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Garner Ted Armstrong; Tyler, Texas
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Statement of Beliefs
1. GOD
God is the eternal, all present, all powerful, supreme creator and
sustainer of the entire universe. God is one, composed of spirit and
comprising a family presently consisting of God the Father and Jesus Christ
the Son. God is a loving, kind, merciful being who wants to share His
magnificent existence by reproducing Himself through man. Psalm 19:1; 50:1,
6-7 Isaiah 44:6; Nehemiah 9:6, 16-17 John 1:12-13; 3:16; 4:8; Romans I:20;
Colossians I:16; Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 John 3:1-2
2. BIBLE
The whole Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God containing His plan of
salvation, and the record of His participation in history. The Bible is
God's revelation of knowledge that man cannot discover for himself. It is
the foundation of knowledge, and the guidebook of life. The Old and New
Testaments comprise God's written Word, which forms the basis of
Christianity as taught by the church and as practiced by the Christian.
Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4; John 17:I7; Romans 8:16; 1
Corinthians 2:7-11; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20
3. JESUS CHRIST
Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of God, and the Son of man. He was
the prophesied Messiah of the Old Testament, and is described in the New
Testament as being fully human and fully divine. As the second member of
the God family, He has existed throughout eternity as the "Word." He
divested Himself of this power and His majesty, and became a human being to
die for the sins of all mankind as our loving and merciful Savior. He was
then resurrected, and ascended to heaven to become our High Priest. Jesus
Christ shall return to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and rule as
King of kings with His saints forever. Deuteronomy I8:15; Matthew 17:15-1
7; John 1:1-14; 3:16; Acts 2:32-33; Romans 5:8; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews
4:14-15; Revelation 1:13-16
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is the essence, power, mind, and spiritual extension of
God. God begets Christians as His sons and daughters through this Spirit.
It strengthens a Christian spiritually, converts his mind, and serves as an
earnest or guarantee of eternal life. Acts 1:8; 2:38; Romans 8:9, 14; I
Corinthians 2:16; Ephesians 1:13-14
5. MANKIND
Humans are physical beings with no inherent immortality, but they can
receive eternal life as a free gift from God. Man was created by God to be
wholly flesh and blood, yet in God's image, and with a spiritual component
added to his brain to compose the human mind. Genesis 1:26-27; Job 32:8; I
Corinthians 2:11; I John 5:11-13
6. ANGELIC REALM
God has created powerful spirit beings as His agents, and messengers. Since
man's creation, these spirit beings function as ministering spirits to help
mankind attain salvation. Like man, angels have free moral agency. Although
created to help God, some of them--led by Satan the devil-rebelled against
God's government, transforming themselves into demons. Psalm 91:11-12;
Ephesians 6:I2; Hebrews 1:7
7. SALVATION
Salvation is the means by which God, through Christ, saves man from the
penalty of sin and gives him eternal life. This process includes one's
calling, repentance, baptism, justification, receiving of the Holy Spirit,
life of faith and obedience, and final birth into God's Kingdom as a spirit
being. Salvation is a freely given gift from God through grace, with our
ultimate reward being given according to our works. Matthew 16:27; John
3:16-17; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 6:I-2
8. FAITH
Faith is the sure knowledge that God exists, and that He will accomplish
those things He has promised. Faith is necessary for salvation. The basic
elements of faith are courage, action, and risk. Romans 1:17; 10:17;
Ephesians 3:I7; Hebrews 11:1-2; James 2:22-24
9. REPENTANCE
Repentance is the act of acknowledging one's sins, and resolving to fully
obey God. It begins when God opens one's mind to see himself in comparison
with God and His law. True repentance is the first step toward
reconciliation with God, and thereby toward ultimate salvation. Acts 2:38;
3:19-21; 8:22; I John 3:4
10. BAPTlSM
The ceremony of water baptism is performed by immersion, for the
forgiveness of sins, upon true repentance and acceptance of Christ's
sacrifice. After this ceremony, and as a result, one receives the baptism
of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. Baptism symbolizes the
renunciation of the past sinful way of life, the burial of the old man in a
watery grave, and the emergence of a new, Spirit-led man living with
Christ's mind and following in His footsteps. Matthew 3:13-16; Acts 2:38;
Romans 6:1-8; Colossians 2:12
11. LAYING ON OF HANDS
The laying on of hands is an act performed on special occasions, such as
for the receiving of God's Holy Spirit after baptism, at ordination,
anointing of the sick, or for other special purposes. Matthew 19:13-15;
Acts 6:5-6; 8:17-18; 13:3; I Timonthy 4:14; Hebrews 6:2
12. KINGDOM OF GOD
The Kingdom of God is the family of God ruling as the government of God. It
is a future world-ruling government to be set up on earth by Christ at His
return, with Jesus as King and the resurrected spirit-composed saints in
positions of co-rulership with Him. The Kingdom of God--referred to as a
"mystery" in the New Testament--was first preached and explained by Christ,
then by His church; it shall be established on earth for a thousand years
following Christ's return, and shall be completely fulfilled when New
Jerusalem and God the Father come down out of heaven to dwell on the New
Earth. Mark 4:11; Revelation 5:10; 20:4; 21:1-3, 7, 10
13. GOSPEL
The gospel is the message preached by Christ and by His church about God's
coming Kingdom, the restoration of His government on earth, and how mankind
can enter that Kingdom and government. It includes the message of what
Jesus has done, is doing, and shall do--and ultimately is the message of
the entire Old and New Testaments. The primary prupose and commission of
the church is to " Go ye thefore, and teach [make disciples of] all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit.'' Matthew 3:2; 24:14; 28:19-20; Mark 1:15; Luke 24:47
14. RESURRECTIONS
The hope of all mankind and the promise to the Christian is the
resurrection from the dead. The Bible refers to (1) the resurrection of
Jesus Christ, the firstborn from the dead and the pioneer of our salvation;
(2) the resurrection of the saints--called the "first resurrection"--at the
return of Christ when the true believers shall become spirit-composed
members of God's family; (3) the resurrection back to physical life of all
who have ever died without having understood God's way, for their first
opportunity for salvation; (4) the resurrection of the incorrigibly
wicked--those who have refused to repent and have rejected God's way-to be
consumed in the lake of fire (called the "second death"). John 5:28-29;
Acts 2:32; Romans 8:11; I Corinthians 15:20; I Thessalonians 4:I3-17;
Revelation 20:4-6, 13-14
15. JUDGMENT
The time of one's judgment is the time of his opportunity for salvation,
extending from one's calling by God until his death (or the resurrection at
Christ's return). Those who shall qualify for God's Kingdom--the
overwhelming majority-shall inherit eternal life, and those who
deliberately reject God's way shall be consumed in the lake of fire.
