Selection of the most important doctrinal beliefs. #MegaChurch

Selection of the most important doctrinal beliefs

1. ABOUT GOD

There is one God, eternally existing and expressing Himself in three persons – God Father, God Son, and God Holy Spirit. The human mind is unable to fully grasp and penetrate the nature of God (in the same way infinity transcends our capacity of apprehension). All that we can understand about God was revealed to us in Jesus Christ.

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. John 1, 18

2. ABOUT MAN AND SALVATION

Everyone has a natural tendency (the so-called “sinful nature”) to follow the example set by Adam and Eve in choosing evil. In such a condition no one could ever stand in the presence of Holy God. The only remedy is spiritual purification. Only Jesus Christ who shed His blood on the cross of Calvary can cleanse humankind from all sin. However, each of us has to decide whether to accept God’s offer of salvation. Such a decision, made as an act of faith, can be expressed in a prayer for salvation directed to Jesus.

If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

How to make a decision

Jesus answers every prayer that is said with a sincere heart, regardless of sins previously committed by the praying person.

• Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent. Acts 17:30

• even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:22-25

The consequences of the decision to enter a new relationship with God through Jesus (also called “The New Testament”) are as follows:

• a person becomes God’s child

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. John 1:12

• he/she has eternal, endless, life with God

And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13

• his/her sins, even the future ones, are forgiven

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Colossians 2:13-14

• God in the person of Jesus Christ dwells in his/her body

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:9-11

• he/she has power to overcome evil inclinations

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

• he/she has everything to live an abundant life and to do God’s will

• The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10, 10

• Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Ephesians 1:3

• seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3

• he/she has a mission to fulfil on earth

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for god’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light. 1 Peter 2:9

• he/she will never be alone: Jesus will not leave them, and here, on earth, they have a big family – the true disciples of Christ

• for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” Hebrews 13:5b

• For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things

to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

• Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. Mark 10,28-30

• Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity. 1 Timothy 5, 1-2

The decision to reject Jesus’s offer will result in the necessity to stand before God’s judgement seat and give an account of your life only to hear you are not pardoned.

• And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment. Hebrews 9:27

• For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. James 2:10-11

• Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15

Eternal separation from God, never-ending torture in hell, is the only just punishment for man’s sins.

3. ABOUT SACRAMENTS.

In Latin, the word “sacrament” means “a holy sign”. The Catholic doctrine, as well as the majority of Poles, assume that certain rituals (sacraments) work by the power of a sign itself. For example, as far as baptism is concerned, it is believed that it is efficacious not only in the case of an unconscious infant but also works when administered by an unbaptized person. The only condition is that the person utters an appropriate formula with a required intention (Catechism of the Catholic Church A§1256). This reminds one a sketch from the fairy tale: “Open Sesame”. We reject the theology of magic spells out of hand! The Bible always shows a person’s faith in response to the divine promise first, and only after that, its external expression. Therefore, water baptism is only a sign, a symbol of what happened to a man at the time of conversion.

Conclusion – only adult, new-born, people can be baptized.

As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea. Acts 8, 36-40

Form of baptism – by full immersion in water.

Jesus commanded his disciples to repeat yet another commemorative sign, i.e. the Last Supper, which is a symbol of sacrifice of Christ’s Body and Blood, made, once for all, on the cross.

By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. Hebrews 10,10 and 12

Today, Christians saved by Jesus do not have to renew His sacrifice (the mass) for their sins.

Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. Hebrews 10, 18

Therefore, the renewal and perpetuation of the sacrifice of the cross is a blasphemy.

Form of the Last Supper – breaking of ordinary bread and drinking wine.

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 1 Corinthians 11, 26

Other, so-called sacraments are a medieval invention of people (the fertility of their invention exceeded even the currently accepted seven “mysteries”).

4. ABOUT CHURCH…

The Greek word ekklesia, literally “assembly”, “gathering”, is the traditional term referring to a group of people who:

• believed in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour,

• meet regularly to encourage and support each other, give glory to God and study His Word,

• want to obey the whole counsel of God, revealed to the apostles and written in the New Testament

Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours… 1 Corinthians 1, 1-2

The phenomenon defined the same way as above we call a local church (in the past the concept of Christian community was used.) The word “church” will be used here precisely in this sense.

In the Bible the word “church” is used in two other, though related to the previous, meanings:

1. church as a fellowship of all Christ’s disciples currently living on earth.

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. Acts 9, 31

2. church as a fellowship of all saved people in any time period between Pentecost and Rapture.

