Doctrine: The following doctrines contained in the Holy Scripture are adopted:
1. The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures to be the inspired Word of God—authoritative, inerrant, and God-breathed (2Tim 3:16; 2Pet 1:20-21; Matt 5:18; Jn 16:12-13).
2. The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, existing in three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—eternal in being, identical in nature, equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deut 6:4; 2Cor 13:14).
3. The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, became alienated from God, and is totally unable to retrieve his original condition (Gen 1:26–27; Rom 3:23, Rom 5:12; Eph 2:12).
4. The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man; that He accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice; that our redemption is made sure to us by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Jn 1:1-2, Jn 1:14; Lk 1:35; Rom 3:24-25, Rom 4:25; 1Pe 1:3-5); that the Lord Jesus Christ is now in Heaven, exalted at the right hand of God the Father, where, as the High Priest for His people, He fulfils the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Heb 9:24; Rom 8:34; 1John 2:1-2).
5. The Personality and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, indwells all believers in the present age, baptizes them in the Body of Christ, and seals them unto the day of redemption; and that it is the duty of every believer to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9; 1Cor 12:12-14; Eph 1:13-14, Eph 5:18).
6. The Dispensations
We believe that a literal interpretation of the Scriptures makes clear that God has dealt with man through different administrations of His purposes on earth requiring different responsibilities of man in different ages as a way of testing man’s response to God’s progressive revelation; that the dispensations demand a consistent distinction be held between Israel and the Church; that in every dispensation the way of salvation is always through the blood of Christ shed on the cross, whether looking forward to the promised Messiah in the Old Testament or looking backwards from a Church and Millennial age perspective . (Eph 1:10, 3:2, 3:8-10, 1Tim 1:4)
7. Salvation
We believe that salvation in every dispensation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ whose precious blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins (Eph 2:8-10; Jn 1:12; Eph 1:7).
8. The Eternal Security of Believers
We believe that all believers are kept secure forever (Rom 8:1, Rom 8:38-39; Jn 10:27-30; 1Cor 1:4-8).
9. The Church
We believe that the Church, which is the Body and will be the Bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again believers of this Age, irrespective of their affiliation with Christian organizations (Eph 1:22-23, Eph 5:25-27; 1Cor 12:12-14).
10. The Personality of Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan, who is the open and declared enemy of God and man (Job 1:6-7; Matt 4:2-11; Isa 14:12-17).
11. The Blessed Hope
We believe that the next great event in the fulfilment of prophecy will be the coming of the Lord Jesus in the air to receive to Himself the dead in Christ and believers who are alive at His coming—otherwise known as the Rapture and Translation of the Church (1Cor 15:51-57; 1Thess 4:13-18; Tit 2:11-14).
12. The Tribulation
We believe that the Rapture of the Church will be followed by the fulfilment of Daniel’s seventieth week—the latter half of which is the time of Jacob’s trouble—the Great Tribulation (Dan 9:27; Jer 30:7; Matt 24:15-21; Rev 6:1-19, Rev 6:21).
13. The Second Coming of Christ
We believe that the Great Tribulation will be climaxed by the Premillennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth to set up His kingdom (Zech 14:4-11; Matt 24:27-31, Matt 24:46; 2Thess 1:5-10; Rev 20:6).
14. The Eternal State
We believe that the human soul and human spirit of those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation do, at death, immediately pass into His presence, and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body at His coming—when soul, human spirit, and body reunited will be associated with Him forever in His glory; but the souls of unbelievers remain after death in conscious misery until the final judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the Millennium, when the soul and body reunited will be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction, separated forever from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (Lk 16:19-26, Lk 23:43; 2Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23; 2Thess 1:7-9; Jude 1:6-7; Rev 20:11-15).
15. The Responsibility of Believers
We believe that all believers should seek to walk in such a manner as to not bring reproach upon their Lord and Saviour, that it is the obligation of every believer to witness by life and by word to the truths of the Holy Scriptures and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all the world (Acts 1:8); that it is the responsibility of all believers to remember the work of the Lord in prayer and to support it with their means—as the Lord has prospered them (1Cor 16:2).
16. Church Ordinance
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper to be observed until His return (Matt 28:19-20; 1Cor 11:23-26).
17. Sovereignty
We believe that God, existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is sovereign, and exercises supreme and absolute rule over all creation as a part of and consistent with the essence and attributes of deity (1Chr 29:11-12; Dan 4:35; Psa 24:1; Eph 1:11; 1Tim 6:15).
18. Spirituality
We believe that spirituality is both an absolute and a relative condition in the life of a believer in this dispensation. The absolute concept relates to the filling by means of the Spirit, and the relative concept relates to spiritual growth. We believe that a believer becomes carnal through an act of mental, verbal, or overt sin and that absolute spirituality or fellowship with Christ is restored solely by personal confession of that sin to God the Father (Jn 15:7-8; 2Cor 5:6; Gal 5:15; Eph 5:18; Rom 6:11-13; 1John 1:9; 1John 1:5-10; 1John 2:1-2; 1Cor 11:31).
