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Our Statement of Faith
The Prayer Closet Ministries, Inc. is a distinctly Christian ministry
whose foundation is the Bible, the Word of God. We affirm the historic
confessions of the faith such as The Apostles' Creed, the Athanasian
Creed, The Nicene Creed, The Definition of Chalcedon, and The Chicago
Statement on Inerrancy. The Prayer Closet Ministries, Inc. also has
a detailed statement of belief as delineated below.
We believe:
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- I. The Scriptures
- The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by the inspiration
of God. The Scriptures are without error and are incapable of being
in error. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the only
sufficient, certain, and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge,
faith, and obedience.
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- Exodus 24:24; Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalm 19:7-10,
119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16, 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16, 36; Matthew
5:17-18,22-29; Luke 21:33, 24:44-46; John 5:39, 16:13-15, 17:17; Romans
15:4, 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2, 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25;
2 Peter 1:19-21.
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- II. God
- There is one and only one living and true God. He is self-existent
and infinite in His being and attributes. He is an intelligent, spiritual,
and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of
the Universe. He is great beyond all our conceptions and is eternal,
incomprehensible, almighty, and infinite. He is most holy, wise, free,
and absolute. All that He does is the outworking of His changeless,
righteous will and for His own glory. He is all-sufficient and all
life, glory, goodness, and blessedness are found in Him and in Him
alone. To Him, we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience.
The eternal God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
without division of nature, essence, or being.
Genesis 1:1, 17:1; Exodus 3:14, 20:1-3, 34:6-7; Deuteronomy 4:15-16,
6:4-5; 1 Kings 8:27; Nehemiah 9:32-33; Psalm 5:5-6, 90:2, 115:3; Proverbs
16:4; Isaiah 6:3, 46:10, 48:12; Jeremiah 10:10, 23:23-24; Daniel 4:25,34,35;
Matthew 3:16-17, 23:29; John 4:24, 5:26; Acts 15: 18; Romans 11:34-36;
1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6.
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- III. The Trinity
God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each has distinct
personal attributes, but without the division of nature essence, or
being. Each is fully God and yet, the Godhead is one and indivisible.
They are one in substance, in power, and in eternity. These Persons,
one infinite and eternal God not to be divided in nature or in being,
are distinguished in the Scripture by their relations within the Godhead
and by the variety of works which they undertake.
Exodus 3:14; Matthew 28:19; John 1:14,18, 14:11, 15:26; 1 Corinthians
8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 4:6; 1 John 5:7.
A. God The Father
God the Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His
creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to
His own wise and holy purpose. He is all-powerful, holy, loving, and
wise. God is the Creator of all things. He is a Father only to those
who become His children by repentance from sin and by faith in Jesus
Christ.
Genesis 1:1, 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3, 15:11ff., 20:1; Leviticus 22:2;
Deuteronomy 6:4, 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15,
64:8; Jeremiah 10:10, 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff., 7:11, 23:9, 28:19; Mark
1:9-11; John 4:24, 5:26, 14:6-13, 17:1-18; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15;
1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15;
1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6, 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:17.
B. God The Son
Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ,
He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus
perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself the
demands and necessities of the human nature and identifying Himself
completely with sinners yet without sin. He honored the divine law
by His personal obedience, and in His death on the cross, He made
provision for the redemption of sinners from sin. He was raised from
the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the
person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into
heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the
one Mediator, partaking in the nature of God and man, and in whose
Person is reconciliation between God and sinners. He will return in
power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive
mission. He now dwells in all believers and is the living and ever-present
Lord.
Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalm 2:7ff., 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 53; Matthew
1:18-23, 3:17, 8:29, 11:27, 14:33, 16:16, 17:5, 28:1-6; Mark 1:1,
3:11; Luke1:35, 4:41, 22:70, 24:46; John 1:1-18,29, 10:30,38, 11:25-27,
12:44-50, 14:7-11, 16:15-16,28, 17:1-5,21-22, 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9,
2:22-24, 7:55-56, 9:4-5,20; Romans 1:3-4, 2:23-26, 5:6-21, 8:1-3,34,
10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2:2, 8:6,15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21;
Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20, 3:11, 4:7-10; Philippians 2:5-11;
Colossians 1:13-22, 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6,3:16,
Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3, 4:14-15, 7:14-28, 9:12-15,24-28, 12:2,
13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25, 3:22; 1 John 1:7-9, 3:2, 4:14-15, 5:9; 2 John
7-9; Revelation 1:13-16; 5:9-14, 12:10-11, 13:8, 19:16.
