Statement of Faith

The Statement of Faith which follows carefully specifies our teaching position with regard to the major biblical doctrines, and thus provides the framework for the faith and practice of our church. They also provide an anchor to protect our church against theological drift. All pastors and elders of Living Waters Fellowship are in agreement with this Statement of Faith.

Summary:

We teach that the Bible, comprised of 66 books across the Old and New Testament, is God’s written revelation to man, know also as the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:7-14; 2 Peter 1:20-21), and is inerrant and inspired in the original text.

The INSPIRATION AND INERRANCY of scripture:

We teach that God spoke in His written Word by a process of dual authorship. The Holy Spirit so superintended the human authors that, through their individual personalities and different styles of writing, they composed and recorded God’s Word to man (2 Peter 1:20-21). The Word of God is Holy Spirit inspired, and therefore infallible, inerrant, profitable, powerful and sufficient in all its substance to communicate God's plan and will for mankind (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18, Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23). 

the authority of scripture:

We teach that the Bible is the supreme, final and authoritative standard for Christian faith, doctrine, theology, and moral practice (2 Timothy 3:16, Matthew 24:35, John 10:35). 

the preaching of scripture:

We teach that the Bible, being the Word of God, should be taught and preached (Titus 1:3; 2 Timothy 4:2; Colossians 1:28-29) with clarity and understanding (Colossians 4:2, Matthew 13) in its entirety (Acts 20:27) so that its message can be applied to the Christian life, leading that person into transformation, sanctification and full maturity in Christ. 

the HISTORICITY of scripture:

We teach that the Bible has been divinely preserved and that we possess an accurate copy of original text of Scripture through many objective and historical proofs (Luke 1:1-4)

the HONESTY of scripture:

We teach the literal, grammatical, historical interpretation of Scripture which affirms the belief that the opening chapters of Genesis present creation in six literal days (Genesis 1:31; Exodus 31:17), describe the special creation of man and woman (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:5-25),  the literal existence of Adam and Eve as the parents of all people, the definition of marriage as between one biological man and one biological woman (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5), and the literal fall in the Garden of Eden and resultant divine curse on creation. 

We further teach a literal, worldwide flood that destroyed the earth, animal life, and the human race, except for Noah and those he took in the ark with him (Gen. 6-9; Mt. 24:37-39; 1 Pet. 3:20) and the origin of the nations and diverse languages at the tower of Babel.

The Interpretation of Scripture: 

We teach that, whereas there may be several applications of any given passage of Scripture, there is but one true interpretation, and that one true interpretation of the Bible can be confidently understood through careful study using objective rules of hermeneutics. While we reject that any man can claim to be a perfect interpreter of Scripture, we believe God intended His Word to be comprehended in its entirety, and that the people of God through the Holy Spirit, should seek out its meaning, as one diligently applies the literal, grammatical, historical method of interpretation (John 7:17; 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-15; 1 John 2:20).  It is the responsibility of believers to ascertain carefully the true intent and meaning of Scripture (Acts 17:11), recognizing that proper application is binding on all generations.

Summary:

We teach that the triune God eternally exists in one essence and three distinct persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

THE TRINITY:

We teach that each of the three persons in the Trinity have precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and thus are worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience (Matt. 28:18–19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3–4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:1–3; Rev. 1:4–6). The Triune God is essentially Spirit, personal, transcendent, sovereign, life, love, truth, Almighty, timeless, eternal, unchangeable, wise, just, holy, relational, pure, actual, dynamic, infallible in all things, including His foreknowledge of all future decisions and events. 

THE CREATOR:

We teach that God is the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and of every basic form of life according to the six historic days described in the book of Genesis (Gen. 1:1-2:3). The creation account is factual, historical, and is the foundation of our understanding of the created universe, God’s power, and His glory (Psalm. 19:1). Further, God exercises providential care for every life form in His creation (Mt. 6:25-33), and Christ is the conserving Cause of all things (Heb. 1:3; Col. 1:17). We reject theistic and naturalistic macroevolution as unbiblical, unjustifiable, and based on naturalistic assumptions. Further, by its denial of the biblical teaching on creation, it undermines many essential doctrines of the Christian Faith (cf. Gen. 1:27; Mt. 19:4-6; Rom. 5:12-14; 1 Cor. 11:8-9; 15:45).

