Statement of Faith

These are the core tenets or values of Charles Church Christian Life Center. All of our actions are determined by what we believe, and most importantly what we believe about God.  “What we believe about God”, said the late A. W. Tozer “is the most important thing about us”. 

All of our concepts about God, if they are to have lasting value for ourselves and those we meet must be drawn from the Bible, which is the eternal (and infallible) Word of God. 

God

We believe in one Eternal God, who is the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 1:3).  He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit (James 1:17; John 4:24).  He is perfect in His person and His action.  God is love (I John 4:8) and from the beginning to the end of the Bible, every act of God is motivated by love (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). God is one, yet three persons─Father, Son, & Holy Spirit.  Each person of the Godhead is equal in Glory, Majesty, and Power.  This is a mystery, because our definition of person implies independence, not oneness of will, actions, and feelings as is true of the Triune God. The Divine Trinity (as theologians describe God) is one self-conscious, self-directed being, yet no Person acts independently or in opposition to the others.  God is one.  Jesus commands us in Matthew 28:19 to baptize in the name (singular) of the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit. 

God is omniscient (Isaiah 40:28; Hebrews 4:12-13), omnipotent (Matthew 28:18; John 1:1-5), and omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-12).  He is the Eternal King (I Timothy 1:17).  Yet He chooses to reveal Himself, and open His heart to create, and have fellowship with man.

The Authority of the Bible

We believe that the Holy Bible (and its 66 books), in its original manuscripts, is Divinely inspired and the final authority for all matters about which it speaks.  It is the infallible rule for all faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason, but it is not unreasonable.  No teaching can be accepted which contradicts the Word of God.  In regard to teachings and practices that don’t contradict the Bible, but are not clearly addressed, we agree with the statement attributed to the early Moravian believers, “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity.”

No spiritual experience can claim as its source, the Holy Spirit, which does not have a precedent in the Bible.  No miracle, revelation, vision, dream, prophesy or discernment can be accepted as true which contradicts the Bible (Deuteronomy 13:1). No other writings (i.e., early church fathers, tradition, historical data, etc.) have the same authority as the canon of Scripture.

Here are some additional verses on the authority of the Bible (Scriptures): Isaiah 40:8, Matthew 22:29, Matt. 24:35, and II Peter 1:21.

Jesus Christ

Colossians 1:16–18 (KJV 1900) — 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

We believe that Jesus is God and is God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the seed of the Holy Spirit, and born of a virgin (Luke 1:35).  Jesus Christ, who pre-existed with God in the form of God, emptied Himself to become fully a man (Philippians 2:6-8). He was born a man and lived a Holy Spirit filled and directed sinless life (Acts 10:38). He demonstrated what it looks like to live as a citizen of the Kingdom of God (people in whose heart God reigns) on the earth by overpowering the reign of devil (and his fellow antichrist spirits) through resisting temptation, obedience, preaching the gospel, healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead.  His life is an example of how every born-again person is meant to live (Romans 8:29).  His death upon the cross was an atoning sacrifice, and all who believe in Him and His sacrifice have their sins forgiven and they are restored to a favorable fellowship with God that had been lost by transgression.  Jesus physical body was resurrected on the third day and He ascended to heaven.

There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, and that is the man Christ Jesus (I Timothy 2:5). All who seek restoration and fellowship with God must go through Jesus (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). We cannot approach God through any other person, religion, spirit, or doctrine.  It is presumptuous and dangerous for any person to seek to be a mediator in the place of Jesus Christ Himself.  He also is the judge that all mankind will stand before after death (John 5:22; II Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-14).

Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead.  He is vitally important to the mission of God and God’s Church upon the earth.  He is the One who convinces men of sin, their need for a Savior and the fact that they are accountable to God (John 16:7-14). He is the agent of regeneration (Titus 3:5) and sanctification for believers in Jesus.  He indwells us when we are born again (John 3:5-6; Romans 8:9) and we are called temples of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19).  He makes the presence of Christ real to believers and through believers on the earth.  Our success upon this earth, in the sight of God, is only to the degree that we are led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14).  He is our resident Comforter, Teacher, Helper, and the One who enables us to live in ways that honor God.  

The ministry of Holy Spirit that was operative in Jesus and the early disciples is still available to the Church today.  Jesus Christ “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8) and His ministry in and through the Church by the Holy Spirit has not changed since the book of Acts.  All believers should seek all the Biblical gifts of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:4-10) in order for the Church to accomplish her full purpose today. 

