STATEMENT OF BELIEFS
OF
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CHRISTIAN PUBLICATIONS
GOD
(Psalm 90:2&3, Revelation 4:8 to 11) He is the source of all life, the Creator and
Sustainer of all that exists and lives. (Exodus 20:11, Psalm 19:1, Psalm 147:7 to 11)
He is all-knowing and His power is unlimited. (Job 38:1 to 40:5, Matthew 19:26) His
name -in Hebrew- is YHWH (pronounced 'Jehovah') which means the 'Eternal
Creator'. (See Exodus 6:2&3 in the King James [KJ] translation) He is composed of
a spiritual body, (Daniel 7:9) a soul (Leviticus 26:11 [KJ] & Matthew 12:18 [KJ]) and
a spirit (Genesis 6:3 [KJ] & Zechariah 4:6). He is the Law-giver and Judge of all His
creation. (Psalm 19:7 to 11, Ezekiel 18:30 to 32) He is merciful and loving, willing
to pardon those who desire to obey Him. (First John 4:10, Isaiah 55:7 to 9)
JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is God's only true son. (John 1:14&18, First John 5:20) God created the
universe through Jesus. (Colossians 1:15 to 18) Jesus temporarily gave up his
God-nature to become a man, born of the virgin Mary. (Philippians 2:5 to 11, Luke
1:26 to 38, Luke 2:6&7) Though he was tempted in every way, he lived a sinless life,
giving us a pattern to model our lives on. (Hebrews 2:17&18, Hebrews 5:8&9, First
Peter 2:21 to 25) He died for our sins, freeing us from our death sentence. (Luke
23:46 to 48, Romans 5:6 to 11, Romans 6:23) After three days and three nights in
the tomb, He was resurrected to life in an incorruptible body. (Matthew 12:38 to 40,
Romans 6:9, First Corinthians 15:42 to 49) He ascended into Heaven to become our
High Priest at the right hand of our Heavenly Father. (Hebrews 4:14 to 16, Hebrews
10:5 to 18) Jesus Christ is the Messiah of the Hebrew Scriptures. (Isaiah chapter 53,
Daniel 9:20 to 27) He is returning soon to remove mans destructive governments
and establish the Kingdom of God on earth. He shall reign for One Thousand Years,
after which Jehovah God will take
direct control again. (Acts 1:9 to 11, Zechariah chap. 14, Revelation 22:20&21,
Revelation 19:11 to 21:4, 1 Cor. 15:23 to 28)
THE BIBLE
God's word is truth. (John 17:17) The Holy Scriptures are able to make us wise
for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by the
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly
equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16 &17)
CREATION
In six days Jehovah God made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that
is in them, and rested the seventh day. (Genesis 1:1 to 2:3) Biblical chronology
shows that the universe is almost six thousand years old. (Genesis to Revelation)
There is solid scientific evidence which supports a rapid, recent creation.
MANKIND
God created man in his own image. (Genesis 1:27) Man, who resembles God,
is composed of a body, soul and spirit. (First Thessalonians 5:23) Man was not
given immortality when he was created. (Genesis 3:22-24, Psalm 146:4 [KJ],
Ezekiel 18:4) When we disobey God, we choose death, just as Adam and Eve
did. John says sin is the transgression of God's Law, and that all unrighteousness
is sin. (1 John 3:4, 1 John 5:17) The wages of sin is death. Immortality is a gift
that God gives to those who love and obey Him. (Romans 6:22 & 23) We are
adopted as Jehovah God's own sons when we accept Jesus Christ as our savior.
