BELIEFS
"Scripture is God – breathed – the Holy Spirit"
Beliefs Upon Which The Ministry Was Founded
Beliefs
The following Statement of Faith constitutes a guide to the fundamental beliefs of Beyond The Enemy Gates Ministries. The ministry is open to any further truth that the Holy Spirit may illuminate from the Scriptures. Read through the Statement of Faith in order to familiarise yourself with the basic beliefs upon which this ministry is founded.
The Scriptures
The Scriptures in their original form, both the Old and New Testament, are divinely inspired and are the revelation of God to man. All Scripture is God – breathed – the Holy Spirit inspired the authors, revealing to them what He wanted written. (Acts 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20.21).
These Scriptures are infallible truth, containing no contradiction or error. It is the final authority for faith, doctrine and life. The canon of the Bible is closed. Christians must remain receptive to the illumination of Scriptural truth by the Holy Spirit. (Mathew 5:18; John 17:17; Romans 10:17; 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11; James 1:21).
The Old Testament was endorsed by Jesus Christ as God’s Word. The New Testament is not a contradiction, but a culmination and consummation of Old Testament truth. (Matthew 5:17; Luke 4:17-21; 24:27, 44; John 5:39; 1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Peter 3:15, 16).
The Godhead
God is a Spirit – Infinite, eternal, uncreated and unchangeable in His being or attributes. In Him all things have their source and end. ( John 4:24; Psalm 102:25-27; Genesis 1:1-26; John 1:1-3; Hebrews 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17).
There is one true God who is plural in nature – The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit – all distinct personalities, all designated God. (John 1:1, 18, 14; Hebrews 1:8; Acts 5:3, 4).
The Bible does not teach that there are three Gods, but upholds the doctrine of the Trinity- one God who reveals Himself in Three persons – equal in power and glory. (Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3; 16, 17:28:19; Acts 10:38; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
The Father
God, The Father, is the Father of all in a creative sense, but only those who have received Jesus Christ can be called His children in a redemptive sense. He is the father of all Christians in a special, intimate relationship. (Malachi 2:10; Acts 17:28; John 1:12, 13; 8:41-44; 17:3; 20:17).
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is Lord and the Son of God – these titles proclaim His deity. He is the Only Begotten of the Father, not that He is a son of God in a general sense, but the Son of God I a unique sense. As God He existed eternally and will exist forever. (John 1:1-3, 18; 17:5; Hebrews 1; 2-12; 13:18).
By taking on the form of a man, Jesus is the Word that became flesh. His birth was supernatural and not natural as in the case of all other human beings. He was miraculously ‘virgin – born’ of the Holy Spirit, without human father. (John 1:14, 8; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25).
The Bible declares His absolute deity and His complete humanity. He lived a sinless life on earth; teaching, preaching and performing miracles with divine authority. (Matthew 16:13, 16; Philippians 2;5-8; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Matthew 4:23, 24; Acts 2:22 ).
Jesus fulfilled God’s plan in history. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, was buried and descended into Hades. Christ died foe all and rose bodily from the dead. He did not only rise spiritually, nor just as a spirit being, but it was a physical resurrection. The doctrine of the resurrection is foundational for Christianity. (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4, 14-21; Luke 24:6, Acts 4:33; Romans 1:4; 5:10; 8:11).
After His resurrection He ascended to the Father in heaven. He is alive forevermore in His resurrected body and exalted position, representing us before the throne of God as our High Priest and Advocate. (1 Timothy 3; 16; Mark 16:19; Phillip 3:20, 21; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:24, 25)
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a divine person, the third person of the Holy Trinity, distinct from the Father and Son. (Luke 1:35; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
The clear and unmistakable teaching of Scripture is that the Holy Spirit is personal and is God. He is not an impersonal force, nor a mere principle or influence, but possesses full and distinct personality. (John 14:16, 26; 16:7, 8; Acts 13:2, 4; 1 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 4:30).
The Creation and Fall of Mankind
All people have been created equally and in the image of God, irrespective of race, ethnicity, colour, gender, age, language, culture or class. ( Genesis 1:26-28; 3:20; Proverbs 22:2; Acts 10:34,35; 17:26,27; James 3:9; Colossians 3:10,11; Galatians 3:28).