• I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Matthew 16, 18

• Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. Revelation 19, 7

The tasks of the church:

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28, 18-20

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5, 13-16

• to preach the gospel of free salvation to the unbelieving world, while warning it of the coming judgement of God,

• to baptise born-again Christians and support them in the process of becoming Christ-like,

• to prevent the moral corruption of humanity in word and deed.

5. ABOUT WORLD HISTORY.

It can be generally divided into the following periods:

• Adam and Eve before the fall (perfect harmony between the first human beings and God);

• From Eve’s sin till the death of Jesus – the period of waiting for the redemption from the effects of sin, promised by God;

• From Christ’s Sacrifice on the cross until the end of established by God order of things. This period of Time of Grace – free salvation offered to everyone – has been currently lasting;

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come”. And let the one who hears say, “Come “. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. Revelation 22, 17

• From the rapture of believers till the end of God’s judgment on the world (i.e. Apocalypse);

• For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 1 Thessalonians 4, 15

• While they are saying, “Peace and safety! ” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. 1 Thessalonians 5, 3

• Perfect, eternal harmony between God and His creation.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Revelation 21, 1-5

6. ABOUT THE SOURCE OF TRUTH.

We consider the 66-book Bible (without the Deuterocanonical books included in the canon by the Council of Trent in the sixteenth century) to be the sufficient and complete Revelation of God to man. We interpret the Holy Scripture in a plain, literal and straightforward manner, using the normal rules of literature interpretation. Here is a list of the most important ones:

• Literalism – unless a given passage or common sense suggests a figurative or symbolic meaning, we use a literal method of interpreting the text.

• Consistency – in case of ambiguity in the text, we recognise the meaning which provides a clear understanding of the issue in another passage.

• Unity – while looking for the truth on the subject in question one must interpret a specific verse or passage on the basis of the whole Bible; not examine it just as an isolated fragment, but as a part of a whole.

• Chronological order – one should take into consideration the development of narrative construction – later events complement, or even change the previous ones.

Translations – we recognize only the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament as being inspired by God.

All Bible translations contain some inaccuracies and errors. Therefore, we advise an attentive reader to compare different Polish and foreign translations. It may be helpful to use an interlinear translation, a literal, word-for-word translation of the Greek text into another language. For our studies we use (unless otherwise noted) Warsaw Bible (Biblia Warszawska AS BiZTB Warszawa 1975).

7. ABOUT FAMILY.

We consider marriage, which is a faithful, exclusive, lifelong union of a man and a woman, to be a God’s solution to the problem of human loneliness,

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”; The

man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Genesis 2:18 and 23

as well as the replacement and development of human generations.

God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1, 28

The bond between husband and wife in marriage is the second important relationship on earth after the one between human being and God.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2, 24

It takes number one priority with respect to relationships with other people – parents, children, and acquaintances.

Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13, 4

The fullness of marriage can be only experienced by the people spiritually alive in Christ.

• But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. 1 Corinthians 7, 12-15 and

• Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 2 Corinthians 6, 14-15

Invented by God, a man’s and woman’s sexuality is intended for mutual enjoyment and the experience of oneness, as well as for the purpose of procreation. Sexual life can develop in a satisfactory way only within God’s plan for marriage. A husband should love his wife as no one else on earth (that is, devotedly care for her needs and well-being) and be the head of his family. A wife should be a good helper for her husband, to show respect and submit to him in everything.

Children are a gift from God

Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Psalm 127:3 but spouses co-decide about their quantity, bearing in mind God’s command to fill the earth.

How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate. Psalm 127:5

The Bible nowhere prohibits either natural or artificial means of contraception, except for birth-control pills or methods that kill newly-conceived, unborn, children.

The entire responsibility for children’s education rests with their parents, not with the state, church, or school.

• Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Colossians 3:20

• Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4

God wants parents to raise their children with love and discipline. The imbalance between these factors always leads to child-rearing problems. In today’s world, the importance of nurturing discipline is almost completely ignored (and even penalised in some countries). The effect of such neglect is awful and disastrous.

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of

God… 2 Timothy 3:1-4

We urge parents to exercise the discipline over their children out of love, including the use of corporal punishment.

• For those whom the Lord loves he disciplines, and he scourges every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Hebrews 12:6-11

• Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him. Proverbs 22:15

• He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently. Proverbs 13:24

Only that family which preserves “archaic” values may enjoy long-term stability and harmony.

• Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Ephesians 5:22-25

• Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. Ephesians 5:33

• Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. Colossians 3:18-19

For any other questions that you may have, please contact us directly.