HOLINESS

The New Testament repeatedly mentions the Holy Spirit and a few other variations of that name. What we have found with repetition is significance. The Holy Spirit is brought up time and time again because it is important in the plans that God has for us. John 14:25-26 reads, “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Healer, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” We need to be indwelled with the Holy Spirit. Merle Strege notes that the Holy Spirit in the human’s heart brings purity, sanctification, and perfection to the soul. Holiness, to be set apart, comes through sanctification which, literally, means “to be made holy”. If you desire a life of holiness, you need the Holy Spirit to sanctify. The fruit of the Spirit is what is created in each life once we have received the Holy Spirit. “If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25, ESV). In order to accomplish holiness and the plans that God has for each of our lives, we must receive the Holy Spirit. Holiness is continual and we must strive for it each and every day of our lives.

UNITY

We agree with and believe in biblical unity. There are hundreds of divisions within the body of believers and the Church of God desires and longs for the unity of believers. Unity is not a denomination, but rather a bond much like a family (Acts 20:28, ESV). If we were to see ourselves in that light, we would be a powerful force that is going and reaching the world with the gospel and not a denomination’s version of the gospel. We would share the saving mission of Jesus and not the legalistic jargon of a group. We are called to “reach out hands in fellowship to every blood-washed one” in order to bring unity between believers. God desires for us to be a unified body. Matthew 22:38 declares that we should “love your neighbor as yourself” because that creates the unity we seek and God commands. Unity requires each person to love those around them and strive and work on fellowshipping amongst believers. Unity is important because the world is trying to divide us. They will nit-pick a specific topic to cause dissension between believers. If we are standing firm in our faith (Ephesians 6:13, ESV), relying on the Spirit-breathed word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV), and loving those around us, dissension and division cannot break that.

As the body of Christ, we all work together as one. Everyone has unique gifting and can be used in different ways. If we were looking at the body of Christ, some will be the hands and some will be the feet. We all work together for the same purpose, but in different areas and in different aspects (Ephesians 4:16, ESV). This family that is formed shows and demonstrates the unity and bond between those that follow Jesus. When the world sees the body of Christ, in its diversity and uniqueness, working and operating in one accord, they can see and know the plan that God has for this world and has a place for them as well.

SCRIPTURE

The Bible is divine in origin, but human in transmission. Humans involvement in the writing of the Bible have been influenced by certain circumstances and their culture. The Bible is God’s self-disclosure and His people’s responses to His person and acts in history. The Bible was written by man, but the Holy Spirit plays a major role behind the ink. The human authors were inspired by the Holy Spirit in their writings. They were inspired to record what God desired to have written in the Scriptures while the authors were allowed influence through the culture and historical context to be seen through (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV). Man is not adequate enough to write this on their own. However, with inspiration and guidance, there can be adequacy. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are able to interpret the Scriptures and be able to provide proper interpretation and understanding (1 Corinthians 2:12-13, ESV). Through our interpretation, we need to have a common purpose for the Scriptures and see that Scripture based transformation is the ultimate goal of the Bible for every believer. As Christians, we are to follow what God says because what He says cannot be broken (John 10:35, ESV).

The Bible is our guide and reference for the questions, debates, and issues that arise throughout our lifetime here on earth. It provides answers to questions, it gives us directions on how we are to conduct ourselves, motivation through spiritual drought, and what we are called to do while on earth (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV). Above all things, Scripture is where we should be turning for the answers to any questions, all doubts, every issue in our life, and for direction in our walk with God. Experience, tradition, and reason are all

flawed because they have human influence. Through the Holy Spirit’s influence and inspiration, we find validity in God’s Word. Placing the Bible ahead of all other sources of information, knowledge, and disciplines for information and guidance is vital. Sola scriptura places our highest importance on Scripture and scripture alone.

KINGDOM OF GOD

We should be praying for “Your kingdom come, You will be done on earth [in our community] as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10, ESV). Through evangelism and through proclaiming the gospel, we are advancing the kingdom of God where we are. The kingdom of God is not an earthly kingdom, but one that can be experienced today through saving faith and salvation found in Jesus Christ (John 18:36, ESV). We experience the joy of the Lord and become a part of the family of God. His presence within us allows us to experience the kingdom here on earth though temporary. On the second coming of Jesus Christ, the righteous and unrighteous will be separated in the final judgment (Matthew 13:49, ESV). Those that believe and are a part of the family of God, will find final residency in the true kingdom of God, heaven.

ORDINANCES OF BAPTISM, LORD’S SUPPER, AND FEET WASHING

Baptism is our outward confession of an inward change to those that witness. Baptism is a command that we each must understand and follow (Acts 2:38, ESV). Baptism should be reserved for those that are able to understand the purpose behind getting baptized and make an informed decision. This point-of-view is known as “believer’s baptism”. Baptism is a visual representation of being cleansed from the sins of our lives. Through immersion, we are joining Christ in His burial and dying to our sins. As we are raised to life, we are raised a new creation and have new life in Christ Jesus’ resurrection (Romans 6:4, ESV).

