Statement of Faith
Statement of Faith of the Pillar and Column of Truth Ministry, Pastor Jesus Acosta. This is an autonomous ministry that believes, follows, and affirms the following theological convictions:
GOD
1. We believe in one God, Creator of Heaven and Earth and of all things that exist. He is an infinitely perfect, holy God, who exists for eternity in a loving and harmonious unity of three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in holiness, glory, and power; the same essence, the same nature. He possesses unlimited knowledge and sovereign power. He is transcendent and majestic, who by his Word brought all creation into being; even so and everything, He is also immanent and personal, who cares for his people in every detail of our lives. Through his divine decrees, God oversees the course of history, to carry out his plans and purposes, conceived before the foundation of the world. This God, the one and only true God, by His great mercy and great love, graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory (Deut. 6.4; Mar. 12.29--Gen. .1.1; Ps.33.6:; John 1.3; Col. 1.15-17; Heb.11.3-- Ex. 15.11; Isa.6.3; 57.15-- Deut. 32.4; Ps. 18.30; Mat. 5.48 -- Ps. 102.25- 27; Dan. 4.34-35; Acts 17. 24-25;--John 17.24; 1John 4.8,16-- John 17.11; Matt. 3.16-17; 28.19; John 14.16-17; 15.26; 2Cor. 13.14-- Mat. 6.6; Rom. 8.15; 1Cor. 8.6--Ps. 139.1-16; 147.5; Isa.46.10--Eph. 1.11; 3.10-11; 2Tim. 1.9 -- Mat. 19.28; Rom. 8.19-21; Ap 21,22).
THE BIBLE
2. Concerning the Holy Bible, we refer to that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, and we believe that as it was originally written, the Bible not only contains and transmits the Word of God, but is the Word of God itself. , alive, effective, and active. We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors, being inspired by the Holy Spirit. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in its original writings, and constitutes the authoritative Word of God, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, as well as the ultimate authority by which all spheres of knowledge and behavior human will be judged. As such, the Bible is the sole and final authority for the church in all matters of faith and conduct. We believe that for this very reason, this sacred and powerful Word of the living God must be believed in everything it teaches, obeyed in everything it commands, and trusted in everything it promises and affirms (2Tim.3.16; 2Pet. 1.20-21 ;Mat.4.4;19.4-5;Heb.1.1-2--2Ped.3.15-16--2Sam.7.28;Pr.30.5 Num.23.19;Mat.5.18;John 10.35;17.17--Luc.16.29-31; 2Tim. 3.15--John 17.17;1Pet.1.23;Ps.119.43-45--Rom.15.4--Mat.28.20;2Thes.3.14--Heb.10.23;2Pet.1.4; 3.13).
THE HUMAN CONDITION
3. This ministry further believes that God created Adam and Eve in his own image and likeness, but that they sinned willfully by disobeying God when tempted by Satan. As a direct result and consequence of their sin, in union with Adam, all human beings are sinners by nature and by choice. In this condition, they are enemies of God and are under his wrath. Condition from which they can be saved, rescued, reconciled, and renewed, only by the grace of God and through faith in the expiatory sacrifice of Christ Jesus in our favor (Gen.1.26-27; 5.1; 9.6; Stg. 3.9--Gen.3.1-6;Rom.5.12-14;2Cor.11.3;1Tim.2.13-14--Ps.51.5;Rom.3.12;1Cor.15.22;Rom.5.15;8.5-8;Eph.2.1- 2--Rom.5.10--Rom.1.18;2.5;Eph.2.3--Acts4.12;2Tim.2.5--Rom.5.1-2--Rom.8.29;Phil.3.21;1John.3.2).
JESUS CHRIST
4. We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, one hundred percent God and one hundred percent Man, two natures in the same Person. Christ Jesus, who is the Messiah of Israel, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilatus, rose bodily from the dead on the third day, ascended into Heaven, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father as our Great High Priest and as our intercessory Advocate (Mat.1.18- 21--John.1.1,14,18-- Isa.9.6;John.1.1;Rom.9.5--Mat.4.2;Luc.2.40,52;Heb.5.7-8--Gen.3.14-20;12.1- 3;49.8-9--2Sam.7.11-29;John1.41;4.25-26;Acts2.36;13.23,32;Rom.1.2-3;2Tim.2.8-9--Phil.2.7-8;Heb. 4.15--Mat.27.26;Mar.15.15;Luc.23.16;John19.16;Acts2.27,37;--Mat.28.1-10;Mar.16.1-8;1Cor.15.20,44-45;Acts1.6 -11--Eph.1.20;Col.3.1;Heb.1.3--Heb.7.25;9.24;1John2.1).
