WHAT WE BELIEVE

The Statement of Faith for The Ezekiel Project, Inc., is as follows:

“We believe:

In one God, Almighty, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, holy, eternally existing, gracious, merciful, compassionate and abounding in steadfast love. We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, yet the Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Holy Spirit. Each is truly Deity, having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and Each is worthy of precisely the same homage, contingence and obedience. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 90:2; Nehemiah 9:17; Matthew 28: 18-19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4, 17:31; II Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; I Peter 1:15-16; Revelation 1:4-6, 4:8).
In the Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary in His incarnation. He lived a sinless life, died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice for our sins, was buried and rose bodily form the dead. He ascended into heaven, was exalted by the Father and now intercedes as our High Priest and advocate. (Matthew 1:18-20; John 1:1, 14; Romans 1:4, 8:34; I Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 4:14-16, 7:24-25; 9:24; I Peter 3:18, 2:22; I John 3:5).
In the Holy Spirit, co-equal with the Father and the Son, who glorified the Lord Jesus, and who convicts people of sin, regenerates the believing sinner and permanently indwells all Christians. He guides, instructs, empowers and gives gifts to believers for godly living and for service in building up the body of Christ. Spirit baptism occurs once at the time of faith in Christ, but the Spirit’s filling may occur repeatedly after salvation. Some gifts of the Spirit such as speaking in tongues and miraculous healings had special significance during the New Testament apostolic period and are no longer in operation during this present economy. (John 14:16-17, 26, 16:7-15; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 6:19, 12:11-13, 13:8; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:18; Hebrews 2:3-4).
In the Scriptures, Old and New Testament, as the inspired Word of God, which are entirely trustworthy and without error in the original writings. They are the complete revelation of God’s will for the salvation of people and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life. (II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:21).
That man has sinned, man, who was created in the image and likeness of God, has sinned, and is guilty before a holy God, but can receive salvation by being regenerated by the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:27; John 3:3-5; Romans 3:10, 23, 5:12; Titus 3:4-7).
That the death of Christ was substitutionary and atoning. The death and physical resurrection of Christ provide the only ground for a sinner’s justification and acceptance by God. All who receive the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior by faith are redeemed by His blood and born of the Holy Spirit, becoming children of God. Those who are “born again” are sealed by the Spirit, have eternal life, are kept by the power of God and shall never perish. (John 3:16-18, 36, 5:24, 10:27-29; Romans 4:25, 5:8; Ephesians 1:7,13-14, 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7; I Peter 1:3-5).
In the personal return of the Lord Jesus to take all believers to be with Himself forever. His coming is to be expected at any time and will be followed by the restoration of Israel, in the millennial reign of Christ and the wrath of God upon unredeemed society. (Isaiah 2:2-4, 11:1-10; Matthew 24:4-44; John 14:2-3; Romans 11:25-26; I Corinthians 15:51-52; I Thessalonians 4:13-17; Titus 2:13: Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-6).
That at death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body. At that time, Christ will come for His own, whereupon soul and body reunited shall be associated with Him forever in glory. The spirits and souls of the unbelieving remain after death conscious of condemnation and in conscious misery until the final judgment of the great white throne at the close of the Millennium. Their soul and body reunited shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. (Luke 16:19-26, 23:42; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 1:6-7; Revelation 20:11-15).
In Christian baptism as an expression of a believer’s identification with Christ and commitment to follow Him. Baptism is not a means of, or an aid to, salvation; however, it is expected of all believers in obedience to our Lord. We believe in the practice of baptism by immersion, symbolizing the believer’s death and burial with Christ and his being raised with Him to live a new life. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:12, 35-39, 16:31-33; Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12).
That the celebration of the Lord’s Supper is the privilege and responsibility of all believers. No person who gives a credible confession of faith is to be refused participation in the communion of our Lord, unless that person is willfully engaging in sin, persists in disseminating false doctrine or creating schism, or is being disciplined by another church for such practices. The observance of the Lord’s Supper does not require the presence or administration of a designated leader. Believers may exercise their common priesthood under the leadership of the Holy Spirit to remember and worship their Lord. (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:15-20; Acts 2:42; I Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:23-26; I Peter 2:5).
That the true Church is a living, spiritual Body of which Christ is the Head. It is composed of all those, whether living or dead, who are genuine Christians united together in that one Body of Christ through baptism of the Holy Spirit. (I Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18).
That the Lord has called believers to fellowship together in local, autonomous congregations. These congregations, though autonomous in government, exist in vital union with all other believers. As Christians, we are to join in worshipping the living God, praying, building up one another in the faith and giving of our time and money as good stewards for the work of God. We are also to observe the Lord’s Supper, baptize converts, teach the Word of God and proclaim the Gospel of Christ. (Acts 2:42; I Corinthians 1:2; Hebrews 10:24-25).
That the assembly of Christians is to be guided and led by qualified and recognized elders who are responsible before God as shepherds of His flock. The elders are to share various responsibilities with other spiritual and capable men and women. (Acts 14:23, 20:17-28; I Corinthians 12:4-11; Philippians 1:1; I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 13:17; I Peter 5:2-3).
That the teaching and pastoral ministry in the local congregation is not the duty or responsibility of any one individual within the congregation. Evangelists, pastors and teachers are to be welcomed and encouraged as they work in cooperation with the elders for the purpose of helping with the total ministry of the church. Women share with men in various spiritual ministries, an exception being audible prayer and the teaching of the Scriptures before the whole congregation, which is an exercise of authority. (I Corinthians 11:3-10, 14:34-35; Ephesians 4:11-13; I Timothy 2:11-14).
That it is the responsibility of all Christians to love God and their neighbor, to worship God in spirit and in truth, to study the Scriptures and pray continually in order to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in daily living. We are to be filled with the Spirit, share the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ and encourage one another in the faith as we look expectantly for the coming of our Lord. (Matthew 28:18-20; John 4:23-24, 15:16-17; Acts 1:8; Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:22-26; Ephesians 5:18-21, 2:10; Titus 2:11-15).”