Doctrinal Beliefs of The Way to Antioch

The Way to Antioch

Beliefs and Practiced Theology

Scriptures: The Bible is divinely inspired and authored by God. It is God’s special and main revelation to His character, plan and way of salvation. It is without error or mixture. We believe that the 66 books of the protestant Bible is infallible, inerrant, and the supreme authority for the believer. It is our foremost guidance in all areas of life, doctrine and practice. “The instruction of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise”. Psalm 19:7

Trinitarian Theology:

What are the fundamental truths about God as triune? First, there is one God. Second, God is One. Third, God is three persons, each fully divine (Mat 28:19)

God the Father:

God is self-existent, self-sufficient and eternal. He is creator (Ps. 19:1),
redeemer (Ex. 6-12), preserver (Matt. 10:29), ruler (Dan. 4:17), sovereign (Rev. 11:15), and Holy (Ish. 6:3). He does not change, has all knowledge, is all powerful, and is all loving (1 John 4:8).

God the Son:

The Son of God is Christ Jesus who is one with the Father. He became flesh (Phil 2:7) and took on human form to live a perfect life without sin (Ish 61:1-2). He was fully God and fully human. Within his perfect humanity Christ perfectly identified with us; yet He did not sin (Rom. 5). He then, died a death guilty of sin which he did not deserve, so all who have faith in Him can live innocently in His name (John 1:29, Phil. 3:9). He resurrected from the grave
defeating sin and death. He ascended into heaven and will one day return. Faith in Christ is the only way to salvation.

God the Spirit:

The Holy Spirit is the Sprit of God. Fully divine, who empowers each believer. The Holy Spirit is not a thing but a person who inspired the Word of God (2 Pet. 1:2), and ministers to every person. The Spirit convicts us of sin (John 16:8), draws us to repentance and gives us the strength to will and work God’s good purposes (Phil. 2:13). The Spirit brings regeneration (John 3:6) and illuminates truth (1 Cor. 2:12-13). The Holy Spirit binds us in unity as He grows the church (Rom. 8:4).

Gifts of the Spirit:

The Holy Spirit bestows spiritual gifts to all believers who are a part of the church. There are different gifts (Rom 12:3-8) but one Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4). All believers have a gift, but no believer has all the gifts. The Spirit gifts as He wills (1 Cor. 12:11). Gifts are purposed to strengthen the church.

Speaking in tongues:

There are many gifts that the Spirit bestows (Rom. 12:3-8, 1 Cor. 12). Within each gift there is affirmation from other believers that is used to strengthen the church. One requirement for speaking in tongues is for an interpreter to be present (1 Corinthians 12:10). The absence of an interpreter creates a void in the affirmation of the gift. Speaking in tongues publicly with no interpreter- is biblically defiant and spiritually negligent. Negligent-because it will only confuse and brings division among believers.

Humanity:

Mankind is created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), in our spiritual capacity and ability to fellowship with God. We are both physical and spiritual beings. We have a soul that survives earthly death. Our souls are incline to sin. Therefore, we are dependent on God’s saving grace. Because we have physical bodies we are to care for the body and nurture it without worshiping it.

Gender:

God has created us male and female (Gen. 1:27). This means that both male and female are DISTINCTIVE yet made in UNITY. God created gender distinctively as male and female to demonstrate God’s love for us and his design of different roles and responsibilities for men and women which displays God’s love for the church.

Depravity:

All humanity came under the condemnation of sin which started in the Garden of Edon. We all have a propensity toward sin. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). No one is without a fallen innocence from God. Therefore, we can only be restored by the salvation that Jesus offers.

Salvation:

Because ALL have fallen short of God’s glory, Christ Jesus has died for All to be saved. God desires that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9). However, the only way to have salvation is to except the free gift that Christ offers through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). Christ atoned our sins. Simply put, Christ died in our place. There is no other way to be saved than through placing your faith in Jesus for your salvation. We believe that Christ died for our sins and has restored us in a right standing with God the Father.

God’s purpose of Grace:

God’s purpose of Grace is the Holy Spirit working to Draw, Convict, Regenerate, Empower and Heal. We think of this in four terms: Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace, Sanctifying Grace and Glorifying Grace.

Prevenient Grace:

This is the grace (Spirit working) gives you before you are a believer. Before you know God, he knew you (1 John 4:19) and is wooing you toward him. He is convicting, and placing the gospel in your life, for the purpose of knowing Him and surrendering your life to Him (John 12:32-33).

