Our Beliefs

Copyright © 2003 by Wesleyan Episcopal Assemblies Pentecostal

· The Bible : We believe the Scriptures both the Old and New Covenants are given by inspiration of God. Which is to say that the original composer and the scribes who transcribed the orations and oral tradition, were inspired as to content and therein are infallible, when reviewed in context. The written canon, composed of the sixty-six books is the revelation of God to man; the supreme, infallible, authoritative rule of faith, practice and behavior. Christian believers today receive spiritual illumination to enable them to understand the Scriptures, but God does not grant new revelations, which are contrary to or describe an evolution in inspired biblical truth.

· God: The one true God has revealed himself as the eternally self-existent “I AM,” the Creator of Heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Ghost. These three are one God, having the same nature and attributes and are worthy of the same homage, faith and obedience.

· Jesus Christ: The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal and only begotten Son of God is fully Man and fully God. He was conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary and by his sinless life, miracles and teaching gave full revelation of the Father. He died upon the cross as a perfect, sinless, substitutionary sacrifice. He rose from the dead. He is now at the right hand of the majesty on high serving as our great high Priest and only intermediary. He will come again to establish his kingdom in righteousness and peace.

· The Father: The Father exists eternally as the Creator of Heaven and earth, the Giver of the Law, to whom all things will be subjugated, so that He may be all in all.

· Holy Spirit: The Holy Ghost is also God, performing actions and possessing the attributes of Deity. His personality is shown by his role in creation and by relating to individual prophets as a person.

· Man: Man was originally created good and upright in the image and likeness of God; for God said, “Let us make man in our own image.” However, he fell through voluntary sin and, as a consequence, incurred both spiritual and physical death. We recognize that at some arbitrary point every child comes to recognize the nature of good and evil and chooses to commit evil in pursuit of selfish desires, repeating a cycle of spiritual death, which is the legacy of the fall of man.

· Salvation: Salvation has been provided for any person through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. It is the only perfect redemption and substitutionary atonement for all the sins of the world, both original and actual. His atoning work has been proven by His resurrection from the dead. Those who repent and believe in Christ are born again of the Holy Ghost and receive eternal life.

· Ordinances: Following the commands of Christ we administer the sacerdotal ceremonies which Christ himself participated in and condoned. The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded so that all who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord can publicly signify that they have benefited from His death, burial and resurrection. The Lord’s Supper is the symbol expressing our share in the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ, a memorial of his suffering and death, and a prophecy of His second coming, and is enjoined on all believers “till He comes!” Marriage is a provision of God whereby a man and a woman enter into a lifelong relationship through the public declaration of intent and the joining in sexual union and verbal or written contract. Generally, this union is to be sealed by the consent and recognition of the parents or guardians of the couple. Marriage establishes a “one flesh” relationship ordained by God, which goes beyond a physical union and is more than either a temporary relationship or a mere contractual obligation.

· Christian Experience: Rebirth brings justification for all previous sinful behavior, so that the believer can rest assured of salvation on the basis of faith in the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ, who is competent to keep him and to protect him from mistakes and temptation that will take one from the body and Grace of Christ. All believers are entitled to and should ardently seek the promise of the Father, the Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience for the entire early Christian Church, subsequent to salvation, and provides the believer with a more intimate way. With it comes the bodily empowerment for both life and service, The gifts of the Spirit are supernatural abilities given by God through the exercising of which believers are enabled to minister effectively and directly in particular situations. These gifts are distinct from natural ability and are evaluated on their usefulness in ministry and not by the ecstasy produced in the gifted.

· Security: The Christian believer is a participant in a covenant relationship with almighty God, who is entirely reliable for all eternity. No one not even the son of perdition himself can snatch you from the hand of the living God, and having become a follower of Christ you may rest secure in the knowledge that you cannot be forcibly separated from him, nor will he ever put you away. However, as a child of Grace you have the free will to choose to persevere until the end working out your own salvation with fear and trembling, or in rebellion and pride to return to you life of habitual sin, thereby severing the covenant written in the blood of Calvary. For one who willfully walks away there is a point of no return beyind which the spirit will cease to convict the conscience and identity with Jesus Crucifixion no longer adheres. Such a one can not be restored to the faith, for to do so would crucify Christ a second time and bring him to open shame.

· Church: The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Jesus Christ is the founder and only Head of the church. All who are born again of the Spirit are members of the universal church, an integral part of the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven. The church includes both those believers who have gone to be with the Lord and those who remain on the earth, having renounced the world, the flesh, and the devil, and having dedicated themselves to the work, which Christ committed unto His church until He comes. The church on the earth is to preach the pure Word of God, properly administer the sacerdotal functions according to Christ’s instructions, and live in obedience to all that Christ commands.

· Eternity : At death, the souls of the believers pass immediately into the presence of Christ. And these remain in a state of awareness of success until the resurrection into a glorified body. The souls of deceased unbelievers remain conscious of condemnation and failure until the final resurrection and judgment of the unrighteous dead.