Doctrinal Statement
The Holy Scriptures
The Holy Scriptures, being given by inspiration of God, are the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. For English-speaking believers the Holy Scriptures are the King James Authorized Version of 1611 (KJV), which is itself given by inspiration of God and preserved in complete purity, and which is the text this ministry quotes. Where a more literal rendering of the original words sheds light on its sense, we also consult literal versions such as Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) and the Concordant Literal New Testament (CLNT), weighing them always by the KJV.
God
There is one God, the Father, of whom are all things (1 Co 8:6 (But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.)). God is a Spirit (Jn 4:24 (God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.)), and God is love (1 Jn 4:8 (He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.)). Of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things (Ro 11:36 (For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.)); He “worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” (Eph 1:11 (In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:)). He changes not (Mal 3:6 (For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.)). We reject speculative and illogical doctrines such as the various “trinity” theories. The scriptures make no distinction between “person” and “substance” in God, and we do not impose one: the word rendered “person” in Heb 1:3 (Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;) is the word rendered “substance” in Heb 11:1 (Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.).
The Lord Jesus Christ
Christ is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15 (Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:)), God’s only begotten Son (Jn 3:16 (For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.)), and the express image of His person (Heb 1:3 (Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;)). He is the image of God, not identical with the Father.
He was born of a virgin (Mt 1:23 (Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.); Lk 1:34-35 (34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.)). He gave Himself willingly as a perfect sacrifice, shedding His blood and dying on the cross (Gal 1:4 (Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:); Eph 5:2 (And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.); Col 1:20 (And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.)). He was buried, and on the third day arose bodily from the dead (1 Co 15:3-4 (3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:); Lk 24:39 (Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.)). He ascended into heaven, victorious over sin and death, and is today seated at the right hand of the Father (Eph 1:20 (Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,); Heb 1:3 (Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;)). He is the head of the church, which is His body (Col 1:18 (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.); Eph 1:22-23 (22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.)).
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, usually called the Holy Ghost in the New Testament of the KJV, is God’s own spirit and power. By it God works in the world and in His people. By it God gave the scriptures, for holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (2 Pe 1:21 (For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.)).
The Fall of Man
Through the transgression of the first man Adam, sin entered the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men (Ro 5:12 (Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:)). By nature all are at enmity with God (Ro 8:7 (Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.); Eph 2:3 (Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.)) and cannot save themselves. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Ro 5:8 (But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.)), and when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son (Ro 5:10 (For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.)). As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive (1 Co 15:22 (For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.)). As “by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life” (Ro 5:18 (Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.)).
Salvation
Salvation is the gift of God, by His grace alone through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ alone (Eph 2:8-9 (8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.)), entirely apart from the works of man. The gospel of Christ is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Ro 1:16 (For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.)). Salvation is God’s work and does not depend on the will of man (Ro 9:16 (So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.)), and therefore it cannot be abrogated by man. Those who believe are saved now. God’s purpose reaches further: at the consummation all things will be reconciled to Him (Col 1:20 (And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.)).
Judgment and the Consummation
God has a goal: that He be all in all, when the Son also is subjected to Him who put all things under Him (1 Co 15:24-28 (24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.)). His judgments work toward salvation, not against it (Isa 26:9 (With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.)). God has concluded all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all (Ro 11:32 (For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.)). He is “the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1 Ti 4:10 (For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.)), and at the consummation all things will be reconciled to Him (Col 1:20 (And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.)). Judgment is the way, not the goal.
“Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death” (Re 20:14 (And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.)), and “whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Re 20:15 (And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.)). Death itself will be abolished (1 Co 15:26 (The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.); 2 Ti 1:10 (But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:)). Since the lake of fire is the second death, and death will be abolished, the lake of fire is of necessity abolished at the consummation.
In the scriptures the words “everlasting” and “eternal”, where they translate the Greek aionios, do not mean “without end” or “endless”: aionios pertains to an age. The Concordant Literal New Testament renders it “eonian”, which makes that sense explicit, and there is nothing wrong with the KJV vocabulary, properly understood.
Right Division
The need to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Ti 2:15 (Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.)) is of paramount importance. God has administered the world in various ways and by various means (dispensations) throughout history. His present administration is one of pure grace. Salvation is sent to all nations equally, while Israel’s prophesied program is suspended, awaiting its future fulfillment. This present dispensation began historically at the close of the book of Acts, as pronounced in Acts 28:28 (Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.).
Following Acts 28, God made of Jew and gentile one new man (Eph 2:15 (Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;)), “the same body” (Eph 3:6 (That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:)) that receives all spiritual blessings in heavenly places (Eph 1:3 (Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:)). This is the church of the mystery, revealed to the Apostle Paul in his prison ministry (Eph 3:1, 3 (1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,)).
Israel’s kingdom program involves an earthly calling, physical water baptism, the Lord’s Supper (Lk 22:16-18 (16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.)), and signs and wonders. Today’s calling is heavenly, and today’s baptism is spiritual, without water (Eph 4:5 (One Lord, one faith, one baptism,); Col 2:11-12 (11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.)). We have no such signs and wonders today because the program they accompanied has been suspended. Ordinances and practices pertaining to Israel and her earthly-kingdom hope have no rightful place in the church of the mystery (Col 2:20 (Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,)).