OUR FAITH

Statement of Faith of the Christian Arabic Church of Edmonton

Section A: The Bible

The Bible, consisting of all the books of the Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God a supernaturally-given revelation from God Himself, concerning Himself, His being, nature, character, will and purposes; and concerning man, his nature, need, duty and destiny. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as originally given are without error or misstatement.

(1)    2 Tim. 3:15, 16; 1 Peter 1:25 (2) 2 Peter 1:19-21; John 4:24; Exodus 3:13-15; Genesis 17:1; Lev. 11:45 (3) 1 Cor. 2:12-13.

Section B: God

There is only one God, eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three persons, thus united, are coequal in every way, with each possessing all the divine attributes. However, each has a distinct office and function in a cooperative relationship with others. God is, in essence, spirit, and is totally perfect in His character and work.

(1)    Deut. 6:4 (2) Matt. 28:19 (3) John 4:24 (4) Matt. 5:48

  1. The Father

The Father is God. Although His general Fatherhood extends over all creation He is a personal Father only to those who are rightly related to Him. He functions in the Godhead as the Father of Jesus Christ in a unique Father-Son relationship, which existed from all eternity.

(1)    1Cor. 8:6 (2) James 1:17; Job 38:7; Mal. 2:10; Acts 17:29 (3) 1 John 4:12, 13; Rom. 8:15,16 (4) Rom.15:6; 2 Cor. 1:3; 11:31 (5) John 1:14; Col. 1:15,16

 

  1. The Son

The Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, was supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, lived and taught and performed mighty works and wonders and signs exactly as is recorded in the four Gospels, was put to death by crucifixion, was raised from the dead in bodily form, and now sits at the Father’s right hand from whence He is coming again to this earth personally, bodily and visibly, in which God’s purpose of grace towards mankind will find their consummation.

(1)    Matt. 1:20-23 (2) 1 Cor. 15:3-6 (3) Eph. 1:20-22 (4) Acts 1:11; Titus 2:13-14

 

  1. The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is a real person of essential deity in the Godhead. He convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment and reveals Christ and His salvation. The Holy Spirit works in regeneration, sanctification, endowment for service as well as the calling and gifting of individuals for service in the Church which is the body of Christ.

We believe that believers are to be filled with the Holy Spirit to serve God more effectively. The evidence of a Spirit-controlled life is the fruit of the Spirit listed in Gal. 5:22.

(John 4:24; John 16:7-14; John 3:5-7; 1 Peter 1:2; Acts 1:8; Eph. 4:17-13; 1 Cor. 12:1-11; Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:6-25; Rom. Chapters 6-8)

 

Section C: Man

Man was created in the image of God, after His likeness, but the whole human race fell in the fall of Adam. All man, until they accept the Lord Jesus as their personal Saviour, are lost, darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them hardened in heart, morally and spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins. They cannot see nor enter the kingdom of God until they are born again of the Holy Spirit.

(1)    Gen. 1:26,27 (2) 1 Cor. 15:22; Rom. 5:12,14 (3) Eph. 4:17,18 (4) Eph. 2:1 (5) John 3:3,5

 

Section D: Atonement

By His death upon the cross, the Lord Jesus made a perfect atonement for sin, by which the wrath of God against sinners is appeased and a ground furnished upon which God can deal in mercy with sinners. He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse in our place. He who Himself was absolutely without sin was made to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

(1)    Heb. 9:28; Heb. 10:10; 1 Peter 3:18; Rom. 5:10,11

(2)    Rom. 3:23-28; Isaiah 53:4-6,11 (3) Gal. 3:13 (4) 2 Cor. 5:21

 

Section E: Salvation

Forgiveness for sin and freedom from its punishment come only through believing in Jesus Christ:  ie. Through putting one’s full trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation from sin. True work in Christ includes belief in His person as God, in His work on the cross whereby He died for all mankind, and in His resurrection whereby He offers men a living hope. Belief includes repentance (which is defined as changing the mind with respect to God, sin and self). The son in Matthew 21:28-29 illustrates true repentance.