Man

We believe that man (i.e., men and women) was created good and upright since he was created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26) from the dust of the earth.  He was created without sin, or the knowledge of good and evil.  He received all his information from God. Humanity is the zenith of God’s creation (Psalm 8:3-8) and all of God’s thoughts, words, and actions are for the benefit of humanity. We were created to know God (John 17:3), to fellowship with God (I Corinthians 1:9), and to govern over creation (except for his fellowman) in partnership with Holy Spirit on the earth.

The first man and women sinned against God when they transgressed His command, plunging themselves and all humanity into sin, guilt, suffering and death.  Therefore, all human beings are sinners by nature and by choice (Psalms 51:5; I Corinthians 15:22).  This is referred to as “original sin”.  Therefore God, through Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit, freely offers salvation to those who repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord.

Atonement

We believe in the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ for the atonement of our sins and His bodily resurrection provide the only grounds for our justification, forgiveness, and salvation (Romans 3:24-26; Romans 5:10-11; I John 1:9).  Through the atonement, and therefore as the “last Adam” (I Cor. 15:45), Jesus came to return all who believe in Him to the original mandate that the first Adam failed to accomplish.

Atonement means to cover or conceal.  The Old Testament shows us that atonement calls for sacrifice; a life given for our life (Leviticus 17:11).  The guilty must come in God’s prescribed way, trusting God to accept the innocent substitute that He Himself has ordained and trusting Him to extend the promised forgiveness to the repentant one once the atoning sacrifice has been made.  The New Testament shows us that the sacrificial practices in the Old Testament were instructive (i.e., they foreshadowed the death of Jesus on the cross and prepared us to understand the meaning of that death).

John proclaimed that Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).  Jesus died as the Lamb of God, as our substitute, and it is on the basis of His shed blood that God offers full and free forgiveness to all who accept Him by faith. The forgiveness we receive at salvation is an atonement or covering for sin.  Since our sins were laid on Jesus, they can no longer be laid upon us.  Christ’s atonement for our sins on the cross removes sin from the life of the sinner in the eyes of God.

Salvation

We believe the grace of God which brings salvation appears to all men at some point in their life (Titus 2:11).  In Luke 2:11 the Bible says, “Unto you is born this day…a Savior, which is Christ the Lord and Matthew 1:21 says, “you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” This is the good news (gospel), so we don’t have to live in sin and we don’t have to die in sin. Salvation is wrapped up in the person of Jesus Christ.  Sin (as defined in the Bible) is the barrier that keeps us from fellowshipping with God, who is sinless, and in dwelling in His holy heaven.  When the Philippian jailer asked what to do to be saved, Paul replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).  Salvation is simple, yet profound; however, we don’t have to understand it, to receive it.  We must repent, turn from sin and have faith (believe) in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Faith in the New Testament always has in its background the person and work of Jesus. He is the object of our faith, our believing, our reliance, or trust.  John 3:16 says, “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”.  Mental assent alone to the facts of the Bible does not save (James 2:19).  One decides to believe, that Jesus is who the Bible declares Him to be and that His death on the cross took God’s judgment for us, that we deserved as lawbreakers, and asking His forgiveness for our sins results in our salvation (Rom.10:9-10). 

Salvation doesn’t make bad people good, but rather those dead in sin (Ephesians2:5), alive.  This is regeneration or new birth, where we become new creations in Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:17).  Our old nature is gone, and a new nature after the image of Christ is now ours.  This new birth or being “born again” doesn’t make our decisions or actions immediately perfect; but it is the beginning of a new life in Christ.  The Bible declares that we now have a new Father, and we are citizens of a different Kingdom, the Kingdom of God (Colossians1:13).  We are now heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17).  Christian maturity in this new life is a process that begins at new birth, and it is carried out under the tutelage of God during our lives upon the earth as we prepare for eternity with God, and all the inhabitants of heaven.  It is possible to change behavior without salvation, but at salvation (our new birth experience) we receive a heart change that is wrought in us by God alone. This means that now our behavioral changes will be due to our love for God (John 14:15, 24).  