(Romans 8:15 to 17) The final penalty for unrepentant sinners is the Second Death
- total, permanent destruction. (Revelation 20:12 to 15)
GOSPEL
The Good News is twofold. One aspect of the Good News is that through Jesus Christ's generous sacrifice, you and I may be cleansed from our sins and have an eternal relationship with God in His everlasting Kingdom. (I Peter 3:8 to 4:19) The second aspect is that Jesus Christ is returning to set up God's Kingdom. (Mark 1:14&15, Daniel 2:44) That Kingdom will be a Kingdom of joy, peace and justice that will never end.(Ezekiel 36:24-36)
SALVATION
We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. By the free gift of God's grace
we are made right with Him through Jesus Christ, who sets us free. (Romans
3:23-26) If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is
your Lord and that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with
the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
to salvation. (Romans 10:9-13) Because salvation is a free gift, none are too weak
nor too evil to receive it and none can claim to have received it as a reward for
their good works. (First Corinthians 1:18 to 31, Ephesians 2:4 to 10) Jesus
promises to enter into all who ask him into their lives. (Revelation 3:20) When
Jesus returns all those who have been faithful will be given new immortal 'heavenly'
bodies like Jesus has now. (1 Thessalonians 4: 15 to 18, 1 Corinthians 15:50 to
58, 1 John 3:2&3)
WATER BAPTISM
Baptism symbolizes our death and burial with Jesus Christ and the washing away
of our sins. It marks the death of our old self. (Romans 6:1 to 9) Jesus commands
believers to be baptized as part of our salvation. (Mark 16:16) Water baptism
should always follow belief in Christ. (Acts 16:25-34, Acts 8:12) Baptism is by full
immersion, as Jesus showed us with his baptism. (Mark 1:9&10, Acts 8:35 to 39)
The Greek word 'baptizo', from which our word 'baptism' comes, means immersion.
It does not mean sprinkling or pouring.
BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the seal that confirms our salvation. (Ephesians
1:13&14, 2 Corinthians 1:21&22) This is a separate baptism from water baptism.
(Matthew 3:11) It is promised to all believers. It is not an automatic process which
has to happen at the same time as water baptism. (Acts 2:38&39, Acts 8:12 to
17, Acts 19:1 to 6) The Holy Spirit is God's own Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches
us and directly links us to God and to His Son, Jesus Christ, who also has His
Spirit, and to every other Spirit-filled believer, making us all parts of the one body.
(Romans 8:1 to 17, John 14:23 to 26, 1 Corinthians 12:12&13) However, God
warns us to watch out for false spirits, false preachers and false churches. (1 John
4:1-19, Matthew 7:15-27, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Revelation 17:1 to 18:8)
FAITH
We are saved by God's grace. Even our faith is a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8,
Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 3:16-19) It is God's decision to call us that marks the
beginning of His placing faith in us. (John 6:44 to 65) Our decision to respond
to God's call has a part in determining our destiny. (Matthew 22:1 to 14) God
expects our faith to bear fruit in good works. (James 2:14 to 26) God also expects
our faith to lead to obedience. (James 1:21 to 27) Jehovah God commands us
to keep our faith pure from pagan practices and festivities, obeying His standards
in our worship of Him. (Deuteronomy 12:29 to 32, Deuteronomy 6:4 to 9)
GOD'S HOLY DAYS
God gives us His Holy Days in Leviticus 23:1 to 43. The weekly seventh-day
Sabbath was established during Creation Week (Genesis 1:1-2:3) and reaffirmed
before the Ten Commandments were given at Mt. Sinai. (Exodus chap 16) The
Annual Holy Days outline God's plan of Salvation. Hebrews chap. 8 to 10 explain
how Jesus removed the need for further sacrifices.
REGENERATION
The moment of committing our lives to God marks the beginning of our walk with
Him. God intends us to change as we walk with him, growing more and more like
Him day by day. As we grow more like Him, we become better at keeping His
commandments. (Ephesians 4:17 to 5:7, Colossians 3:1 to 17, Titus 3:1 to 8, 1
John 2:3 to 6) Walking with God means living our lives in a way that brings glory
to God and studying so that we are able to share our faith with others. (Philippians
2:12 to 15, 2 Cor. 5:15-21, Matthew 28:19&20, Romans 10:14-17, 1 Peter 3:15)
For further information please contact us.
Copyright © 1994, 2000
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS CHRISTIAN PUBLICATIONS
289 Stag Rd, Kingston, Vic. 3364 Australia
Phone (03) 5345 7367 or (03) 5345 3109
Email info@chcpublications.net
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