About the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour
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About Satan and the Fallen Angels
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What We Believe About God
We believe in the one true God who created and rules the universe,
who eternally exists in the three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
—each co-eternal in being and co-identical in nature with co-equal power
and glory having the same attributes and perfections. They are all-powerful,
all-knowing and present everywhere (Psalm 139). Each person, however,
carries out a distinct harmonious office in the great work of redemption.
Genesis 1:26
Deuteronomy 6:4
Matthew 28:19
John 1:1
John 10:30
2 Corinthians 13:14
What We Believe About the LORD JESUS CHRIST, our Saviour…
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God;
that He became man without ceasing to be God,
was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary;
and lived a sinless life so that He could reveal God and redeem sinful men.
John 1:1-2, 14
Luke 1:35
1 Peter 2:22
Acts 4:12
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ redeemed us through His death on the cross
as our representative and substitute sacrifice and that we are justified by His literal,
physical resurrection from the dead.
Romans 3:24-25
1 Peter 2:24
1 Corinthians 15
Ephesians 1:7
1 Peter 1:3-5
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven
and is now exalted at the right hand of the Father where as our high priest,
He is our representative, intercessor, and advocate; and that His return
for the church could happen at any moment.
Acts 1:9-11
Romans 8:34
Hebrews 9:24
1 John 1:1-2
Revelation 22:20
What We Believe About the Holy Spirit…
We believe that the Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son.
He is the person who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
He is the supernatural agent in regeneration who baptizes all believers
into the body of Christ—indwelling and sealing them into one body
until the day of redemption. He will never leave us and will be with us forever.
The Holy Spirit is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truth,
and it is a privilege and duty to be filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit.
John 3:3-5
John 14:16
John 16:7-13
Romans 8:10
1 Corinthians 12:12-14
Ephesians 1:13-14
Ephesians 5:18
What We Believe About the Bible…
We believe that every word of the Bible —Genesis through Revelation—
is the complete inspired Word of God as contained in the original manuscripts;
that all parts of scripture are equally inspired containing no contradictions;
that the scriptures are to be the complete basis of faith and practice for the believer
in Jesus Christ; and that the sixty-six books of the Bible (the Canon) are complete.
Nothing is to be added to or taken from them.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Hebrews 4:12
2 Peter 1:20-21
Revelation 22:18-19
What We Believe About Man…
We believe that man was created in the image of God but that through
Adam's sin man fell, inherited a sinful nature and the consequences of
both a physical and spiritual death—conscious and eternal separation from God.
Man is totally depraved and of himself is utterly unable to fix his lost condition.
Genesis 1:26-27
Romans 3:10-23
Romans 5:12
Ephesians 2:1-3, 12
Revelation 21:8
What We Believe About Salvation…
FROM SIN'S PENALTY:
We believe that salvation is a gift from God given by grace to man and
that it is received by man through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
who shed His precious blood on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
Nothing we do can pay for our sins. Nor can our sins be forgiven because
of our good works. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved,
are kept by God's power and are therefore secure in Christ forever.
John 6:37-40
John 10:27-30
Romans 8:1, 38-39
1 Corinthians 1:4-8
FROM SIN'S POWER:
We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, and that through
the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, provision is made for victory of the
new nature over the old sinful nature. All claims to the complete destruction
of the old nature in this life are unscriptural. A true believer will continue to persevere
and be perfected until Glory. The Bible identifies this process as sanctification.
Romans 6:13
Romans 8:12-13
Ephesians 4:22-24
Colossians 3:1-11
FROM SIN'S PRESENCE:
We believe that our salvation includes forgiveness of all our sins past, present, and future;
a perfect standing before God as Jesus Christ stands; and the changing of our earthly
bodies to be conformed like the body of our Lord Jesus at His return for His church.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men—the saved to eternal life
with God and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment.
John 5:28-29
John 11:25-26
Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13
Matthew 25:46
What We Believe About Existence after Death…
We believe that at death the spirits of the redeemed are absent from the body
and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection
when spirit, soul, and body are reunited and glorified forever with the Lord.
Luke 23:43
Revelation 20:4-6
Philippians 1:23; 3:21
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
We believe that after death the spirits of the unsaved remain in conscious misery
until the second resurrection when, with the soul and body are reunited.
They will be cast into the Lake of Fire not to be annihilated but to suffer
everlasting conscious punishment.
Luke 16:19-26
Matthew 25:41-46
1 Thessalonians 1:7-9
Jude 6-7
Revelation 20:4-6
What We Believe About the Church…
Acts 7:59
1 Corinthians 5:7-9
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
THE CHURCH ON EARTH:
Universal:
We believe that the universal church body which is the Bride of Christ
is a spiritual organism made up of all whom Christ has saved.
Ephesians 1:22-23
1 Corinthians 12:12-14
John 17:20
Ephesians 5:25-27
1 Corinthians 10:4
Local:
We believe that the local church is:
٠Composed of a local group of believers that is independent, self-governing,
and has no Ecclesiastical organization in authority over it.
