CONFESSION OF FAITH
Of Olivet Church Abbotsford
(Adopted on December 15, 2008)
PREAMBLE
We of the Olivet Church adhere to the tenets of Judeo Christian faith, building upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.1 We believe that the entire Bible, the Old and New Testaments, is the living Word of God and, therefore, the only infallible source of faith, life, and ministry.2
DOCTRINE
2.1 GOD
We believe in one eternal and changeless God, Creator and sustainer of man and the universe, and all things. We believe God is perfect in all ways, holy and infinite.3 He has always existed in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, uniquely identified, yet of one substance, equal in power and glory. He has revealed himself in His Word, the Holy Bible, and is identified by such titles as: The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; The God of Israel; Yahweh; The most high God.4
2.1.1 Father
We believe in God the Father who rules and reigns as Sovereign Lord of all things in heaven and earth.5 He abounds in grace and compassion and desires that all become His children and heirs through acceptance of the salvation offered in His Son Jesus Christ.6
2.1.2 Son
We believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, fully God and fully man.7 He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, was crucified and bore the past, present and future sin of man upon the cross.8 He bodily arose from the dead to reign with the Father in Heaven, where He is today.9 We believe Him to be the sole mediator between God and man and that eternal life is available to those who repent of their sin, seek and receive His forgiveness and call upon His name as Saviour and Lord.10
2.1.3 Holy Spirit
We believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit, who emanates from the Father and is sent by the Son.11 We believe in the convicting, converting, teaching, judging,comforting, indwelling, sealing, empowering, healing, and administering work of the Holy Spirit and that through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit man is able to be sanctified.12
2.2 HOLY SCRIPTURES
We believe that the entire Holy Bible is inspired by God and that holy men of God “were moved by the Holy Spirit” to write the very words of the Scriptures. We believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the sacred writings – historical, poetical, doctrinal, scientific, and prophetical – as appeared in the original manuscripts. We believe that the whole Bible (66 books) in the originals is, therefore, without error. We believe that all the Scriptures centre around the person of Jesus Christ and is the only infallible written guide to Christian commitment and mature faith.13
2.3 SIN AND SALVATION
2.3.1 Man’s Sin
We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he fell, through sin, and lost his spiritual life;14 that he is dead in his trespasses and sins and, hence, is totally depraved;15 that this fallen nature is transmitted to every descendent of Adam, the man Christ Jesus excepted; that man has no spark of divine life and is unchangeable apart from divine grace.16
2.3.2 Redemption
We believe that God in His infinite mercy and grace provides a means whereby man’s sin may be forgiven, and that redemption is possible only because God sent His only begotten Son to bear man’s sin in his place, thereby discharging by the shedding of His blood the full penalty of our sin.17 Redemption is available to all who repent of their sins and through faith believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ.18 Apart of this, there is no other means of salvation.
2.3.3 Justification
We believe that when man accepts redemption the penalty for his sin has been paid, and through the atonement of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, our past, present, and future sins are not only forgiven but forgotten.19 Justification by faith leads to but does not proceed from good works.20
2.3.4 Sanctification
We believe that when we have been regenerated we enter into a covenant with God in which we allow Him, through the Holy Spirit, to begin the process of change whereby we are enabled to fulfil the Divine plan God has for each of our lives. We believe that the child of God will yet be fully sanctified in his state as he is now sanctified in his standing in Christ when he shall see his Lord and shall be “like Him”. This process continues throughout our earthly life.21
2.3.5 Glorification
Glorification is the final step for eternal salvation for all true believers in Jesus Christ. We believe that those who are saved are justified, redeemed, sanctified, and eventually glorified at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ with resurrected incorruptible bodies. This glorification means that we will live and reign with Christ in the “new heaven and new earth, the home of righteousness”.22
2.4 CHURCH
We believe that all who are united to the risen and ascended Son of God are members of the Body of Christ. We believe that by the same Spirit all believers in this age are baptized into, and thus become, one body that is Christ’s, whether Jews or Gentiles, and having become members one of another, are under solemn duty to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, rising above all racial prejudices or sectarian differences, and loving one another with a pure heart fervently.23
2.4.1 Ordinances
2.4.1.1 The Lord’s Supper
We believe that the Lord’s Supper is to remember the sacrificial love of Jesus, and celebrate the joyous expectation of His return.24
2.4.1.2 Baptism
We believe that all those who believe, repent, and commit to Jesus Christ should receive baptism as an outward symbol of their union and commitment to Him. This act of obedience is declared public upon their confession of faith. We believe that immersion symbolizes our death to sin through Christ and our new life in His resurrection.
