CONFESSION OF FAITH Of Olivet Church Abbotsford
(revised September 13, 2021)
1. 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. 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. 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.
2.1.1 Father
We believe in God the Father who rules and reigns as Sovereign Lord of all things in heaven and
earth. 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.
2.1.2 Son
We believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, fully God and fully man. 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. He bodily arose from the dead to reign
with the Father in Heaven, where He is today. 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.
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. 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.
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 in a
literal creation account in the book of Genesis which consists of 6 days of creation and the
7th day of rest (24 hour days). We believe that the whole Bible (66 books) in the
originals is, therefore, without error. We believe that all the Scriptures center around the
person of Jesus Christ and is the only infallible written guide to Christian commitment and mature
faith.
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; that he is dead in his trespasses and sins and, hence, is totally depraved; 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.
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.
Redemption is available to all who repent of their sins and through faith believe in the person and
work of Jesus Christ. 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. Justification by faith leads to but does not proceed from good works.
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.
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”.
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.
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.
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.
2.4.1.3 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.
2.4.2 Christian Service
We believe that divine, enabling gifts for service are bestowed by the Spirit upon all who are
saved. 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. 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.
2.4.3 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. 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 neighbor as ourselves.
2.4.4 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.
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. 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.
2.5 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. The Bible teaches that God does not desire that anyone perish but all
to come to repentance. We acknowledge that Revelation 7:9 reveals heaven will include those from
“all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues”. We believe that the Bible also teaches that God has
chosen Israel (the physical descendants from the line of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob) to have a
central role in the working out of His plan of redemption. Gentile believers are therefore
“grafted” into God’s everlasting covenant with believing Israel. We believe that the church is
called to bless & pray for Jewish people to recognize Jesus as their promised Messiah so they
may come to saving faith.