Advocate, making intercession for them and pleading their case before God the Father.
Jesus is the Head of his Body, the church, and the coming universal King, who will return to take His rightful place, ruling and reigning on the throne of David in Jerusalem. He is the One who will judge mankind - first the church, followed by the living inhabitants of the earth at His return, then finally the living dead at the Great White Throne judgement.
Applicable References: Ps 2:7-9, Is 7:14, 9:6, Mic 5:2, Mt 1:23, 1:25, 25:14-46, Lk 1:26-35, 24:50-51, Jn 1:1, 1:3, 1:14, 1:29, 5:23, 5:26-29, 10:15, 10:30, 14:9-10, 14:19, 20:24-31, Acts 17:30-31, Rm 1:4, 3:24-25, 4:25, 5:8, 6:5-10, 8:34, 1 Cor 3:10-15, 15:3-7, 15:20, 15:23, 2 Cor 5:10, Eph 1:22, 5:23, Phil 2:9-11, Col 1:15-18, 1 Tim 2:5, Heb 1:2, 7:25-26, 1 Pt 1:18-19, 2:24, 1 Jn 2:1, Rev 20:11-15.
5. The Holy Spirit
We teach that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity, possessing all the attributes of personality and deity, being coequal, consubstantial and coeternal with the Father and the Son.
In Personhood, the Holy Spirit manifests and exercises intellect, emotions, will and truthfulness. In deity, the Holy Spirit is eternal, omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent.
In relationship to mankind, the Holy Spirit brings about the execution of divine will, evidenced by His work in bringing about the creation of the world, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the written revelation of the scriptures and the work of salvation in man.
In relation to the church, the Holy Spirit was sent from the Father at Pentecost, as promised by Jesus Christ before His ascension. The coming of the Holy Spirit gave birth to the church, which is the Body of Christ. Furthermore, the Spirit unites the church as each new believer is baptised in the Spirit and continues to walk in the Spirit. The Spirit brings transformation through convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgement and conforming believers into the image of Christ, to which all those “in Christ” have been predestined by the Father.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is an immersion in the Spirit of Christ, where the Holy Spirit fills and indwells a person who has exercised faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The presence of the Holy Spirit in a person is the guarantee of their inheritance in the age to come. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is typically evidenced by verbal, worshipful utterances which glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, either in a believers’ native tongue or a language foreign to the believer. The baptism of the Holy Spirit may occur as faith is exercised through an initial response to hearing the Gospel; through water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus; or through intentional prayer to God for the baptism of the Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is required for ongoing sanctification and service in the life of a believer and in the Body of Christ respectively. It is the duty of all those “born of the Spirit” to be continually filled and led by the Spirit, who is the divine Teacher.
Since the foundation of the church, the Holy Spirit has administered gifts to believers for works of service in the building up of the Body of Christ. All of the gifts of the Spirit are dispensed according to the will and grace of God the Father. God will continue to bestow the gifts of the Spirit until the literal and bodily return of Jesus Christ. Therefore it is the responsibility of those who have been given gifts of the Spirit to exercise them faithfully in service to Christ for the good of His church.
Although a person can experience an emotional and bodily reaction triggered by a deep work of the Holy Spirit, the testimony of scripture is that the Holy Spirit does not seek to glorify himself by outlandish and ostentatious displays within the gathering of the church. Rather, the Spirit works to glorify Jesus Christ by implementing His work of redeeming the lost and building up believers in love and holiness. Therefore the gifts of the Spirit are to be exercised faithfully, orderly and selflessly in the love of Christ, by giving primary consideration to the good of others rather than ones own spiritual experience.
Applicable References: Gen 1:2, Ps 139:7-10, Is 40:13-14, Jer 31:31-34, Mt 1:18, 28:19, Jn 3:5-7, 14:16-17, 15:26, 16:7-9, 16:13, Acts 1:5, 1:8, 2:4, 5:3-4, 8:15-18, 10:44-47, 11:13-18, 28:25-26, Rm 8:9, 8:29, 12:4-8, 15:13, 1 Cor 2:10-13, 12:4-11,12:13, 13:1-13, 14:12, 14:20-33, 2 Cor 3:6, 3:18, 13:14, Eph 1:13, 2:22, 4:12, 4:30, 5:18, Ti 3:5, Heb 9:14, 10:15-17, 2 Pt 1:20-21, 1 Jn 2:20, 1 Jn 2:27.
6. Man
We teach that man was created by God in His image and likeness. God created man directly and instantly on the sixth day of His work in creation.
Man was created free of sin, with a moral responsibility before God, having been given by God the ability and capacity to make free and self-determining choices. God’s intention for man was to populate the earth and rule over it in partnership with him, where man enjoys fellowship with God, lives in accordance with God’s revealed will and by doing so, displays the glory of God to the whole created order.
