BETHEL CHURCH, KINGSTON
STATEMENT OF FAITH
(SECTION II, GENERAL OPERATING BY-LAW NO.1)

(a) The Divine Authority and Inspiration of the Scriptures

We believe in the divine inspiration of the Bible by the Holy Spirit as God’s revelation to man, in its entire trustworthiness and supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Acts 1:16)

(b) The Trinity of God

We believe that God eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections. They are worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence and obedience. (Genesis 1:26; 3:22; John 1:1-4; Acts 5:3-4; Matthew 28:19,20; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Mark 12:29; Hebrews 1:1-3)

(c) The Deity of Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh; we affirm His virgin birth, sinless humanity, divine miracles, sacrificial death for us, bodily resurrection, ascension, ongoing mediatorial work, and personal return in power and glory. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:35; John 5:39; Acts 17:2-3, 18:28, 26:22-23, 28:23; Hebrews 4:15)

(d) The Deity and Mission of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, that He is God, and has all the attributes of God. He was sent by the Lord Jesus Christ to reveal Christ to the members of the Church, to live within them to enable them to serve Christ, to comfort, instruct, lead and build them up in Christ. He has also been sent to convict sinners of sin, to teach them of Christ’s righteousness, and to warn them of coming judgment. (John 7:38-39, 14:16-17, 15:26, 16:13-15; Acts 1:8, 2:1-4)

(e) The Fall and Depravity of Mankind

We believe that man and woman, originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, fell from their place in God’s kingdom through willful disobedience. The consequences of that sin were the infliction of the penalty of death, loss of spiritual life, death in sin and subjection to Satan’s power. Being spiritually dead, human nature is totally corrupt, and this depravity has been transmitted to the entire human race, except for Jesus Christ. Every person is in need of salvation through Christ’s atonement, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit through the process of sanctification. (Genesis 1:26; 2:17; 6:5; Ephesians 2:1-3; Isaiah 64:6; 1 Timothy 5:6; 6:53; 1 John 3:8 Romans 5:12-19)

(f) Salvation by Grace Through Faith

We believe that sinners are saved by God’s grace through faith in Him alone. It is the gift of God to us, and not something that can be earned by our works. Salvation was paid for with the blood of Jesus Christ, who died in our place for our sin. Salvation includes the forgiveness of sins, the receiving of a new nature, and the guarantee of eternal life. (Acts 13:39; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5:1; Titus 2:11-14)

(g) Atonement by the Blood of Christ

We believe that our redemption from sin and spiritual death has been accomplished solely by the cleansing blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only sacrifice acceptable to God, and is able to save every sinner who repents and receives Jesus as Saviour. (Leviticus 17:11; Matthew 26:28; John 1:12; Romans 5:6-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19, 2:24)

(h) Sanctification

We believe that members of the Body of Christ have been forever sanctified (set apart) to God through the redeeming blood of Christ. However, because believers retain their sinful nature, they are to grow in grace – an ongoing, transforming process whereby they are being changed by the power of the Holy Spirit through obedience to the Word into mature disciples and followers of Christ. (Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24, 5:25-27; John 17:17-19; Hebrews 2:11, 10:10, 13:12; Romans 15:16; 1 John 1:7-9; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

(i) Baptism of the Holy Spirit

We believe that on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon the gathering of believers, as promised by Christ, and they were collectively baptized into one body. This was the formation of the Church, the Body of Christ. Pentecost is a one-time, historical event. (Acts 2:1-4; Matthew 3:11; 1 Corinthians 12:13)

Since that time, this baptism occurs individually at one’s salvation, at which time the believer is also indwelt by the Spirit. (John 14:15-18; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Romans 8:9)

We believe that the New Testament distinguishes between being indwelt by the Spirit, which is true of all believers, and being filled with the Spirit, which produces power in Christian witness and is the believer’s privilege and duty. There is one baptism of the Spirit and it is into the Body of Christ, but there are many fillings with the Spirit. (Acts 2:4, Acts 4:8-31; Ephesians 1:13-14, Ephesians 5:18)

