Statement of Faith

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STATEMENT OF FAITH

  • Holy Bible alone for God is represented by His words
  • God/Jesus Christ speaks in parables
  • To KNOW precedes LOVE of God
  • Recognition of God by the blood of Jesus Christ
  • Salvation through Christ alone
  • Jesus, the Anoined One, has the role of Son of God showing the Way as model to the chosen. Jesus the Christ, Messiah or Savior, has the role of Father God who fulfilled His testament of salvation with His death on the cross
  • "Christ the chief corner stone and the prophets and apostles as foundation" is the Way to salvation and spiritual perfection.
  • Faith is a gift of God and a fruit of the Spirit
  • We, the LOST SHEEP FOUND BY THE SHEPHERD, believe that the Holy Bible is the sole authority on matters pertaining to God because it contains His words. Since God is a Spirit, He has to represent Himself with His words in order to communicate and have fellowship with His chosen.
  • We believe that, because God is a Spirit, His words are also "in spirit" better known as parables.
  • We believe that, because God is the Author of His words, only He, and no one else, can and should explain His words.
  • We believe, "Jesus Christ came not to destroy the law but to fulfill them," not with the explanation of anyone else, but by Christ Himself through the revelation of His words.
  • We believe "God was manifest in the flesh" for two reasons: (1) To fulfill His Testament of salvation, and, (2) To show the Way by example, as model, for no human being is worthy of this role.
  • We believe that, just as "God never change" and "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today," so is the spiritual message from His words is likewise immutable.
  • We believe that, one has to be spiritually "converted into a little child" in order to be endowed with spiritual knowledge and wisdom.
  • We believe that spiritual knowledge is needed to see the light leading to eternal life.
  • We believe that "God is all in all" in every way on spiritual matters.
     

Recognizing JESUS CHRIST as the "chief corner stone" and the PROPHETS AND APOSTLES as "foundation" of TRUTH (Ephesians 2:20), we, the LOST SHEEP FOUND BY THE LORD, believe:

  1. That, God shows the way in reading the Sacred Scriptures which is distinct from the Natural Man’s contextual fashion of understanding the words of God: Isaiah 28:10 (KJV) "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:"
  2. That, since God is a Spirit, He has to represent Himself with His words in order to communicate with His chosen people. His words are contained in the Holy Bible (2 Peter 1:21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17). This is the basis for John 1:1 "And the Word was God".
  3. That, there is only "One God, the Father (1 Corinthians 8:6a), and only One Lord, Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 8:6b) , and the"Lord is that Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:17).
  4. That, the identity of the "One Lord and One God" is a revealed Truth (Isaiah 48:16), for the words for His identification are written in the Holy Bible (Deuteronomy 29:29) .
  5. That, God’s chosen people both in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 31:35) and New Testament (Hebrew 8:11) clearly recognized Him as it is written. Further proof that God is recognizable by His chosen is Jesus Christ’s sharp rebuke to the great pretenders who did not know the Father, the God that they were worshipping (John 8:54-55).
  6. That, recognition of JESUS CHRIST requires divine revelation as demonstrated by God to Peter (Matthew 16:15-17) who did not recognize our Lord with "flesh and blood" but by the revelation of the Father. This was also revealed to John (John 6:44) and to Paul (1 Corinthians 12:3). Recognition of the Son follows the clear identity of the Father (John 8:19). Recognition of the Father is only by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:27). This is in consonance with the Almighty God’s revelation of Himself to His prophets and chosen people in the Old Testament. God, therefore, is never a mystery to His chosen people both in the Old and New Testament.
  7. That, clear recognition of the "One Lord and One God" is a prerequisite to the Two Great Commandments (Mark 12:28-31), as it is with the rest of the commandments in The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-6).
  8. That, religious leaders received and heaped biting rebuke from our Lord Jesus Christ in His time for NOT KNOWING the Father (John 8:54-55) because they had not known the Son (John 8:19) "by the revelation of the Father" (Matthew 16:16-17). We believe, this truth has not passed away in our time (Matthew 24:35 [KJV] "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.")
  9. That, since JESUS CHRIST is the central figure in the Holy Bible, salvation emanates from His true identity and recognition for it is a basic principle TO KNOW comes before LOVE (Mark 12:29-31, Matthew 7:22-23).
  10. That, the identity and recognition of God and Jesus Christ is the key to the clear understanding of His words because "the Word was God" (John 1:1) and "Jesus Christ is the Word of God" (Revelation 19:13).
     

