What We Believe

What We Believe

Bethel Tabernacle is a Spirit-filled, non-denominational church. We believe the world is in sad shape and desperately needs Jesus! We believe that the Bible is God's Word and the final authority for faith and life. We believe that God is one God existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God's Son, Jesus, is the "gate" and only way to the Father. We believe Jesus paid the price for our salvation and did everything necessary for us to become born-again children of God if we repent of our sins and believe Him. We believe the Holy Spirit indwells all believers and actively communicates God's will as He guides us spirit to spirit. We believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues, is available to all believers. We believe bodily healing, healthy relationships, and overall protection and prosperity is God's will for all believers. 

We believe that God loves every person. He is not willing that any should perish and is not trying to send people to hell. We believe that God's children will spend eternity with Him. Despite God's efforts to reach all, some will exercise their free will and reject Him unto everlasting punishment prepared for the devil and his angels. 

We also believe lots of other really biblical stuff. If you need to know more, come to the church. 

John 10:7-10 (NIV): Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

 
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Statement of Faith

The following comprise the Scriptural beliefs of this church and its members.

(A) The Holy Scriptures. We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed and, therefore, are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to Man. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)

(B) The Godhead. We believe in one triune God, eternally existing in three persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26)

(C) The Person and Work of Christ.

  1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8)

  2. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5)

  3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24, 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2)

(D) The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.

  1. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14)

  2. We believe that He is the divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures; and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Acts 2:4, 38; Eph. 1:17-18, 5:18; 1 John 2:20,27)

  3. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28; Eph. 4:7-12)

  4. We believe that the Holy Spirit empowers the church to witness to the world and to edify other believers through spiritual gifts that He gives as He determines to every believer. The biblical exercise of Holy Spirit enabled utterance (speaking in tongues) is vital for prayer, praise, intercession, and edification and is desirable and an available resource for every believer. (1 Cor. 12:4-11; 1 Cor. 14:1, 13-17; Jude 20)

(E) The Total Dependency of Man. We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition.

(F) Salvation. We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. We believe that all sins, except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, are forgivable. (John 1:12; Eph. 1:7, 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Matt. 12:31-32; 1 John 1:9)

(G) The Assurance of Believers. We believe that all, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are secure in Christ forever. It is in understanding this acceptance and security that we, as believers, can grow in vital relationship with God. We do not believe, however, that salvation completely disenables the human ability to choose to commit apostasy. But the loss of one’s salvation does not happen by committing a sin or series of sins, but as a result of a willful, defiant choice to renounce Christ and His atoning blood. (Eph. 1:13-14; Hebrews 10:26-31)

(H) The Church

  1. We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons. (1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23, 5:25-27)

  2. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27, 20:17, 28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)

  3. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31, 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9-16, 5:4-7, 13; 1 Pet. 5:1-4)

  4. We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age.

    1. Water baptism is by immersion in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is subsequent to conversion. It is not a saving ordinance, but an outward expression of an inward work. (Matt. 28:19-20; Romans 6:4; Acts 2:28)

    2. The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of the victory that Christ won for us on Calvary. The elements of the Lord’s Supper are a type of the broken body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we partake, we are to do so in remembrance of the price Jesus paid for our salvation. We practice open communion, believing that all present in the assembly may partake of the Lord’s Supper. (1 Cor. 11:23-28; 2 Cor. 13:5; Luke 22:7-22)

(I) Divine Healing. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement and is the privilege of all believers. (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matt. 8:16-17)

(J) Separation. We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. God commands His people to separate from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations. We are not to walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit forsaking the very appearance of evil, such as worldly conversation, habits, dress, etc. We are made to be partakers of His holiness. (Rom. 12:1-2, 14:13; 2 Cor. 6:14, 7:1; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11; Lev. 19:28; 1 Cor. 6:19-20)

(K) The Second Advent of Christ. We believe in the blessed hope, the personal, imminent return of Christ who will rapture at His appointed time. Then Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel. (Ps. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; 1 Thess. 1:10, 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10, 19:11-16, 20:1-6)

(L) The Eternal State.

  1. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6, 12-13)

  2. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23, 3:21; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6)

  3. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment. (Matt. 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6:7; Rev. 20:11-15)

(M) Marriage, Divorce and Abortion. We believe that God’s plan for marriage is between one man and one woman in a covenant relationship with God and each other. We also believe that life begins at conception. We do not believe that divorce or abortion are part of God’s plan. We do, however, believe that God can and will restore anyone who repents and seeks His grace and forgiveness, regardless of their past.

(N) Love. We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward both those who are not believers and those who oppose us. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or the use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions. (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Rom. 12:9-10, 17-21, 13:8-10; Phil. 2:2-4; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; 1 John 3:17-18)

(O) Missions. We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20)