CREATOR-GOD. We believe God is the Creator and that HE created just as HE declared in Genesis, Chapter one. Nothing is to be added. Nothing is to be rearranged. Nothing is to be taken out. We believe that there is One God (1st Corinthians 8:6) that
demonstrated Himself in three manifestations: God the Father, God the Word (Son), God the Holy Spirit.
CREATION: We believe that Genesis, Chapters 1 and 2 and St. John, Chapter 1 contains all that we need to know about God’s creation. We are certain that no man needs to tell us what God intended to say or communicate. Can not the creator of the mind, best know how to communicate to the mind of man that HE created? Man. Adam was the first man (1st Corinthians 15:45). Into Adam was breathed the breath of life “and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) Woman. Well now that is another story. God looked at man who was alone and incomplete. God then could have given man anything in the universe or beyond. What did God create to complete man and satisfy that longing in his heart? WHY WOMAN! Every woman is a Gift from God. She was the only and perfect gift and is the procreator and nurturer of all mankind. Authority. God gave to these two the authority or rule (governor and first lady) over all creation. No other of His creation has the ability to truly love and worship God, but the man and the gift from God, his wife.
GOD The Father: We believe that God the Father is eternally existent. He was never married and did not procreate spirit children on some other star or planet as some falsely teach. These false claims are not in the Bible. THERE IS BUT ONE GOD of all creation. God the Father is the ultimate head of the line of Authority. (I Corinthians 11:3) HE names (identifies, designates) Himself Elohiym in Genesis 1:1. HE is also called El Shaddai (Genesis 17:1; Genesis 28:3; Genesis 35:1) but by the Name JEHOVAH, HE was not known until Moses. (Exodus 6:3).
GOD The Son: We believe that God the Son is eternally existent, not separately created in time or eternity, but that HE is the Creator. He is eternally One with the Father. (I and My Father are One~ St, John 10:30) That all things in heaven and Earth and all things on Earth were created by Him (St. John 1:3) We believe that God the Word took on the flesh and body of a man. (St. John 1:14) That God in human flesh was named Jesus. (Matthew 1:21, 25) And that HE lived among men. He was fully God the Word and fully Jesus the man, at the same time. (St. John 10:30; St. John 14:9) Although HE could be tempted to sin and was tempted of the devil (Luke 4:1-13; Matthew 4:1-11), Jesus did not sin and lived without sin. The sole purpose for the first coming of Jesus was to be Messiah and be the fulfillment of Genesis 2:17 and Genesis 3:15. HE is “the” Lamb (or sacrifice and offering for man’s sin. John 1:29, 36). Jesus pled guilty to our sin-crimes and when our death penalty is announced, HE will say, I have paid the penalty in their place and offered them a legal pardon for their sins. They have accepted the pardon. I, JESUS, HAVE DIED IN THEIR PLACE! I PAID THE DEATH PENALTY.
GOD The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is fully God. HE is not an essence or a second class part of God. HE is fully God. He can be lied to (Acts 5:3) He can be grieved (hurt, troubled-Isaiah 63:10; Ephesians 4:30) He was the agent for life in Mary (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:18,20) HE lives in converted man (I Corinthians 3:16; I Corinthians 6:19; 2 Timothy 1:14) HE inspired and directed men to write the Bible (2 Peter 1:21) One can blaspheme (denounce, curse) the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31; Luke 12:10) HE speaks (reveals things)
to man (Luke 2:25-26; Acts 15:28). HE will speak for you and through you (Mark 13:11); Teach you (Luke 12:12; John 14:26; I Corinthians 2:13) HE empowers to make you God’s witnesses (Acts 1:8). HE fills converted mankind (Acts 2:4; Acts 4:8; Acts 4:31; Acts 5:32; Acts 10:44-45; Acts 15:8; Acts 19:6) HE gives direction (Acts 6:3-5; Acts 13:2;Acts 16:6; HE makes men overseers (pastors) (Acts 20:28); gives the Love of God (Romans 5:5). HE is with you and in you (St. John 14:17). HE sets men apart for understanding and service (Romans 15:16). HE gives Spiritual gifts to men (Hebrews 2:4; I Corinthians 12:4; I Corinthians 12:1-12).
SIN: We believe that sin is the violation of the Law of God. If one either disobeys the speed limit or the law against murder, he is said to have committed a crime. Sin, then is what man would call a crime against God’s Law or God. The penalty for every class of sin is DEATH: eternal death in the lake of fire. So what one earns for his sin crimes is DEATH (eternal death). But there is One Way to escape that death. We must admit our guilt of being a sinner and accept the death of Jesus Who died to pay our death penalty.
Penalty for Sin. The penalty is death (Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:3; Romans 6:23; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10; ) We believe that the only Way to avoid the death penalty that all have earned is by the person who sinned, admitting their guilt and that they deserve eternal death, but at the same time accepting the legal pardon provided for them by Christ on the cross. Accepting the legal pardon provided by Jesus (when HE paid your death penalty) is the ONLY WAY to come to Father-God and make heaven your final home.
The Choice: Thus, we each have a choice. Either we die for our own sins and spend the eternity to come in the pain of the lake of fire OR we choose to repent of our sinful way of life and receive Jesus into our heart and life, intending to lead a new life and walking in His way. In short we are converted. If we choose this we give up our guilt, sin, lack of purpose and confusion. After accepting Jesus, we receive in their place, peace, joy, love and an eternal life of service now and in the life to come: heaven with God.