THE FATHER:

We teach the first person of the Triune God is the Father, who is Himself unbegotten, but has Himself eternally begotten and sent the Son. His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator, He is Father to all men (Ephesians 4:6), but He is spiritual Father only to believers (Romans 8:14; 2 Corinthians 6:18). He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Ephesians 1:11). He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events (1 Chronicles 29:11). In His sovereignty He is neither author nor approver of sin (Habakkuk 1:13; John 8:38-47), nor does He abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures (1 Peter 1:17). He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own (Ephesians 1:4-6); He saves from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ; He adopts as his own all those who come to Him; and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own (John 1:12; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5; Hebrews 12:5-9).

THE SON:

We teach that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, possesses all the divine attributes, and that He is coequal and coeternal with the Father in essence. 

We teach that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human, possessing two distinct natures which are co-joined in one person through the Divine act of incarnation; that He was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35), born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:35), lived a sinless and miraculous life ,(Phil 2:5-8; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26) provided for the atonement of our sins by His vicarious substitutionary death on the Cross (John 10:15; Romans 3:24-25; 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24), was physically resurrected in the same body that was buried in the tomb by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 5:26-29; 14:19; Romans 1:4; 4:25; 6:5-10; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23); that Christ physically ascended back to the right hand of God the Father in heaven, and ever lives to make intercession for us.
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We teach that Jesus Christ is the Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), the Head of His Body the Church (Ephesians 1:22, 5:23; Colossians 1:18), and the coming universal King who will reign on the throne of David (Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:31-33), He is the final Judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as Lord and Savior (Matthew 25:14-46; Acts 17:30-31)

THE HOLY SPIRIT:

We teach that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, eternal, underived, possessing all the attributes of personality and deity including intellect (1 Corinthians 2:10-13), emotions (Ephesians 4:30), will (1 Corinthians 12:11), eternality (Hebrews 9:14), omnipresence (Psalm 139:7-10), omniscience (Isaiah 40:13-14), omnipotence (Romans 15:13), and truthfulness (John 16:13). In all the divine attributes He is coequal and consubstantial with the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 28:25-26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; and Jeremiah 31:31 34 with Hebrews 10:15-17). We teach that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to execute the divine will with relation to all mankind. We recognize His sovereign activity in creation (Genesis 1:2), the incarnation (Matthew 1:18), the written revelation (2 Peter 1:20-21), and the work of salvation (John 3:5-7).

We teach that the work of the Holy Spirit in this age began at Pentecost when He came from the Father as promised by Christ (John 14:16-17; 15:26) to initiate and complete the building of the Body of Christ, which is His church (1 Corinthians 12:13).

We teach that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to whom He will, which are valid for today, and ought to be exercised within scriptural guidelines (1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4). We as believers are to covet the best gifts, seeking to exercise them in love that the whole Body of Christ might be edified. We believe that love is more important than the most spectacular gifts (1 Corinthians 13), and without this love all exercise of spiritual gifts is worthless.

Created in God’s Image

We teach that man was directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness. Man was created free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, self determination, and moral responsibility to God (Genesis 2:7, 15-25; James 3:9). 

Created by god from conception:

We teach that the embryo in the mother's womb is an innocent human life created by God in His image (Luke 1:44; Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 22:10), created as a reward to his or her parents (Psalm 127:3), which God has ordained from eternity (Jeremiah 1:5).

We teach that the willful destruction of life in the womb is a violation of the right to live. As such, the Bible defines the willful destruction of human life in this context as murder (Exodus 20:13), and the church of Jesus Christ has an obligation to fight against this evil (Proverbs 24:11-12).

Created for God's Glory:

We teach that God’s intention in the creation of man was that man should glorify God, enjoy God’s fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God’s purpose for man in the world (Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11). 

