What We Believe

God: We believe in the one and only one true and living God. God is eternal and is all-powerful and all-knowing. We believe in the Godhead, that is to say that we believe in one God manifested in three persons – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are one, yet equal in every divine perfection, and also expressing distinct but harmonious offices. Jesus lived a sinless life and died for our sins, the just for the unjust. After His resurrection, He ascended to heaven and is at the right hand of the Father. The Holy Spirit is now working on the earth to bring men to Christ, convict of sin, and to seal the believer.  We believe the Holy Spirit empowers the believer and leads the believer.  However, we do not hold to the concept of the modern charismatic teaching of “speaking in tongues.” The sign gifts ceased with the completion of the Bible.

Satan or the Devil: We believe that Satan was once a cherub and enjoyed heavenly honors, but pride and ambition overcame him and he rebelled against God. When he fell, he also took with him a host of angels. Satan and his fallen angels are evil. They will be cast into the Lake of Fire and will endure eternal justice there.

Creation: We believe in the Genesis account of Creation and it is to be accepted literally and not allegorically or figuratively. Man was created in the image of God and in His likeness. We reject the idea of evolution and its teachings. We accept the teaching that all that was created was done so in six literal days as stated in Genesis. Since God created male and female, the only legitimate marriage is that between one man and one woman.

Fall of Man: Adam and Eve were created in innocence by God. Man rebelled against the command of God and sinned. The consequence was that all men will die and are born sinners.  Therefore, by Adam’s sin, all men are born sinners and will die because of sin.

Virgin Birth: We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, and that He is both the Son of God and the Son of man.

Redemption/The Work of Salvation: We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the Son of God, who, by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious payment for our sins; that His work consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord bearing our sin in His own body on the tree, that having been raised from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven as our advocate, High Priest, intercessor, and mediator. Therefore, Jesus completed all the work of redemption when He shed his blood on the cross, when He was entombed, and when He victoriously rose from the dead conquering death, hell, and the grave for us. The work of salvation, the act by which we are redeemed, is solely found in the Lord Jesus Christ and totally apart from work on our part.

Grace and the New Creation: We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus. It is instantaneous and not a process. The new birth takes place when a sinner realizes his status, repents and fully trusts Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Salvation is by grace through faith – totally apart from works. Once a person is saved/born again, he instantly becomes a new creature in Christ. His old way dies and he has a new life in Christ. The believer now goes from a sinner dead in trespasses and sin to a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life – a free gift of God. With salvation comes responsibility. It is the responsibility of the new believer to join a church and grow in their new life. Old sinful actions, habits, vices, and lifestyles are to be removed and replaced by holy living.

The Freeness of Salvation: We believe that God’s grace is available to whosoever will call upon the Lord. Anyone who desires to be saved will be accepted by God. God does not limit salvation to a select few. Election is not that God chose certain people to be saved, but that God predetermined to offer salvation to all who will receive His free offer of Salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. God’s will is that none should perish, but that all might repent. Since Jesus dies for our sins, and the sins of the whole world, we believe that salvation is free to all who will receive Jesus by faith into their life. Therefore, for a person to be saved or born again, he must realize that he  is a sinner and cannot save himself.  He must realize that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God who died on the cross for his sins, was buried, rose again, and has ascended to heaven. Then by simple faith, a person must call upon the Lord for salvation.

Going to heaven is as easy as the ABC’s.

A –  Admit that you are a sinner.  Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

B –  Believe – place your faith in Jesus Christ by believing that He is God’s Son who died for you. Romans 10:9 “That 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;”

C –  Call on the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart to be your personal Savior.  Romans 10:13 “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can now. Just pray by faith, totally trusting Jesus to save you and you can be saved. Please pray, “Lord Jesus, I am a sinner; forgive me of my sin, and come into my heart and save me. I believe that you are God’s Son, that you died on the cross for my sin, and was buried, and rose again. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.” If you prayed that and really wanted to receive Jesus as your Savior, you are now a child of God. You need to attend church and learn what is next for you as a new-born believer. Come to Lighthouse and let us know about your prayer of faith to receive Jesus.

Preservation of the Saved: We believe that once you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are eternally secure in Christ. You cannot lose your salvation. The believer is kept saved by the power of God. Therefore, the believer has received eternal salvation.

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper: We believe that Christian baptism is by immersion in water after a person has called on the Lord for salvation. Only baptism by immersion (after salvation) is scriptural baptism. It is also called believer’s baptism. Baptism identifies us with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It also is a picture of our new life in Christ. When the believer is placed under the water it symbolizes the death of our old ways. When the believer is raised up from the water, it symbolizes the new life the believer has in Jesus. Baptism is a prerequisite to church membership. The Lord’s Supper, also called Communion, was instituted by Jesus prior to Him going to the Cross. He took unleavened bread and juice – elements of the Passover Meal – and used them to illustrate His sacrificial life. The bread represents His broken body and the juice represents His shed blood for us. Therefore, when we partake in the Lord’s Supper, we are remembering what Jesus died for us on the Cross. It is a solemn act by the believer done after self-examination.

Church: The church refers to the local church.  We believe that all believers should faithfully attend church services. You should find a church and join it and worship with other believers. The church is commissioned to spread the gospel message to all people in all parts of the world.

Future Events: We believe in the premillennial, pre-tribulation return of Christ. After the rapture, those left behind on the earth will experience a seven-year period known as the Tribulation. Christ will return and defeat Satan and set up His millennial kingdom. After this period, there will be a judgment for the unsaved. They will be cast into the Lake of Fire which is the eternal place of suffering. The saints will enter the ceaseless age of eternity to be with the Lord forever.