Justifying Grace:

This is the grace that is bestowed in our lives when we accept Christ as Lord and Savior and put our faith in Him to save us. Here, God has freed us from the penalty of sin. Our past, present, and future sins have now been atoned by Christ and we can rightfully stand before God – forgiven, and innocent. (Phil. 3:9)

Sanctifying Grace:

This is the grace that is bestowed in our loves once we become a believer. The Sanctifying work of God constantly works within the believer until heaven is reached. This is a process not an event. Sanctifying grace is God setting the believer apart and the believer maturing in their faith, knowing Jesus more and the power of his resurrection. Here we are freed from the power of sin. (Phil. 3:10)

Glorifying Grace:

This is the grace that God bestows when He takes us to be with Him, to rain as heirs unto the Kingdom, as adopted sons and daughters. We are completely healed from all earthly things. We are freed from the pain of sin. (Phi. 3:11)

The Church:

The Church is the body of Christ. The new word for church is ekklesia, which
means the called out. Christ is the foundation of the church. There are two aspects of The Church in which all believers are a part of: Global and Local. The Global Church is what every
believer from past, present and future is a part of. This is world-wide and surpasses ethnicity, race, sex, age, and background. All believers are a part of the same body of Christ! In the Local Church- believers’ worship, minister and do life together. They keep one another accountable, bear one another’s burdens and encourage each other. They are bonded by the blood of Christ that surpasses ethnicity, race, sex, age, and background. The distinctive factor within the local church is the presence of being in each other’s daily lives.

Community:

The believer’s life is not one of solitude. Rather, we are called to lock arms with
brothers and sisters in Christ. Community is within the local church, and relationships with other believers is vital and necessary for the work of Sanctification.

Cooperation:

Although each church is independently autonomous and is only under the
headship of Christ. We believe that every church should cooperate for the name of Christ and the extension of His kingdom. Cooperation means that a Christian’s primary responsibility is to the ministries of their local church (which should be focused on the great commission). However, Christians are not subject to only supporting their local church but also cooperating with other ministries that are making disciples.

Ecumenical Collaboration:

We collaborate with other believers for the sake of mission. There are many Christians who differ on certain theological nuances. As long as these are not doctrinal divisions that hinder the work of the Gospel, we should always collaborate beyond the walls of denominationalism.

The Ordinances:

Christ assigned His church two ordinances- Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Ordinance means decree or command. These are not sacraments, as sacraments implies -that in doing them we receive extra grace. We believe that Baptism and The Lord’s Supper is simply
an affirmation of the Grace that is already ours.

Baptism:

Baptism is an act that makes public your commitment and relationship with God. Baptism does not save, nor does it begin the process of salvation. Rather, it affirms the salvation that has already been received by the righteousness of Christ. The baptism picture is a believer’s death to sin and their resurrection to walk in the newness of life. Baptism is the initial identification that you are a believer.

The Ordinances:

Lord’s Supper:

If Baptism is the initial identification that one is a believer, the Lord’s supper is the on-going affirmation of our identity in Christ and what He has done for us. This is not a memorial to be received but a congregational act in which the covenant believers, in obedience to God’s command, unit in one faith to one Lord. We taste and see that God is good. We examine our lives and carefully observe our hearts (1 Cor. 11:87-32)

The Lord’s Day:

The Lord’s Day is a day of observance. Lord’s Day is identified with the first
day of the week. In the rhythm of life, the first day of the week is important because this gives structure to the Christian commitment. Christ appeared on the first day of the week (John 20:19), and believers came together on this day to worship (Acts 20:7).

Missions:

It is the duty and privilege of every believer to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. The great commission is not for a select few but for all who identify as followers of Christ. Therefore, all believers have the duty and privilege. Every believer should long for the gospel to be taken to the ends of the earth. God longs for ALL to be saved and for no one to parish. How can people believe without hearing? How can they hear without preaching? And how can someone preach if they are not sent? (Romans 10:13-15) Every believer plays a role in missions. From giving, encouraging, equipping to being sent. We are called to evangelize both locally and internationally. One is not more important than the other. As God deserves the worship of both your neighbors and those from other nations.

Marriage, Family:

Marriage is only between the uniting of one man and one woman in a covenant commitment for life. Both husband and wife have equal worth before God. However, they have distinctive and unique roles within the relationship. The marriage of one man and one woman shows the unique love that God has for His church and creation. God honored
marriage by establishing the metaphor of bridegroom and bride to express the relationship between Christ and His church. This metaphor helps us understand the intimacy, purity, priority, and order that are to characterize earthly marriages.

Children:

Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the
Lord. From the moment of conception life begins and this life is a gift from God. The responsibilities of the parents are to raise the children in the ways of the Lord. Parents are to teach spiritual and moral values that lead them to live lives based on biblical truth. The parents are the PRIMARY resource God uses in teaching children biblical foundations.

Singleness:

Singleness is a blessing in which God gives. It is not a curse but rather an
opportunity to be more flexible in the unwavering commitment of mission and evangelism. The apostle Paul says it is better to be single than married for the purposes of ministry. (1 Cor. 7:8- 32) However, like those who are married- those living in singleness share burdens and weights. However, God is sufficient in meeting all our needs.

Purity:

We believe that sex is a gift from God bestowed on humanity inside the bounds of marriage between one husband and one wife. The gift of sex is intended to strengthen the marital bond and affirm the exclusiveness of the relationship between husband and wife. Any sexual intimacy outside the covenant and confines of marriage between wife and husband is sin
and a transgression against God.