THE WORK OF CHRIST
5. We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute for him, shed his blood on the cross as the perfect and all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins, thus achieving our eternal redemption. We affirm that his atoning death and his victorious resurrection constitute the only basis for salvation. There is nothing more to add. Nothing less, nothing more. His sacrifice is all-sufficient and perfect, because with a single offering He made those who are sanctified perfect forever (Gen.2.15-17;Mat.4.1-11;Rom.5.18-19;Heb.2.16-17;9.14,22;10.19 ;1Pet.1.18-19;Heb.10.14;13.11-12--Isa.53.5-7--Col.1.13;2.13-15;Heb.2.14-15--Rom.4.25;6.4,11,14;15.20; Eph.1.19-20;2.5-6).
THE HOLY SPIRIT
6. We believe that the Holy Spirit, in everything he does, glorifies Christ Jesus. We believe that He convicts the world of sin, of justice, and of judgment; that he bears witness to the true Gospel by preaching and witnessing; who is the Agent of the new birth, who as a giver of life regenerates and gives new life to sinners who put their trust in Jesus, and who in Him are baptized into union with Christ, adopted as sons, and heirs in the family of God . He also, by the righteousness of Christ accredited (imputed) to the believer, comes to dwell in them at the moment of their conversion, seals them, sanctifies them, illuminates them, guides them, cleanses them, equips them, and empowers them to serve like Christ and live a life like His (John16.14-15;John16.7-10;1Cor.2.14--Ezek.36.25-27;John3.3,5;1Cor.12.12-13;2Ccor;2Cor. 5.17;Tit.2.5;Stg.1.18;1Pet.13--Rom.3.24;5.15-21;2Cor.5.17--Eph.1.5;Tit.3.7--Eph.3.14;1John3.14-18--John14 .17;Rom.8.11;1Cor.3.16--Phil.1.9-11--Gal.5.16-18--Eph.4.7-11;1Pet.4.10-11--Acts 1.8;Rom.8.4-6,12 -16;Eph.2.22;4.3;Phil.2.1-2).
CHURCH
7. We believe that the true church consists of all who have been justified by the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus. As such, those justified by God are united by the Holy Spirit in the body Christ, of which He (Christ) is the head. The church, though universal in nature, manifests itself in local churches, strategically located around the world, whose membership consists only of regenerate believers. We believe in two ordinances established and ordained by our Lord, which are baptism and the Lord's Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the Gospel and symbolize our union and belonging to Christ. Baptism is by full immersion, and is an outward expression of a change and grace that has taken place within, as well as a public opportunity to identify with Christ's burial, death, and resurrection. The Lord's Supper, on the other hand, is a reminder of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ until He returns. Although these ordinances are not means of salvation, we believe that when obediently performed by the church in genuine faith and with the proper attitude, they affirm and nourish the believer (Mat.16.18;Eph.4.4-6;5.25;-- Ps.103.12;Isa.44.22;John3.16;Rom.3.20-28;5.1,21;8.1,30,33-34;2Cor.5.21;Eph.2.8-9;Tit.3.7;Heb.10.14--1Cor .12.12-27--Eph.4.15-16;Col.1.18;2.19--Acts 9.31;20.29-30;Acts 2.41;14.23;.20.7;1Cor.1.2,9;11.20;12.13;Heb.10.25- - Mat.28.18-20;Rom.6.3-4;Col.2.12--Mat.26.26-29;Mar.4.22-25;Luc.22.15-20;Acts 2.38;8.39;16.34;1Cor.10.16;11.29- 30).
