Tree of Life Fellowship - Beliefs:

ARTICLE II – TENETS OF FAITH

2.01 Holy Scripture: We believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, and accept the same as the only infallible guide and rule of our faith and practice. Scripture References: Matt. 24:35, Ps. 119:89, II Tim. 3:16-17, II Tim. 2:15, II Pet 1-19-21.

2.02 The Godhead: We believe in the eternal omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and immutable triune God; maker of heaven and earth, and all that in them is; and in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons equal in every divine perfection and attribute, executing distinct, but harmonious offices, in the great work of redemption. Scripture References: I John 5:7, II Cor. 13:14, Gen. 1:26, I Tim. 1-17.
God the Father: Scripture References: Is. 43:10, Is. 44:8, John 3:16.
God The Son: Co-existent and co-eternal with the Father, who, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, took upon himself the form of man; and by this becoming obedient unto death, bearing the curse of sin, sickness, and sorrow, redeemed us back to God. He arose the third day and ascended unto heaven, where he sits on the right hand of
God, the Father, where he ever liveth to make intercession for us. Scripture References: John 1:1-3, Matt. 1:23, I Tim. 2:5, Eph. 2:18, Phil. 2:6-11.
God the Holy Spirit: The third person of the Godhead, co-existent and equal with the Father. Sent by the Father, through the Son, to reprove the world of sin and prepare the bride of Christ. Scripture References: John 14:26, John 15:26, John 16:8.

2.03 The Fall of Man: We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God, and that man is totally depraved and, of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. Scripture References: Gen. 1:26-27, Rom. 5:12, Rom. 5:19, Is. 53:6, Rom. 3:10, Rom. 3:22-23, Eph. 2:1-3, Eph. 4:17-19.

2.04 The Plan Of Redemption: We believe that Christ was the Lamb of God, foreordained from the foundation of the world, and by the shedding of His blood, on the cross, made provision for salvation for ALL men. Scripture References: I Pet. 1:19-20, Is. 53:5, Titus 2:14, Heb. 7:25.

2.05 The New Birth:We believe that because of Man’s total inability to save himself, salvation is by God’s grace alone; is received through sincere godly repentance, and whole-hearted acceptance of Jesus Christ as his personal Savior; through being born again, he becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus. Old things have passed away, behold all things have become new. Scripture References: John 3:3, II Cor. 5:17, Gal. 2:20, I Pet. 2:24.

2.06 Daily Christian Life: We believe that having been cleansed by the blood, and quickened by the Spirit, it is God’s will that we should be sanctified daily, and be made partakers of His holiness walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit; forsaking the very appearance of evil, such as worldly dress, worldly amusements, worldly conversation, worldly habits, etc. Scripture References: Rom. 8:1, Rom. 8:5, Rom. 12:1-2, II Cor. 7:1, I Peter 1:15, I Thess. 5:22.

2:07 Marriage and Divorce: Knowing that marriage was instituted by God; sanctioned by the Lord Jesus Christ, and was commended of St. Paul to be honorable among all men, we believe that a Christian man or woman should not marry an unsaved person. Having been united by God in holy matrimony, neither person, as long as both shall live, shall be free to remarry, “except it be for fornication” (Matt. 19:9), or reasons determined valid and scriptually permissible by the Board of Directors of Tree of Life Fellowship. Scripture References: II Cor. 6:15, Luke 16:18, Heb. 13:4.

2.08 Water Baptism: We believe that water baptism by immersion, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, is commanded by God; that it is subsequent to conversion, that it is not a saving ordinance, but an outward sign of an inward work. Scripture References: Matt. 28:19, Rom. 6:4, Acts 2:38.

2.09 The Lord’s Supper: We believe in the commemoration of the Lord’s Supper as a type of the broken body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and as an ordinance showing forth the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord, and a looking forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Scripture References: I Cor. 11:23-27, II Cor. 13:5, Luke 22:7-22. We believe that all Christian believers, regardless of church affiliation, may partake of the Lord’s Supper. I Cor. 11:28.

2.10 Church Ordinances:
(A) Baptism Of The Holy Spirit: We believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a definite experience, not identical with conversion. The initial evidence of this experience is the speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is given to indue the believer into holiness and sobriety; to equip him for a practical, efficient, spirit-filled soul winning ministry and service; that inasmuch as this is the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, every believer has right to expect His incoming to be after the same manner as recorded by the Word of God in Bible days. Scripture References: John 14:16, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:4, Acts 2:38-39, Acts 19:6, I Cor. 3:16
(B) Spirit Filled Life: We believe that having received the initial filling, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the believer should experience a continual renewing of the power from on high; that the Holy Spirit is as a gentle dove, easily grieved and wounded by coldness, prayerlessness , idle conversation, worldliness, and a judging and criticizing spirit; therefore, it is the will of God that we walk and abide in the Spirit. Scripture References: Eph. 5:18, Acts 4:31, Eph. 4:30-32, I Cor. 3:17, Gal. 5:16-25, I John 2:6.
(C) Gifts & Fruits of the Spirit: We believe that for the edification of the saints and up building of the church of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit has the following gifts to bestow upon the individual believer - the word of wisdom, knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, divers kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. God dividing to every man severally as he will; that they should be coveted earnestly by all spiritual believers and exercised in the spirit of love. We believe that the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law. These should be cultivated in the life of every believer. Scripture References: I Cor. 12:7-11, I Cor. 12:31, Gal. 5:22-23, John 15:4, John 15:8.
(D) Moderation: We believe that all men should know our moderation. The Christian should be sober, well balanced and seasoned with love. His zeal should be governed by godly wisdom. Scripture References: Phil. 4:5, Eph., 4:14-15, I Cor. 13:5, Col. 3:12-13.