Matthew 13:49-50; 25:34; I Peter 4:17; Revelation 20:15; 21:8
16. LAW OF GOD
The law of God as revealed in the Bible is a good, right, and perfect
system of eternal directives and principles that reflects God's character
and serves as a means of expressing His love toward man. God's law teaches
man how to properly worship God, how to love his fellowman, how to live
life abundantly, and, at the same time, how to prepare for an eternal
spiritual life in the family of God. The law of God is represented in both
the Old and the New Testaments, and is expressed by both physical actions
and spiritual motivations. John 14:15, 21; Romans 712; I John 5:2-3
17. BIBLICAL COVENANTS
Both testaments record that God made certain promises in the form of
specific contracts or agreements with man. These are called "covenants,"
and define the terms of God's relationship with individuals or groups in
various circumstances and eras. Of these covenants, the best known are the
covenants made with physical Israel and the New Covenant established on
"better promises," which will be fully confirmed with spiritual Israel
after the return of Jesus Christ. The New Covenant, which also applies to
the New Testament church from the time of the original apostles, makes
God's law even more relevant by expanding it to include one's mental
attitude and spiritual intent. Matthew 5:21-22; II Timothy 3:15-16; Hebrews
8:6-13
18. TEN COMMANDMENTS
The Ten Commandments, as revealed by God, codified by Moses, and ratified
and magnified by Christ, are the perfect expression of God's love. They are
the foundation of all biblical teaching, showing man how to express love
toward God and fellowman, and are consequently the focal point of Christian
life. Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5; Matthew 5:17-19; Romans 13:10; I
Corinthians 7:19; Revelation 12:17; 22:14
19. SABBATH
The seventh-day Sabbath is to be taught and kept holy in accordance with
the biblical instruction. Instituted at creation, reaffirmed to Israel as a
part of the covenant at Sinai, and taught by Jesus Christ, who is the
Messenger of the New Covenant, the observance of the Sabbath is basic to a
Christian's relationship with God. Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 16; 20:8-11;
31:12-1 7; Mark 2:27-28; Luke 4:16
20. ANNUAL HOLY DAYS
The annual holy days were ordained by God, kept by the ancient Israelites,
and continued by the early New Testament Christians. These seven annual
"appointed feasts" picture God's plan of salvation for man. Leviticus 23;
Zechariah 14:16; John 7:8-10 Acts 2:1; 12:3; 20:6, 16; 27:9; I Corinthians
5:8; 16:8
21. TITHING
Tithing is an act of worship; it is a private matter between the individual
and God. The church does not "enforce" or "police" tithing, but simply
teaches the responsibility to tithe. Each individual has the responsibility
to "honor the Lord with his substance and with the firstfruits of all his
increase.'' Tithing is a method by which the message of Jesus Christ is
proclaimed to the world. Malachi 3:8-I0; Matthew 6:21; 23:23; II
Corinthians 9:7
22. SIN
Sin is the transgression of God's law--the falling short or missing the
mark of the character of Jesus Christ. Although the penalty for sin is
death in the lake of fire, all sin can be completely forgiven by God, who
desires that all men be saved. (The unpardonable sin is a sin for which the
sinner asks no pardon.) God forgives sin upon the repentance of the
individual who accepts the shed blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ as
payment in full for the penalty of his sins. Romans 6.·23; Ephesians 4:32;
Colossians 1:14; I John 3:4
23. THE CHRISTIAN
A true Christian is one in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. Romans 8:9; I
Corinthians 12:13
24. THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY
The marriage relationship is the basis of the family, which in turn is the
core of a stable society. As the primary physical analogy of God's plan for
mankind, marriage, child rearing, and the family are given a preeminent
place in the teachings of the Bible and the church. Although roles are
defined, men and women have equal spiritual potential before God. Exodus
20:12; Malachi 4:5-6; Ephesians 5:22-29; 6:1-3; I Peter 3:7
25. HEALING
Divine healing is a miracle that God in His mercy and love may extend to
those who call upon Him in time of need, according to faith. The healings
of Jesus Christ demonstrate and represent His power to express compassion,
to forgive sin, and ultimately, to resurrect the dead and establish the
Kingdom of God on earth. Matthew 9:1-7; James 5:14-15
26. THE CHURCH OF GOD
The church is the spiritual body of Christ, a group of persons called out
by God and impregnated with His Holy Spirit. As a spiritual body, the
church is made up of baptized, Spirit-led individuals who are scattered
around the world. I Corinthians 12:12-14, 27; Colossians 3:15
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