GOD SPEAKS IN PARABLES

  1. We believe, as it is written, that God speaks in parables (Ezekiel 20:49). These are the "spiritual things" that the Natural Man cannot understand (1 Corinthians 2:14).
  2. As prophesied in the book of Psalms 78:2, Jesus Christ would also speak in parables. He did so as He had to explain everything He said to His disciples (Mark 4:34). After the in dwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthian 3:16), the real Teacher (John 16:13), we believe that we have graduated from being Natural Men (1 Corinthians 2:14). We now claim to have been "born again" in accordance with 1 Corinthians 2:16.
  3. We believe that only God through His words can clearly explain the great spiritual meaning of His words. Jesus Christ is the Word of God (Mark 4:34).
  4. Since God never change (Malachi 3:6) and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today (Hebrew 13:8), the immutability of God follows the immutability of His words. The immutability of the words is revealed by the great spiritual message and not resolved by the wisdom of men. Human wisdom is condemned in spiritual matters (1 Corinthians 1:19-21). We accept the rebuke of the religious wise men (1 Corinthians 3:18-20).
  5. We do not respect human authority on the words of God for only He is the Author (James 2:9). We do not recognize anyone as Rabbi or Teacher for only Christ is the Master, nor do we look at any man above the rest, in spiritual matters, for only God is to be honored and respected. Christ gave this warning to His disciples (Luke 22:25-26).
  6. That God’s servants act only as the spokespersons, and never the authority, for the "servants cannot be above the Master (Matthew 10:24)."
     

CHRIST IS THE WAY

  1. Because "all fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23, 3:1-2), only God in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16 KJV) can show the Way (John 14:6), as model to the Chosen few (Romans 8:29).
  2. For God to be given a free hand to work in our spiritual life, we have to be spiritually "converted into little children" (Matthew 18:3) as demonstrated by our Lord (the chief corner stone) (John 5:19,30); and followed by the Apostles as "foundation" (John 13:33). The "age" of a spiritual babe is an infant (Isaiah 28:9) and ONLY spiritual "babes" are given spiritual knowledge and wisdom (2 Timothy 3:15). We believe that spiritual wisdom is denied to the spiritual adults who are wise and prudent in their eyes (Matthew 11:25). From the mouth of spiritual babes will come sharp rebuke that will silence the enemies" (Psalms 8:2).
  3. Because "God does not change" and "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever," and is represented by His words; what is true in the past is also true today as it is in the future (Ecclesiastes 1:9). If God chose His servants in the past as Jesus Christ appointed His apostles in His time, this should also be true today. Christ appointed Paul as an apostle in His physical absence (Galatians 1:1). Jesus is still capable of appointing His apostles today (Ephesians 4:11) and NOT BY ANY MAN OR GROUP OF MEN.
  4. Since Christ is the appointing authority of His apostles, He is also the TEACHER as demonstrated in Paul (Galatians 1:11-12) and NOT ANY MAN OR GROUP OF MEN.
  5. Divine knowledge and wisdom comes solely from God (James 1:5-8), and NEVER SHOULD IT COME FROM ANY MAN OR GROUP OF MEN (1 John 2:27).
  6. This appointing and teaching authority of Christ belongs to Him alone. Any usurpation of power will put into fruition the warning of our Lord, "Lo, here is Christ, or there is Christ, and many false prophets shall show signs and wonders and will deceive many" (Matthew 24:23-24).
  7. This is our view of pure Christianity that is untainted with human wisdom and unadulterated with religious traditions (Isaiah 8:20, Colossians 2:8).
     

