The primary purpose of the church is the ministry of God’s love made manifest
through the Lord Jesus Christ. While love is the reason and purpose of our
efforts, the church is to operate in spirit and in truth.[1]
In Love
The love of God that has been delivered to humanity through his
Christ is the basis for all our actions. On account of love, God raised up Jesus
to be the salvation to the world.[2] And having the Father’s heart, Jesus
sacrificed his own life for love.[3] Through this love we now have the
forgiveness of sins,[4] with new life in the Spirit,[5] as sons of God.[6]
And it is this love that gives us the great hope to partake in resurrection of
life, [7] with the promise that we may enter into the kingdom of our God.[8]
Indeed our ministry is the exceeding grace and mercy of God’s love given to us
through Christ Jesus;[9] namely, the Gospel.[10]
God is love.[11]
Thus our faithfulness to him is dependent on our devotion to love.[12] The
whole Law of God is fulfilled in this principle virtue.[13] Truly, when
questioned about the greatest commandment, Jesus said, “The most important is,
'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and
with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."[14] Seeing that
love is the purpose of all of God’s people, it is the central purpose of this
church.[15] Love redeems, binds together and builds up.[16] Love bears all
things, hopes all things and believes all things.[17] The perfect love of God
destroys all fear, bringing the peace that surpasses understanding.[18] Truly,
all things must be done for love and in love.[19] May the love of God be
perfected in us as to truly be followers of Christ![20]
In Truth
Love is perfected in truth, as God’s love is inseparable from his
truth and his justice. For it is through faith in the truth by which we are
justified and receive the grace and salvation of the Most High.[21] The
ministry of God’s love must thus be accomplished in accordance with the
understanding of his justice and truth. God’s word is fundamental to the
ministry as we receive the promise on his terms under his conditions. Divine
promise and revelation was given through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, through Moses
and the Law, and through the Prophets. Other scripture record God’s dealings
with his people, demonstrating his word with many signs and testimonies. In
accord with the word spoken through the Law and the Prophets, we testify to
God’s plan and purpose for the world.[22] Truly, God’s redemption for humanity
centers upon his Christ, as his grace and truth are realized in Jesus. Thus,
our apostolic ministry of love shall be in accord with “the words of this
life.”[23] We are compelled with confidence that the Gospel is the accomplished
word of God, and not the invention of any man.[24]
The church body
is to be sanctified in truth.[25] In all our efforts we are to minister in the
truth of the scripture. Our worship of God, our faith in the Lord Jesus, the
function of the church body - all things must be guided by the truth of God’s
word.[26] Scripture is of foremost authority in all matters of faith, being that
light which guides us. Recognizing that Christianity has faced considerable
distortions throughout history, we are not to be led by tradition - but rather
by the word of God in the spirit of truth.[27] We adhere to the Holy Scriptures
alone; we follow no heresy or sect. We are determined to stand for the
truth regardless of popular culture or popular Christian heresies. [28] In
truth, the foregoing Articles of Faith affirm no novelties of doctrine outside the
evident revelation of God’s word. Our doctrine therefore is not to be from the
schools of philosophers, nor from the laws or traditions of man, but from
Scripture alone, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
In The Spirit
While God’s word of truth is our solid food, the Spirit of God is
our drink.[29] As the result of his love made manifest in Jesus Christ, we now
receive the Holy Spirit.[30] Jesus received from the Father the promise to
baptize in the Holy Spirit as he is now exalted to the right hand of God.[31]
The promise of the Spirit shall be realized in our ministry of the Gospel.[32]
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.[33]
