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DOCTRINAL STATEMENT |
- Statement of Faith
- Mission Statement
- Doctrinal Affirmation
- Church Constitution
Statement of Faith:
The Scriptures (Bibliology)
We believe in the perspicuous, plenary and verbal inspiration of the
Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible. It consists of sixty-six books,
inerrant and infallible in the original, and are the supreme authority in
conscience, faith and practice.
Psa 12:6,7; Psa 119: 89; Matt 4:4; 2 Pet 1:19-21; 2Tim 3:16,17
The Godhead (Theology)
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
yet one in essence and equal in every perfection. The Trinity of the Godhead is co-eternal,
co-equal, and co-essential, personal, righteous and holy in all dealings, and also gracious.
John 14:6-12; John 16:7; Matt 28:19; Luke 3:21,22
The Lord Jesus Christ (Christology)
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
We believe in His eternal and full deity and His sinless and full human nature, conjoined but
not co-mingled, in one person.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and shed His blood and died
for the sins of His people according to the Holy Bible, as a substitutionary and atoning
sacrifice.
We believe in the physical, bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ after His burial;
in His bodily ascension into heaven; and in His present bodily life there as High Priest and
Intercessor for His redeemed.
Matt 1:18-20; John 1:1,2,14; 1 Cor 15:3-6; 2 Cor 5:21, Rom 3:21-26; Matt 28:5-7; Acts 1:9-11; Heb 7:25-27; 1 John 3:2,3; 1 Thess 4:14-17; 1 Cor 15:51-53; Titus 2:11-14
The Holy Spirit (Pneumatology)
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead. We believe in His full diety and full
personality. Among His ministries are: restraining of evil in the world to the measure of the divine will;
the convicting of the world regarding sin, righteousness,and judgement; the regeneration of all subsequently
true believers in Jesus Christ; the permanent indwelling of all those who are regenerated (saved);
and the continued filling for power, teaching, living in holiness and righteousness, and service among
those saved and who are yielded to Him. We do not believe in the modern Charismatic and Pentecostal emphasis.
John 3:6; John 14:16,17; John 16:7-15; Rom 8:9; Eph 4:30; Eph 5:18; 2 Thess 2:7; 1 John 2:20-27
Mankind (Anthropology)
With the only exception of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe that mankind
(every single man, woman, boy and girl) subsequent to the fall is totally depraved towards God;
to keep His Holy and good laws, to love Him, to understand the Gospel, to repent of sin or to
trust Christ. We believe that this does not diminish the responsibility of every individual
to obey God's command to repent of their sins and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Eph 2:1-3; Rom 3-10-20; Acts 17:30
Sin (Harmatialogy)
We believe that Adam fell from his original righteousness into sin of his own free choice and disobedience,
and brought upon himself and all his offspring death, condemnation and the sinful nature.
Sin is falling short of the glory of God by not living the perfect, good and holy laws of God perfectly.
Rom 5:12, 15, 17, 19; Eph 2:1-3; Rom 3:23
Atonement
We believe that God's Son shed His blood and died at Calvary, was buried, and rose again
from the dead, to effect substitutionary atonement, expiation, propitiation, redemption
and reconciliation for His elect people.
Rom 5:11; Rom 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10; Heb 9:11,12
Salvation(Soteriology)
Salvation is of and by God's free and sovereign elective grace toward a sinner,
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This election was in no way dependent
upon God's foresight of human faith, decision, works or merit.
We believe that this salvation or redemption by God is worked out in the life of His
elect first by way of justification, then by way of continued sanctification, and
culminating in the glorification of the saints.
Heb 10:10; John 17:17; Eph 2:8,9; Eph 5:26-27; Titus 3:4-7
Separation
We believe in the biblical doctrine of separation which encompasses
three things: (1) the separation of the local church from all
affiliation and fellowship with those who deny the truths of the
“faith once delivered to the saints”, (2) the separation of the
individual believer from all worldly practices that would dishonor
the Saviour, and (3) the separation of church and state.
2 Tim 3:1-5; Rom 12:1,2; Rom 14:13; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11; 2 Cor 6:14 - 7:1
The Church (Ecclesiology)
We believe that the Church is a company of the saved, throughout this period of grace,
built by and united in Jesus Christ in oneness and fellowship with His Holy Spirit.
We further believe that local churches are the center of God's programme for this age of grace,
and that the saints thereof are bound by Scripture to give their unhindered cooperation for the purpose of
the edification of the saints and to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ to those whom they come in contact with.
We believe that the local church is under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ alone; nevertheless,
He has appointed men to be elders, and deacons to minister to His saints.
Matt 16:16-18; 1 Cor 12:12-30; Acts 2: 42-47; 1 Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:5
The Ordinances
We believe that Water Baptism and the Lord's Supper are gospel ordinances belonging only to regenerated
believers. Water Baptism (properly called Believer's Baptism) is by the complete immersion in,
and arising up out of water. It is set forth for us as a beautiful yet solemn way of our identification
with the Lord Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection - to walk in newness of life.
The Lord's Supper is the commemoration of the Lord's atoning and substitutionary death for us, and
of our continual fellowship with Him. It should be preceded with careful self-examination.
Acts 8:36-39; Rom 6:3-14; 1 Cor 11:23-32
The Great Commission
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has commissioned the Church to take the Gospel to the world,
and that being His witnesses should be the primary, external programme of the local church.
Matt 28:19,20; Acts 1:8
Last things (Eschatology)
We believe in the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ to receive to Himself those that are in Him.
The wicked unredeemed shall be condemned to everlasting, conscious, spiritual and physical punishment
in the lake of fire. God shall create a new heaven and a new earth on which the redeemed righteous shall
enjoy the eternal and everlasting conscious, spiritual and physical blessedness in and of the presence of
the Lord Jesus Christ, to glorify God forever.
1 Thess 4:17; John 14:3; Matt 24:21; Rev 19:11-16; Ezek 39:25-29; Rev 21:1
Mission Statement:
Our Mission statement is 'Teaching Theology to the Church'.
Doctrinal Affirmation:
The Reformed Trust recognises the following confessions of faith and doctrinal affirmations:
- The five 'solas'
- The Three Forms of Unity
- The Westminster Confession of Faith
- The Larger Catechism
- The Shorter Catechism
- The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith
Church Constitution:
The Reformed Trust is currently working on a constitution.
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