Expanded Doctrinal Statement

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Category: What Do We Believe?

Published on Tuesday, 31 March 2009 03:38

Written by Ryan Hicks

RYAN HICKS MINISTRIES' EXPANDED DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

[BROTHER HICKS' NOTE: IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PRACTICE TODAY FOR MINISTRIES TO NOT DISPLAY THEIR DOCTRINAL STATEMENT OR DISPLAY SOME DOCTRINAL STATEMENT THAT IS SO GENERIC THAT IT COULD APPLY TO MORMONS, JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, AND PROBABLY EVEN ATHEISTS. I HAVE SOUGHT TO CLEARLY EXPLAIN WHAT WE BELIEVE AND GIVE YOU A WIDE VARIETY OF SCRIPTURES PROVING THE BELIEF. DO NOT JUST BELIEVE SOMETHING, SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT THEY BE TRUE (ACTS 17:11)!]



The Godhead - There are not three essences (Tritheistic heresy) or only one being (Oneness or Modalistic heresy) in the Godhead. The Godhead is a Trinity of Divine Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in perfect unity (Matthew 28:19; 1 John 5:7; etc.). Each of these Persons is coequal, coeternal, and are God (John 1:1-3; Acts 5:3-4; 1 John 5:7; 2 John 3; etc.). While there are Three totally separate and distinct Members of the Godhead, they are one in essence and make up the one God, that is one in essence or substance (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 5:7).

The Scriptures - The Scriptures (66 books of the Bible) are inspired of God, and are the final court of appeals for all matters of doctrine and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 22:18-19).

The Fall of Man - All men are made innocent and upright (Eccl. 7:29). Through man's free will he chooses to sin, thus incurring the full penalty of the broken law, the loss of spiritual life and eternal damnation. The guilt and damnation of the original sin rests solely upon Adam and not upon his descendants (Genesis 3:1-7; Romans 3:23; 5:12-21).

Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ was God manifested in the flesh (John 1:1-14; 1 Timothy 3:16). He was born of a virgin, lived a perfect and sinless life, died for man's sins on the cross, shed His blood for remission of sins (Mark 14:24; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:14), was buried, rose again bodily by the power of God on the third day, and bodily ascended on high, now is bodily seated at the right hand of God the Father, and will return bodily (Matthew 1:18-23; Mark 16:19; Luke 1:30-35; John 19:38-20:18; Acts 1:9-11; 2:22-36; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 1 Timothy 3:16).

Salvation - God has purchased the full salvation of man (body, soul, and spirit) through the death of His Son on the cross. Salvation is offered to all, and all may receive it through faith in the Son of God. Through this salvation man is free from all sin, and given the power to live clean in this world (Matthew 18:3; Luke 13:3, 5; John 3:3-7; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-10; Galatians 5:24; Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 John 3:6-10).

Eternal Security - Men who have confessed and forsaken their sin in full faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are eternally secure as long as they choose to obediently follow the Lord. Should they choose to turn back to sin, they then are once again lost and in need of repentance. If such a backslider refuses to repent, then they will die a sinner. According to James 5:19-20 such people can be reconverted and saved, otherwise they will be damned with the rest of the sinners and have no forgiveness for their sins. As long as one walks in the light, they should not fear forsaking their salvation (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Mark 16:16; John 1:12; 3:15-16; 5:24; Romans 8:24; Galatians 6:8; Ephesians 1:4, 13; 4:30; Philippians 1:6; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:1; 3:2, 8-10).

Sanctification - Sanctification means a separation from a life of sin and wickedness to a life of holiness. All truly born-again believers are sanctified. Thus there is no such thing as sanctification as a second work of grace. Rather sanctification begins when one is saved and continues throughout one's life as long as they live holy (Acts 20:32; 26:18; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:19-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 2:11; 10:10, 14; 1 Peter 1:2; Jude 1)

Holiness - Holiness is God's requirement for the saved. All who are truly saved will live a lifestyle of holiness before both God and man (Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:48; 7:21; Luke 22:24; Acts 10:35; Romans 6:22-23; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:14; 1 John 2:3-5; 5:18; Jude 21; Revelation 21:7-8).

Hell - All have sinned (Romans 3:23) and are destined for eternal torment in hell. Only through salvation can one escape such punishment. Those who sin and fail to repent and forsake their sins will spend eternity apart from God in eternal torment. Hell is a literal place of fire and brimstone, and is the eternal home of the damned (Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8).

Power from on high - The power from on high is for all born-again believers to receive, and is evidenced by power to be witnesses. A believer that has been endued with this power can do the works of Christ and even greater works with all the gifts of the Spirit. These gifts will not cease until we are made perfect by Christ at the resurrection as is seen in 1 Corinthians 13:10. Believers are to be wary of any "gift" that would get you more focused on itself than the Giver. They also should avoid flaunting spiritual gifts for this is rebellious and devilish (Isaiah 28:11-12; John 7:37-39; 14:12; Acts 1:4-5, 8; 2:4, 32-33, 38-39; 5:32; 8:14-17; 10:44-46; 11:15-16; 19:1-7).

The Rapture of the Church - The rapture of the church takes place before the tribulation period and the revealing of the antichrist. No one who is born-again and living a life of holiness, as any truly born-again person does live, will have to go through the tribulation period. Jesus even taught for His saints to "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36) proving that believers will escape the coming judgment on the world. Paul taught that "God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:9) which also shows that believers will not have to go through the tribulation period (Luke 21:36; John 14:2-3; 1 Corinthians 15:23, 51-58; Ephesians 5:27; Philippians 3:11, 20-21; Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 3:13; 4:13-18; 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 6-8; James 5:7-8; 1 Peter 5:4; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Revelation 1:19).
 

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