Citizen Tribune Articles 2005 | Prophesy | Statement of Faith

The Rock of Refuge

Statement of Faith

Doctrinal Commitments 

1. Repentance:

And saying. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye. and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:15)

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:3)

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. (Acts 3:19)

2. Justification:

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Rom 5:1)

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)

3. Regeneration:

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)

4. New Birth:

Jesus answered and said unto him. Verily, verify. I say unto thee. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God. which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23)

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1 John 3:9)

5. Sanctification subsequent to justification:

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Cor 1:30)

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: (1 Thess 4:3)

Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. (Heb 13:12)

6. Holiness:

In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. (Luke 1:75)

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. (1 Thess 4:7)

Follow peace with all men. and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: (Heb 12:14)

7. Water Baptism:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (Matt 28:19)

And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: (Mark 1:9-10)

See: John 3:22-23; Acts 8:36-38

8. Baptism of the Holy Spirit subsequent to cleansing, the enduement of power for service:

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: (Matt 3:11)

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49)

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:4-8)

9. The speaking in tongues as Holy Spirit gives utterance as the initial evidence of the baptism of Holy Spirit:

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeded! from the Father, he shall testify  of me: (John 15:26)

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:4)

See: Acts 10: 44-46; Acts 19: 1-7

10. Spiritual Gifts:

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. (1 Cor 14:1)

11. Signs following the believers:

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached verywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. (Mk 16:17-20)

For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me. to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum. I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. (Rom 15:18-19)

God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? (Heb 2:4)

12. Fruit of the Spirit:

But now being made free from sin. and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Rom 6:22)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy. peace, longsuffering. gentleness, goodness, faith. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23)

See: Eph 5:9; Phil 1:11

13. Divine healing provided for all in the atonement:

: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; healeth all thy diseases; (Ps 103:3)

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: vet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isa 53:4-5)

See: Mt 8:17; Jam 5: 14-16; I Pet 2:24

14. The Lord's Supper:

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying. This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saving, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22 : 1 7-20)

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saving, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. (1 Cor 1 1:23-26)

15. Washing the saints feet:

He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou know est not now; but thou shall know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you. The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. (John 13:4-17)

- Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, hav ing been the wife of one man. Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. (1 Tim 5:9-10)

16: Tithes and offerings:

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God. which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand And he gave him tithes of all. (Gen 14:18-20)

- Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (Mal3:10)

- See: Gen 28:20-22; Lk 11:42; I Cor 16:2; II Cor 9:6-9; Heb 7:1-21

17: Restitution when possible:

 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: (Matt 3:8)

- And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. (Luke 19:8-9)

18: Pre-millennial second coming of Christ:

First, to resurrect the dead saints and to catch away the living saint to Him in the air: In a moment in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for

the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Cor 15:52)

- For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thess 4:15-17)

- Now we beseech you, brethrea by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (2 Thess 2:1)

First, to resurrect the dead saints and to catch away the living saint to Him in the air: In a moment in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for

the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Cor 15:52)

- For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thess 4:15-17)

- Now we beseech you, brethrea by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (2 Thess 2:1)

19. Resurrection:

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; the) that have done good, unto the resurrection of life: and they that have done e\il. unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28-29)

- And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. (John 5 :28-29)

- But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years (Rev 20: 5-6)

21. Eternal punishment for the wicked, no liberation nor annihilation:

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him. saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst. or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee9 Then shall he answer them, saying. Verily I say unto you. Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matt 25:41-46)

- But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: (Mark 3:29)

- See: II Thess 1:8-9; Rev 20:10-15; 21:8