3. The essential, absolute and eternal
Deity (Godhood) of the Lord Jesus Christ; His conception by the Holy
Ghost, His Birth of the virgin Mary, His real but sinless humanity.
4. The work of Jesus Christ, i.e. His voluntary humiliation in life
as a Man of Sorrows culminating in His substitutionary and atoning
death (thereby securing righteousness, forgiveness and eternal life
for all who are united to Him by faith) as a sacrifice for sin. On
the third day he was raised (the Resurrection) from the dead in that
very body that had laid in the tomb. This same Jesus Christ ascended
to heaven as the only Mediator between God and man and there He
remains in intercession for His people till His coming again
personally and visibly in glory and power.
5. The Holy Spirit's deity and personality and His essential work
in regeneration, conversion and sanctification.
6. The creation of a man in the image of God, his sin and fall,
the consequences passing to all humanity, extending to every part of
human nature and resulting in the universal guilt of mankind and
liability to Divine justice nd eternal punishment.
7. The personality of Satan, his opposition to God and His
perposes, and his corruption and enslavment of man.
8. Salvation as solely by the grace of God, accomplished by God
the Son and applied by God the Holy Spirit; appropriated by
God-given faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; including regeneration,
justification, sanctification and final glorification.
9. The resurrection of the body (i.e. all who have ever died),
the judgement of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ , the
everlasting blessedness of the saved in Heaven and the everlasting
punishment of the lost in Hell.
10. The Spiritual Unity of all who truly believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ and their duty to maintain n themselves and in the
Church a standard of life and doctrine that is in conformity with
the teaching of God's Holy Word.
In addition to the above, which we would accept as an adequate
bass of faith for inter-Church fellowship, we also believe:-
11. Concerning the Church - "We believe
that the true Church consists of the whole number of God's elect.
This glorious and, as yet, invisible Body of Christ, comprises all
in every generationand from every land who have been quickened by
the Spirit and brought to trust the Saviour.
The New Testament also uses the term Church in s restricted and
local sense. Christians in a particular locality are encouraged to
covenant together in a visible bond of fellowship and such groups
are designated in scripture as local Churches of Christ. True local
Churches are characterised by the faithful preaching of the whole
Word of God, steadfast adherance to apostolic doctrine and practice
and the maintenance of true godliness among the membership".
12. Concerning the Ordinances - "We
believe that baptism and the Lord's Supper were instituted by Christ
for His own glory and the spiritual good of His children and that
both ordinances are to be observed in the Church throughout the
Gospel age.
Believers who have made a credible profession of faith in Christ
are the only valid subjects of baptism. The symbolic nature of this
ordinance is best displayed by immersion in water, which mode
proclaims, according to the scripture, the believer's identification
with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection". |
