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As you attend Eastside Family Church, you will discover that we love
and uphold the integrity of the Word of God (the Bible). In order to
grow closer to God, you must read it continually. The Bible says,
“faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).
It also says that it (the Bible) “contains everything pertaining to life
and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).
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Listed below, you will read statements of faith concerning what we
believe. They are fundamentally sound, Biblically teachings. You can
feel comfortable to know that at EFC our teaching is grounded on the
Word of God. We will teach these truths in practical, easy-to-understand,
and applicable ways. Although our methods of communicating these truths
may vary from time to time, you can be assured that our message will never change.
We believe that God, the Creator, the Father of Jesus Christ, is “the only
true God” (John 17:3), holy and separate from all His creation. God the
Father is greater and the Source of the Word. (John 14:28). He is a
personal God who has also revealed Himself through His Son Jesus Christ,
and the gift of holy spirit (His divine nature).
We believe that Jesus Christ, the “last Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:45), is the
only-begotten Son of God. He was born of the Virgin Mary, was filled with
holy spirit, lived a sinless life, and suffered and died as a payment for
the sins of mankind. He was raised from the dead, and exalted to the position
of “Lord” by God Himself. Jesus is the Head over all matters to the Church,
His Body.
We believe the Holy Spirit is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus
Christ to all believers and is received at the new birth (Matthew 3:11, John
14:16-17, Acts 1:8; 2:4; 2:38-39; 19:1-7). “The Holy Spirit” is another name
for God, while “holy spirit” is God’s gift of His divine nature that a person
receives when he is born again, the “spirit of truth” as Jesus promised. Jesus
differentiated between these two when He said, “That which is born of the
Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6).
We believe the Scriptures (the Bible) are the inspired Word of God (“God-breathed”),
the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy
Spirit. They are perfect in their original writing, without flaw or contradiction,
and provide the only sure basis for faith. Understanding the Scriptures is
attainable by applying logic and sound principles of biblical interpretation, in
conjunction with the spirit of God in the believer (I Thessalonians 2:13, II Timothy
3:16).
We believe MAN is a created being (not evolved from something), made in the likeness
and image of God, but through the fall of Adam (first man), sin entered the world.
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “As it is
written, there is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, was sent by God the Father to undo the work of the devil and to give His
life to redeem and restore mankind back to God (I John 3:8). Salvation is the gift
of God’s grace to man, not achieved through good works, but only through faith in
Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8).
Man’s first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that brings forth repentance
(2 Corinthians 7:10). We believe salvation is given to those who confess Jesus Christ
as Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). Immediately at
this confession, man is then “saved”, “born-again”, “sealed”, “anointed”, “clothed
with power from on high”, and “baptized with holy spirit” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22,
Ephesians 1:13-14). This baptism in holy spirit is the “one baptism” referred to
in (Ephesians 4:5). This “new birth” through faith in Jesus Christ insures eternal
life for the believer (John 3:16, 1 John 5:11-12).
We believe that all nine “manifestations” of the gift of God (“holy spirit”) are
available, desirable, and profitable to every believer to operate by faith in
conjunction with God’s energizing. They are wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing,
miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues
(1 Corinthians 12:7-11). We believe that God has given every believer a measure of
“spiritual gifts” differing from each other to do the “work of the ministry”. When
used cooperatively with other believers, these gifts will “build up” the Body of
Christ (Romans 12:3-8, Ephesians 4:8, 11-12)
The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe in the
doctrine of sanctification (to make holy; being free from sin) as a definite yet
progressive work of grace, starting at the time of salvation and continuing until
the return of our Lord Jesus (Hebrews 12:14, I Thessalonians 5:23, II Peter 3:18,
I Corinthians 1:30, II Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 3:12-14).
We believe that there is a scriptural distinction between the Church of the Body of
Christ and Israel. The Church, to which all believers (Jews & Gentiles) belong today,
began on the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) and will end with the Rapture of all
Christians. The “Mystery” (secret) revealed in Ephesians is that those from both Jew
and Gentile would be “joint heirs”, and members of a “joint body”. This mystery
(secret) is not revealed in the Old Testament, the Four Gospels, or the book of
Revelation, and was first made known to the Apostle Paul. The Church Epistles (Romans
through Thessalonians) form the nucleus of Scripture written to the Church and is what
we accept as our infallible guide concerning our conduct and doctrine.
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ will one day remove the Church from the earth. At
that time, every Christian who has ever died will rise up (“awaken”) out of their
grave, and then with them, we (Christians) who are living, will be caught up (rapture)
together in the clouds to meet the Lord Jesus in the air! (I Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Following a seven year tribulation for Israel known as “the time of Jacob’s trouble”
(Jeremiah 30:7), Jesus shall return to the earth again (the Second Coming) as the King
of Kings and Lord of Lords. Then, all of the believers who died before the establishment
of the Church and during the tribulation of Israel, will be resurrected (“awakened”)
and shall be kings and priests in the Kingdom where Jesus Christ shall reign for a
thousand years (Revelation 20:4-6).
We believe that God is not judging anyone now, but they will be judged after they are
resurrected (“awakened”) from the dead by the Lord Jesus and given everlasting life or
everlasting death. Anyone who physically dies in sin without ever accepting Christ is
hopelessly and eternally cast into the Lake of Fire, and therefore has no further
opportunity of repenting for sin (Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 19:20). The Lake of Fire
(hell) is a literal place which will destroy the Devil (Satan), his followers, and put
an end to evil forever.
Baptism in water is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ; His death,
burial, and resurrection (Matthew 28:19, Acts 8:36-39, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12).
We practice this demonstration and encourage all new believers to make “a public
confession of their faith in Jesus Christ” by being water baptized by immersion.
However, we believe it is only an outward symbol of an inward baptism and that the
baptism spoken to Christians in Scripture is that of holy spirit (Ephesians 4:4-6).
The receiving of Communion is also adopted at various times to remind the believers
of the sacrificial death of Christ for the wages of our sin. It also reminds us of
the connection we have with one another in the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:24-29).
This is a “feast of remembrance” which is both corporate and personal.
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