STATEMENT OF FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS
The Bible is the all-sufficient rule for faith and practice for believers in Christ Jesus. Our Statement of Fundamental Truths at FloodGate Church grants us a basic set of common truth for fellowship. We speak the same thing, 1 Corinthians 1:10, Acts 2:42. I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers
The Statement of Faith is not inspired, however the truth contained in it are held to be essential to a fundamental biblical understanding. Our Statement does not cover all aspects of biblical truth. It does cover our need as it applies to fundamental doctrines.
- The Scriptures Are Inspired, Infallible, and inerant
- There Is One True God
- The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
- Fall of Humanity
- Salvation of Humanity
- Church Ordinances
- Holy Spirit Infilling
- Sanctification
- The Mission of the Church
- Ministry
- Healing
- Our Blessed Hope
- The Millennial Reign of Christ
- Final Judgment
- New Heavens and the New Earth
1. THE SCRIPTURES ARE INSPIRED, INFALLIBLE, AND INERRANT
The Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are infallible, inerrant, and verbally inspired of God. The Bible is the revelation of God to man, the authoritative rule of faith and conduct.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for [c]instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13
for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21
The word “infallible” means “will not fail” or “trustworthy.” So to say Scripture is infallible signifies its full trustworthiness “as a guide that is not deceived and does not deceive.” Infallibility does not mean the Bible cannot contain errors—but rather that it cannot fail.
Infallibility, inspiration, and inerrancy mean the Word of God “will do what God intends for it to do” in His purpose.
As such, the Word of God is incapable of erring.
We who adhere to this view see 2 Peter 1:19-21 as evidence that the Bible itself claims infallibility: “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention has to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
God is infallible—there is no error in him. Therefore, the Word God “breathed out” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is infallible too.
2. THERE IS ONE TRUE GOD
The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent “I AM.” He is the Creator of heaven and earth. He is the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the three who is one.
“Hear, O Israel: [a]The Lord our God, the Lord is one! Deuteronomy 6:4
“You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord,
And besides Me there is no savior Isaiah 43:10-11
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Matthew 28:19
And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22
THE ADORABLE GODHEAD
“Trinity” and “persons” relate to the Godhead. Although not found in the Scriptures, they are words that harmonize with Scripture. Trinity and persons convey to others our understanding of the doctrine of Christ and the Being of God, as distinguished from “gods many and lords many.” We speak with propriety of the Lord our God who is One Lord, as a trinity or as one Being of three persons, and still be absolutely scriptural.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17
Unity of the One Being of Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Accordingly, therefore, there is that in the Father which constitutes him the Father and not the Son; there is that in the Son which constitutes Him the Son and not the Father; and there is that in the Holy Spirit which constitutes Him the Holy Spirit and not either the Father or the Son. Wherefore the Father is the Begetter, the Son is the Begotten, and the Holy Spirit is the one proceeding from the Father and the Son. Therefore, because these three persons in the Godhead are in a state of unity, there is but one Lord God Almighty and His name one.
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. John 1:18
“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. John 15:26
Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep[a] through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. John 17:11
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one. John 17:21
And the Lord shall be King over all the earth.
In that day it shall be—”The Lord is one,”
And His name one. Zechariah 14:9
Identity and Cooperation in the Godhead
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit will never be identical as to Person; nor confused as to relation; nor divided in respect to the Godhead; nor opposed as to cooperation. The Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son as to relationship. The Son is with the Father and the Father is with the Son, as to fellowship. The Father is not from the Son, but the Son is from the Father, as to authority. The Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son proceeding, as to nature, relationship, cooperation and authority. Hence, neither Person in the Godhead either exists or works separately or independently of the others.
John 5:17-37
There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true John 5:32
And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. John 5:37
It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.” John 8:17-18
The Title, Lord Jesus Christ
The appellation, “Lord Jesus Christ,” is a proper name. It is never applied in the New Testament, either to the Father or to the Holy Spirit. It therefore belongs exclusively to the Son of God.
Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh. To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Romans 1:1-3, 7
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with [a]you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 2 John 3.