THE BIBLE: We believe the Bible is without error. It is the errorless Word of the Living and Only God. However, commentaries on the Bible are to be rejected, if they add to, or diminish from or even have the slightest difference from the Bible. (Revelation 22:18) We
believe it is unnecessary to have some man tell us what God The Holy Spirit, really meant when HE dictated the plain Words of the Bible. We do not believe God needs man’s help to communicate with His created people. We believe that adding to the Word of God is sin
(Deuteronomy 12:32) that those who add to the Word of God are liars (Proverbs 30:5-6) and to add or take from the Word of God, will bring the plagues of God upon you. (Revelation 22:18)
Rapture of the Church: The term ‘rapture’ comes from the Latin translation of the Greek harpazo (-catching up). Although we are aware that there are three beliefs about the timing of the rapture, it is the general belief that the rapture will occur. Some believe the rapture of the church comes before the Tribulation period. The second group believes that the church will go through the first half of the tribulation, but will not be there for the time when God pours out His wrath. The third group sees a rapture at the end of the Tribulation.
However, the third group essentially denies the rapture or catching up of the Body of believers to be with the Lord, but sees this all as one second coming event. But Paul, the Apostle, by the Holy Spirit says “16) The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (harpazo pronounced har-pad-zo) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. There will be a catching up (harpazo). The question then is will the Lord allow HIS Bride to go through God’s wrath? What is HE likely to do? (If ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that ask Him? ~Matthew 7:21) Every good gift is from God (James 1:17; Ecclesiastes 3:13) The bridegroom rejoices over the bride so shall God rejoice after you (Isaiah 62:5). Husbands are commanded to “love your wife, as Christ loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25) Husbands love your wife as you love your own flesh (Ephesians 5:33) We (the true Body of Christ are the church and) are the bride of Jesus, Who is the Lamb of God (Revelation 19:7) Would a good man, your grandfather, or you, if you have one that you love dearly, would you allow her to go through the wrath (rage, fury, hot anger) of an all Powerful God? Before WRATH is poured out (Revelation, chapters 8, 9 and 10), will HE not rescue His bride from the Tribulation period?
TRIBULATION: (Revelation, chapters 8, 9 and 10) Hail and fire come down. A large object that looked like a huge burning mountain went into the sea killing one third of all life and one third of the ships. Then a new tormenting creature is released on the earth to sting
man and torture him for five months. Fresh water is greatly diminished. A great fire kills BILLIONS. There are such catastrophes that earthquakes and tidal waves leveled the mountains and the islands disappear. Great fear is on all men. Would you allow your beloved bride to go through that time of torment and trouble? If ye being evil know how to give good gifts, how to love your wife as your own flesh, how much more will the Sinless Lamb of God, God the Word made flesh, the Lord Jesus rescue His bride from this Wrath, these terrible disasters, calamities, catastrophes? Then there is also the anger of the devil in Revelation 13:11-15. No one is allowed to buy or sell without his mark. And HE beheads all that will not worship him or his image. Who will The Lamb allow to go through this time?
Bible Translations: There are two primary sets of Greek and Hebrew Texts that are used to translate the Bible. All of the first translations of the Bible used the one set of original texts. Thus, the German (Lutheran) Bible, the Tyndale, the Cloverdale and the King
James Version were all from that first set of texts. Then in the later 1800s came the first English translations of the Bible from the second set of texts. They claimed that these second texts were older than the first. However, there are pieces of the first texts that predate this second group of texts. The entire first set was said to not be in existence in its entirety because it was the one that scholars of the church were using to translate the Bible. So the paper (papyri) ones became worn out from being used to copy and check the copies. The one not being used (the second sets) stayed in better condition. Thus, they were allowed to make the somewhat questionable claim of an older text of the entire Bible.
NAS & NIV The primary newer versions that use the newer and not the older texts are the New American Standard and the New International Version. Unless they appropriate the verses or words from the King James (or Tyndale or Cloverdale) versions, these
translations (New American, NIV) are missing 42 verses from the New Testament alone. But, of those two the New American is the more scholarly and preserves the integrity of the original documents.
Paraphrases: There are also paraphrases, such as the Living Bible or New Living Bible. These are the product of one man, Dr. Kenneth Taylor (1917 -2005 A.D.). Dr. Taylor paraphrased the King James Version and admitted that he had the New American close beside him as he worked. Dr. Taylor’s version was popularized by the old evangelist Billy Graham and the 700 Club of Pat Robertson. After its initial success, Dr. Taylor formed Tyndale House Publishing and published the Living Bible and later the New Living Bible. The New Living Bible is mislabeled a translation, but all that was done was that some scholars with knowledge of Hebrew and/or Greek checked to make sure that the Living Bible did not have any obvious errors. Little was changed between the admitted paraphrase and the mislabeled so-called, translation.
WE recommend that you use the King James as the best and most authoritative translation with the integrity of the originals intact. The Living Bible is sometimes helpful in getting a fresh look at the meaning of the King James. However, you will note that some views of the very Presbyterian raised-Baptist educated Kenneth Taylor show up in his paraphrase. (For example see Acts 2:1-4). But, other than his religious views and the fact that it is not a translation, the Living Bible is an interesting commentary of the King James Version of the Bible.
DID NOAH FISH?
A male Sunday school teacher asked, "Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was on the Ark ?"
'No,' replied Johnny... 'How could he?
... ‘Noah only had just two worms!'