CHRISTIAN LIFE
8. We believe that God's justifying grace should not be separated from his purpose and his sanctifying power. We affirm that God commands us to love Him supremely, and others with sacrificial love. He commands us to live our faith practically in love and care for one another, compassion for the poor and helpless, and justice for the oppressed. We believe that we are involved in a spiritual war and conflict against the spiritual forces of evil, and that such war and conflict, by its very spiritual nature, is fought with the Word of God, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and in fervent prayer in the name of Jesus. In obedience to the commission of Christ Jesus our Savior, we are called and placed to make disciples of all nations, and as the salt of the world that we are, we have been called to bear witness to the Gospel at all times with our words and with our actions ( Heb.11.6;Eph.2.10;1Cor.10.31;2Thes.2.13;5.23;2Cor.5.17;2Cor.3.;Tit.3.5;1Cor.6.11;Phil.2.12-13;Heb.12.1,14;2Tim.1.9 ;Stg.2.17--Deut.6.5;Lv.19.18;Mt.22.37-39--Rom.12.10;14.13;15.7;Eph.4.32;1Thes.3.12;Heb.10.24-25;Ps.82.3-4;140.12 ;Pr.19.17;29.7;31.8--Stg.1.27--Zac.7.9-10;Lc.4.18--Eph.6.10-18--Heb.3.13;10.23--2Cor.10.3-5;Eph.6.11- 12--Mat.28.19; Johnm20-21--Acts 1.8).
THE RETURN OF CHRIST
9. We believe that the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy is the personal return of Christ for his church, for the saints, both living and dead, to reward each individual believer according to his works. . We believe that after the rise of the church, in a period of seventy years of tribulation, particularly in the last three and a half years of that period, the just judgment of God will be poured out on the unbelievers, acclimatizing in the glorious, personal, bodily return and visible of Christ to earth to begin His millennial reign. This second coming of Christ Jesus for his church, in a time known only to God the Father, by its very nature of unexpected manifestation, demands and requires of his people a constant expectation and a practical and daily walk in holiness. This second advent, being our blessed hope as it is, motivates us as believers to live a pious life, committed to the Lord whom we await, and with a sense of belonging and mission that manifests itself in sacrificial and dedicated service to our Savior. (Mat.24.4-30;1Thes.4.13-18;1Cor.15.51-52;John14.3;Ap.3.10;2Cor.5.10;Rom.14.10;Acts.1.11--Ap.20.1-10--Mat.25.31 ;Tit.2.13;2Tes.1.6-8;Rev.19.11-21--Mat.24.36--Mat.24.42-51;Luc.21.25-36--1Tes.5.1-11;2Ped.3.10-14--Tit. .2.13 -- 2Thes.1.6-8;Heb.9.28;1John3.2-3;2Pet.3.10-14).
RESPONSE AND ETERNAL DESTINY
10. We believe that the believer, at the moment of his death, passes immediately into the presence of Christ Jesus. When Christ returns for his church, he will be reunited with his body glorified by him and will be together with the Lord of Glory for eternity. With regard to the unbeliever, at the moment of his death, his soul immediately passes into torment. At the end of the Millennium, he will be reunited with his body, judged before the Great White Throne, and thrown into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated or to cease to exist after a certain period of time, but to be separated from God forever in conscious and eternal punishment. We affirm that God offers redemption and restoration to everyone who confesses and forsakes his sin and seeks His mercy and forgiveness from him through Jesus Christ. We believe that today is the day of salvation (the dispensation of grace) and that God commands everyone everywhere to repent and to believe and respond to the Gospel because His will is that no one perish but that all come to repentance (2Cor .5.1-8;Luc.16.19-31;Rev.20.11-15--John6.29:8.24:11.25-26;Acts 16.31;Rom.3.22;Gal.3.22--Acts 2.37-38--Matt. 25.45-46;Luc.16.19-31;2Thes.1.9;Ap.20.11-15;21.6-8--Acts 3.19-21;Rom.10.9-10;1Cor.6.9-11;Acts 17.30-31;2Pet .3.9;Tit.2.11-12).
BELIEFS ABOUT MARRIAGE AND SEXUALITY
11. We believe that the term "marriage" has only one meaning: the union of a man and a woman in a singular and exclusive union, as taught in the Scriptures. We affirm that God's intention is that sexual intimacy should only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other in a marriage covenant. We believe that God has commanded that there be no sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality is sinful and offensive to God our Creator. This includes adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual behavior, incest, pornography, etc., etc. (Gen. 1.26-27; 2.18-25; 1Cor. 6.18; 7.2-5; Heb.13.4 -- Mat. 15. 18-20 ; Mar. 7.18-23; 1Cor.6.9-10).
CONCLUSION
It has not been our intention to answer all the questions that many pious men and women often ask themselves regarding God and the salvation of man. That is outside our purpose here. In fact, this statement of faith is by no means exhaustive of our belief. We believe that the Bible itself, as the inerrant and inspired Word of God that speaks with final authority regarding truth, morality, and human conduct, is the final authority and resource for all believers.