What We Believe
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We believe God is triune: all three persons co-eternal and equal. We believe Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is fully God and fully man. He was preexistent with the Father, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, crucified under Pontius Pilate, and resurrected by the power of God.
We believe human beings, created good, nonetheless disobeyed God and fell. Furthermore, humans, sinful in nature, cannot save themselves or be reconciled to God on the basis of their good works. We believe that reconciliation was initiated by God and based solely upon the atoning death of Christ on the cross. We believe the Bible is the Word of God, trustworthy and authoritative for every area of life. We believe the Holy Spirit calls, separates and sanctifies believers, enabling them to bear fruit in Christian works, not as a means of earning salvation, but as demonstration of the power of God in the life of an individual or a community. We believe God has called every Christian to some kind of ministry. The job of the church is to equip its people for these works of service, to build up the Body of Christ, and carry the gospel to uttermost parts of the world. ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written over a span of 1500 years by 40 writers, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error. ABOUT GOD
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Matthew 1:22,23 | Isaiah 9:6 | John 1:1-5 14:10-30 | Hebrews 4:14,15 | 1 Corinthians 15:3,4 | Romans 1:3,4 | Acts 1:9-11 | 1 Timothy 6:14,15 | Titus 2:13
ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily. 2 Corinthians 3:17 | John 16:7-13, 14:16,17 | Acts 1:8 | 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16 | Ephesians 1:13 | Galatians 5:25 | Ephesians 5:18
ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS
People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin”. This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life. ABOUT SALVATION
Salvation is God’s free gift to us but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. ABOUT ETERNITY
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. Final Authority for Matters of Belief and Conduct:
The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. Statement on Sanctity of Life:
We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Psalm 139) Statement on marriage, sexuality and gender:
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Genesis 1:26-27) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Genesis 2:18-25) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman in the confines of marriage. (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.) We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Joy Christian Ministries, Inc. as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to our members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by Joy Christian Ministries, Inc. agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22) We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.) We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31.) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Joy Christian Ministries, Inc. Statement of Assembly:
We believe that it is essential for the church to meet in person. We are mandated in Scripture to meet regularly and to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ daily. The meeting in person is essential to fulfilling the Biblical sacraments as delineated in the Holy Bible. Lay hands on people, sing praises to God, shout for joy, dance in worship, baptize new believers in water, are a few of the sacraments that must be fulfilled without regard to how many are in attendance; few or many, dozens or thousands, whether sick or well, during peacetime or in a declared war time, indoors or outdoors, as laid out in the Bible. Joy Christian Ministries, Inc. will hold meetings without restriction as to the presence or absence of apparel, devices, masks, immunizations, vaccines, or other mandates that are not specifically laid out in the Bible. (Zephaniah 2:1; Mark 2:27; Hebrews 10:25) Our Tenets of Faith:
1. We believe the Bible to be inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God and that it is supreme and the final authority (II Timothy 3:16-17) 2. We believe in the trinity as eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (1 John 5:7) 3. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious death and atonement through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His present priestly ministry. (1 Timothy 3:16; Romans 3:25,26) 4. We believe in evangelistic and missionary fervor and endeavor. (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15-18) 5. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. We further believe in the keeping power of God. (Hebrews 9:22; Jude 24,25) 6. We believe in sanctification and holiness and the overcoming life in God’s design for the church, which is the Bride of Christ. (Ephesians 5:25-27) 7. We believe that sexual purity is a necessary expression for all of God’s children and requires abstinence from adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, or other sexual relationships or practices forbidden by Scripture. (Romans 1:26-27; Hebrews 13:4; I Corinthians 6:18; Leviticus 18:1-30) 8. We believe marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime and a sacred institution established by God. (Matthew 19:4-6) 9. We believe Baptism is an outward expression of an inward acceptance of Jesus. (Acts 10:47-48) 10. We believe that Baptism is for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and to be administered by immersion, thus bearing witness to the Gospel of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for us, and our new life in Him. (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4) 11. We believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost and in the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit as evidenced in charismatic gifts and ministries, and in the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. (Acts 2:4; 10:46; 19:6; Ephesians 4:11; I Corinthians 12:8-11; Galatians 5:22-23) 12. We believe that divine healing is obtained on the basis of the atonement. (I Peter 2:24; Matthew 8:17) 13. We believe that the resurrection of the church (rapture) will occur prior to the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10) Statement on marriage and facilities:
Because God has ordained marriage and defined it as the covenant relationship between a man, a woman, and Himself, [the Church] will only recognize marriages between a biological man and a biological woman. Further, the [pastors/ministers/clergy] and staff of Joy Christian Ministries, Inc. shall only participate in weddings and solemnize marriages between one man and one woman. Finally, the facilities and property of the church, and all other property in the future shall only host weddings between one man and one woman. |