Communion, Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper is a time of celebration and giving thanks to God through remembering the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. We are remembering the fact that He does not remain in the grave, but is alive. What communion does is continue to bring unity with Christ. We are taking bread which symbolizes His body and drinking juice which symbolizes His blood shed for us on the cross (Matthew 26:26-28, ESV). Through Christ’s brokenness on the cross, we are able to become one with Him. Communion reminds us that is takes a Savior and that we are unable to save ourselves (John 14:6, ESV).

Foot-washing is a vital ordinance for myself and the Church of God. In John 13, it reads, “When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” There is no gray area when it comes to foot-washing. We can read here that we are to do what Christ has done. We live in a self-consumed society and the act of foot-washing demands humbleness and a servant’s heart and attitude. If we are to be imitators of Christ, foot-washing cannot be glanced over as anything other than an ordinance. The fact that the Bible even mentions foot-washing, deems it important. The fact that Christ, himself, knelt down to wash the, most likely, filth-covered feet of His disciples (even the one who betrays Him), deems it important. Foot-washing is believed to be significant because it is a sign of servanthood and humility.

SIN AND SALVATION

We, humans, are created by the Almighty God in His image (Imago Dei; Genesis 1:27, ESV). He created us with free will and with that, in Genesis 3, we chose to be disobedient against God. Because of that, we are born sinful and fallen. That free will of humanity revealed our desire to be, not just like God, but to be God. We desire to control and choose for ourselves rather than rely upon our Creator. No one has ever walked this earth, besides Jesus, who has gone without sin (Romans 3:23, ESV). Our sinfulness is a choice we make on our own which is separation from God. However, if we accept Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, our sins will be forgiven by His blood. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, ESV). The sinfulness of man can only be forgiven, forgotten, and cleansed by the blood of Jesus and through accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. We cannot save ourselves because we are not God.

Our lives here on earth are fleeting, fading, and minuscule in the timeline of eternity (James 4:14, ESV). Destiny has become such a “magical” term in today’s society. As believers, destiny is defined in two manners: eternal life or eternal death. Throughout the entirety of the New Testament, there are references to life after our physical death here on earth. Paul writes, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead...I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:10 & 14, ESV). Through forgiveness of our sins and salvation in Jesus Christ, we have hold of the gift of God, eternal life. Those who choose a life apart from God, find their destiny, eternal death, beyond the physical. Each person, when their physical existence ends, will “appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10, ESV).

Salvation is the mission of the church. Through the Holy Spirit’s intervention in our lives, salvation is made possible. The Holy Spirit is not a one-time encounter, but is ongoing and active throughout the entirety of our lives on earth. Salvation is a deliverance from our sinful self and from sin itself. In everything that we do, we are to glorify God. The Holy Spirit plays a massive role in salvation because without the Holy Spirit, conversion cannot occur (Titus 3:5, ESV). We came into this world completely unaware and depraved. The purpose of the Spirit is to convict us and call us to respond to God moving in our lives. Salvation begins with conviction and showing us where we are, what we are doing, and how the way we are acting is not in line with God’s purpose for our lives. Through repentance, we are casting our sins, cares, and burdens upon the Lord and choosing Him. Repentance is not a “take a load off” mentality, but a one-hundred and eighty degree mentality. A mentality where we leave our sins at the foot of the cross and do not turn around to catch a second glimpse, but continue trusting in the Lord and following His guidance. True repentance is never looking back. Sanctification

means that we are to be set apart from the patterns of this world and live a holy, righteous life here on earth as Christ demonstrated for us. Once we have taken those steps, the Holy Spirit continues leading us towards perfect conformity into a life devoted to Him. We have confessed and repented of our old self. We have taken the step to set ourselves apart from this world. Now we follow His word, His commands, His commissioning, and His plans for our lives. Everything that we do should be for His glory (Psalm 115:1, ESV). Salvation is removing the sin from within yourself and choosing God, but it doesn’t stop there. When we find ourselves slipping back into our sinfulness, we can also find the graciousness of God and His love for us. Not for abuse or neglect, but so we understand the depth of His love. We must continually “die to self” and take up our cross and follow Him (Galatians 2:20; Luke 9:23, ESV).

THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

We side with the amillennialist view of the second coming of Christ. There will not be a literal one- thousand year reign. It is just a segment of time only known by the Father. “But concerning the day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36, ESV). That time has already begun, but it is figurative and not literal. It is not a set-in-stone time or date that can be predicted by man.

Christ is currently and presently reigning here on earth as the ruler of the spiritual kingdom for those who experience salvation. He is ruling seated at the right hand of the throne of God. In His return, He will establish a permanent reign in the final judgment. There will be on general resurrection of the dead (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, ESV) which eliminates the seven-year tribulation period or an earthly millennial reign. There will not be a secret rapture because Scripture reads, “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wait on account of him. Even so. Amen.” (Revelation 1:7, ESV). There will be no denying when He returns because He will be seen, visible. He will be heard, audible (1 Thessalonians 4:16, ESV). He will put death in its final resting place, victorious (1 Corinthians 15:54, 57, ESV). For those who believe and have followed all that the Lord has commanded, they will be with Him for eternity (1 Thessalonians 4:17, ESV).