C. God The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. He inspired holy men of old
to write the Scriptures. He exalts Christ and convicts of sin, righteousness,
and judgment. He effects regeneration and calls sinners to repent
of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ. He cultivates and, is the
Source of, Christian character. He comforts believers and bestows
spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He enables
the Christian to move toward maturity in the faith. He enlightens
and empowers the believer in worship, ministry, and evangelism.
Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalm 51:11, 139:77ff; Isaiah
61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18, 3:16, 4:1, 12:28-32, 28:19; Mark
1:10,12; Luke 1:35, 4:1,18-29, 11:13, 12:12, 24:29; John 4:24, 14:16-17,26,
15:26, 16:7-14; Acts 1:8, 2:1-4,38, 4:31, 5:3, 6:3, 7:55, 8:17,39,
10:44, 13:2, 15:28, 16:6, 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians
2:10-14, 3:16, 12:3-11,13, Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30,
5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16, 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14, 3:16;
Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13, 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10,
22:17.
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- IV. Man
Man was created by the special act of God, in His own image, and is
the crowning work of His creation. Man, as he came from the hand of
the Creator, was upright and perfect. By the temptation of Satan and
through his own willfulness, man sinned against God. Now all mankind
is born in a state of sin and misery. Men are given up to unspeakable
miseries unless the Lord Jesus Christ sets them free. Only the grace
of God can bring man to His holy fellowship and a right relationship
to Himself. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that
God created man in His own image. Therefore every man possesses dignity
and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
Genesis 1:26; 2:5,7,18-22, 3, 6:5, 9:6; Psalm 1, 8:3-6, 32:1-5, 51:5;
Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32,
3:10-18,23, 5:6,12,19, 6:6, 7:14-25, 8:14:18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31,
15:19, 21-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 1:21-22, 3:9-11.
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- V. Salvation
- Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man and is freely
offered to all who receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by
His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its
broadest sense, salvation includes regeneration, sanctification, and
glorification.
A. Regeneration
- Regeneration, or new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby sinners
become new creatures in Jesus Christ. It is a change of heart that
is wrought in the sinner by the Holy Spirit through the conviction
of sin and the hearing of the Word of God. Through this gracious work
of the Spirit, the sinner is enabled to repent of his sins and to
trust in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Repentance and faith
are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning
from sin toward God. Faith is the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as
Savior and a commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord.
Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon the principles
of His righteousness of all sinners into a relationship of peace and
favor with God.
B. Sanctification
Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which
the believer is set apart to God's purposes and is enable to progress
toward moral and spiritual perfection through the presence and power
of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue
throughout the regenerate person's life.
C. Glorification
Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed
and abiding state of the redeemed. The believer will be completely
conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17, 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21, 4:17, 16:21-26,
27:22 to 28:6; Luke 1:68-69, 2:28-32; John 1:11-14, 28, 3:3-21, chapter
8, 15:1-16, 17:17; Acts 2:21, 4:12, 15:11, 16:30-31, 17:30-31, 20:32;
Romans 1:16-18, 2:4, 3:23-25, 4:3ff, 5:8-10, 6:1-23, 8:1-18,29-39,
10:9-10,13, 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18-30, 6:19-20, 15:10; 2 Corinthians
5:17-20; Galatians 2:20, 3:13, 5:22-25, 6:15; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-22,
4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22, 3:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians
5:23-24, 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3, 5:8-9, 9:24-28,
11:1 to12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6 to 2:11.
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- VI. The Church
- The head of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ. The church is the
Body of Christ and is commissioned to continue the ministry Jesus
started. Every believer is a member of the universal church through
faith in Jesus Christ and repentance of sin. Every believer is to
be an active part of a local assembly where he or she can worship,
fellowship, give, be taught the Word of God, use his or her spiritual
gift(s), and carry out evangelism.
Matthew 16:15-19, 18:15-20, 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; Hebrews 10:25
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- VII. Healing
- God uses doctors, medicine, and other material means in healing.
However, God's direct intervention to heal the whole person is an
extension of Christ's continued ministry today through the church.
Elements in divine healing include God's Word, faith, prayer, and
anointed ministry in the Body of Christ.
Isaiah 53:5; Mark 11:23, 16:18, 1 Corinthians 12:9; James 5:14-16
VIII. Christ's Second Coming
According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and
visibly in glory to the earth. The dead will be raised and Christ
will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned
to hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their
resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will
dwell in heaven forever with God.
Matthew 10:28; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28,35-38; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians
3:20-21; Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; Hebrews 9:27-28;
1 John 3:2; Revelation 20:11-22:13
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