The Lord Jesus Christ, God with Us
The Lord Jesus Christ, as to His divine and eternal nature, is the proper and only Begotten of the Father, but as to His human nature, He is the proper Son of Man. He is therefore, acknowledged to be both God and man; who because He is God and man is “Immanuel,” God with us.
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23
By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. 1 John 4:2
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world 1 John 4:14
and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. Revelation 1:13
And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last Revelation 1:17
The Title, Son of God
Since the name “Immanuel” embraces both God and man in the one Person, our Lord Jesus Christ, it follows that the title, Son of God, describes His proper deity, and the title, Son of Man, His proper humanity. Therefore, the title Son of God, belongs to the order of eternity, and the title, Son of Man, to the order of time.
And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:21-23
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with [a]you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 2 John 1:3
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8
without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. Hebrews 7:3
Transgression of the Doctrine of Christ
Wherefore, it is a transgression of the Doctrine of Christ to say that Jesus Christ derived the title, Son of God, solely from the fact of the incarnation, or because of His relation to the economy of redemption. Therefore, to deny that the Father is a real and eternal Father, and that the Son is a real and eternal Son, is a denial of the distinction and relationship in the Being of God; a denial of the Father, and the Son; and a displacement of the truth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.
Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 2 John 9
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
He was in the beginning with God. John 1:2
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. John 1:18
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29
Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” John 1:49
looking unto Jesus, the author and [b]finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
Exaltation of Jesus Christ as Lord
The Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, having by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; angels and principalities and powers having been made subject unto Him. And having been made both Lord and Christ, He sent the Holy Spirit that we, in the name of Jesus, might bow our knees and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father until the end, when the Son shall become subject to the Father that God may be all in all.
who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:3
who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. 1 Peter 3:22
This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted [a]to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:32-36
Equal Honor to the Father and to the Son
Wherefore, since the Father has delivered all judgment unto the Son, it is not only the express duty of all in heaven and on earth to bow the knee, but it is an unspeakable joy in the Holy Spirit to ascribe unto the Son all the attributes of Deity, and to give Him all honor and the glory contained in all the names and titles of the Godhead except those which express relationship (see Distinction and Relationship in the Godhead, Unity of the One Being of Father, Son and Holy Spirit , and Identity and Cooperation in the Godhead) and thus honor the Son even as we honor the Father.
For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. John 5:22-23
whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. 1 Peter 1:8
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point ofdeath, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name. Philippians 2:8-9
3. THE DEITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare:
His virgin birth,
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23
His sinless life,
For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens. Hebrews 7:26
Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 1 Peter 2:22
His miracles,
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know.” Acts 2:22
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38
His substitutionary work on the cross,
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:3
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21
His bodily resurrection from the dead,
He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Matthew 28:6 He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:4
His exaltation to the right hand of God.
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Acts 1:9
who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven. Acts 1:11
Therefore being exalted [a]to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. Acts 2:33
4. FALL OF HUMANITY
Man was created good and upright; for God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness.” However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them Genesis 1:26-27
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:17
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the [e]offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift isnot like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s [g]offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Romans 5:12-19
5. SALVATION OF HUMANITY
Our only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
Conditions to Salvation
Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God, according to the hope of eternal life.
Repentance and the remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:47
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3
Furthermore, we are saved from something, eternal alienation from God. Choosing to be separated from God means we choose Hell and the damnable Lake of Fire.
The doctrine of Hell is important. Jesus taught about Hell more than all biblical authors combined. Jesus spoke about “eternal fire and punishment” as the final abode of the angels and human beings who have rejected God (Matthew 25:41,46). Jesus says that those who blaspheme Holy Spirit will be in danger of “fire of hell” (Matthew 5:22; 18:8-9).
Mark 9:43 records Jesus speaks of a person going to “hell [gehenna], where ‘their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ ” Jesus is referring to the maggots that live in the corpses on the garbage heap. When all the flesh is consumed, the maggots die. Jesus is saying, however, that the spiritual decomposition of hell never ends, and that is why ‘their worm does not die.’
