STATEMENT OF DOCTRINE
THE HOLY TRINITY
We believe that the one God exists as three persons relating. The Father, the source of all life, shares His life, begetting the Son, and His life as the Spirit proceeds from the Father and Son. The three are united in substance, equal in the sense of being God, and are distinct in their personhood.
GOD THE FATHER
God is a sovereign, just, holy, and loving heavenly Father. It is God's nature to share Himself, and therefore exists as trinity. God shared Himself with sinful man when, because of His love for the world, He gave His only begotten Son. Because He is the source of all life, all living things are responsible to Him. He is a rewarder of those who obey Him, and the Judge of those who do evil.
GOD THE SON, JESUS CHRIST
God revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Eternal Son came to dwell among men as a man through the incarnation. The Holy Spirit was the agent of the incarnation, while the Virgin Mary was the instrument. By taking humanity to Himself, the Son of God lost nothing of His divinity, but was fully God, and fully human. As the perfect man, without sin, He gave His life as the perfect sacrifice for man. Having offered Himself "once for all," He now exercises His High Priestly ministry by interceding on behalf of the saints, waiting for the day when He comes again.
GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity, is the giver and renewer of life. He works to convict of sin, convince of the truth, and call sinners to life in Christ.
It is the Holy Spirit who applies the work of Christ for salvation, and sanctification, as well as the empowerment for holy living. He is a comforter, an encourager, a giver of gifts, and our guide as we walk each day for Christ.
THE SCRIPTURES
The Bible is the Word of God, written by holy men of old as they were enabled to communicate God's truth without error. We therefore believe that the scripture is infallible and inerrant in its original autographs. The scripture is our rule of faith, and a revelation of God Himself. Written over a period of 1500 years by as many as 40 authors, the scripture is authoritative in matters of faith, doctrine, and practice.
MAN
God created man in His image, with the ability to relate to God in freedom, as immortal, spiritual beings. Man's original state was one of holiness. After the fall, man became a corrupt expression of God's image. Because of the corruption of our nature, man is incapable of any positive move toward God, except through the work of divine grace. This grace, which works in advance of our salvation to bring us to favor, toward salvation, is called prevenient grace. Only through the justifying, regenerating, sanctifying grace of God can we be saved from the pervasive corruption of sin, and be conformed to the image of God.
SALVATION
Salvation is the process by which God forgives sin, renews man to quickens a soul dead in trespasses and sin, and draws a soul to sanctification. Full salvation indicates a full redemption from all the effects of sin. Guilt, separation, death, and depravity all must be dealt with in salvation. Thus, the work of Christ is sufficient for all our needs. This salvation is grounded in the love of God, provided by the atoning work of Christ, and applied by the active work of the Holy Spirit.
SANCTIFICATION
Sanctification is a process beginning with initial sanctification, occurring at the new birth. It is at this time that the believer receives the Spirit and is changed. However, it is not long until a new Christian realizes that an inner battle between flesh and Spirit, or carnality and grace is happening in his soul. While the believer has been forgiven of his sins, inbred sin (carnality) still has a hold on the soul. God initiates a second stage in the sanctification process, bringing the fully committed Christian to a complete consecration. This is the crucifixion of the self-centered mind of the carnal Christian. As Wesley said, "The more alive to God a Christian is, the more dead to sin he comes." Thus, when a believer is fully consecrated, and trusts God for His promise of cleansing, the Holy Spirit fills the heart, cleanses from carnality and sin, and empowers for service.
SPEAKING IN UNKNOWN TONGUES
Andrew Chapel Church believes that the gift of tongues, as stated in the Bible, is an ability to speak in an actual language, unknown to the speaker, but known to the hearer, for the purpose of evangelism. We do not accept the modern definition of tongues as a prayer language, or an ecstatic utterance, or as evidence of the filling of the Holy Spirit.
THE CHURCH
The Christian Church was founded by Christ on the day of Pentecost. By the infilling of the Spirit, the followers of Christ become the Body of Christ. Being called out from the world to fellowship with Christ, the Church is a unique organism. It is universal, being made up of true believers of all nations, and it is holy, belonging to God.
We believe that God's plan for the financing of His Church and work is with the tithes and gifts of its members.
We do not believe that Andrew Chapel Church, or any other denomination, is the only true Church, nor that any other orthodox church is excluded. Those cults claiming to be Christian, but denying orthodox Christian doctrine, are not accepted as a part of the Body of Christ.
THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS
Whereas in the Old Testament God used specific people as priests, in the New Testament, God calls all believers to service and ministry. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit every Christian not only represents God, but also has been empowered to be an instrument of His grace to the world. The dual duties of representing God to man and man to God, belong to every born again Christian. The responsibility of witnessing, the ministry of prayer, and the use of our spiritual gifts are included in the privilege of being His priests.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Once a believer experiences new life in Christ, he strives to live a life holy and acceptable to God. The Christian life is a daily, disciplined walk with God. We believe the means of grace (prayer, Bible study, meditation, corporate worship, and fellowship) are all necessary for Christian growth.
As Christians, we should focus on reproducing the character, or fruit of the Spirit, in our own character. We should also discover, develop, and use our personal spiritual gifts within the body.