God created mankind in His image, but that image has been marred by sin. Mankind was given a free will and through satan’s temptation sinned, thereby incurring the penalty of death, both physical and spiritual. All human beings inherit a sinful nature, which results, in the case of those who reach moral responsibility, in actual transgression involving personal guilt. (Genesis 1; 26-28; 3:1-6; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3).
All have sinned – therefore mankind is in a lost sinful state, fallen from original righteousness. (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:9-12, 23; 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22; Galatians 3:22).
The Bible describes sin in many ways – missing the mark, not meeting God’s standards, breaking His laws, going against His will, disobeying Him, acting in unbelief, failing to do what is good, owing a debt, etcetera. Sin is mankind’s fallen condition evident in human character, will, thoughts, attitudes or acts. It is proud, self-willed rebellion against God in active or passive form. (Daniel 9:5, 8, 9; James 2:8-11; 4:17; Romans 14:23; 1 John 3:4; 5:17; Matthew 6:12).
The Salvation of Mankind
Jesus Christ gave His life as a substitutionary sacrifice and ransom for all. (Corinthians 15:3; Matthew 20; 28; 1 Timothy 2:3-6).
His atoning death on the cross and His shed blood fully paid the price of redemption required for the release of sinners. Through His death people can obtain the forgiveness and remission of sins; washing and cleansing them from all unrighteousness; justification and the pardon of guilt of transgressions; righteousness and right standing with God; propitiation and reconciliation which restores fellowship and favour with God; healing and wholeness; the victorious life; and the gift of eternal life. (Galatians 3:13,14; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; 2:24; Colossians 1:13, 14; Romans 3;22-26; 5;8-11, 17-19; Titus 3;4-7; 1 John 2:2; 3:8; revelation 12:10,11).
People are not able to save themselves by works; by trying to keep the Law or the Ten Commandments; by personal merit in themselves; by self-effort, or by natural development from within – no one can add anything to the completed atoning work of Christ. (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:20, 28; Galatians 2:16; Titus 3:5).
Salvation is by grace, the free gift of eternal life from God, to all those who believe in Christ. It is received by faith in the crucified and risen Saviour resulting in the supernatural work of the new birth, which is essential to make the repentant sinner a new creation in Christ Jesus and a child of God. (Ephesians 2:8,9; Galatians 3:26; Romans 6:26; 10:9, 10; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 5:17; John 3:3-5, 16; 1:12,13; 1 John 5:1).
Water Baptism
Water baptism is a direct commandment from the Lord. Scripture requires that all who have become disciples through repentance and faith in Christ as Saviour and Lord are to be baptised in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Baptism is by the immersion in water and is for believers only. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38, 39; 8:36-39; 16; 31-33).
The ordinance of baptism is an act of obedience; a symbol of the Cristian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection; a declaration that the believer has died with Christ and has been raised with him to walk in the newness of life; a public confession of the new believers’ faith in Christ; and the answer of a good conscience toward God. (Matthew 3:13-17; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21).
Communion
Communion is the regular partaking of the emblems of the bread and the cup as symbolic of the Saviour’s broken body and shed blood. In following this ordinance believers are remembering the Lord Jesus; proclaiming His death; giving thanks for the benefits of His broken body and shed blood; expressing their communion with Him and one another; celebrating His resurrection; and anticipating His return. (Matthew 26; 26-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 17; 11:23-32).
Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The new birth is the work of regeneration that the Holy Spirit executes, by which He then indwells the believer. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience distinct and subsequent to the new birth. (Titus 3:5; John 3:5, 6; 14:16, 17; Acts 8:14-17; 19:2).
Jesus baptises in the Holy Spirit and according to His command all believers are entitled to and should expect the Promise of the Father – the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This was the normal and needful experience of Christians in the Church of the early days. (Matthew 2; 11; Acts 1:4, 5; 2:38, 39; 11:15, 16).