2.11 Divine Healing: We believe that divine healing is the power of God to heal the sick and afflicted in answer to believing prayer, and is provided for in the atonement. We believe that God is willing to, and does, heal the sick today. Scripture References: Is. 53:4-5, Matt. 8:16-17, James 5:14-16, Acts, 3:16.

2:12 Second Coming Of Christ:
(A) Rapture: We believe that the second coming of Christ is personal, imminent, and pre-millennial; that the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then the redeemed 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 they ever be with the Lord, that we should, therefore, be ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh. Scripture References: I Thess. 4:16-17, Titus 2:12-13, Matt. 24:36, Matt. 24:44, Acts 1:11.
(B) Revelation: We believe that the coming of Jesus Christ with His saints will end the great tribulation, and establish the millennial kingdom on earth, when Christ shall rule and reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Scripture References: Rev. l:7, Zech. 14:4, II Thess. 1:7-10, II Thess. 2:8.

2.13 Church Relationship: We believe that every born-again child of God should identify himself with the visible church of Jesus Christ, and should labor diligently, and contribute his temporal means toward the spreading of the gospel here on earth. We believe that the tithes should be given into the storehouse of the Lord, which is the local church. Scripture References: Heb. 10:24-25, Ps. 111:1, Acts 2:47, Acts 16:5, Rom. 12:5, Mal. 3:8-10, II Cor. 9:6-7, I Cor. 16:2.

2.14 Civil Government: We believe that government is ordained of God and all Christians should be subject to the laws of the land, except those contrary to the revealed will of God. We pledge allegiance and moral and spiritual support to the United States of America. In times of war the individual’s participation in actual combat and taking of life shall be governed by his own conscience. Scripture References: Rom. 13:1-7, Acts 5:29, Matt. 5:39-48, Heb. 12:14.

2.15 Final Judgement: We believe in the final judgment of the wicked at the great white throne, when the dead, both small and great, shall be resurrected to stand before God to receive the reward of their deeds done in the flesh. Scripture References: Matt. 13:41-43, Rev. 20:11-15.

2.16 Hell: We believe hell is a literal place of outer darkness, bitter sorrow, remorse, and woe, prepared by God for the devil and his angels and that there, into a lake that burns with fire and brimstone, shall cast the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderers, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, and those who have rejected the love of Jesus Christ, whose names are not
written in the Lamb’s book of life. Scripture References: Rev. 20:10, 14-15, Rev. 21:7-8, Rev. 14:10-11, Matt. 25:41, Mark 9:43-44.

2.17 Heaven: We believe that heaven is the habitation of the living God, where Christ has gone to prepare a place for all His children, where they shall dwell eternally in happiness and security with Him. Scripture References: I Cor. 2:9, John 14:2, Rev. 21:4, Rev. 22:5, Rev. 7:15-17.

2.18 Evangelism: We believe that as long as conditions indicate that the coming of Jesus Christ draweth nigh, we, His redeemed children, should put forth our utmost efforts to the promulgation of the gospel to every kindred, tribe, and tongue; that soul winning is the chief mission of the church upon the earth, and that therefore every hindrance and hairsplitting doctrine, which would tend to quench or be cut off and cast away as falling short of the church’s great commission. Scripture References: Mark 16:15, Matt. 28:19

2.19 Missions: We believe that the great commission of our Lord Jesus Christ to carry the gospel message to the entire world is literal, imperative, and binding today; that it is the supreme privilege and duty of the church of Jesus Christ to stress the cause of world wide missions. Furthermore, we believe that the very life and strength of the home church depends on its whole-hearted sacrifice for, and support of, the foreign missionary program. Scripture References: Matt. 9:38, Mark 15:15, Rev. 5:9, Rom. 10:13-15, James 5:20, Ps. 2:8

2.20 Human Sexuality:
(A) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in, outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. Any employee or volunteer of the church becoming pregnant or causing pregnancy as a result of consensual intercourse, outside of the marriage relationship, shall be terminated from employment. Scripture References: Genesis 2:24, 19:5, 13, 26:8-9, Leviticus 18:1-30, Romans 1:26- 29, I Corinthians 5:1, 6:9, I Thessalonians 4:1-8, Hebrews 13:4.
(B) We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. We believe that a man is man who was born a man, and a woman is a woman who was born a woman. Scripture References: Genesis 1-27-28, Genesis 2:24, Romans 7:2, I Corinthians 7:10, Ephesians 5:22-23.
(C) We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God. Accordingly, men and women are eligible for Pastoral leadership positions in the church. Scripture References: Galatians 3:28, Acts 21:8-9, Philippians 4:3.

2.21 Abortion: We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defect, gender selection, birth or population control or the mental well being of the mother are acceptable. Scripture References: Job 3:16, Psalms 51:5, 139:14-16, Isaiah 44:24, 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5, 20:15-18, Luke 1:44.

2.22 Lawsuits Between Believers: We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the Church to resolve conflicts and personal disputes. We believe the Church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve conflicts and/or personal disputes. We believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from a Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. Scripture References: I Corinthians 6:1-8, Ephesians 4:31-32.

2.23 Giving/Stewardship: We believe that every Christian, as a good steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving,; but every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all right to direct the use of the tithe and/or offering once the gift have been made. Scripture References: Genesis 14:20, Proverbs 3:9-10, Malachi 3:10-12, Luke 6:38, Acts 4:34-37, I Corinthians 16:2, II Corinthians 9:6-7, Galatians 6:16, Ephesians 4:28, I Timothy 5:17-18, I John 3:17.