Harvest Church
OUR BELIEFS
Here at Harvest Church, we believe the Bible is complete and adequate in itself to serve as the guide of our beliefs and way of living. As a part of the Assemblies of God, the following below is a paraphrase of our Fellowship's Statement of Fundamental Truths.
At Harvest Church We Believe
The Bible is Inspired
The scriptures of the entire Bible are verbally inspired of God. It was not just the ideas that were inspired; even the choice of words was inspired as the original writers were moved by God to write what He wanted them to say.
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(2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21)
Humankind fell as a result of sin
Humankind was created good and upright; for God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, after our likeness." However, humankind by willful choice, ignored God's instructions and choosing to engage in what they knew was wrong and evil. As a result, humankind fell from innocence and goodness and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:17; 3:6; Romans 5:12-19).
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is for everyone
All believers are entitled to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and therefore should expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is separate from salvation, and follows the new birth experience (Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9).
God designed the church for a purpose and mission
The Church as described in the Bible consists of all people who have received forgiveness through Jesus Christ and placed their faith in Him as the only sacrifice for their sins. The Church is the body of Christ and includes all Christians, with no boundaries as to age, race, gender, or denomination. Every believer collectively makes up the church and is the dwelling place of God through the Holy Spirit.
Our future is anchored in the blessed hope
All Christians who have died will one day rise from their graves and will meet the Lord in the air. Christians who have not yet died will be raptured or caught up with them, to be with the Lord. Then Christians of all ages will live with God forever. The scriptural truth of the Lord's soon return is "The Blessed Hope" (Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Titus 2:13).
Christians will enjoy the new heavens and the new earth
"In keeping with his [God's} promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21 through 22.
There is one true God
There is one true God. He revealed himself as having always existed without any outside cause or agent bringing Him into being (Isaiah 43:10. He is the Creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1) and the One who redeems, saves, and rescues humankind from sin and it's painful consequences (Isaiah 43:11).
God offers salvation through his son Jesus
Salvation is deliverance from spiritual death and enslavement by sin. God provides salvation for all who believe and accept His free offer of forgiveness. Humankind's only hope of redemption from the fallen sinful state is through the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son- blood that was shed as Jesus died on the cross. (Luke 24:47; John3:3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; 3:5-7).
There is an initial physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit
The baptism of Christians in the Holy Spirit is accompanied by the initial physical sign of speaking in other tongues (unlearned languages) as the Spirit of God gives them audible expression (Acts 2:4).
God calls some to lead in ministry
Involvement in ministry in response to a divine call is scripturally ordained in the Bible. It is a provision of our Lord for the fourfold purpose of leading the Church in 1) evangelization of the world (Mark 16:15-20), 2) worship of God (John 4:23-24), 3) building a body of believers conforming to the life of Christ (Ephesians 4:11,16) , and 4) meeting human need with ministries of love and compassion (Galations 2:10; 6:10).
Christ will rule the earth for a millennium
The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of all Christians, which is our Blessed Hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on the earth for a thousand years (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27, 30; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-14; 20:1-6). This millennial (thousand year) reign will bring the salvation of Israel as a nation (Ezekiel 37:21-22; Zephaniah 3:19-20; Romans 11:26-27) and the establishment of universal peace (Psalm 72:3-8; Isaiah 11:6-9; Micah 4:3-4).
The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has always existed. He too is without beginning or end (Revelation 1:8). In order to complete His earthly sacrificial mission, He became human by being born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31, 35). He lived a perfect life, absolutely without sin (Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22).
Our church practices two ordinances
Some churches use the term sacraments instead of ordinances. Sacraments, however, convey for many the idea that a spiritual work takes place in a person when the sacrament is received or experienced. Our church chooses to call water baptism and Holy Communion ordinances because they are religious practices ordained and established by Jesus himself.
Baptism in Water
The ordinance of baptism by immersion in water (not sprinkling) is commanded in the Scriptures (Mark16:16).
Holy Communion
The Lord's Supper or Communion, consisting of bread and the fruit of the vine (grape juice), is amemorial of Christ's suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26).
Sanctification is a process that aligns us with God
Sanctification is an act of separating ourselves from evil and aligning with things that are good, upright, and morally pure. It is a process that takes place as Christians devote themselves to God (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 3:12). Scriptures teach that we are to be holy because God is holy (1 Peter 1:16). For "Without holiness no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).
God provides healing through the atonement
Divine healing from God is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided in the Atonement (Christ's suffering and death for our reconciliation with God). Healing is a privilege of all believers (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; James 5:14-16).
There will be a final judgement for all
There will be a final judgement in which the wicked dead- those who have died without accepting salvation- will be raised and judged according to the way they lived. Anyone whose name is not found written in the Book of Life (the recorded list of people who received Christ's forgiveness), together with the devil and his angels, the beast, and the false prophet, will be sent to everlasting punishment in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone (sulfur), which is the second death (Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 19:20; 20:11-15; 21:8).