Beliefs, The Living Word Community

OUR BELIEFS

THE GREAT COMMISSION

Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. -Matthew 28:18-20

THE GREAT COMMANDMENT

Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. -Matthew 22:37-40

These are the statements that form the foundation of what be we believe.

What We Believe

ABOUT GOD

WE BELIEVE there is one God who is the creator and the ruler of the universe (Gen. 1:1). He eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:19)

JESUS CHRIST

WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, in his virgin birth (Matt. 1:23), his sinless life (Heb. 4:15; 7:26), his atoning death on the cross (1 Cor. 15:3), his resurrection on the third day (John 11:25; 1 Cor. 15:4), and that He will return to reign as Lord of lords (Acts 1:11; 1 Tim. 6:13-16).

THE HOLY SPIRIT

WE BELIEVE in the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that empowers each Christian to live a godly life (Rom. 8:11). The body of each believer is a “temple” in which the Holy Spirit is present (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Therefore, every believer must foster a life filled with the Spirit, which is both an initial and ongoing experience for Christians (Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, guidance in doing what is right, and spiritual gifts to edify the church.

THE SCRIPTURES

WE BELIEVE that the entire Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God and that men were moved by the Spirit to write the books of Scripture (2 Pet 1:20-21). The words of the Bible are the primary source for teaching and equipping Christians for a life of righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

HUMANITY

WE BELIEVE that human beings were created in the image of God to have fellowship with Him (Gen. 1:26), but became alienated from that relationship through sinful disobedience (Gen. 3). As a result, humanity is totally incapable of coming back into a right relationship with God by our own effort.

SALVATION

WE BELIEVE that only the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross provides for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 10:45). Therefore, salvation is received only when a person places his faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as the sufficient payment for one’s acknowledged sin (Acts 2:38). This salvation is not earned but is a gift available by the grace of God alone (Eph. 2:8-9).

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

WE BELIEVE that for every Christian the old way of living for oneself is in the past and that the present and the future are filled with a new way of living for Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). By obedience to the Scriptures and daily yielding to the Spirit, we will mature and become conformed to the image of Christ, which should be exhibited by love for God and one’s neighbor (Matt. 22:37-39).

THE CHURCH

WE BELIEVE that the church is the body of Christ, of which Jesus is the head (Col. 1:18). The purpose of the church is to gather believers to glorify God by being a powerful witness for Jesus Christ in a lost world (Matt. 28:18-20). God wants to edify and build up His church; this is why the Holy Spirit gives a variety of spiritual gifts to believers, such as encouragement, serving, teaching, healing, prophecy, etc. (Romans 12, 1 Cor. 12,) We practice two ordinances in the church, which were instituted by Christ Himself: water baptism (Luke 3:21-22) and holy communion (Luke 22:14-20).

The Living Word Community | La Comunidad Palabra Viviente

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