Question 1

We are Meant to be Good Stewards:

Accepted Answer

We believe that God owns everything and we are meant to be good stewards of our time, talent, and treasure. (Psalm 24:1, Psalm 50:10, Haggai 2:8, Luke 16:10-13, 1 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Peter 4:10-11, Colossians 3:23-24, Genesis 3:23)Psalm 24:1: 1"The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein"Psalm 50:10: 10  "For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills."Haggai 2:8: 8 "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts."Luke 16:10-13: 10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”1 Corinthians 4:2: 2 "Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful."1 Peter 4:10-11: 10 "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."Colossians 3:23-24: "23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."Genesis 3:23: "23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden sto work the ground from which he was taken."

Question 2

Money Should Not be Idolized:

Accepted Answer

We believe that money is an instrument and a tool provided by God. We are not to try and get it from immoral ways. We are not to worship it, but are to rely on the Lord our God for all of our Needs. We should make financial decisions that align with the Bibles teachings. (Proverbs 13:11, 2 Corinthians 5:10, James 1:22-25, Matthew 6:24 - 34, 1 Timothy 3:1-3) Proverbs 13:11: 11  "Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it."2 Corinthians 5:10: 10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."James 1:22-25: " 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."Matthew 6:24-34: "25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."1 Timothy 3:1-3: "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money."

Question 3

Every Christian Should Tithe:

Accepted Answer

We believe every Christian should tithe and give according to the Bible. (Leviticus 27:30, Malachi 3:8-12, Matthew 6:19-21). Leviticus 27:30: “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord."Malachi 3:8-12: "8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts."Matthew 6:19-21: 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Question 4

The Scriptures Inspired:

Accepted Answer

The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to man, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12).2 Timothy 3:15-17: "15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."1 Peter 1:23-25: "23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25  but the word of the Lord remains forever.”Hebrews 4:12: "12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

Question 5

The One True Godhead:

Accepted Answer

The triune Godhead is comprised of 3 separate and distinct personalities, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, who are eternally self-existent, self-revealed and function as one entity.  Jesus Christ, who is God manifested in the flesh, is the second member of the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with The Father and The Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:13-17).Matthew 3:13-17: 13 "Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Question 6

Man, His Fall and Redemption:

Accepted Answer

Man was created good and upright, for God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our Likeness.”  But man, by voluntary transgression, fell and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ the Son of God (Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21).Genesis 1:26-31: 26 "Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."Genesis 3:1-7: "3Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths."Romans 5:12-21: "12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Question 7

The Salvation of Man:

Accepted Answer

(a) Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7). In His substitutionary atoning work for us, Jesus Christ lived the life that we could not live and he died the death that we deserved. He did this as our substitute (2 Corinthians 5:21).We believe that those who have made Jesus their Lord have been justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24). We believe that we are saved by grace through faith and that is a gift of God and not of works lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Bible tells us “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart – that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Romans 10:8-10).(b) The Evidences of Salvation. The inward evidence, to the believer of his salvation, is the direct witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16).  The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness.  “And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us” (1 John 3:23).(c) Faith and Works. Salvation is by Faith in Jesus Christ and not by human works; however, our works will determine the rewards in eternity (Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; and 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Question 8

Baptism in Water:

Accepted Answer

The ordinance of Baptism by a burial with Christ should be observed as commanded in the Scriptures by all who have really repented and in their hearts have truly believed on Christ as Savior and Lord.  In so doing, they declare to the world that they have died with Jesus and that they have also been raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:4).Matthew 28:19: 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"Acts 10:47-48: 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days."Romans 6:4: "4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

Question 9

The Lord’s Supper:

Accepted Answer

“And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, `This is my body which is for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.  ‘In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’  ” Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup (1 Corinthians 11:24-25, 28).1 Corinthians 11:24-25: 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”1 Corinthians 11:28: 28 "Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup."

Question 10

The Holy Spirit:

Accepted Answer

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, co-equal with Jesus and the Father in the Godhead. We believe the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son, convicts the world of sin and promotes righteousness and judgement. The Holy Spirit is our omnipresent, omnipotent helper, comforter, and guide to all who believe in Jesus. (John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26).John 14:16-17, 26: 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."John 15:26-27: 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning."John 16:9-14: 9 "concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you."Romans 8:9: 9 "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him."1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19: 16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own"Galatians 5:22-26: 22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."

Question 11

Baptism in the Holy Spirit:

Accepted Answer

The baptism in the Holy Spirit, as promised by Jesus to all believers, is a gift received subsequent to new birth (salvation). The baptism in the Holy Spirit empowers the Christian to be His witness (Acts 1:8). We believe the evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. (Acts 1:5-8; 2:1-4; 10:44-47; 19:1-6).Acts 1:5-8: 5 "for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”Acts 2:1-4: "When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance."Acts 10:44-47: "44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”Acts 19:1-6: "And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all."

Question 12

The Church:

Accepted Answer

The Church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission.  Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general assembly and church of the first born, which are written in Heaven (Ephesians 1:22; 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23).Ephesians 1:22:  22 "And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church."Ephesians 2:19-22:  "19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."Hebrews 12:23: 23 "and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,"

Question 13

Divine Healing:

Accepted Answer

We believe that divine healing is provided for in the atonement, and it is the privilege of every believer (Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 8:17, 1 Peter 2:24).Isaiah 53:4-5: 4  "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5  But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."Matthew 8:17: 17 "This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”1 Peter 2:24: 24 "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed."

Question 14

Blessed Hope:

Accepted Answer

Jesus is coming again to gather all His Saints to Heaven (I Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 2 Thessalonians 2:1).1 Corinthians 15:51-52: 51 "Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed."1 Thessalonians 4:16-14: 16 "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."2 Thessalonians 2:1: "Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,"

Question 15

Heaven and Hell are Real Places

Accepted Answer

Heaven is literal. We believe that those who have repented of their sins and have made Jesus the Lord of their lives will gain eternal access into Heaven (John 14:1-3; Revelation 21:1-4; Matthew 25:21).We believe that Hell is a real place and those who physically die in their sins without Christ are hopelessly and eternally lost in Hell (Matthew 25:41-46; Luke 12:4-5; Matthew 10:28), and eventually the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15), with no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting.Hell is literal. The terms “eternal” and “everlasting” used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in Hell carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy of the saints in the presence of God (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 19:20; Matthew 25:46).The question is not “Why would a loving God send someone to Hell?” We believe the right question is “Why would you not receive what a loving God has done in the person and work of Jesus Christ so that you don’t have to go there?” God is love (1 John 4:8). He is also a holy and righteous judge (Psalm 89:14).

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