house of love ministries fl
core beliefs
THE BIBLE:
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God and contains one harmonious and sufficiently complete system of doctrine. We believe in the full inspiration of the Word of God. We hold the Word of God to be the only authority in all matters and assert that no doctrine can be true or essential, if it does not find a place in this Word (2 Timothy 3:16). Nothing should be added or taken away according to Deuteronomy 4:2.
THE FATHER:
We believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Author and Creator of all things according to Genesis 1:1. According to our belief there is only One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all according to Ephesians 4:6. The Old Testament reveals God in diverse manners, by manifesting his nature, character, and dominions. The New Testament reveals God and his relationship with people as administered through the life and works of Jesus Christ.
THE SON:
We believe that Jesus Christ is God in flesh according to John 1:14. We believe that Jesus was and is eternal in his person and nature as the Son of God who was with God in the beginning of creation according to John 1:1. We believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin called Mary according to Matthew 1:18. We believe that Jesus Christ came seeking to redeem man from sin and to reconcile him back to God, his Father according to Romans 5:10. We believe that Jesus Christ is standing now as mediator between God and man according to I Timothy 2:5.
THE HOLY GHOST:
We believe the Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) is a gift bestowed upon the believers from God as promised by Jesus for the purpose of keeping the life and words of Jesus alive within each believer and to provide insight of what’s to come according to John 16:13. We believe the Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) to be what equips and empowers all believers to be that formidable witness and service to the world according to Acts 1:8. We believe one of the proofs of indwelling due to Baptism of the Holy Ghost is believers speaking in other tongues according to Acts 2:1-4.
SALVATION:
We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and not by one’s own works or merit. Salvation is received completely by grace. We believe salvation is a gift from God and the Son of God, and is received solely by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who accomplished complete redemption through His death. To be saved, one must repent of their sins and confess that Jesus is Lord. (John 3:18; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16; I John 1:9; Romans 6:18; Romans 10:9).
SANCTIFICATION:
We believe that those who are called Believers should abstain from iniquity, evil works and a lifestyle of sin. We believe that the Holy Spirit works in us initially to seal and regenerate us (Ephesians 1:13) and then progressively to continually produce the character of Jesus Christ and the Fruit of the Spirit as we mature in our faith (Galatians 5:22-23). We believe in freedom from the power of sin and living a lifestyle that reflects the Scriptures. (Romans 6:1; 2 Timothy 2:19; 2 Corinthians 7:1)
BAPTISM:
We believe in water baptism (not to be confused with Baptism of the Holy Ghost) as not a substitute or additive to the salvation process but a choice that believers who have received salvation makes to announce publicly in the presence of witnesses an inner change. We believe that water baptism is a symbolic way that a believer identifies with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus according to Romans 6:3-5, Colossians 2:12.
BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST:
We believe that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is an experience subsequent to conversion and sanctification and that tongue-speaking is the consequence of the baptism in the Holy Ghost with the manifestations of the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23; Acts 10:46, 19:1-6). We believe that we are not baptized with the Holy Ghost in order to be saved (Acts 19:1-6; John 3:5). When one receives a baptismal Holy Ghost experience, we believe one will speak with a tongue unknown to oneself according to the sovereign will of Christ. To be filled with the Spirit means to be Spirit controlled as expressed by Paul in Ephesians 5:18-19. Since the charismatic demonstrations were necessary to help the early church to be successful in implementing the command of Christ, we therefore, believe that a Holy Ghost experience is mandatory for all men today.
THE CHURCH:
The Church forms a spiritual unity of which Christ is the divine head. It is animated by one Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. It professes one faith, shares one hope, and serves one King,. It is the citadel of the truth and God’s agency for communicating to believers all spiritual blessings. We believe that church attendance is necessary for Believers for strength, empowerment, training and equipping. The purpose of the church is to win souls by spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:27; Hebrews 10:25)
SIN:
Sin, the Bible teaches, began in the angelic world (Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 14:12-20), and is transmitted into the blood of the human race through disobedience and deception motivated by unbelief (I Timothy 2:14). Adam’s sin, committed by eating of the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, carried with it permanent pollution or depraved human nature to all his descendants. This is called “original sin.” Sin can now be defined as a volitional transgression against God and a lack of conformity to the will of God. We, therefore, conclude that man by nature, is sinful and that he has fallen from a glorious and righteous state from which he was created, and has become unrighteous and unholy. Man, therefore, must be restored to his state of holiness from which he has fallen by being born again (John 3:7).
DEMONS:
Demons denote unclean or evil spirits; they are sometimes called devils or demonic beings. They are evil spirits, belonging to the unseen or spiritual realm, embodied in human beings. The Old Testament refers to the prince of demons, sometimes called Satan (Adversary) or Devil, as having power and wisdom, taking the habitation of other forms such as the serpent (Genesis 3:1). The New Testament speaks of the Devil as Tempter (Matthew 4:3) and it goes on to tell the works of Satan, The Devil, and Demons as combating righteousness and good in any form, proving to be an adversary to the saints. Their chief power is exercised to destroy the mission of Jesus Christ. It can well be said that the Christian Church believes in Demons, Satan, and Devils. We believe in their power and purpose. We believe they can be subdued and conquered as in the commandment to the believer by Jesus. “In my name they shall cast out Satan and the work of the Devil and to resist him and then he will flee (WITHDRAW) from you.” (Mark 16:17).
ANGELS:
The Bible uses the term “angel” (a heavenly body) clearly and primarily to denote messengers or ambassadors of God with such scripture references as Revelations 4:5, which indicates their duty in heaven to praise God (Psalm 103:20), to do God’s will (St. Matthew 18:10) and to behold his face. But since heaven must come down to earth, they also have a mission to earth. The Bible indicates that they accompanied God in the Creation, and also that they will accompany Christ in His return in Glory.
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST:
We believe in the second coming of Christ; that He shall come from heaven to earth, personally, bodily, visibly (Acts 1:11; Titus 2:11-13; St. Matthew 16:27; 24:30; 25:30; Luke 21:27; John 1:14, 17; Titus 2:11) and that the Church, the bride, will be caught up to meet Him in the air (I Thessalonians, 4:16-17). We admonish all who have this hope to purify themselves as He is pure.
CHURCH ORDINANCES:
It is generally admitted that for an ordinance to be valid, it must have been instituted by Christ. When we speak of ordinances of the church, we are speaking of those instituted by Christ, in which by sensible signs the grace of God in Christ, and the benefits of the covenant of grace are represented, sealed, and applied to believers, and these in turn give expression to their faith and allegiance to God. We recognize three ordinances as having been instituted by Christ himself.
THE LORD’S SUPPER (HOLY COMMUNION)
The Lord’s Supper symbolizes the Lord’s death and suffering for the benefit and in the place of His people. It also symbolizes the believer’s participation in the crucified Christ. It represents not only the death of Christ as the object of faith which unites the believers to Christ, but also the effect of this act as the giving of life, strength, and joy to the soul. The communicant by faith enters into a special spiritual union of his soul with the glorified Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:23-24)
FEET WASHING
Feet Washing is recognized as an ordinance in our Church because Christ, by His example, showed that humility characterized greatness in the Kingdom of God, and that service, rendered to others gave evidence that humility, motivated by love, exists. (John 13:1-17)
WATER BAPTISM
We believe that Water Baptism is necessary as instructed by Christ in John 3:5, “UNLESS MAN BE BORN AGAIN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT.” As Pentecostals, we practice immersion in preference to “SPRINKLING” , because immersion corresponds more closely to the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord (Colossians 2:12, Romans 6:3-5). It also symbolizes regeneration and purification more than any other mode.