SHEDDING OF BLOOD IDENTIFIES GOD

1. We believe Jesus Christ offered His life to fulfill God’s Testament of salvation (Revelation 7:10).

2. We believe that there is only ONE GOD and this is the FATHER (1 Corinthians 8:6a) Who said there is no other Savior but Him alone (Isaiah 43:11).

3. We believe that the Testament or Covenant of Salvation can only be fulfilled by the death of the maker or testator (Hebrew 9:16).

4. We believe that, for the Father God to fulfill His Testament, He had to manifest Himself in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16 KJV).

5. We believe that, this plan of God was fulfilled in Jesus Christ Who was prophesied to be called Emmanuel that means "God with us" (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).

6. We believe that God, the Father-Testator, and Jesus Christ are one (John 10:30), for the death of the Son fulfilled the Testament or Covenant of Salvation of the Father.

7. We believe that, in the Testament, the Father Testator promised Himself to be the Inheritance (Ezekiel 44:28) to the priests which was also revealed to Aaron (Numbers 18:20) and to David (Psalms 16:5).

8. We believe that the priests are the real believers, the LOST SHEEP FOUND BY THE SHEPHERD as revealed to John (Revelation 1:6) and to Peter (1 Peter 2:5)

9. We believe that God, the Father-Testator, a frightening Inheritance, had to take the amiable-sensible features of a dove (John 7:39, Ephesians 4:30) in order to be acceptable to the spiritual beneficiaries.

10. We believe that the promised Inheritance in the Testament of Salvation was realized when the beneficiaries, the LOST SHEEP, or the priests received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-5).

11. We believe that just as Jesus Christ, the model, spoke in the spiritual language of God, better known as parables; so do the LOST SHEEP after receiving the INHERITANCE, or the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:16).

12. We believe that this annals of spiritual salvation was foreshadowed in the Old Testament when God required His chosen people to offer the blood of animals (Exodus 12:5-7).

13. We believe that there is only One Lord and this is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 8:6b)

14. We believe that Christ is true to His words when He said, "Behold, I will always be with you till the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20), for Jesus Christ is the only "Lord is that Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:17).

15. We believe that Jesus Christ has already come for He is the Father in the flesh and He is the Holy Spirit as Inheritance. What we are waiting for is His appearance (Hebrew 9:28).

16. We believe that "Emmanuel" or "God with us" is fulfilled in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

17. We believe that God had not yet given His name in the Old Testament (Isaiah 52:6). We believe that the name of God was to be revealed to the LOST SHEEP in: Matthew 28:19 (KJV) "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" With the Holy Spirit as Teacher, the Apostles did not repeat the command, but executed it by baptizing the real believers in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST (Acts 2:38, 8:12, 10:48,19:5).

18. We believe that true recognition of Jesus Christ cannot be realized with "flesh and blood" or human capability to comprehend spiritual things, for His true identity identifies God. God’s words which are expressed in parables are too illogical, irrational, and unrealistic to point to just "One Lord and one God." Examples:

  • Let us make man in our image (Genesis 1:26)." Read with: Mark 4:11-12
  • "Let us go down (Genesis 11:7)." Read with: Matthew 13:11-15
  • "The Son sitting (Hebrew 12:2) / standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55)." Read with: Exodus 15:6, Luke 22:69, Colossians 2:9, Isaiah 9:6
  • "The Father, Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ at His baptism (Matthew 3:16-17). Read with: Matthew 16:16-17, 18:3, 11:25, and Mark 12:29
  • The Father speaking, "This is my beloved Son in whom I well pleased," / The Son speaking, "Father forgiven them for they not what they do," / Jesus speaking, "My Father and your Father, and my God and your God" (John 20:17). Read with: John 14:6, Roman 8:29, 1 Peter 2:21
  • Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11). Read with: Matthew 28:20, Acts 2:1-4, Hebrew 9:28.