Through the baptism in the Holy Spirit believers are empowered and equipped for life and service; and with it comes the bestowment of the supernatural gifts of the Spirit and their uses in the work of the ministry. (Mark 16:17; acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. (Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:6).
Sanctification
The Scriptures demand a life of holiness. Believers are called to separation and consecration unto God. (1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:12, 13; 4:3-7; 5:23; Hebrews 12:14).
Christ’s holiness is imputed to the regenerated believer, but this positional holiness must be worked out as practical sanctification in the believer’s conduct. Sanctification is a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the new birth and continuing throughout the life of the believer. (1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:11; Hebrews 10:10, 14; Philippians 3:12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2, 3).
Sanctification is an act of purification and separation from that which is evil; and of dedication unto God. (2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 4:22-24; 2 Timothy 2:21, 22).
Sanctification is realised in the life of believers by recognising their identification with Christ in His death and resurrection; by faith reckoning daily upon the fact of that union; and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. 1 Corinthians 1:30; Romans 6:11-14, 18-22; Galatians 5:16-25; John 17:17; James 1:21).
Divine Healing's and Miracles
Divine healing was provided for in the Old Testament and is an integral part of the Gospel.
The New Testament declares that through Christ’s redemptive work, full provision has been made for physical healing and health. It is the privilege of believer’s today. (Exodus 23:25; Psalm 103:2-5; Isaiah 53:4, 5; Matthew 8:16, 17; 1 Peter 2:24; Galatians 3:13, 14; Luke 10:9).
Healing is for physical ills of the human body and is wrought by God’s power in different ways, like the laying on of hands; the prayer of faith; anointing with oil; or the gifts of healing. (Mark 16:17, 18; 6:13; Acts 28:8, 9; James 5:14-16; 1 Corinthians 12:9).
Miracles are supernatural interventions in the ordinary course of nature. These are works, signs or wonders of the unchangeable God and they are possible in the present day. (Mark 16:17-20; John 14:12; Hebrews 2:4; Acts 2:22, 24; 6:8; 8:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10; Romans 15:18, 19; 2 Corinthians 12:12).
The Church
The one true Church is the whole company of all believers who have been called out of sin and the world, redeemed by Jesus and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. It is universal in the sense that it includes all true believers out of all nations from all generations. Each Christian is an integral part of the general assembly and Church of the first born registered in heaven. (Matthew 16:16-19; Ephesians 4:3-6; 1 Peter 2:5, 9, 10; Hebrews 12:23).
Jesus Christ is the Head of the church and the Bible describes it in different terms, for example, the Body of Christ, His bride, the family of God, the building of God and habitation of God. (Ephesians 1:22, 23; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25-27; 3:15; 2:19-22).
The Church also has a visible, local expression – a company of believers voluntarily fellow-shipping together in a given locality. The local church on earth should take its character from the conception of the Church universal. (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Hebrews 10:24, 25).
Therefore, the essentials of church membership are the new birth and personal confession of faith in Christ. It is not merely the attending of church services or having a name on the membership list that makes one a member of Christ’s true Church. Only the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the repentant sinner qualifies one for membership in the Body of Christ. (Acts 2:38-41, 47; Ephesians 2:13, 18, And 19).
Members of the local church are those who freely and voluntarily subscribe to the basic principles set out in this Statement of faith, understanding and consenting to the fact that should they violate such principles, they may be required by the leadership of the local church to either accept the leadership’s counsel and discipline or to forfeit their membership. The leadership of the local church has the authority from the Scriptures to withdraw the membership of any member for serious, unrepentant misconduct or similar cause. (Matthew 18; 15-18; Romans 16:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; Titus 3:10, 11; 1 Corinthians 5:11, 5; 1 Timothy 1:19, 20).
The Bible teaches the principle of being in submission to authority. As such, it is understood that church membership shall be subject to submission to authority in matters pertaining to church governance, doctrine and personal behaviour. (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13; 1 Peter 5:2-5).
