The Body of Christ Church

Doctrinal statement

The Holy Scriptures

We believe the Holy Scriptures to be the verbal, inspired words of God – authoritative and without error in the original manuscripts. We further believe that the scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments are designed for our practical instruction in faith and conduct. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ; 2 Peter 1:21

The Godhead

We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. We also believe that these three are on God.
Deuteronomy 6:4 ; Genesis 1:26 ; Matthew 28:19

The Person and Work of the Lord Jesus, the Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, came into the world that He might manifest God to men, fulfill prophecy, and become the Redeemer of a lost world. To this end, He was born to the virgin Mary, received a human body and a sinless human nature without ceasing to be God.
Luke 1:30-35 ; John 1:1, 14, 18 ; Hebrews 4:15 ; Philippians 2:5-11

We believe that, in infinite love for the lost, He voluntarily accepted His Father’s will and became the divinely provided sacrifical Lamb and took away the sins of the world.
Romans 3:25-31 ; 2 Corinthians 5:14 ; Hebrews 10:5-14

We believe He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He had lived and died. We believe that His resurrected body is the pattern of the body which ultimately will be given to all believers.
John 20:20 ; Philippians 3:20-21

We believe that on departing earth, He was accepted by His Father and that His acceptance is a final assurance to us that His redeeming work is perfectly accomplished.
Hebrews 1:3

We believe that He is head over all things to the church, which is His body, and in this ministry He does not cease to intercede and to be an advocate for the saved.
Deuteronomy 6:4 ; Genesis 1:26 ; Matthew 28:19 ; Luke 1:35 ; 1 Corinthians 15:1-3 ; Ephesians 1:23 ; Philippians 2:6-8 ; 2 Timothy 2:5 ; 1 John 2:1-2

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit , the third person of The Trinity, dwells in every believer immediately after he places his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God provides, through the Holy Spirit, the power to live the Christian life.
Romans 5:5, 8:1-9 ; Galatians 5:16-25

We believe that every believer receives grace from God in the form of God in the form of a spiritual gift, which enablees him to function as a member of the body of Christ.
Romans 12:6 ; 1 Corinthians 12:7 ; Ephesians 4:7

The Personality of Satan

We believe that Satan, the devil, is the prince of demons and the declared adversary of God and man. However, when the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross, He limited the power of the devil and manifested the triumph of God.
Ephesians 2:2 ; 1 Peter 5:8 ; Revelation 20:10 ; Colossians 2:13-15

Salvation

We believe that no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born again spiritually, and that the new birth of the believer comes only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We believe, also, that our redemption has been accomplished by the grace of God, an unmerited gift, given in love by God and not the result of any human works.
John 3:17-18 ; 2 Corinthians 5:21 ; Galatians 3:13 ; Romans 4:4-5

We believe that the explicit message of our Lord Jesus Christ to those whome He has saved is to make Christ known to the whole world and that this is the purpose of the church through the individuals within it.
Matthew 28:18-19 ; Acts 1:8 ; 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

The Rapture and the Second Coming

We believe that a future period of great tribulation on the earth will be climaxed by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth as He went in person in the clouds with power and great glory to establish His millennial kingdom. However, prior to this tribulation, we believe there will be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the air to receive to Himself into Heaven both His own who are alive and remain until His coming and also who have died in Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 ; Zechariah 14:4-11 ; Revelatioin 3:10

Eternal State

We believe that at death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body when Christ comes for His own – whereupon soul and body reunited shall be associated with Him forever in glory. All those who rejected Jesus Christ will eternally be separated from God to endure His eternal wrath forever.
2 Corinthians 5:8 ; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:1-27

Responsibility of Belivers

We believe that all believers should walk by the Spirit, separating themselves from worldly practices and witnessing, by life and by word, the truths of the Holy Scripture.
Romans 12:1 ; Galatians 5:16, 25 ; 2 Corinthians 5:9-17

We believe that all believers will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ and rewarded based on their faithful obedience to Him in this life.
1 Corinthians 3:10-17

Membership at the Body of Christ, ESTL is open to all who profess faith alone in Jesus Christ and are in agreement with the Church’s Doctrinal beliefs. Please take a moment and pray about your decision.