John 3:16,18,36; Acts 16:31 (2) Rom. 10:9; 1 John 5:1 (3) 1 Cor. 15:3 (4) Rom. 10:9; 1 Cor. 15:4 (5) Acts 17:12; 2 Cor. 7:9-11; Acts 2:37-38; Acts 20:21

Section F: Assurance

All who are genuinely born again by the Spirit through faith in Christ as revealed in the Scriptures may be assured of their salvation from the very day they take Him to be their Saviour. This assurance is not founded upon the discovery of their own worthiness, but wholly upon the testimony of God in His written Word, inducing within His children love, gratitude and obedience.

(1)    John 6:47; John 10:27-29; Rom. 8:33-39; 2 Tim. 1:12 (2) Eph. 2:8-12; Titus 3:5-8

 

Section G: Separation

Every born again person possess two natures –with provision, made for victory of the new nature over the old through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. All those born again should live in such a as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. Separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and association is commanded of God.

(1)    Rom. 7:15-23, II Peter 1:4 (2) Rom. 6:13, 8:12-13, Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24

 

Section H: Church

A local church is an organized congregation of baptized believers associated by covenant faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His word. The true ministry of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men and equipping the believers for the work of this ministry.

We believe in the unity of all New Testament believers in the Church, which is the Body of Christ.

(1)    Acts 2:41,42; Matt. 28:19-20  (2) Eph. 4:11,12  (3)  I Cor. 12:12,13; Eph. 1:22,23; 3:1-6; Col. 1:18

 

Section I: Ordinances

Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances of the church. In them all true believers are to participate.

(1)    Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:47,48; 8:36-38 (2) I Cor. 11:23-32

 

  1. Baptism

Baptism is a personal act and is not sent forth as a condition of salvation. We teach and practice baptism by immersion for believer as an outward expression and testimony of the inward spiritual change which occurs in the believer’s life when he accepts the Savior. We believe that water baptism is symbolic of the fact that we are buried with Christ in death and have risen with Him in newness of life.

(Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:36-38, Rom. 6:3-5; Col 2:12; Acts 10:47; John 5:24)

 

  1. Lord’s Supper

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration by believers of Christ’s substitutionary death until He comes. This should always be preceded by a time of solemn self-examination.

(Matt 26:26-29; Luke 22:14-20; I Cor. 11:23-24)

 

Section J: Divine Healing

We believe that God still heals the sick in response to the prayer of faith and according to His Sovereign will.

(1)    James 6:14-16

 

Section K: Tithing

Tithing was instituted by God in the Old Testament and was compulsory fot the people who worshipped god. In the New Testament we are no longer living under the Law. However, grace should produce as much or more than the Law demanded. Regular systematic giving is clearly taught in the New Testament. Christian honor God when they conscientiously and systematically tithe their income to Him.

(1)    Malachi 3:10, I Cor. 16:1,2

 

Section L: Angels

  1. Holy Angles

Angels are created beings and, therefore, are not to be worshipped. They are a higher order of creation than man, created to serve God and to worship Him.

Luke 2:9-14; Heb. 1:6-7, 14; Rev. 5:11; 19:10; 22:9

  1. Fallen Angels

Satan is a created angel and the author of sin. He incurred the judgment of God by rebelling against his Creator, involving numerous Angels in his fall, and introducing sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve.

Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man, and the prince of this world. Though defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he continues his long warfare against the work of God. He shall be eternally punished in the Lake of fire.

Matt 4:11; 25:41 Rom. 16:20; Job 1:6, 7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Rev. 20:10; Gen 3:15;                   Eph. 2:2; I Peter 5:8; II Cor. 11:13-15

 

Section M: Civil Governments

We believe that civil governments is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society. All government officials are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth.

(1)    Rom. 13:1-7; II Sam. 23:3; Ex. 18:21,22; Acts 23:5; Matt 22:21; Acts 5:20; (2) Acts 4:19-20;

Dan. 3:17, 18

 

Section N: Future Things

We believe in that Blessed Hope, the personal imminent, coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His Redeemed ones; and in His subsequent return to earth His saints to establish His millennial kingdom.

(1)    I Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 3:10; I Cor. 15:50-54; (2) Rev. 20:1-6 (3) Zech. 14:4-11

 

Section O: The Resurrection of the Believers and Unbelievers

All mankind, both saved and lost will share in the literal physical resurrection: the saints to everlasting conscious joy and blessedness with the Lord; the lost to everlasting conscious torment in the lake of fire.

I Cor. 15:51-17:1; Matt 25:46; Rev. 21:1-8; Rev. 22:1-6 Rev. 20:11-15