Due to the sin of the first man Adam, where he willingly transgressed the revealed will of God in response to the temptation of Satan, man has lost his innocence, incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death and became the subject of God’s wrath. All human beings inherit the sin of Adam and are thus born with a corrupt nature, incapable of obeying God apart from divine grace. Therefore the world is hopelessly lost and under condemnation. Man’s only hope of salvation lies in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ who has atoned for the sin of mankind through His life, death and resurrection.
Applicable References: Gen 1:27-31, 2:7, 2:15-25, 3:1-19, Ps 14:1-3, Is 43:7, Jer 17:9, Jn 3:36, Rm 3:9-18, 3:23, 5:101-12, 6:23, 1 Cor 2:14, Eph 2:1-3, Col 1:16, 1 Tim 2:13-14, Jas 3:9, 1 Jn 1:8, Rev 4:11.
7. Salvation: Introduction
We teach that salvation is wholly by the grace of God on the basis of redemption in Jesus Christ, which has been afforded to man by the shed blood of Jesus, not on the basis of human merit or works. The fullness of salvation consists of one’s justification, sanctification and glorification in Christ.
Applicable References: Jn 1:12, Rm 8:29-30, Eph 1:7, 2:8-10, 1 Thess 4:3-9, 1 Pt 1:18-19
8. Salvation: Predestination and Election
We teach that according to his foreknowledge and sovereignty, God has chosen to elect and predestine to salvation and service those who exercise faith in his Son, Jesus Christ. The nature of both election and predestination is primarily corporate, and secondarily individual - before the foundation of the world, God chose the corporate Body of Christ to receive salvation in his Son and to perform works in accordance with their new identity in Christ. Therefore election and predestination for the individual rests upon their inclusion in Christ and by extension, his Body.
Applicable References: Jn 15:16, Rm 8:29-30, Eph 1:3-14, 2:8-10, 1 Pt 1:1-2, 2:6-10
9. Salvation: Grace
We teach that the grace of God has been made available to all mankind in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His grace is extended through the preaching of the Gospel, which alone is the power of God unto salvation and the means by which God draws man to Jesus Christ. God’s desires that none would perish and thereby offers grace to all mankind without distinction, partiality or bias. Man may accept the grace of God through a faithful response to the Gospel, or reject the grace of God through continual unbelief. In that sense, God’s grace is resistible and its solely the choice of man whether to receive or reject God’s grace.
Applicable References: Jn 3:16, 6:44, 12:32, Acts 10:34-35, Rm 1:16, 10:13-21, 2 Cor 6:1, Gal 2:20-21, 5:4, Ti 2:11-14, Heb 12:15, 2 Pt 3:9
10. Salvation: Justification
We teach that justification before God is an act of God, by which he declares righteous those who, through faith in Christ, repent of their sins and confess him as Lord. This righteousness includes the imputation of our sins to Christ and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us. This righteousness is apart from any work or virtue of man. By this means, God is enabled to “be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus”.
We teach that every believer is sanctified (set apart as holy) unto God by justification and is therefore identified as a saint. This sanctification is positional and instantaneous and should not be confused with progressive sanctification. This sanctification has to do with a believers standing before God, not his present walk or condition.
Applicable References: Is 55:6-7, Lk 13:3, Acts 2:38, 3:19, 11:18, 20:32 Rm 2:4, 3:20, 3:26, 4:6, 8:33, 10:9-10, 1 Cor 1:2, 1:30, 6:11, 12:3, 2 Cor 4:5, 5:21, 7:10, 2 Thess 2:13, Phil 2:11. Col 2:14, Heb 2:11, 3:1, 10:10, 10:14, 13:12, 1 Pt 1:2, 2:24
11. Salvation: Sanctification
We teach by the power of the Holy Spirit, there is a progressive sanctification, by which the state of the believer is brought closer to the standing the believer positionally enjoys through their justification. Through obedience to the Word of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, the believer is able to live a life of increasing holiness in conformity to the will of God, becoming progressively more like our Lord Jesus Christ.
We teach that the journey of progressive sanctification is an ongoing conflict, where the new creation in Christ, realised by the presence of the Holy Spirit within us, battles against the desires of our flesh. This is an ongoing battle which will never be fully completed until we are glorified. Therefore we reject claims that man can be completely eradicated of sin in this body, however we affirm that progressive victory over sin should be the reality for any faithful believer.