God's design for Marriage & sexuality: 

We teach God's original design of the male and female bodies is both descriptive and prescriptive of His divine will. God designed the bodies of men and women teleologically and anatomically to be coupled with the opposite sex for both marriage and procreation. 1. This design is consistent with God's procreation mandate, that man should be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:27-28). Natural procreation is only possible between a genetic male and a genetic female. 2. This design is also consistent with God's institution of marriage between one genetic male and one genetic female (Genesis 2:24). Jesus reaffirms this in the Gospels, describing the marriage union between one male and one female as an act of God in accord with His will (Matthew 19:5-6). Paul affirms the same (Ephesians 5:22-33). Because God's purpose for sexuality is observed in the teleology of the human body, and because His instruction for sexuality is clearly defined in the Bible, as being confined to the marriage relationship, we believe that we should honor God's will for our bodies in sexuality and marriage. Therefore Biblical Christian marriage is between two believers, one being a genetic male from birth, and the other a genetic female from birth.

Entrance of Sin into the World:

We teach that in Adam’s sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, man lost his innocence; incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death; became subject to the wrath of God; and became inherently corrupt. With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, man is hopelessly lost. (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-19; John 3:36; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 2:13-14; 1 John 1:8).

Inherited and Volitional Sinfulness:

We teach that because all men were in Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam’s sin has been transmitted to all men of all ages, Jesus Christ being the only exception. All men are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration (Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18, 23; 5:10-12).

For All Mankind in Christ Alone:

We teach that salvation is initiated, attained, and procured by God through the death of Christ on the cross for our sins and His resurrection from the dead. The salvation Christ offers is available to all, and is received freely by grace alone and through faith in Christ alone, apart from good works, thereby, justifying and sealing the believer once and for all. 

Man’s salvation is thereby wholly by God’s grace received through faith as a free gift of God because of the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ

Justification:

We teach that justification before God is an act of God (Romans 8:33) by which He declares righteous those who, through faith in Christ, repent of their sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Isaiah 55:6-7) and confess Him as Lord (Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Philippians 2:11). This righteousness is apart from any virtue or work of man (Romans 3:20; 4:6) and involves the imputation of our sins to Christ (Colossians 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24) and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). By this means God is enabled to “be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26).

election:

The Members of the Church:

We teach that all who place their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual Body, the church (1 Corinthians 12:12-13), the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:23-32; Revelation 19:7-8), of which Christ is the Head (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18) 

The Birth of the Church:

We teach that the birth of the church, the Body of Christ, began on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-21, 38-47) and will be completed at the coming of Christ for His own at the rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). We teach that the church is thus a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ, made up of all born again believers in this present age (Ephesians 2:11-3:6). 

The Distinction of the Church:

God’s Chosen Nation:

We teach that Israel is God’s chosen national people (Gen. 28:13). In God’s sovereign will, Israel serves as a channel of His blessing to the entire world (Gen. 12:3) for His glory (Isa. 43:7), and His witness to the nations (Isa. 43:10). God’s election of Israel for this unique relationship is irrevocable (Ro. 11:28-29).

Distinct from the Church:

We teach Israel is distinct from the church and central to God’s plan, past, present, and future. The unfulfilled prophecies and unilateral covenants from God given to Israel in the Old Testament will find their literal fulfillment in Israel at a future time (Ps. 105:6-10).

Holy Angels:

We teach that angels are created beings and are therefore not to be worshiped. They are created to serve God and to worship Him (Luke 2:9-14; Hebrews 1:6-7, 14; 2:6-7; Revelation 5:11-14; 19:10; 22:9).

Satan and Demons:

We teach that Satan is a created angel and the author of sin. He incurred the judgment of God by rebelling against his Creator (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19), by taking numerous angels with him in his fall (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:1-14), and by introducing sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve (Genesis 3:1-15). We teach that Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man (Isaiah 14:13-14; Matthew 4:1-11; Revelation 12:9-10); the prince of this world, who has been defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 16:20); and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).

summary view of eschatology:

We teach in the premillennial and pretribulational return of Jesus Christ. This means that Christ’s return for His Bride (the Church) is imminent and therefore can happen at any moment (1 Th. 4:13–17; 5:6).