Titus 1:5
Ephesians 5:23
Acts 20:17-36
٠Composed of believers who are baptized by immersion.
Matthew 28:18-20
٠Composed of believers who are organized and have for their officers, pastors,
deacons, and other such leaders that God has given special gifts to minister
to the church.
Ephesians 4:11-13
٠Composed of believers who meet regularly for prayer, encouragement,
fellowship, worship, equipping, Bible study, and works of service.
Acts 2:1, 41, 47
٠Composed of believers who observe the Ordinances of Baptism and
the Lord's Supper.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 12:13
٠Composed of believers who carry out the Great Commission.
1 Corinthians 16:8-9
Matthew 28:18-20
What We Believe About Spiritual Gifts
We believe that God is sovereign in the giving of all His gifts; and that
all believers have received a special gift for the purpose of building up
of the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
2 Corinthians 12:12
Ephesians 4:7-12
James 1:22-25
2 Timothy 3:16-17
What We Believe About Satan and the Fallen Angels…
We believe that Satan is a real supernatural being (as opposed to being only a “concept”),
the chief spirit of evil, the author of sin and the cause of the fall of man.
He was created perfect but sinned and became the arch enemy of God and
His creation. Satan is the chief adversary of God's children. He seeks to keep
man from the Lord, and when he cannot succeed, he seeks to weaken the
testimony of Christians. He has at his command a great host of fallen angels
and demons to carry out his purposes. He is not omnipotent and can be
overcome by the power of God. His doom is sealed in the Lake of Fire
forever and ever.
Matthew 4:2-11
Job 1:6-7
Revelation 12:10
Ezekiel 28:12-19
Isaiah 12:12-20
Revelation 20:10
What We Believe About the 2nd Coming of Christ…
We believe in the physical, actual return of Christ for His church.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Zechariah 14:4-11
Revelation 19:11-16
Revelation 20:1-6
What We Believe About Purity & Godliness
We believe that all the saved should live in a way that brings glory and honor
to their Savior and Lord; and that God commands separation from all
religious apostasy (falling away from Biblical truth) and all sinful worldly
pleasures, practices, and associations.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
2 John 8-11
1 John 2:15-17
2 Corinthians 6:14
2 Corinthians 7:1
What We Believe About Christian Living…
We believe that in accordance with the New Testament, Christians should
live a holy life in the world motivated by a personal love for God and for others.
We believe that by the power of the Holy Spirit we should…
٠walk together in Christian love;
٠work to advance the Manhattan Bible Church in knowledge, holiness, and godliness;
٠promote the growth and spirituality of this church; maintain its worship,
ordinances, discipline and teachings;
٠contribute cheerfully; and regularly support the church with our tithes and
offerings so that the ministry is supported, expenses are met, the poor are
helped, and the Gospel is spread through all nations.
This church encourages all of its members…
٠to maintain family and personal devotions;
٠to raise their children in the knowledge of God's Word and in reverence for
the Lord; to seek the salvation of family, friends and all they meet;
٠to walk carefully in the world;
٠to be honest in their dealings, faithful in their activities, and an example
in their behavior;
٠to be passionate in their effort to win souls to Christ;
٠to avoid all gossip, unkind remarks, and excessive anger; and
٠to abstain from drunkenness and improper use of drugs.
We further encourage each member…
٠to show brotherly love toward one another;
٠to lift each other up in prayer;
٠to aid each other in sickness and difficulties;
٠to encourage Christian understanding and speech that is kind and supportive;
٠to be slow to take offense and always ready to urgently pursue reconciliation
as Jesus commanded.
If God directs any to move from this area, we encourage them as soon as possible
to unite with another church of similar faith and practice, to continue living a life
reflecting their love for God and others.
Romans 12-14
Colossians 3
Ephesians 4-6
Galatians 5-6
1 Peter 4:3-4
MY COVENANT with My GOD and My Church
In uniting with Manhattan Bible Church, I make the following commitments:
Believing Jesus Christ to be the very Son of God, I have accepted Him as my
personal Savior and acknowledge Him as my Lord. (1 John 5:13)
I have followed the Lord in the obedience of baptism. (Acts 2:38-41)
I will depend upon the Holy Spirit for guidance and help, I will strive to live
a consistent Christian life, honoring Christ in all my relationships.
Recognizing my responsibility to protect the unity of my local church, I will
never point out or listen to another point out the weaknesses or sins of my brother
or sister without first going to or directing the one speaking to go to the one in
trouble to restore or help them. (Matthew 18:15-17, Proverbs 25:8-10, Galatians 6:1)
I will faithfully participate in my church's weekly worship service. (Hebrews 10:25)
I will give regularly to the financial support of my church and its ministries.
(Malachi 3:10, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2)
Having read the booklets “What we Believe,” “Structure and Process,”
and these commitments, and by signing this covenant,
I wholeheartedly agree with the mission and values of this church.
Salvation Steps
Admit you are a sinner…
Believe the Christ died for you…
Confess Christ as Lord and Saviour of you life.