Freedom Fellowship's Statements of Faiths
What We Believe Concerning God's Word and Church
We believe the Holy Bible as the inspired Word of God, without any error, the all-sufficient authority in matters of faith, doctrine, and Christian living.
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
We believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ, and that He is true God and man, and that He died on the cross for our sins. He rose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father and is now our High Priest and Advocate. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
We believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and therefore was eternally lost. Only through regeneration by the work of the Holy Spirit can man's salvation and spiritual life be obtained. We believe that eternal salvation is the free gift of God, entirely apart from man's works, and is possessed by any and all who have faith in and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9-11
We believe in a regenerated church membership: that is, persons old enough to understand their need for Jesus Christ and, of their own free will, accepted Him as their personal Lord and Savior.
We believe that baptism is by full body immersion and the Lord's Supper is a memorial to His suffering and death on the cross. These are ordinances to be observed by the church in its present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means for man's salvation.
We believe that the church shall manage its own affairs and shall not be subject to unaffiliated religious organizations or other outside organizations.
We believe in the repentance of sin and restoration of the soul for Christians who fall into a pattern of sin and to restore them in a loving manner. If a person sins, we are to repent of our sins to Jesus, God’s Son. Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Galatians 6:1
We do not believe that the Christian "sins everyday" as many would like to use to satisfy their own sinful desires; however, scripture says in 2 Corinthians 6:17 … "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."
Romans 6:1-6 says: (Concerning the Christian and Sin after Salvation)
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin--
We do believe the Christian can fall from Grace (Backsliding): Once a person is saved, they are always saved; however, if the individual returns to a life of sin and turn their back on God, scripture states that no sacrifice remains for our sins; therefore, the Christian must repent and turn back to God or face the judgment and Hell. These passages will help bring to light the deceptive view of society today of "Once Saved Always Saved or Eternal Security"
Hebrews 10:26-29 (ESV) 26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? In this case, we go back to the repentance of sin and restoration of the soul and restore the one who has fallen with love and lead them back to the flock. Jesus said in Luke 9:62, No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God."
If, as children of God, we choose to remain in our sin, then we choose the consequences that go with that choice. Broken fellowship and lack of growth result. However, those who persist in sin need to reexamine their true relationship with God (2 Corinthians 13:5). Scripture is clear that those who know God do not continue a lifestyle of unrepentant sin (1 John 2:3–6; 3:7–10). A desire for holiness is a hallmark of those who know God. To know God is to love Him (Matthew 22:37–38). To love Him is to desire to please Him (John 14:15). Unconfessed sin gets in the way of pleasing Him, so a true child of God wants to confess it, change it, and restore fellowship with God.
We affirm the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling we are able to live godly lives and have power for service through Christian Discipleship.
We believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the gift of speaking with other tongues in order according to scripture, I Corinthians 14:1-33.
The gift of the Holy Spirit was given on the day of Pentecost, Acts Chapter 2, which fulfilled Christ's promise to send the comforter. One having the gift of tongues should observe the spirits order of worship in verses 26-33.
Furthermore, the Holy Spirit which includes: the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as an experience distinct from regeneration; His indwelling, by which the Christian is enabled to live a godly life; His supernatural gifting and empowering of the Church for its work, life and worship.
Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-4; 10:44-46; 1 Corinthians 12, 14
We also believe in the ultimate unity of believers, as prayed for by our Lord Jesus Christ in John 17.
We believe in the sanctity of human life and are opposed to abortion; Jeremiah 1:5 – “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.” (NLT) For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. Matthew 15:19. Murder, even of the unborn, is sin and must be repented.
We believe and are committed to the sanctity of the marriage bond between one man and one woman in accordance to God’s Holy Word and the importance of strong, loving Christian families and are opposed to the union of same sex partners. Romans 1:26-27
We believe that sex is reserved for marriage according to scripture "It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication (unwed sex), theft, murder, adultery (sex with others outside the marriage, greed, wickedness, deceit, lack of moral restraint, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." (NRSV,Mark 7:20-23) Also see Hebrews 13:4 and 1 Corinthians 7:8-9
Furthermore, God’s plan for human sexuality is to be expressed only within the context of marriage, that God created man and woman as unique biological persons. God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. For this reason, we believe marriage is exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female joined together for Life by sealed vows between each other and God.
Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5-6; Mark 10: 6-9; Romans 1:26-27; I Corinthians 6:9
We believe that drunkenness is sinful as is the use of drugs for any reason other than those prescribed by a physician for a specific illness. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Romans 13:13 Also see Ephesians 5:18.
We believe in the support of the church through tithing ten 10% of our incomes to the church and giving as the Lord has blessed us. Malachi 3:8-12 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. 10Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
We believe that we are called to be Holy as Christ has called us to be Holy. (Romans 12:1) I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
We believe in the personal, bodily, imminent, and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ and that His Second Coming inspires believers for dynamic and zealous life and service for Him while waiting for His return. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead, the blessing of the saved in heaven, and the everlasting punishment and separation from God of the unsaved in hell.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Revelation 20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (hell).
For a link to our (Church Headquarters) Go to www.cogop.org