19. We believe this is the message of being "converted into a little child": one who cannot think, cannot reason out, and totally helpless, that God’s "hands" are free to work as He did to the Prophets and apostles (Matthew 18:3).

20. We believe in spiritual liberty: 2 Corinthians 3:17 (KJV) "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Liberty could not have referred to socio-political freedom, but freedom from human precepts and religious traditions.
 

"CHRIST CAME NOT TO DESTROY THE LAW."

Examples:

  1. We believe Jesus Christ, as model showing the Way, did not destroy the law on Sabbath. He fulfilled it with His "spiritual language" and not with the literal-physical language of man. If Sabbath to man is rest for the body, spiritual Sabbath is rest or peace for the soul (Matthew 11:28-30). Thus, just as the man caught gathering woods on Sabbath was killed (Numbers 15:32-36), so is any man found without spiritual rest or peace will suffer the "second death" (Revelation 2:11). Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Without Christ there is no salvation (Acts 4:12).
  2. We believe Jesus Christ, as model showing the Way, preached and followed the law on Tithes and Offering spiritually, and not literally-physically. Jesus Christ lived from the fruit of His hands working as a carpenter:

Mark 6:3 (KJV) "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?…"

Following His example, Paul likewise followed it spiritually. He worked as a tent maker (Act 18:3), living from the fruits of his hands.

Acts 20:33 (KJV) ‘I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me."

How could the Law on Tithes be followed literally-physically when it requires the offerors to "eat" the things offered:

Deuteronomy 14:22 (KJV) "Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always."

3. Plus many more laws which were preached and followed by Jesus Christ, the "chief corner stone," and His apostles who are the "foundation" of truth.

 

THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS

1. We believe Jesus Christ gave the general principle of salvation in the Two Great Commandments. The PREREQUISITE is "The first (foremost) of all the commandments" cited by Christ, "The Lord our God is one Lord."

Mark 12:28-31 (KJV) "And one of the scribes came, and …asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God…this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

​We believe, "Israel" here refers to the Chosen people of God (Galatians 2:29). We believe "The first of all the commandments" is TO KNOW, and not just believe in, the "One Lord and one God." Recognition of God can only be realized by being "converted into a little child" or having "poor in spirit."

2. We believe the proper sequence to the whole Law of God is:

First, KNOW GOD,

Second, LOVE God,

Third, LOVE thy neighbour as thyself

3. We believe that LOVE OF GOD is "love for His words" because "The Word was God" (John 1:1), and "Jesus Christ is the Word of God." (Revelation 19:13). Therefore, to KNOW God follows clear understanding of His words.

We believe "love thy neighbour as thyself " is expressed in the "spiritual language" of God as demonstrated by CHRIST, the "chief corner stone," and the prophets and apostles, the "foundation" who followed His Way. Thus,

Mat 25:35-36 (KJV) "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me."

  • Jeremiah received the revelation that the word of God is the spiritual bread (Jeremiah 15:16). Jesus Christ rebuked Satan in the desert for thinking only of literal bread (Matthew 4:4)
  • Spiritual water refers to the Holy Spirit according to our Lord (John 7:37-39) and to the words that give eternal life (John 4:10-14, Ephesians 5:26).
  • Taking a "stranger" in is actually to welcome a LOST SHEEP in the household of God (Ephesians 2:19).
  • Our Lord spoke of "nakedness" in Revelation 3:17 (KJV) "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:" Spiritual nakedness is covered by the "garment of salvation" and "robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10).
  • David desired the healing of his soul (Psalms 41:4), not the body. Jesus Christ opened the eyes of the man born blind and recognized Him. Those who were "not blind did not recognize Him " (John 9:38-41). We believe the miracles of our Lord are spiritual in nature.
  • We believe falsehood and deception are the spiritual prison.

4. We believe "Love thy neighbour as thyself " is sharing the Truth to the "poor in spirit", so that God will harvest souls instead of the corruptible body of men.
 

