Our Beliefs
MATTHEW 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
MARK 12:30-31
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”
THE CONFESSION OF FAITH
The faith by which “Church of the Saviour” exists as a distinct body, and which every member accepts is based upon the Bible as our authority.
1. THE BIBLE:
We believe the Word of God to be the 66 Books of the Old and New Testaments, verbally inspired and without error as originally given by God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21)
2. THE ONE TRUE GOD:
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three in one, co-equal, which is the Trinity. (Luke 3:22; Matthew 28 :19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
3. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST :
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of God, (John 1:1-3) conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-23; John 1:14) and lived a sinless life (Hebrew 4:15). Jesus died as atonement for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21) and was raised from the dead body on the third day (Luke 24:36-43). He ascended into Heaven where He intercedes at the Father’s right hand and heads the Church (Hebrews 4: 14-16) and from where He will come again personally and imminently .
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT:
We believe in the Holy Spirit, one of three persons of the Trinity, (John 16:7- 15; Acts 5:3-4) who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He makes believers new creatures in Christ, baptizing and indwelling them at the moment of regeneration (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12: 13). The Holy Spirit fills (Ephesians 5:18) to empower for Christian life and service. (Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 3: 16).
5. MAN:
We believe that man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28), that He sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but spiritual death (Genesis 3: 1-24; Romans 5:12). All human beings are born with a sinful nature and those who reach moral responsibility become sinners in thought, word, and deed. This sinful nature separates a person from God, and out of necessity a person needs the new birth for Salvation (John 3 :3-5)
6. SALVATION:
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, and we are made right with God on the basis of His shed blood upon the cross. Salvation is received as a gift from God, not from our own works or deserving-but through personal faith in Christ, which is a wholesome faith, full of peace and confidence (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; 1 Peter I:18-19).
7. THE CHURCH:
We believe that the True Church is the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-32). It is composed of all true believers of the present age (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). The local church is God’s vehicle for developing spiritual maturity, fellowship among Christians, and equipping them to relate the Gospel to the World (Ephesians 4:11-16). The local church budget should be supported by God’s financial plan of “Tithes and Offerings” (Malachi 3 .10; 2 Corinthians 9:7).
8. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE:
We believe a Christian should live a righteous life:
Modeled by … separation from “Destroying Habits” of body, mind, and soul (Romans 12:1-2) Manifested by … Speaking the “Truth” (James 5: 12). Showing … a “Christ-Like Attitude” (Romans 12:17-21) Exhibiting … “The Fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23). Including … a developing devotional life of prayer (Ephesians 6: 18; Philippians 4:6). Understanding . .. of God’s Holy World
9. ORDINANCES:
We believe that there are two sacraments ordained by Jesus Christ our Lord in the Gospels:
I) Baptism – by any mode.
– It is a sign of profession concerning our new birth.
2) The Lord’s Supper- Communion
It is a time of remembrance-Examination and Re-commitment concerning Christ’s death upon the Cross for our sins. It is also a symbol of the love and togetherness Christians should experience through partaking of the bread and cup.
10. SATAN:
We believe in the existence of Satan who is working in this world to destroy a person ‘s soul (Revelation 12:1-10). His doom is certain through Christ
11. CHRIST’S SECOND COMING:
We believe in that “Blessed Hope” of the personal, visible, and imminent return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17).
12. FUTURE LIFE:
We believe in the conscious existence of the dead (Philippians 1:21-23; Luke 16:19-31), the Resurrection of the Body (John 5:28-29), the judgment and reward of believers (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10), and the judgment and condemnation of unbelievers (Revelation 20: 11-15).