19. Spiritual Gifts
We believe that God the Holy Spirit—in grace and apart from human merit—sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts to believers in this dispensation. The permanent spiritual gifts which exist today are pastor-teacher, evangelist, service, ruling, exhortation, teacher, ministry, helps, giving, and mercy. We further believe that the temporary spiritual gifts were apostle, prophet, tongues, interpretation of tongues, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirits, faith, healings, and miracles. Tongues and the interpretation of tongues ceased in 70 A.D., and the other eight temporary gifts ceased with the completion of the Canon of Scripture (Rom 12:6-8; 1Cor 12:8-10; Eph 4:11).
The author reflects on the challenges of understanding and living the Christian life, particularly the struggle with sin and the seeming disconnect between salvation and practical holiness. In the author’s experience, the church has mostly lost the truths necessary for practical victory and his desire is to make these truths known again through this book. He encourages readers to embark on a journey of discovering the true meaning of being born again and how to apply that knowledge to walk in victory over sin, the world and the devil.
It highlights the vast gap between the average Christian’s experience and what Paul prayed for the churches of Ephesus and Colossae. Through probing questions about the nature of eternal life he shows that the failure of most Christians to live in victory results from their ignorance of what it is that they have been saved from and the true nature of the eternal life they have been given in Chrsit. The chapter emphasizes the necessity of recognizing our true identity in Christ to overcome the inherent sinfulness of our life inherited from Adam.
Recognising that eternal life and salvation can only be correctly understood through a proper understanding of man’s constituent parts as presented in the Bible, this chapter examines the body, soul, and spirit. It compares and contrasts the spirit and soul, highlighting their distinctives, their interconnectedness and functions. The chapter also presents and analyses three prominent views on man's constitution: Trichotomy, Dichotomy, and Monism and points towards the view shown to be supported by the Scriptures.
This chapter examines the nature of Adam's death as a result of sin, focusing on the separation from God. It analyses many biblical references to the spirit of unsaved man, concluding that all humans, saved and unsaved, possess a spirit prior to the day of Pentecost. This chapter clarifies the spiritual state of humanity before the establishment of the New Covenant.
Using the biblical narrative of Gideon, this chapter illustrates the concept of God's immanence and His active involvement in the lives of believers. It highlights Gideon's ignorance of the reality of God in his life and his eventual victory through depending on God's immanence. Through the example of Gideon, the chapter emphasises that true victory in spiritual life comes through correct theology.
This chapter revisits the initial problem of the Christian life, focusing on the author's personal struggles with sin and defeat, showing that this is not the expectation of the New Testament writers. It questions traditional theological understandings of salvation, demonstrating that they have no mechanism for victorious living. The chapter sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the New Birth and its transformative power in the believer's life.
This chapter introduces the concept of the New Birth as a miraculous act of God, creating a new spirit within the believer. It explores the idea of the "New Man," a spiritual entity distinct from the "Old Man," and highlights its inherent righteousness and holiness, making the new spirit of man a suitable place for the Holy Spirit to then inhabit. The chapter emphasizes the transformative nature of the New Birth, marking a radical departure from the old sinful nature.
This chapter further explores the New Birth, highlighting the many varied expressions used to describe it throughout the New Testament. It examines terms like "born again," "child of God," "begotten," "brought forth," and many more, emphasizing their interconnectedness and shared meaning. The chapter demonstrates the centrality of the New Birth in the New Testament Scriptures and its significant implications for the believer's identity and life.
This chapter delves into the prophecy and process of regeneration, analysing its biblical meaning and implications for the re-creation of the believer's spirit. It explores the parallel between the New Birth and the creation of Adam, as a type of the creation of new life at the point of faith in Christ. It then examines the biblical paradox that exists between the obvious continuation of the old man in a believer’s experience and the biblical teaching that he has been crucified.
This chapter explores the practical implications of the New Birth, examining why God allows the "Old Man" to remain within the believer. It argues that the "Old Man" serves as a source of testing, providing opportunities for spiritual growth and training in warfare against sin. It further examines and explains the difference between the Christian’s two possible ways of living and emphasizes the importance of understanding these dynamics to effectively live the new life in Christ.
Building on the previous chapter, this section provides practical strategies for living the new life, focusing on renewing the mind and aligning it with the new spirit. It introduces the concept of two "axes" operating within the believer: the axis of evil (Old Man) and the axis of holiness (New Man). The chapter emphasizes the need for conscious awareness and discernment of thoughts and desires in order to consistently choose the axis of holiness in order to be an overcomer.
This chapter further develops practical strategies for overcoming sin and walking in victory. It emphasizes the absolute necessity of dependence on the Holy Spirit and the continual need for His empowerment. The chapter explains the process of crucifixion and quickening, when the believer actively chooses to refuse the Old Man and calls upon the Holy Spirit to crucify the Old Man and quicken the New Man.
This chapter explores what the New Testament phrase “in Christ” means, showing that it encapsulates the reality of the new birth. Explaining why Jesus is called “the Last Adam” it concludes that all who are born from above are heavenly beings with the Life of the One they have been born from. It underscores the transformative nature of this reality in the lives of believers who embrace it.
This chapter analyses Romans 7, focusing on the tension between the believer's desire for righteousness and the persistent struggle with sin. It interprets the chapter as a description of the believer's experience, highlighting the ongoing conflict between the Old and New Man. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the victory that comes through choosing the new Life over the old, resulting in the God-empowered Life that the Apostle Paul refers to as “walking in the Spirit”.