SPIRITUALITY vs. MORALITY

Our Lord said, "Matthew 5:17 (KJV) "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." It was revealed to Paul that the "law is spiritual" (Romans 7:14). The Scribes and Pharisees were noted for following the "letter of the law" which our Lord admitted to have "cleaned the outside of the cup" (Matthew 23:26). Thus,

  1. We believe that the "letter of the law", or man’s understanding in the word of God, simply involves MORALITY, which the Natural Man’s concept of righteousness.
  2. We believe that, aside from morality, Christ preached SPIRITUALITY that cleanses the "inside of the cup." This is the spiritual aspect of the law. Example: Exodus 20:14 (KJV) "Thou shalt not commit adultery."

To remain faithful to the spouse is MORALITY. This is man’s concept of righteousness in following this particular law. However, Christ said "Matthew 23:26 (KJV) "…cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also." Christ is speaking "spiritual things" better known as parables. Only God can explain His words. Here is the MAN and WOMAN in the language of God:

Jeremiah 3:14 (KJV) "Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you…"

Isaiah 54:5 (KJV) "For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer…"

Thus, the Lord is the spiritual HUSBAND while His chosen, both male and female (Galatians 3:28), are the spiritual WIFE. The "seeds" of the HUSBAND are His words (Luke 8:11).

The "other man" is Satan who tries to implant his "seeds" unto the WIFE of God. If the "seeds" of God is the truth, then the "seeds" of Satan are words of God but do not constitute the truth; for he can quote Bible verses (Matthew 4:6). It is for this reason that our Lord called the religious people of His time "adulterous generation" (Matthew 16:4).
 

MIRACLES

  1. We believe that there are two super beings capable of performing miracles and wonders: God and Satan (Exodus 7:10-12).
  2. We believe that God’s miracles are superior to the lying wonders of Satan. God’s miracles are "heavenly," while Satan’s wonders are "earthly" (John 9:38-41).
  3. We believe that God’s purpose for miracles is to harvest souls, for that is what man is created for; while Satan’s wonders, unwittingly thought of as miracles, are made to benefit the body. This is contrary to what our Lord said in John 6:63 (KJV) "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."
  4. We believe, because Christ’s miracles have this spiritual nature, pseudo-believers could not discern them that they still require "signs from heaven" (Matthew 12:38, 16:1; Luke 11:16).
  5. We believe that God’s spiritual language, which is expressed in parables, is clearly demonstrated in miracles.
     

PASTORAL SYSTEM

1. We believe God’s true servants hate the Nicolaitanes as our Lord hates them (Revelation 2:6). (Nicolaitans comes from the ME., Ofr. NICOLAS; L. NICOLAUS; Gr. NIKOLAOS <nike, victory + laos, the people. Thus, victory over the people).

2. We are cognizant of the rebuke of our Lord of the religious leaders who are called "Father" and "Rabbi" (or teacher or master or leader) (Matthew 23:8-10). We believe this is spiritual idolatry of even order than statues and images.

3. We believe only God/Jesus Christ is the Shepherd or Leader Who "speaks over the microphone" and the "chosen servants are only the speaker system."

4. We believe that the Pastoral system is not of God’s making but the people’s wish (1 Samuel 8:4-5, 8:7).

1 Sam 8:4-5 (KJV) "Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel… And said unto him, Behold, thou art old…now make us a king to judge us like all the nations."

1 Sam 8:6-7 (KJV) "But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them."

5. We believe that the Pastoral System is the cause of the diverse ways to eternal life that people are made to hope.

6. We believe that the warning of our Lord for the exacting of tolls from the people is the literal-physical application of Tithes under the Pastoral system:

1 Sam 8:15-17 (KJV) "And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards.. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men…and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants."

7. FINALLY, we believe in the absolute truth of the following:

2 Corinthians 11:4 (KJV) "For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him."

Galatians 1:8-9 (KJV) "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed…so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

2 Corinthians 4:3 (KJV) "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.

 

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