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This Ministry and all congregations and churches that
are part of this Ministry, hereby accept the Holy
Scriptures as the revealed will of God and the all-sufficient
rule of faith and practice, and for the purpose of
maintaining general unity, adopt the Tenets of Faith,
which is as follows:
2.1. THE SCRIPTURE INSPIRED
The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments are
verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God
to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and
conduct (2 Timothy 3:15-17; I Thessalonians 2:13; 2
Peter 1:21).
2.2 THE ONE TRUE GOD
The one true God has revealed Himself as the
eternally self existent “I AM,” the Creator of heaven
and earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further
revealed Himself as embodying the principles of
relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy
Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10, 11; Matthew
28:19; Luke 3:22).
2.3. THE DEITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The
Scriptures declare:
His virgin birth (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31, 35).
His sinless life (Hebrews 7:26; I Peter 2:22).
His miracles (Acts 2:22; 10:38).
His substitutionary work on the cross (I Corinthians
15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:5;
Luke 24:39)
His exaltation to the right hand of God (Acts 1:9;
11; 2:33; Hebrews 1-3).
2.4. THE FALL OF MAN
Man was created good and upright; for God said, “Let
us make man in our image, after our likeness.” However,
man by voluntary transgression fell 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).
2.5. THE SALVATION OF MAN
Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed
blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
a. Conditions to Salvation: Salvation is received
through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord
Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace
through faith, man becomes an heir of God according to
the hope of eternal life (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Romans
10:3-15; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; 3:5-7).
b. The Evidences of Salvation: The inward evidence of
salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit (Romans
8:16). The outward evidence to all men is a life of
righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24; Titus
2:12).
2.6. THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH
a. Baptism in Water: The ordinance of baptism by
immersion is commanded in the Scriptures. All who repent
and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be
baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have
died with Christ and that they also have been raised
with Him to walk in newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Mark
16:16; Acts 10:47, 48; Romans 6:4).
b. Holy Communion: The Lord’s Supper, consisting of
the elements "bread and the fruit of the vine" is the
symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our
Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4); a memorial of His
suffering and death (I Corinthians 11:26) and is
enjoined on all believers “till He come!”
2.7. THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
All believers are entitled to and should ardently
expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the
Baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the
command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was normal
experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it
comes the endowment of power for life and service, the
bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of
the ministry. (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4, 8; I Corinthians
12:1-13). This experience is distinct from and
subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts
8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9). With the Baptism
in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as an
overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37-39; Acts
4:8), a deepened reverence for God (Acts 2:43; Hebrews
12:28), an intensified consecration to God and
dedication to His work (Acts 2:42), and a more active
love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost (Mark
16:20).
2.8. THE EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
The
baptism of believers by the Holy Spirit is evident by
the physical sign of speaking in tongues as the Spirit
and God gives them utterance. (Acts 2:4). Speaking in
tongues in this instance is NOT equal to the gift of
tongues (1 Corinthians 14:1-40, 12:4-10, 28). Speaking
in tongues is NOT the act of speaking unintelligible
words, speaking in tongues the communications of God's
message of salvation to people in other languages.
Therefore evidence of the Baptism by the Holy Spirit is
speaking in other languages, but it's not the sole sign
of the baptism.
2.9. SANCTIFICATION
Sanctification is an act of separation from that
which is evil, and of dedication unto God (Romans 12:1,
2; I Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:12). The Scriptures
teach a life of “holiness without which no man shall see
the Lord”. (Hebrews 12:14). By the power of the Holy
Spirit we are able to obey the command: “Be ye holy, for
I am holy” (I Peter 1:15, 16).
2.10. THE CHURCH
The church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of
God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the
fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer born
of the Spirit, is an integral part of El Nuevo Pacto and
Church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven
(Ephesians 1:22, 23; 2:22; Hebrews 12:23). Since God’s
purpose concerning man is to seek and to save that which
is lost, to be worshiped by man, and to build a body of
believers in the image of His Son, the priority
reason-for-being of El Nuevo Pacto as part of the Church
is:
To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world
(Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15).
To be a corporate body in which man may worship God
(1Corinthians 12:13).
To be a channel of God’s purpose to build a body of
saints being perfected in the image of His Son
(Ephesians 4:11-16; I Corinthians 12:28; 14:12).
El Nuevo Pacto exists expressly to give continuing
emphasis to this reason-for-being in the New Testament
apostolic pattern by teaching and encouraging believers
to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. This Baptism:
1. Enables them to evangelize in the power of the
Spirit with accompanying supernatural signs (Mark
16:15-20; Acts 4:29-31; Hebrews 2:3, 4).
2. Adds a necessary dimension to worshipful
relationship with God (I Corinthians 2:10-16; I
Corinthians 12, 13, and 14).3. Enables them to respond
to the full working of the Holy Spirit in expression of
fruit and gifts and ministries as in New Testament times
for the edifying of the Body of Christ (Galatians
5:22-26; I Corinthians 14:12; Ephesians 4:11, 12; I
Corinthians 12:28; Colossians 1:29)
2.11. MINISTRY
A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry
has been provided by our Lord for the threefold purpose
of leading the Church in:
1. Evangelizing of the world (Mark 16:15-20).
2. Worship of God (John 4:23, 24).
3. Building a body of saints being perfected in the
image of His Son (Ephesians 4:11-16).
2.12. DIVINE HEALING
Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel.
Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the
atonement and is the privilege of all believers (Isaiah
53:4, 5; Matthew 8:16, 17; James 5:14-16).
2.13. THE BLESSED HOPE
The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in
Christ and their translation together with those who are
alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the
imminent and blessed hope of the Church (I Thessalonians
4:16, 17; Romans 8:23; Titus 2:13; I Corinthians 15:51,
52).
2.14. THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST
The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of
the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the
visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on the
earth for one thousand years (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew
24:27, 30; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-14; 20-1- 6). This
millennial reign will bring the salvation of national
Israel (Ezekiel 37:21, 22; Zephaniah 3:19, 20; Romans
11:26, 27 and the establishment of universal peace (Isaiah
11:6-9; Psalm 72:3-8; Micah 4:3, 4).
2.15. THE FINAL JUDGMENT
There will be a final judgment in which the wicked
dead will be raised and judged according to their works.
Whosoever’s name is not found written in the Book of
Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast
and the false prophet, will be consigned to everlasting
punishment in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone, which is the second death (Matthew 25:46;
Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 19:20; 10:11-15; 21:8).
2.16. THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH
“We, according to His promise, look for the Blessed
Hope of new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth
righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:22). |
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