Applicable References: Jn 17:17, 17:19, Rm 6:1-22, 2 Cor 3:18, Gal 5:16-25, Eph 4:22-24, Phil 3:12, Col 3:9-10, 1 Thess 4:3-4, 5:23, 1 Pt 1:4-16, 1 Jn 3:5-9
12. Salvation: Glorification
We teach that the fullness of salvation granted to believers through the gift of God’s grace, finds its culmination at the second coming of Jesus Christ. Upon his return to earth, Jesus Christ will transform the bodies of believers, both alive and dead, to be like his resurrected body. The new glorified body will be completely free from the bondage of sin, sickness and death that our mortal bodies experience. The body of the resurrected saint will be immortal, imperishable and fit for eternity. Thus the blessed hope of every Christian is the coming of Jesus and the glorification of their bodies, at which point their salvation is fully realised.
Applicable References: Rm 5:2, 8:18-25, 1 Cor 13:12, 15:51-53, 2 Cor 4:17 Phil 3:20-21, 1 Tim 6:14-16, Ti 2:13, 1 Jn 3:2
13. Salvation: Security and Perseverance
We teach that a believer can be assured of their salvation, so long as they persevere in faith. A believer is called to examine their lives to assure themselves that they’re in the faith. Assurance comes from a personal conviction that the Holy Spirit is dwelling within and the evidence of spiritual fruit in the life of a believer. We teach that it is possible for a believer to have exercised genuine faith in Jesus Christ and then to have turned away, forfeiting their eternal inheritance. Therefore all believers have the responsibility to persevere in faith through the trials of this life in order to receive their inheritance in the age to come.
Applicable References: Mt 13:1-9, 13:18-23, 24:9-13, 24:24, 24:45-51, Jn 15:1-11, Rm 8:16, 1 Cor 10:13, 2 Cor 13:5, Gal 5:16-24, Phil 2:1-13, 3:12-16, Heb 6:1-12, 10:26-36, 1 Pt 1:5, 1 Jn 4:13, Rev 2:10, 2:17, 2:26, 3:5, 3:12, 3:21
14. The Church: Introduction
We teach that all who place their faith in Jesus Christ are baptised by the Holy Spirit into one united, global and spiritual Body, known as the church and the Bride of Christ. Jesus Christ himself being the Husband, Chief Shepherd and Head of this Body. We teach that the church was birthed and founded at the Day of Pentecost and will be caught up into the air with Jesus at his return, resurrected to reign with Christ in the age to come.
15. The Church: One new man in Christ.
We teach that the church is made up of all born again believers in this present age. The church is an elect group, comprising of Jews who have placed there faith in Jesus as the Messiah, and Gentiles who have been grafted into the new covenant through faith in Christ. Ethnic Israel being a distinct group - the people of the patriarchs, promises and covenants, whom God plans to be saved, through faith in Jesus alone, provoked by the witness of believing Gentiles, according to depths of his wisdom and for His glory.
16. The Church: Governance, Membership & Discipline
We teach that the establishment and continuance of local churches, governed by a plurality of qualified elders and deacons is clearly taught in the New Testament to be the chosen structure through which God’s people are to be spiritually nurtured and built up in the faith. God directs every believer to associate with a local congregation; through regular attendance, submission to godly oversight, sharing in communal prayer, worship and ordinances and offering their gifts in service for the care and maturing of the church. Mutual accountability of all believers to one another and church discipline for sinning members of the congregation according to New Testament teaching is required in order for the church to prosper and display the glory of God.
17. The Church: Spiritual Gifts
We teach the making of disciples to be the Great Commission given to the church by our Lord Jesus Christ. The offices of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher are given by God, along with all other spiritual gifts listed in the New Testament, for the equipping of the saints for ministry, and for the maturing of the church in faith. The offices listed here and spiritual gifts listed in the New Testament are available to the Body of Christ, according to the grace of God, until the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. This includes but is not limited to the gifts of prophecy, healing, miracles and speaking in tongues. The gift of New Testament prophecy is partial in nature and is to be weighed in accordance with the Apostolic revelation found in the scriptures.
18. The Church: Ordinances
We teach that two ordinances have been given to the local church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism by full immersion being the righteous response for those who have understood the Gospel, repented of their sins and put the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism is a testimony of faith in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, an appeal to God for a clean conscience and a spiritual joining with the Body of Christ. The Lord’s Supper is taken in remembrance and for the proclamation of our Lord’s death until He comes. It should always be entered into soberly, proceeded by solemn self examination. The elements of bread and wine are only representative of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, participation in the Lord’s Supper is an actual communion with the risen Christ, who indwells every born again believer, and so is present, fellowshipping with God’s people.