ETERNAL SECURITY
As Christians in the Wesleyan Arminian tradition, we believe and teach that salvation is a relationship based on freedom. In order to love and trust Christ, we must be free to do so. The atonement provided through Christ was provided for all men, yet God calls us to turn to Him, trust Him, and walk with Him. Therefore, we believe in conditional security, and not unconditional security. While God always loves us, and nothing can separate us from His love, we always have the freedom to turn from our relationship with Him. The free will needed to have faith in Him remains intact throughout our life.
THE SACRAMENTS OF BAPTISM AND HOLY COMMUNION
Sacraments are special means of grace given to the Church by our Lord Jesus to be used in worship. Sacraments are both an outward sign and an inward spiritual blessing. Sacraments use physical elements, such as the water of baptism and the bread and cup of Holy Communion, to represent spiritual realities.
Inwardly, sacraments are a means of grace. Sacraments are not a means of justifying grace or saving grace; however, sacraments are means of sanctifying and sustaining grace, when used by a Christian whose heart is filled with faith and love for God. Apart from a heart filled with faith and love for God, sacraments are of no inward spiritual benefit. However, properly received, sacraments are important for our spiritual growth in God’s grace.
Baptism. Jesus commanded in this Great Commission that the church should baptize his disciples in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Baptism initiates one’s relationship in the visible church in this world. Baptism is a witness to all that sets one apart as a follower of Jesus Christ. The water of baptism symbolizes new life in Christ, for “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come”! (2 Corinthians 5:17) The water of baptism also symbolizes the washing away of our sins through the blood of Christ.
Andrew Chapel Church is not dogmatic about the mode or timing of baptism, for we do not believe the Scripture proves one particular mode or time to be essential for valid baptism. Andrew Chapel Church has not traditionally been dogmatic about the mode of baptism, whether the baptism was by sprinkling, pouring or immersion. In fact, John Wesley said, “Let them choose one mode of baptism or another, it is no bar to their admission.” We do not believe the Scripture proves one particular mode or time to be essential for valid baptism.
Nor have we been dogmatic as to when one should be baptized. We affirm the baptism of the infants of Christian parents. Historically, this has been the most common time for baptism at Andrew Chapel Church. We believe that infant baptism is a sign of faith in the New Testament as circumcision was in the Old Testament. “In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:11-12). Circumcision was a covenant to raise a child in the faith, as is infant baptism. In addition, in the New Testament we read of ”households” being baptized, (Acts 16:15, 1 Corinthians 1:16) which would most logically include infants and children. Andrew Chapel Church views the baptism of an infant as full Christian baptism.
However, we also affirm “believer’s baptism,” which is the baptism of those of sufficient age to make their own profession of faith. Some of our members are led by their conscience to wait for believer’s baptism. Andrew Chapel Church respects such decisions of conscience, as we do not believe that one particular view of baptism can be “proven” by Scripture.
In the words of John Wesley, “As to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think. So that whatsoever they are, whether right or wrong, they are no distinguishing marks of a Methodist.”
Therefore, each should obey Christ’s command to be baptized by following his or her own conscience and understanding of God’s Word.
Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper. Our Lord Jesus gave the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper to his Church in the Upper Room on the night in which he was betrayed. “The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-15).
The Lord’s Supper is a special remembering of Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross. Christ gave his body, represented by the bread, and his own blood, represented by the cup, to atone for our sins. We must never forget his sacrifice for our salvation.
Yet the Lord’s Supper is more than mere symbolism. “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). The Greek word translated as “participation” in these verses is the Greek word kovωvia (koinonia), which means “a fellowship,” “a communion,” or a “close association.” Properly understood, the Lord’s Supper is a spiritual fellowship of Christians with the Lord Jesus, as well as a spiritual fellowship of Christians with one another, as the Spirit of God in each of us unites all of us as one body in Christ.
ETERNAL LIFE
God created man to know Him intimately. Originally, God breathed into man His own breath, or life. Man, after the fall, was deprived of the Spirit, or life, of God. Salvation is the re-breathing of that life into the soul of man. That life, the very breath of God, is the basis of what the scripture means by eternal life. Jesus said, "This is eternal life that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3). Knowing God in an intimate sense is to experience His life and therefore can be experienced in this life.
Eternal life continues in heaven as we experience God in a new way - face to face. Eternal life, therefore, starts now and continues in eternity forever. Those who finally reject the offer of salvation in Christ will spend eternity separated from God and condemned to suffer in hell for eternity.
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
We believe that the culmination of human history is designed by God and will occur according to His timing. The literal interpretation of scripture reveals that Christ will rapture His faithful in the twinkling of an eye, after which the antichrist will be revealed, and the wrath of God poured out upon the earth. After seven years of tribulation, Christ is revealed in His glory and comes to reign for one thousand years on the earth. After this millennial reign, the earth will be destroyed, and a new heaven and new earth will be provided for the faithful to live in the presence of God forever.
THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
The Bible teaches that there are two resurrections. The first, the resurrection of the saved, will occur at pre-tribulation rapture, when the dead in Christ rise first, and those who remain are changed in an instant, escaping death, and meet Him in the air.
The second resurrection, the resurrection of the dead, occurs after the millennial reign of Christ, at which time they will be judged according to their works, and condemned, to the lake of fire forever.
THE SAVING POWER OF THE CROSS OF JESUS
The Scriptures are clear that Christ died on the cross to make atonement for our sins and to reconcile us to God. 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” Jesus’ life sacrificed on the cross provides forgiveness for our sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”