Doctrine - Doctrinal Statement of Belief

By Ray Watson

What we believe – our religious belief and doctrine

1. STATEMENT OF BELIEF.

The organisation accepts the Scripture as the revealed Will of God, the all sufficient rule of faith and practice, and for the purpose of maintaining general unity, adopts these Statements of Fundamental Truths and Doctrine.

2. THE SCRIPTURES INSPIRED.

The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to man, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason. ( 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12. )

3. THE ONE TRUE GODHEAD.

The triune Godhead is comprised of three separate and distinct personalities, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who are eternally self-existent, self-revealed and function as one entity. Jesus Christ, who is God manifested in the flesh, is the second member of the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and The Holy Spirit.

4. MAN, HIS FALL AND REDEMPTION.

Man was created good and upright, for God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness,” but man, by voluntary transgression, fell and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ the Son of God.
( Genesis 1:26-31; 3:1-7; Romans 5:12- 21 )

5. THE SALVATION OF MAN.

Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. On the cross Jesus Christ became sin and sickness providing both salvation and divine healing for all mankind. We are justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. For by grace we are saved through faith. ( Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:8-10 )

6. THE EVIDENCE OF SALVATION.

The inward evidence, to the believer of his salvation, is the direct witness of the Spirit. (Romans 8:6) The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness.

7. FAITH AND WORKS.

Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and not by human works; however, our works will determine the rewards in eternity.
( Acts 16:3; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Romans 14:2-12; and 2 Corinthians 5:10 )

8. BAPTISM IN WATER.

The ordinance of baptism should be observed as commanded in the Scriptures by all who have truly repented and in their hearts have truly believed in Christ as Saviour and Lord. In so doing, they declare to the world that they have died with Jesus and that they have also been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. ( Matthew 28:19; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6; 4 )

9. THE LORD’S SUPPER.

“And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, ‘Take eat: this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.” ( 1Corinthians 11:24,25,28 )

10. THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER.

All believers are entitled to, and should ardently expect and earnestly seek, the promise of the Father, the Baptism in the Holy Ghost, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian church. With it comes the endowment of power of life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.
( Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; 1Cor12 :1-31 )

11. THE EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The full consummation of the Baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance, and by the subsequent manifestation of spiritual power in public testimony and service.
( Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:2-6; 1:8 )

12. THE CHURCH.

The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfilment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general assembly and church of the first born, which are written in Heaven. ( Ephesians 1:22; 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23 )

13. TOTAL PROSPERITY.

(a) Spiritual ( John 3:3; 3:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10 )
(b) Mental ( 2Timothy 1:7; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3 )
(c) Physical ( Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24 )
(d) Financial ( 3 John 1:2; Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; 2Cor. 9:6-10; Deut 28:1-4 )
(e) Social ( Proverbs 3:4 )

14. BLESSED HOPE.

Jesus is coming again to gather all His saints to heaven. ( 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1 )

15. THE LAKE OF FIRE.

Those who have not accepted the redemptive work of Jesus Christ will suffer eternal separation from the Godhead. The devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life, shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ( Revelation 19:20; 20:10-15 )

16. THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF JESUS.

The return of our Lord Jesus Christ with his saints from heaven to rule and reign for one thousand years on earth as the Scriptures promised. ( Romans 11:25,27; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation 19:11-16;10:1-7 ) After this, there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. ( Revelation 21 )

Pastor Ray Watson
Pursuit Church, Auckland, New Zealand