Statement of Belief of First Century Gospel Church in Nigeria
STATEMENT OF BELIEFFounded: 1925, by the late Pastor A. Clark
Basic Doctrine: To follow the teachings of the New Testament Concerning every aspect of life.
The church’s foundation belief is to trust in and depend on God to control every fact of our life; that includes the control of every person we meet with in the course of a day. The church belives that no human effort be used to manipulate or control the actions of others to our advantage or for our benefit.
Another belief is to trust God for protection from accidents, dangers, and from any other physical harm or injury. We do not believe in the use of seat-belts and other safety devices that are designed to protect a person in the event of an accident. Our trust is totally in God to be protected from such incidents in the first place, and it is our belief that to use any type of safety device, is to be disloyal to God and to be disobedient to His will.
We believe in accepting the teachings of the Scriptures as the inspired Word of God, and that the commands and directions given by Jesus Christ and His Apostles in the New Testament, (especially including Christ’s Sermon on the mount – Matthew 5, 6, and 7) should be obeyed literally; just as they are written.
It is our belief that it is necessary to confess and forsake any sin in our life, as any true child of God is instructed to do in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
The doctrine of the church is that we commit our lives completely to God without reluctance whatever, as instructed in Romans 12:12, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. {2} Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
We believe that it is necessary for every true Christian to trust God alone for their physical healing without the use of medicine, drugs, or human remedies; and rejecting the intervention of the doctor or the medical profession.
Another policy is trusting God for financial support, both in our personal lives and for all church expenses. The church and its members do not ask for donations, nor do they their financial needs known to any human being, or even making the slightest implication that they are in need of funds. The basis for this belief is Philippians 4:6, 19, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
The Church teaches not to purchases nor sign insurance policies for their financial protection. In regard homes and automobiles, the advice to our members is to rent them, and thus giving the responsibility to financially protect that investment, to the owner. God alone is depended on to protect us from financial loss or hardship, and to provide our needs on a day-to-day basis.
We believe in trusting God alone for the salvation and control of our family, without using any force or human effort to compel or bring about a change, either by word or action.
In regard to children, the teaching of the church is not to ever use physical punishment, but raise the children precisely as instructed in Ephesians 6:4, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."And, which is verified in the Old Testament in Proverbs 22:6, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."
Statement of Faith:
1) We believe that the Bible is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God (which is a written revelation of His divine will).
2) That there is only one God who eternally exists in three persons (called the Trinity): Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3) We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life on earth, His divine miracles, His atonement for sin on the cross, His resurrection to life, His ascension to the right hand of God, and in His personal return to earth in power to rapture God's true children.
4) That for the salvation of the lost and sinful, repentance and faith in Christ provides regeneration by the Holy Spirit and that a continuing faith in Christ is the only way of salvation.
5) We believe in the on-going ministry of the Holy Spirit who dwells within the heart of every true believer to give the ability to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. Also that His power to convict, to guide, and to enlighten are available to believers today.
6) We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost...the saved unto the resurrection of Eternal Life, and the lost unto the resurrection of eternal suffering.
7) That everyone (of every nation, tribe, people and language) is equal in the sight of God, so all true believers are unified members of the body of Christ.
8) We believe that it is important to practice water baptism by triune immersion, and serve the Lord's Supper on a regular basis. We do not believe that either of these practices is essential for salvation, but the commemorating of them gives evidence of our faith in Christ.
9) That it is the personal responsibility of the church (and individual Christians in their own life) to witness for Christ and to share the gospel however led to do so (and whenever the Holy Spirit presents the opportunity).