We believe the holy scriptures, as originally given, to be the infallible Word of God, of divine inspiration and therefore, we accept them as our sole authority in all matters of faith and practice.
As a consequence of our faith in the infallible Word of God we believe the following as essential doctrines of the Christian faith. We believe:
- In the only true and living God, the Holy Trinity of Divine Persons in perfect unity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each of whom is co-equal and co-eternal, and sovereign in creation providence and redemption.
- In the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is holy, righteous, full of grace, mercy, compassion and love. In His infinite love He sent forth the Son, that through Him the world might be saved.
- In the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, whose true humanity and full deity were mysteriously and really joined in the unity of His divine person. We believe in His virgin birth, in His perfect life and teaching, in His substitutionary, atoning death on the cross, where He triumphed over satan, sin and death; in His bodily resurrection and His ascension into heaven, where now He sits in glory at the right hand of God.
- In the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, whose work is indispensable to regenerate the sinner, to lead him to repentance, to give him faith in Christ, to sanctify the believer in this present life and fit him to enjoy fellowship with God. For spiritual power and effectiveness His ministry is essential to the individual Christian and the Church.
- That as a result of the Fall all men are sinful by nature. Sin pollutes and controls them, infects every part of their being, renders them guilty in the sight of a holy God and subject to the penalty which, in His wrath and condemnation, He has decreed against it.
- That through faith (and only faith) in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose death was a perfect oblation and satisfaction for our sins, the sinner is freely justified by God who, instead of reckoning to us our sins, reckons Christ’s righteousness to our account. Salvation is therefore by grace and not by human merit.
- That the Lord Jesus Christ will return personally, visibly and gloriously to this earth, to receive His saints to Himself and to be seen of all men. As the righteous Judge, He will divide all men into two, and only two categories-the saved and the lost. Those whose faith is in Christ will be saved eternally, and will enter into the joy of their Lord, sharing with Him His inheritance in heaven. The unbelieving will be condemned by Him to hell, where eternally they will be punished for their sins under the righteous judgement of God.
What is an evangelical?
The following statement, written by Rev. Peter Clement, whilst not part of the Movement’s official statement of faith, may help to clarify what is meant by the term ‘evangelical’.
The evangelical’s basic position is that the Bible is the revealed Word of God in its entirety. It was written by many different men over many years but each writer wrote what God inspired each to write (2 Peter 1:21 & 2 Timothy 3:16). To the evangelical the entire Bible is literal truth.
The evangelical, therefore, takes his stand upon the Bible, regarding it as his sole authority for all matters of faith and conduct. His doctrines are the truths of the Bible; his entire way of life and worship is based on Biblical principles.
Accordingly, therefore, the evangelical insists that the only way of salvation is the way declared in the Bible. That is, that the only way for men and women to be saved from their sins and to be put right with God is that God graciously justifies them, not by any human merit but by faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ who once on the cross gave Himself in sacrificial death to atone for sins. Thus Christ procured pardon and peace with God for all who trust in Him as Lord and Saviour.