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James Lindly Ministries
Statement of Faith
The
Scriptures
We believe that
"all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2
Timothy 3:16). We understand this to mean that the whole
Bible is inspired, in that holy men of God "were moved by
the Holy Spirit" (2
Peter 1:21) to write the very words of Scripture. We believe
that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all
parts of Scripture as it appeared in the original manuscripts.
We believe that the whole Bible in those original manuscripts
is, therefore, without error. We believe that all Scripture
centers around the Lord Jesus Christ in His person, work, and in
His first and second coming. Therefore, no portion of the Old
Testament is properly read or understood until it leads to
Christ. We also believe that all Scripture was designed for our
practical instruction. (Luke
24:27, 44; John
5:39; Romans
15:4; 1
Corinthians 10:11; 2
Timothy 3:16)
The
Triune Godhead
We believe in the
one true and living God, the Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, and
Ruler of all things. He is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable,
and is revealed to us as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God the Father:
God, as Father, reigns over all of His universe with
providential care. He is all-powerful, all-loving,
all-knowing, and all-wise. He is fatherly in attitude toward
all men but is Father, indeed, to those who have become
children of God through Jesus Christ, who will deliver them
into the Father’s hands. (Genesis
1:1; 1
Chronicles 29:10; Jeremiah
10:10; Matthew
6:9; Acts
1:7; Romans
8:14-15; 1
Corinthians 8:6; 1
Corinthians 15: 24; Ephesians
4:6)
God the Son:
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God,
became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of
the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, in order that He might
reveal God and redeem sinful man. He accomplished this
redemption by voluntarily giving Himself as a sinless,
substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, thereby satisfying
God’s righteous judgment against sin. After substantiating
the accomplishment of that redemption and justification by His
bodily resurrection from the grave, He ascended to the right
hand of His Father, where He intercedes on behalf of those who
trust Him. (Luke
1:34-35; John
1:1, 2, 14, 18; Romans
3:24-26; Romans
8:3)
God the Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy
Spirit is the Divine Person who convicts the world of sin
(righteousness and judgment); that He alone brings new life to
those who are spiritually dead; that He baptizes (or places)
all believers into the one true Church, which is the Body of
Christ; that He indwells them permanently, seals them unto the
day of final redemption, bestows spiritual gifts upon them,
and fills (controls) those who are yielding to Him. Every
believer is called to live in the power of the indwelling Holy
Spirit so that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but
will bear fruit to the glory of God. (John
3:3-8; 14:16-17; 16:7-11; 1
Corinthians 12:7-11, 13; Ephesians
4:30; 5:18)
Creation
We believe that
man was created directly by and in the image of God. We believe
that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life,
by direct act. (Genesis
1:1; John
1:3; Colossians
1:16-17)
Man
Although man was
created in the image of God, he fell into sin and is lost. This
is true of all men; and except a man be born again by the Holy
Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (Genesis
1:26-27; John
3:3; Romans
3:10, 23)
The
Devil - Satan
We believe that
Satan is a person, the author of sin, and the reason for the
fall of man, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal
punishment in the lake of fire. (Matthew
4:1-3; Acts
5:3; 2
Corinthians 4:4; Revelation
20:10)
Atonement
For Sin
We believe that
the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures as a substitutionary sacrifice and that all who
believe on Him are redeemed by His shed blood. We believe in the
resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ and
in His ascension into heaven; He is our High Priest and
Advocate. (John
1:1-3, 14; 3:1-7; Hebrews
10:4-14; 1
John 2:2)
Salvation
We believe that
salvation is the gift of God’s grace. It cannot be gained or
made more secure by meritorious works, but is freely bestowed
upon all who put their faith in the finished work of Jesus
Christ at Calvary. All who so trust the Savior are forgiven of
their sins and born into the family of God by the regenerating
work of the Holy Spirit. (John
1:12; Acts
16:30-33; Romans
10:9-10; Ephesians
1:7; 2:8-9)
The
Christian Walk
We believe that
we have a holy calling to walk not after the flesh but after the
Spirit, and so to live in the power of the indwelling Spirit in
order that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. The flesh
is never eradicated in this life. Individuals must choose to
keep the flesh in subjection to Jesus Christ through the power
of the Holy Spirit, or it will surely manifest its presence in
life and dishonor our Lord. (Romans
6:11-13; 8:2, 4, 12-13; Galatians
5:16-23; Ephesians
4:22-24; Colossians
2:1-10; 1
Peter 1:14-16; 1
John 1:4-7; 3:5-9)
The
Great Commission
Until the return
of Christ, it is the Christian’s duty and privilege to seek
the fulfillment of Christ's Great Commission and to minister in
His name to a needy world. We are to be instruments of Jesus
Christ as the Holy Spirit ministers redemption and
reconciliation in the world. (Matthew
25:31-46; 28:18-20)
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