Water Baptism

We believe that water baptism should be by immersion and accomplished immediately after salvation.  This is an ordinance ordained by Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:19 and practiced by the Church in the book of Acts.  This ordinance is a personal and public statement of faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf.  It is also a commitment to follow His example and lay down our lives for the sake of His Kingdom (Romans 6:4). Water baptism is subsequent to salvation, but not a producer of it.  Since it was ordained by Jesus, we should be water baptized, if at all possible.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5, 8) is an additional experience subsequent to salvation and is essential to be a New Testament witness for Jesus Christ (Luke 24:46-49). Jesus declared the disciples were all called to be witnesses for Him, but the mission couldn’t begin until the receive the needed Holy Spirit power (anointing). They had already experienced salvation, and the Holy Spirit lived inside them.  This enduement with power occurred on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4, when the disciples were baptized in the Holy Spirit.  This also happened in Acts 10:44-46 and Acts 19:1-6.  The initial manifestation of this experience is speaking in tongues, though it has also been accompanied with other gifts of the Spirit. Even though this experience is subsequent to salvation, it sometimes happens together, as we see in the home of Cornelius in Acts chapter 10. Another born-again Christian may baptize you in water, but Jesus Christ is the baptizer in the Holy Spirit (John1:33). 

This experience is presently available to all believers (Acts 2:38-39), but it is not essential for salvation.  The purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is to impart spiritual power to the believer to be a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ on the earth.  When Christians truly have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, they should begin to take on more of His nature and manifest the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23; I Corinthians 12:7-10).  They will become unselfish and more Christ-like, becoming “helpers” and “comforters”, testifying of Jesus with supernatural signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of Holy Spirit (Hebrews 2:4; Mark 16:20) always with the result of leading other to the Lord.

The Lord’s Supper

We believe and acknowledge the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper (Communion) in remembrance of Jesus and His crucifixion for the atonement of our sins (I Corinthians 11:23-32).  It testifies of our union with Him, and it helps us to remember His sacrifice for our salvation.  When we partake of Communion in a church setting it also testifies of our common union with His body, the church.  Communion is not for the purpose of remitting sins, which is based solely upon Jesus’s sacrifice upon the cross (Hebrews 9:25-28).

The only requirement to participate in the Lord’s Supper is to be a born-again believer. When believers draw near to the Lord through this ordinance, in accordance with the Bible (I Corinthians 11:27-32), they experience a special experience of the presence of the Lord as He draws near to them. It reminds us that Jesus went to the Cross and removed forever all barriers that previously prevented access to God (Colossians 2:13; Hebrews 4:16).

Church

We believe there is only one church (Matthew 16:18) and that is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Its members are made up of those who are born-again out of every nationality and ethnic group upon the earth. Those who are born-again have the same Father which means they are brothers and sisters in Christ. You cannot join the Church; you must be born into the Church.  We are united by our common life, not our common doctrine.  This universal Church is found in assemblies of varying numbers, with different names, and in denominations/associations, all over the face of the earth.  When we are saved the Holy Spirit placed us in the Church (I Corinthians 12:13).

Collected and fitted together in local assemblies, they form a dwelling place or holy habitation for God since He chooses to dwell in His Church upon the earth (Ephesians 2:22; II Corinthians 6:16-18; Revelation 2:1). His communication is to the Church, through the Church, and His acts are performed through the Church.  The Father loved the Church, the Son died for the Church, and the Holy Spirit dwells in Church.  In order for us to fulfill our individual destiny as a believer or for the corporate destiny of each local assembly of believers to be fulfilled, we must be active participants in the local assembly (Hebrews 10:24-25) to which Holy Spirit leads us.

One of our former church leaders said, “At Bethlehem God provided Christ a body that could die, thereby offering men salvation.  At the resurrection God provided Christ a body that could live eternally and be seated in the heavenlies to function as our High Priest.  But by sharing this resurrection life with those who had accepted the atoning work of the cross, God provided a third body for Christ: a body that could function in the earth. This Body is called ‘the Church’.”

The Church’s ministry involves evangelizing the world and edifying/discipling converts (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Ephesians 4:11-13).

Second Coming of Christ

We believe in the literal, physical return of the Lord Jesus Christ to take authority and rule upon the earth (Matt. 24:30; Acts 1:7, 11; Rev. 1:7).  However, we don’t know whether He is returning tomorrow or a thousand years from today (Matthew 24:36; Acts 1:7). We know that the believers who have died upon the earth will be the first to experience a bodily resurrection on the day He returns followed by those who are alive on the earth on that day (I Thess. 4:15-17).

There will also be a literal, physical resurrection for the unjust to face a Day of Judgment before the Lord (Rev. 20:11-15).  After this judgment the unjust (those not born again) will be cast into hell, together with the devil and his demons.