The Rapture of the Church:

We teach the personal, bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ before a seven-year tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Titus 2:13) to rapture His church from this earth (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-5:11) and, between this event and His glorious return with His saints, to reward believers according to their works (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

the tribulation:

We teach that immediately following the removal of the church from the earth (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) the righteous judgments of God will be poured out upon an unbelieving world (Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:27; 12:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12; Revelation 16), and that these judgments will be climaxed by the return of Christ in glory to the earth (Matthew 24:27-31; 25:31 46; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12). At that time the Old Testament and tribulation saints will be raised and the living will be judged (Daniel 12:2-3; Revelation 20:4-6). This period includes the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:15-31; 25:31-46).

the second coming and millennial reign:

We teach that, after the tribulation period, Christ will come to earth to occupy the throne of David (Matthew 25:31; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 1:10-11; 2:29-30) and establish His messianic kingdom for a thousand years on the earth (Revelation 20:1-7). During this time the resurrected saints will reign with Him over Israel and all the nations of the earth (Ezekiel 37:21-28; Daniel 7:17-22; Revelation 19:11-16). This reign will be preceded by the overthrow of the Antichrist and the False Prophet, and by the removal of Satan from the world (Daniel 7:17-27; Revelation 20:1-7). We teach that the kingdom itself will be the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel (Isaiah 65:17-25; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Zechariah 8:1-17) to restore them to the land which they forfeited through their disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). The result of their disobedience was that Israel was temporarily set aside (Matthew 21:43; Romans 11:1-26) but will again be awakened through repentance to enter into the land of blessing (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:22-32; Romans 11:25-29). We teach that this time of our Lord’s reign will be characterized by harmony, justice, peace, righteousness, and long life (Isaiah 11; 65:17-25; Ezekiel 36:33-38), and will be brought to an end with the release of Satan (Revelation 20:7).

the judgment:

We teach that following the release of Satan after the thousand year reign of Christ (Revelation 20:7), Satan will deceive the nations of the earth and gather them to battle against the saints and the beloved city, at which time Satan and his army will be devoured by fire from heaven (Revelation 20:9). Following this, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10) whereupon Christ, who is the Judge of all men (John 5:22), will resurrect and judge the great and small at the Great White Throne judgment. We teach that this resurrection of the unsaved dead to judgment will be a physical resurrection, whereupon receiving their judgment (John 5:28,29), they will be committed to an eternal conscious punishment in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:11-15).

summary:

We teach in the eternal punishment of the lost and the eternal pleasure of the redeemed (Jn. 3:16; Rev. 20:11–15).

eternity for the saved:

We teach that physical death involves no loss of our immaterial consciousness (Revelation 6:9-11), that the soul of the redeemed passes immediately into the presence of Christ (Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8), that there is a separation of soul and body (Philippians 1:21-24), and that, for the redeemed, such separation will continue until the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17), which initiates the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6), when our soul and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with our Lord (Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:35-44, 50-54). Until that time, the souls of the redeemed in Christ remain in a conscious state of joyful fellowship, blessedness, reward and satisfaction with our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:8). 

eternity for the unsaved:

We teach that the souls of the unredeemed at death are kept under punishment until the second resurrection (Luke 16:19-26; Revelation 20:13-15), when the soul and the resurrection body will be united (John 5:28-29). They shall then appear at the Great White Throne judgment (Revelation 20:11-15) and shall be cast into hell, the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41-46), cut off from the life of God forever in a conscious state of tormet because of their own choice to reject God, His plan of salvation, and remain in their sinfulness (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:41-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).

after world history:

We teach that after the closing of the millennium, the temporary release of Satan, and the judgment of unbelievers (2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:7-15), the saved will enter the eternal state of glory with the Triune God to enjoy His presence forever and ever, after which the elements of this earth are to be dissolved (2 Peter 3:10) and replaced with a new earth wherein only righteousness dwells (Ephesians 5:5; Revelation 20:15, 21-22). Following this, the heavenly city will come down out of heaven (Revelation 21:2) and will be the dwelling place of the saints, where they will enjoy forever fellowship with God and one another (John 17:3; Revelation 21-22). Our Lord Jesus Christ, having fulfilled His redemptive mission, will then deliver up the kingdom to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) that in all spheres the triune God may reign forever and ever (1 Corinthians 15:28).

bodily resurrection:

We teach the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life (John 6:39; Romans 8:10-11, 19-23; 2 Corinthians 4:14), and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; Revelation 20:13-15).