Doctrinal Statement
of
Antioch Community Church
THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible is the inspired, authoritative, living,
eternally reliable Word of God equally in all parts and without
error in its original manuscript, absolutely infallible, and
our source of supreme revelation from God, superior to conscience
and reason, though not contrary to reason; and it is therefore
our infallible rule of faith and practice and necessary to our
daily lives (II Timothy 3:16-17; I Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12 NASB).
THE GODHEAD
We believe in one God who has revealed Himself in three persons,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Romans 1:20 NASB).
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all co-eternal, all
stand equally superior to time, free from the temporal distinctions
of past and future (FATHER - Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; Psalm
102:27; I Timothy 1:17 NASB;
SON - John 1:1-2; John 8:58; Hebrews 1:8; I John 1:2; Revelation
1:8 NASB;
SPIRIT - Hebrews 9:14 NASB).
We believe in God the Father, creator of all things visible and
invisible. (Col. 1:15-16)
We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, who came
into the world to reveal the Father, and was the brightness of
His glory and the express image of His person; that Jesus Christ
was the Creator of everything, for by Him all things were made.
We further believe that in Christ dwelt all the fullness of the
Godhead bodily and that He was very God and very Man (John. 1:1-2 & 14;
I Tim. 3:16; Acts 7:37-38).
We believe in Jesus Christ's pre-existence, incarnation, virgin
birth, sinless life, miracles, substitutionary and atoning death,
bodily resurrection, bodily ascension into heaven, exaltation,
present rule at the right hand of God, coming, personal return
in power and great glory, and in His everlasting Kingdom and dominion
(Acts 1:11; 3:19-21; Daniel 7:14; Revelation 20:4). We acknowledge
His Lordship -- that Jesus Christ is Lord over all things in heaven
and on earth, and under the earth (Phil. 2:9-10).
We believe in the Holy Spirit, His present ministry, His indwelling,
His empowering, His impartation of gifts for today, and His transforming
power in the lives of all believers (I Cor. 12:4-11, Gal 5:22-23).
MAN AND SALVATION
We believe that man was created by a direct and immediate act of
God (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:4).
We believe that man by transgression fell from a state of righteousness
and holiness in which he was first created into total spiritual
depravity, a state of death in trespasses and sins in which he
is held as a slave of sin and an enemy of God. As such, he is unable
to attain divine righteousness by his own efforts but must be redeemed
and delivered by the power of the gospel (Romans 5:12-21; I Corinthians
15:1-4).
We believe that repentance and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ
are an integral part of God’s work of justification of the
believer. Through faith in the shed blood of Christ, he or she
is justified and made a partaker in the death of Christ (Romans
5:1, 9).
We believe that "it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not
by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). We
further believe that the emphasis for a continuous walk in grace
should be on demonstrating righteousness and purity of heart, believing
in the keeping power of God, walking after the Spirit and not after
the flesh, living a lifestyle that demonstrates the character,
standards and convictions of Jesus Christ, and not being conformed
to the world (Jude 24; Romans 8:25; Galatians 5:16-25; Romans 4:1-5;
12:1-2).
We believe that repentance is dependent upon the convicting action
of the Holy Spirit in the lives of sinners and believers and their
response. The conviction of the Holy Spirit, which often accompanies
the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, will result in the
revelation of the sinfulness of self, which should lead to godly
sorrow. Remorse, or worldly sorrow, is a feeling of deep regret,
hopelessness or even despair. It does not lead to constructive
change. On the other hand Godly sorrow produces repentance which
causes us to turn away from sin and selfishness and to receive
faith for change. Repentance is evidenced by an earnest desire
to change. Repentance changes the way we feel and act about sin,
self and God. Repentance is a total change of mind, will and emotions,
(II Corinthians 7:10; Psalm 51; Acts 11:18; II Timothy 2:25; Romans
1:18-32; Matthew 9:12-13).
We believe that in the final judgment, which will accompany the
return of Christ, every person will give an account to God of every
aspect of this earthly life. The Judgment Seat of Christ (Bema
Seat) is the judgment of believers in reference to rewards or lack
thereof. The Great White Throne Judgment is the judgment of unbelievers
who will be eternally separated from God and in torment (I Cor.
3:10-15; II Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11-15).
THE LORD'S COMMANDS
We believe in the Lord's supper and believer's baptism as acts
of our obedience and a testimony of our faith (Mt. 3:6; Mk. 16:16;
I Cor 11:23-29).
We believe that water baptism is necessary in obedient response
to the command of Jesus. Baptism is to be performed only upon repentant
believers in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matt.
28:18-20).
We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit according to Acts
2:4; 10:46; 19:6. We hold that the real evidence of the baptism
of the Holy Spirit is one's response to the Word of God (John 16:13),
a Christ-like life, showing forth Christ's character, and experiencing
and manifesting the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit (John 15:26;
16:14; Galatians 5:22-23; I Cor 12:4-11).
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