Marriage
We believe marriage is a sacred institution ordained by God. We believe that marriage is reserved to be between one man and one woman.26
2.4.2 Christian Service
We believe that divine, enabling gifts for service are bestowed by the Spirit upon all who are saved.27 While there is a diversity of gifts, each believer is energized by the same Spirit, and each is called to his own divinely appointed service as the Spirit sovereignly determines. In the apostolic church there were certain gifted individuals – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers – who were appointed by God for the perfecting of the saints unto their work of the ministry.28 We believe also that today some are especially called of God to be evangelists, pastors and teachers, and that it is to the fulfilling of His will and to His eternal glory that these shall be sustained and encouraged in their service for God.29
Christian Life and Duty
We believe that in order to experience the abundant life and God’s supreme purpose for our lives it is necessary to daily study God’s Word, and spend time in praise and prayer and to regularly fellowship and worship within a body of believers.30 Further we believe that we must be obedient and yielded to the work God desires to accomplish in us by the Holy Spirit’s power that we might be equipped to fulfil His command to love our neighbour as ourselves.31
Christian Stewardship
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, should give to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the principle of giving whereby Christians should give regularly and cheerfully to the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the offering once the gift has been made.32
2.4.5 Human Sexuality
We believe that God has commanded that no sexual activity be engaged outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex.33 We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. 34
RETURN OF CHRIST & THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S COVENANTS
We believe in the Second Coming of Christ. He will come to remove His saints and will return to earth in glory. There will be a final judgement of unbelievers after which all men will reside forever in heaven or in hell.35
2.6 ISRAEL
We believe that the bible teaches that God has a love and plan for “all nations”. However, Israel (physical descendants from the line of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob) has a central role in God’s redemptive plan for mankind. As the scriptures teach, it was Israel who received the covenants, the law, and the promises of God. As gentile believers we are grafted into God’s everlasting covenant with Israel. We do not hold to the teaching that the gentile church has replaced Israel. As a church we support and will participate with all ministries that hold to Jesus as the messiah. It is our desire to bless the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. As a church, we will continue to seek ministry opportunities that support and bless Israel.36
2.7 BIBLICAL FEASTS
As a church we encourage all members to celebrate the biblical feasts as described in Leviticus 23, namely the three annual feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Feast of Tabernacles. These feasts are God’s special “appointed times” for us to meet with Him as each foreshadows and teaches about Jesus Christ in a unique way. The feasts were given to God’s chosen people– Israel. However, the Bible says that “all of the nations will be blessed” through Abraham’s descendents37, therefore we as Gentiles can celebrate the feasts. We believe that Jesus is our Passover lamb.38 His sacrificial blood was spilled for our sins. Passover reminds us of our need to put the blood of Yeshua over the doorframes of our hearts. Yeshua died on Passover. Pentecost or Shavuot celebrates the birthday of the Church. It was the time of the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai and also the giving of the Holy Spirit where the Word was written “not on hearts of stone, but on hearts of flesh.”39 The Feast of Tabernacles commemorates the time when the Israelites dwelled in tabernacles (small huts) in the wilderness as God provided for them, The feast also speaks of the Messianic Kingdom when God will “tabernacle among men.”40 This “Feast of Ingathering” as it is also called in the Bible, prophetically speaks to the future “ingathering” or harvest of souls.