Applicable References: Mt 3:15, 18:5-22, 28:19-20, Acts 2:41-42, 8:36-39, 14:23, 14:27, 20:17, 20:28, Rm 6:1-11, 9:3-5, 9:24-10:4, 11:1-2, 11:11-36, 12:3-8, 1 Cor 5:1-13, 10:16, 11:18-20, 11:27-32, 12:12-31, 13:8-12, 14:26, 14:37, 2 Cor 11:2, Gal 1:2, Eph 1:22, 2:11-3:6, 3:21, 4:7, 4:11-16, 5:18-21, 5:23-32, Phil 1:1, Col 1:18, 1 Thess 1:1, 2 Thess 3:6-15, 1 Tim 1:19-20, 2 Tim 2:12, Ti 1:10-16, Heb 10:25, 13:7, 13:17 1 Pt 3:21, 5:4, Rev 19:7-8, 20:4
19. Eternity: Introduction
We teach that every person throughout the history of creation will be resurrected, the saved to eternal life and the lost to judgement and everlasting punishment.
Applicable References: Dan 12:2, Jn 5:29, 6:39, R 8:10-11, 8:19-23, 2 Cor 4:14, Rev 20:13-15.
20. Eternity: Death
We teach that upon the death of the physical body, there is a separation of body and soul, at which point the conscious soul of a believer passes immediately into the presence of Christ. This separation continues for the believer until the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, upon which all those who’ve died believing in Christ will be raised to life at the first resurrection, where our soul and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with our Lord. Upon the death of the lost, they are kept under punishment until the second resurrection, when the soul and the resurrected body will be united. They shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgement and cast into the lake of fire, separated from the life of God forever.
Applicable References: Dan 12:2, Mt 25:41-46, Lk 16:19-26, 23:43, Jn 5:28-29, Phil 1:21-24, 3:21, 1 Cor 15:35-44, 15:50-54, 2 Cor 5:8, 1 Thess 4:13-17, 2 Thess 1:7-9, Rev 6:9-11, 20:4-6, 20:11-15
21. Eternity: The Great Tribulation, The Return of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and The Millennial Reign
We teach that preceding the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, there will be a seven year period of Great Tribulation upon the earth, when the righteous judgements of God will be poured out upon an unbelieving world. We teach that the church present upon the earth during this period will go through the Great Tribulation in great power and victory. We teach that the climax of this period will be the bodily return of our Lord to the earth, where he will take up the throne of King David in Jerusalem, reward his saints, overthrow the Antichrist and False Prophet and remove Satan from the world. He will proceed to establish his messianic kingdom on earth for one thousand years. During this period, the resurrected saints will reign with our Lord over all the nations of the earth, including Israel.
We teach that the messianic kingdom will be the fulfilment of God’s promise to Israel, to restore them to the land they forfeited through their disobedience. The result of their disobedience being that Israel was temporarily set aside, as the Gospel was proclaimed among the Gentiles to the ends of the earth. Yet Israel will be awakened through repentance and faith in Christ, to enter the land of promise and blessing. This time of our Lord’s reign will be characterised by peace, justice, righteousness and longevity of life. It will be brought to an end by the release of Satan.
Applicable References: Deut 28:15-68, Is 65:17-25, Jer 30:7, 31:31-34, Ez 36:22-38, 37:21-28, Dan 7:17-27, 9:24-27, 12:1-3, Zech 8:1-17, Mt 21:43, 24:15-31, 25:31-46, Lk 1:31-33, Jn 14:1-3, Acts 1:10-11, 2:29-30, Rm 11:1-26, 1 Thess 4:13-18, 2 Thess 2:7-12, Titus 2:13, Rev 19:11-16, 20:1-7
22. Eternity: The Judgement Of The Lost
We teach that following the release of Satan, at the culmination of the thousand year reign of Christ, Satan will deceive the nations of the earth and gather them to battle against the saints and the city of Jerusalem, at which time Satan and his army will be devoured by fire from heaven. Following this, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire, at which point, Christ, will resurrect and judge the rest of mankind at the Great White Throne Judgement. The resurrection of the unsaved dead is a physical resurrection, whereupon receiving their judgement, they will be committed to eternal conscious punishment in the lake of fire.
Applicable References: Mt 25:41, Jn 5:22, 5:28-29, Rev 20:7-15
23. Eternity: The Dwelling of God With His Saints
We teach that after all these things have taken place, the saints will enter into an eternal state of glory with God, after which the elements of this earth are to be dissolved, and replaced with a new earth wherein only righteousness dwells. Following this, the heavenly city will come down out of heaven and will be the dwelling place of the saints. Here, they will enjoy everlasting fellowship with God and one another. Our Lord Jesus Christ, having fulfilled his redemptive mission, will then deliver up the kingdom to God to the Father, that in all things, the triune God may reign forever.
Applicable References: Jn 17:3, 1 Cor 15:24-28, Eph 5:5, 2 Thess 1:9, 2 Pt 3:10, Rev 20:7-15, 21:1-27, 22:1-21