Beliefs of The Voice of Faith

We Believe…
1. Salvation:
Although man was created in the image of God, because Adam sinned all men now carry the burden of a sin nature. The words of Jesus proclaim, “You must be born again.” (John 3:7) To be ‘born again’ is to be brought to the place, by the Holy Spirit, of seeing yourself as a sinner (Rom.3:23 – ‘…all have sinned.’) and receiving Jesus Christ (John 1:12) into your heart and life as your personal Savior. Although ‘faith’ is a gift from God, the first act of ‘saving faith’ is receiving Jesus Christ
Additional scriptures: Rom.6:23
1st John 5:11,12

2. The Bible:
The Bible is given to us as a precious gift of the Lord containing all truth, in fact is the only source of truth, and the total and complete revelation of God to man. (Rev.18:22 It therefore becomes the source of direction, counsel, and inspiration for every believer.
Additional scriptures: John 17:17
2nd Tim. 3:15-17
Heb.1:1,2

3. Holy Spirit Baptism:
The Bible tells us the Kingdom of God is not built by strength or power but by His Spirit. (Zech.4:6) It is this gift of the Holy Spirit promised in the Old Testament (Joel 2) and given in Acts 2 that we celebrate. This gift is the enabling power to accomplish the will, call, and purpose of God in and through every believer. The Holy Spirit brings gifts; motivational (Rom.12:3-9), ministry (1st Cor. 12:27-31, and manifestation. (1st Cor.12:7-11) These gifts are to be received, embraced and desired.
Additional scripture: Acts 1:4,5
Luke 24:49
Acts 9:17,18 Paul’s progression

4. Making disciples:
The ‘great commission’ (Mat.28: 16-20) exhorts believers to ‘make disciples’. This process requires a relationship that can endure exhortation, motivation, and constructive criticism. It is training a new believer to maturity. It is the investment of one life into another. The place is always given and never exacted.
Additional scriptures: 2nd Tim.2:2
Prov.22:6
Heb.13: 17

5. The Law and the Gospel:
The Bible contains these two great doctrines, the law and the gospel. “Rightly dividing’ them (2nd Tim.2:15) means we understand that each has a separate function and should never be mixed. The ‘Law’ is our ‘school master’ that exposes our sin and carries us to the Savior. The Gospel is that doctrine which proclaims Jesus died for my sins, paying the redemptive price for all mankind. His resurrection power has been given to me to live resurrection life here and now.
Additional scriptures: Ps.19:7
Ps.119
Mat.5:17
Rom.7:7

6. Water baptism:
We believe that as an infant one can come to salvation and a covenant relationship with the Lord through baptism. It is the Lord’s provision for our sin nature. Faith is not give by intellect but by the Holy Spirit. (1st Peter 3:21) One when deliberately, willfully sins, he finds himself separated from the Lord (Isa.59:2) and must renew his covenant relationship in receiving Jesus. As a new believer the public testimony and proclamation is encouraged in ‘believer’ baptism. (Mk.16:16)
Additional scriptures: Col.2:11,12
Heb.10:1
Gal.3:27
Rom.6

7. The Kingdom of God:
The Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray: “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.’ (Mat.6:10) The implication and exhortation is that we are to be ‘kingdom’ people. The Kingdom is given expression in our lives as we surrender to the King, live in accordance with His ordinances (the Bible), and we live in relationships with other believers. The Biblical picture is the children coming out of Egypt, traveling through the wilderness, and inheriting the Promised Land. (Ex.) The Kingdom functions by acknowledging God’s delegated authority and walking in submission to it.
Additional scriptures: The ‘kingdom’ parables: Mat.13
1st Peter 5:1-5

8. The Functioning Church:
The Church functions in a locality with mutuality in eldership based on relationships. Because we see there is only one church in any city, with many fellowships, with individual vision, governmental structure, and doctrine the unity must be in Jesus Christ. Each fellowship is free to give expression to their uniqueness with deference to the body. It then becomes the function of the relating elders to protect the church from attack and to give direction to its mission.
Additional scriptures: Philippians 1:1
1st Peter 5:1-5
Eph.1: 1


9. Marriage, divorce, and remarriage:
We believe marriage to be a God ordained covenant between a man and a woman. Any other union is not to be thought of as Biblical nor acceptable in the sight of the creator. Because it is a covenant, invoking the presence of the Lord for a specific duration, life, it is everlasting. The Bible teaches that “God hates divorce” (Mal.2:16) and it should never be an acceptable solution. God’s word speaks to separation as a viable alternative and as a means to reconciliation. Remarriage after a divorce causes each party to live in adultery (Mat. 5:32) and therefore is not a function of the shepherds of the Voice of Faith. We do acknowledge, however, that a place needs to be provided for individuals who find themselves in this situation without condemnation. Although places of authority will not be granted to them,(1st Tim. 3) the opportunity for ministry and service are available.






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