The Bible teaches heterosexual relationships between natural man and woman within the confines of lawful matrimony. Adherence to this stated principle of sexual behaviour is an inherent requirement for membership of the local church. God’s original intent for marriage was one man joined with one woman in a legal union for life. Jesus came to confirm, endorse and restore this deal. (Genesis 1:27,28; 2:24, 25; Leviticus 18:20,22; 20:10,13; Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9,10; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Matthew 19:4-6; 1 Timothy 3:2,12).
The primary mission of the Church is to be a corporate body bringing praise and worship to God; to be a gathering where saints can be equipped, edified and perfected in the image of God’s Son; to be an agency of God for evangelising the world; to be a demonstration of God’s love and goodness to all; to be a foundation upholding God’s wisdom and truth; to be a catalyst of constructive social change and justice in the community, ministering to the poor and oppressed; and to be an instrument enforcing satan’s defeat through God’s power. ( Ephesians 1:6,12,14; 4:11-16; 3:10; Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:13,14 6:9,10; 1 Timothy 3;15; Matthew 25:35-40; Acts 20:35; Romans 16;20).
The Ministry
Every Christian is a priest – to bring acceptable spiritual sacrifices, by full and equal access, to God through Christ; a minister or servant – to serve God and one another through love; a steward – to profitably use the trust granted by God; and a worker – to fulfil the labour of love in God’s kingdom. ( Revelation 1:6; Hebrews 10:19-22; 13:15, 16; 6:10; 1 Peter 2:5, 9; 4:10,11; Ephesians 4:7, 12; 2:10; Matthew 25;14).
The ascended Christ has given various ministers to the Church – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers – which are essential to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to build up the Body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Romans 12:4-13).
Satan
The devil is a fallen being cast down from heaven because of his transgression. He is not an impersonal force, or the principle of evil personified – personal names and pronouns are used with reference to him, while personal attributes and acts are ascribed to him. (Isaiah 14:12-17; Revelation 12:9).
He is the real enemy of Christians; and together with his demons, they seek to deceive, tempt, afflict, oppress and destroy mankind. The believer, however, has been given authority over them in the name of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 6:13; John 8:44; Luke 10:17-20; Acts 10:38; Ephesians 6; 11, 12; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8, 9; 1 John 3:8).
Satan’s ultimate destiny is that he will be cast into the lake of fire forever. (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10, 14).
The Destiny of the Unbeliever
All who deny God or His plan for mankind; who reject Jesus Christ and the offer of salvation, will stand guilty before God when He will judge the living and the dead. (John 3:16, 36; Romans 1:18-21; 2:2-6; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 2Timothy 4:1).
Those who physically die in their sins without Christ are hopelessly and eternally lost; and therefore have no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or for repentance. They will be resurrected form the dead to immortality and will be judged at the great white throne judgement. (Hebrews 9:27; John 5:28, 29; Revelation 20:11-13).
Those who are guilty before God will receive the eternal death penalty for sin. They will be separated from Him and will be damned in hell forever. The Scriptures describe this as a lake of fire, which is a place of torment. The lake of fire is literal and eternal. The term’s eternal and everlasting used in describing the duration of the damned in the lake of fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in noting the duration of joy and ecstasy of the saints in the presence of God. (Romans 6:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Matthew 25:41, 46; 13:49, 50; Luke 16:23, 24; Revelation 20:10-15; 21:8).
The Destiny of the Believer
Jesus Christ is coming back to earth in glory, majesty and power. His return will be literal, visible and personal; and is the blessed hope of the believer. At his coming, those who have died in Christ will be resurrected to incorruptibility; and will be caught up, together with transformed believers who are alive, to meet the Lord in the air. (John 14:3; Matthew 24:30; Acts 1:10, 11; 2 Thessalonians 1; 10; 2:1-3; Titus 2:13; Revelation 1:7; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 23, 51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
Christians will not be judged on the grounds of salvation – whether they have eternal life – this is a free gift of God through Jesus Christ. There will be a judgement of rewards according to the believers’ works. (John 5:24; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; Revelation 22:12).
The Bible teaches that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. The redeemed will live in eternal blessedness in God’s presence. (2 Peter 3:12, 13; Revelation 21:1-7, 21-27; 22:1-5).