(j) The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts to the Church to glorify Christ in the building of His Body (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) and for the sanctification of believers for the works of their ministry (Romans 12:3-8). It is not God’s will that any one gift should be given to all believers, although all believers have at least one gift. We further believe that spiritual gifts should always be exercised within the limits expressly given in the Scriptures (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 14:23-40). We believe that special Divine revelation for authoritative Scripture ceased with the Apostolic age. (Revelation 22:18, 19; Ephesians 2:20; Galatians 1:8, 9; John 14:26)

(k) The Church: The Body of Christ

We believe that the universal Church is composed of all believers who are united by the sacrificial, risen Son of God, having been placed into the body by the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit. Each local church is a visible expression of that body, organized for the fellowship, instruction, and encouragement of believers, and the continuation of Christ’s work on earth. (Romans 12:5; Ephesians 4:3-16; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Colossians 2:19)

(l) The Second Coming of our Lord

We believe that this present age will end with the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein He will first receive His Church unto Himself, and then establish His reign over the earth. (John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10, 11; Isaiah 9:6, 7; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 9:28; Luke 1:30-33)

(m) The Resurrection of the Body

We believe that Jesus Christ physically rose from the dead, in His glorified body, according to the Scriptures. When Christ receives the Church to Himself (second coming), the bodies of believers who died will be raised as glorified bodies, similar to His resurrected body, and will share in His glory. Those that die in unbelief will later be raised from their graves to receive their judgement. (Isaiah 26:19; 1 Corinthians 15; Daniel 12:2; Romans 1:4, 8:23)

(n) Eternal Spiritual Status for Those Saved and Lost

We believe that the attitude of either reconciliation or enmity toward God is fixed eternally at death. We believe that believers will be forever with the Lord, becoming joint heirs with Him as their Redeemer in His inheritance. We also believe that those who die still refusing to accept God’s gift of salvation in Christ will eventually be resurrected and judged, and are destined to suffer eternal, conscious separation from Christ in fiery torment. (Daniel 12:2, 3 and 7:22; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Peter 2:9; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8 and 22:11)

(o) The Personality of Satan

We believe that Satan is a created being, the father of lies, a murderer from the beginning and the great deceiver of all nations. He was defeated by Christ’s death and resurrection, and will eventually be cast into the bottomless pit followed by eternal punishment in fiery torment. (Job 1:6-12; John 8:44; Acts 5:3; 1 Corinthians 7:5; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; John 8:44; Ephesians 6:11-12; Revelation 20:1-3, 7-10; Genesis 3:13-15)

(p) Divine Healing of the Body

We believe that sickness is directly or indirectly the effect of sin in the world. Scriptures teach us that Christ died for sin, not the effects of sin. God can, and will at times, divinely heal the body of those who are ill, but such healing is not certain in the sense that salvation and forgiveness of sins are certain for those who have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18)

(q) Baptism

We believe that Christ prescribed baptism by immersion for His believing disciples. The believer’s union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection is signified through the symbolic and public act of baptism. A person should not be baptized unless or until they are competent to make a conscious decision to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour – entering into new life in Him. (Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38, 8:12)

(r) The Lord’s Supper

We believe that Jesus Christ directed believers to partake in the Lord’s Supper as a memorial of His death for believing disciples. This ordinance is to be kept until Christ comes again, according to His promise and the Father’s revealed plan. (Luke 22:17-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29)

(s) Marriage

We believe that as a matter of doctrine and religious practice, the Church reserves the term “marriage” for the covenant relationship between one man (husband) and one woman (wife). This covenant relationship represents the union between Jesus Christ and the universal church. (Genesis 2:18-24; Ephesians 5:22-23; Matthew 19:4-6, Hebrews 13:4)