What We Believe
The Holy Scriptures
We believe
the Holy Scriptures to be the verbal, inspired Word of God, authoritative, and
without error in the original manuscripts. We further
believe that the Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments are designed for
our practical instruction in faith and conduct and doctrine. In order to
achieve this purpose, the church in the unity of the Spirit shall use the gifts
that God has place at its disposal: The Word of God, baptism and Holy
Communion. (2 Timothy3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21)
The
Godhead
We believe
that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons,the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit,and that these three are one God. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Genesis
1:26;Matthew 28:19)
The Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ
We believe
that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, came into the world that He
might manifest God to men, fulfill prophecy, and become the Redeemer of a lost
world. To this end, He was born of the Virgin Mary, received a human body and a
sinless human nature without ceasing to be God. (Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1,14,18;
Hebrews 4:15; Philippians 2:5-11)
We believe that,
in infinite love for the lost, He voluntarily accepted His Father?s will and
became the divinely provided sacrificial lamb and took away the sins of the
world. (Romans 3:25-31; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Hebrews 10:5-14)
We believe that
He arose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He had
lived and died and that His resurrected body is the pattern of that body which
ultimately will be given to all believers. (John 20:20;Philippians 3:20-21)
We believe that,
on departing from the earth, His Father accepted him and that His acceptance is
a final assurance to us that His redeeming works was perfectly accomplished.
(Hebrews 1:3)
We believe that
He became Head over all things to the church, which is His body, and in this
ministry He does not cease to intercede and to be an advocate for the saved. (Luke 1:35; 1 Corinthians 15:1-3; Ephesians
1:23; Philippians 2:6-8;1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1-2)
The Holy Spirit
We believe that
the Holy Spirit, The Third Person of the Trinity, dwells in every believer
immediately after he places his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and that God
provides, through the Holy Spirit, power to live the Christian life. (Romans
5:5, 8:9-11; Galatians 5:16-25)
We believe that
every believer receives grace from God in the form of a spiritual gift, which
enables him to function as a member of the body of Christ. (Romans 12:6; 1
Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 4:7)
The Personality of Satan
We believe that
Satan, the devil, is the prince of demons and is the declared adversary of God
and man. However, when the Lord Jesus Christ died on the Cross, He limited the
power of the devil and guaranteed the ultimate triumph of God. (Ephesians 2:2;
1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 20:10; Colossians 2:13-15)
Salvation
We believe that
no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born again spiritually, and that the
new birth of the believer comes only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God. We believe, also, that the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ has
accomplished our redemption, this redemption is by the grace of God, an
unmerited gift, given involve by God and not the result of any human works.
(john 3:7-18; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Romans 4:4-5)
We believe that
upon receiving the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, the believer passes immediately
out of spiritual death into spiritual life and into fellowship with God. (John
1:12, 5:24)
We believe that
once this salvation is accomplished, all true believers we everywhere shall be
kept saved forever. (John 10:28-29; Romans 3:24, 8:35-39; 2 Timothy 2:11-13;
Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:5, 8-9)
The Church
We believe that
all who are united to the risen and ascended Son of God are members of the
Church, which is the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Acts 2:42-47)
We believe that
the explicit message of our Lord Jesus Christ to those whom He has saved is to
make Christ known to the whole world and that this is the purpose of the Church
through the individuals within it. (Matthew 28:18-20;Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians
5:11-21)
We believe that
local churches, such as The Servant House, gather together for practical
instruction in the Scriptures, for fellowship with God and with other
believers, and for corporate witness to the unsaved world. Our common spiritual
goal is to grow toward Christ?s likeness. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:42-47;
Romans 12:5; Ephesians 4:13-16)
The
Rapture and The Second Coming of Christ
We believe that
a future period of great tribulation on the earth will be climaxed by the
return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth as He went in person in the clouds
with power and great glory to establish His millennial kingdom. But prior to
this tribulation, we believe there will be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and
remain until His coming and also all who have died in Christ Jesus. ( 1
Thessalonians 4:13-17: Zechariah 14:4-11;Revelation 3:10)
Eternal State
We believe that
at death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus
Christ for salvation pass immediately in to His presence and there remain in
conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body when Christ comes
for his own, where upon soul and body reunited shall be associated with Him
forever in glory. All those who rejected Jesus Christ will eternally be
separated from God to endure His eternal wrath forever. (2 Corinthians 5:8;
Revelation 20:11-15, 21:1-27)
The Responsibility of Leaders
We believe that
God appoints leaders (Elders and Deacons) to guide His church in the
understanding and application of Holy Scriptures. It is their responsibility to
be examples of godliness as they see to the spiritual well being and protection
of the flock over which God has given the charge. (Acts 8:1-8; Acts 20:28;Hebrews
13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-3)
Church Ordinances
We believe that
the Lord Jesus Christ instituted the ordinances of baptism and the Lord?s
Supper to be observed by all believers until His return. (Matthew 28:19; Luke
22:19-20; Acts 10:47-48)
We believe that
the ordinance of baptism is immersion of the believer in water as it sets forth
the essential facts in redemption?the death and resurrection of Christ and the
essential resurrection to newness of life. (Romans 6:4; Acts 8:26-39)
We believe that
the Lord's Supper is a privilege afforded to all believers in commemoration of
our Lord's death until He comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-28)