In Christ, we are to be filled with God, receiving his holy Breath.[34] By the
Spirit deposited in us, we become temples of the living God.[35] Indeed, his
indwelling spirit establishes us as sons of God.[36] The new life of the Spirit
purifies us and compels us in all righteousness.[37] Through Christ, God pours
into us the living water of the Spirit, filling our hearts with love, giving us
extraordinary peace with joy unspeakable.[38] The Spirit is our comforter,
providing intimacy with God bearing witness within us to the truth of our
salvation.[39] All who are led by the spirit of God are sons of God for we come
to know God and accomplish his will through the Spirit.[40]
Fundamental to our purpose, of ministering the Gospel in fullness, is operating
in the Spirit. We are not to serve under an old written code, but in the new
life of the Spirit.[41] Nor shall we teach eloquent words of wisdom without the
Spirit, lest the cross of Christ be diminished.[42] Rather, if necessary, we
shall tarry and wait to be given power from on High.[43] The Holy Spirit shall
be our driving force - transforming, interceding, and empowering for us
according to the will of God.[44] The ministry of miraculous healing
and deliverance from demonic strongholds is carried out in the power of the
Spirit.[45] Prophesy comes not from a man’s will, but when one speaks from God
as the Holy Spirit carries him along.[46] Signs and wonders are made manifest
by the power of the Spirit.[47] Our zeal and inspiration is to be vitalized by
this holy Breath of God.[48] We are to manifest the divine giving witness to
God’s truth by his power.[49] We are not to be of dry religion, but rather a
living faith with water from the rock – partaking of the Spirit of God that
comes through the Rock of Christ.[50]
References:
[1] John
4:23-4, 2 Thes.2:13 [2] John 3:16, Rom 5:8, 1 John 4:9-10 [3] 2. Cor. 5:14, John
15:17, Ephes.5:2 [4] Luke 24:46-47, Acts 2:38, 10:43, 13:38, 26:18, Ehpes 1:7,
Heb 2:17, 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18, 1 John 4:10, Rev 1:5 [5] Rom 5:5, Gal 3:14, 4:6,
Ephes 1:13 [6] Luke 6:35, 20:34-36, Rom 8:14-16, 23, Gal 3:26, 4:4-7, 1 John 3:1
[7] Luke 1:78, John 3:16, Rom 6:23, 1 John 4:9 Jude 1:21 [8] Luke 4:43,
12:31-33, Mark 12:32-34, Rom 8:16-17, Ephes.2:4, 2 Cor.4:1, Jude 1:21 James 2:5
[9] Rom. 3:24, 5:15, 1:Cor 2:9, Ehpes.1:6-7, 2:5, 8, Heb.4:16 [10] Mark 1:14-15,
16:15, Acts 20:24, Rom 1:16, 1 Cor 9:23, Rev 14:16 [11] 1 John 4:7-8, Psalms
100:5, 103:8, [12] John 15:9-10, 1 John 3:10-11, 4:7-8, 16, 19-21 [13] Deut 6:5,
Luke 10:27, Rom. 15:8-10, Gal. 5:13-14, James 2:8 [14] Mark 12:29-31 (ESV) [15]
John 15:9-10, Rom 13:8-10, Gal 5:6, Ephes 1:4 [16] 1 Cor.8:1, Col.3:14 [17]
1Cor. 13:7 [18] John 16:33, Rom 5:1, 14:7, Philip 4:7, 1 John 4:18, [19] 1
Cor.13:1-3, 13, 16:14 [20] John 13:34-35, 14:21-24, 15:9-13, 17:20-26,
Ehpes.3:19, 4:15-16, 1 John 3:23 [21] Ephes.1:13, Col. 1:5, 2 John 1:3 [22] Eph
3:4-12 [23] John 14:6, Col.1:5, Ephes. 1:13, 4:21 [24] Gal 1:11-12 [25] John
17:17-9 [26] 2 Cor.13:5-8 [27] 2 Cor.4:2 [28] 2 Tim.4:2-4 [29] John 4:10-14, 1
Cor 12:13, Ephes 5:18 [30] Acts 2:32-33, Rom 5:5 [31] Acts 2:32-33, See also:
John 1:32-34, 7:39, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, 24:49 , Acts 1:4-5, 2:38, Rom 8:34 [32]
Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4-6 2:38-39, 8:14-17 [33] John 4:23-24 [34] John 6:63, Acts
2:32-33, Acts 8:14-17, Gal 3:14, 1 John 4:13 [35] 1 Cor 3:16, 6:19, Ephes. 2:22
[36] John 3:3-8, Rom 8:15-16, Gal 4:6, Ephs 4:30 [37] John 6:63, Acts 15:8-9,
Rom 8:10-14, 1 Cor 6:11, 2 Thes. 2:13, Gal 5:5, Titus 3:5 [38] Rom 5:5, 8:6,
14:17, 15:13, Gal 5:22-23 [39] Acts 5:30-32, 2 Cor 1:22, 5:4-5, Gal 5:5, Ephes
1:13-14, 2:18 [40] a: Rom 8:14 – b: Luke 3:21-22 4:18-19, Acts 10:37-38 (Luke
3:16, Acts 2:1-4, 17-18, 38-39, John 3:3-8, 6:63) [41] Acts 7:51, Rom 7:6, 2 Cor
3:3-6, Gal 3:2-3, 5:22 [42] 1 Cor 1:17, 2:1-5, 1 Thes. 1:5-6, 5:19 [43] Luke
11:13, 24:47-49, John 14:12-13, Acts 2:4-5, 4:29-31, Jude 1:19-20 [44] Rom 8:
26-27, 2 Cor. 3:17-18, Ephes 3:16 [45] Acts 4:29-31, 10:37-39 [46] 2 Peter 1:21,
Rev 1:10 [47] Acts 4:29-31, Rom 15:19, Gal 3:5, Heb 2:4, [48] Acts 4:29-31, Rom
12:11 [49] Acts 4:29-31, 1 Cor 2:1-5, 1 Thes. 1:5-6 [50] 1 Cor 10:1-4