Jesus, is the Lord of Love and Author of Grace. As Jesus spoke about hell more than all biblical authors combined, we are left to assume that Hell a doctrine is a crucial truth.
In Matthew 10:28 Jesus says, “Do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Jesus was speaking to His disciples, some that would be be tortured, flayed and burned alive.
For Jesus hell was a real place. Jesus constantly depicted hell as painful fire and “outer darkness” (Matt 25:30; cf. Jude 6,7,13,).
But why was it so important to Jesus? Hell shows us how dependent we are on God for everything.
6. CHURCH ORDINANCES
WATER BAPTISM
Baptism by immersion in water is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. We declare to the world that we have symbolically died with Christ and we have symbolically been raised with Him to walk in newness of life.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”Matthew 28:19
“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days. Acts 10:47-48
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4
COMMUNION
The Lord’s Supper, the one feast authorized by Jesus in His Kingdom consists of elements, both bread and the fruit of the vine, is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes, (2 Peter 1:4), a memorial of his suffering and death, For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s deatth until He comes, and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26), and is enjoined on all believers “till He come!”
7. HOLY SPIRIT INFILLING
All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.
- Luke 24:49
- Acts 1:4
- Acts 1:8
- 1 Corinthians 12:1-31
With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as:
- an overflowing fullness of the Spirit, John 7:37-39, Acts 4:8
- a deepened reverence for God, Acts 2:43, Hebrews 12:28
- an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work, Acts 2:42
- and a more active love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost, Mark 16:20
- SANCTIFICATION
Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God, and a state of being in Christ.
- Romans 12:1,2
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23
- Hebrews 13:12
- 1 Peter 1:15,16
Sanctification is recognizing our identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, and by the faith reckoning daily upon the fact of that union, and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit.
- Romans 6:1-11
- Romans 6:13
- Romans 8:1,2
- Romans 8:13
- Galatians 2:20
- Philippians 2:12,13
- 1 Peter 1:5
9. THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH
The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven.
- Ephesians 1:22,23
- Ephesians 2:22
- Hebrews 12:23
Since God’s purpose concerning man is to seek and to save that which is lost, to be worshipped by man, to build a body of believers in the image of His Son, and to demonstrate His love and compassion for all the world, the priority reason for being the Church is:
To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world.
- Acts 1:8
- Matthew 28:19,20
- Mark 16:15,16
- To be a corporate body in which man may worship God.
- 1 Corinthians 12:13
- To be a channel of God’s purpose to build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son.
- Ephesians 4:11-16
- 1 Corinthians 12:28
- 1 Corinthians 14:12
- To be a people who demonstrate God’s love and compassion for all the world.
- Psalms 112:9
- Galatians 2:10; 6:10
- James 1:27
- MINISTRY
A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for the fourfold purpose of leading the Church in:
Evangelize the world.
- Mark 16:15-20
Worship God.
- John 4:23,24
Build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son.
- Ephesians 4:11-16
Meeting human need with ministries of love and compassion.
- Psalms 112:9
- Galatians 2:10; 6:10
- James 1:27
- HEALING
Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers.
- Isaiah 53:4,5
- Matthew 8:16,17
- James 5:14-16
- THE BLESSED HOPE
The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the church.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17
- Romans 8:23
- Titus 2:13
- 1 Corinthians 15:51,52
- THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST
The second coming of Christ includes the rapture (parousia) of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years.
- Zechariah 14:5
- Matthew 24:27
- Matthew 24:30
- Revelation 1:7
- Revelation 19:11-14
- Revelation 20:1-6
This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel,
- Ezekiel 37:21,22
- Zephaniah 3:19,20
- Romans 11:26,27
and the establishment of universal peace.
- Isaiah 11:6-9
- Psalms 72:3-8
- Micah 4:3,4
- THE FINAL JUDGMENT
There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and Hell, will be consigned to the everlasting punishment in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone eternally which is the second death.
- Matthew 25:46
- Mark 9:43-48
- Revelation 19:20
- Revelation 20:11-15
- Revelation 21:8
16. THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH
“We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness.”
- 2 Peter 3:13
- Revelation 21
- Revelation 22