My Theological Beliefs

MY THEOLOGICAL BELIEFS

THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST
I believe that Jesus is the only way to salvation and eternal life. I believe a personal relationship must be established by each individual by repenting of sin and trusting Christ as Lord and Savior. We do not inherit our Christianity from our parents, nor is it obtained through any association with the church. It is an individual's decision to receive God's grace through faith. Jesus is the focus of everything we do or believe. As for me, and in the life of every believer, He is the Lord or boss of every aspect of our life.

THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE FOR FAITH AND PRACTICE
I believe the Bible is the absolute authority for the way we practice our faith in moral responsibility, theological beliefs, and relationships with God and our fellow man. The Bible, not the church, nor the preacher, has the final say in the way we practice our faith as Christians. I believe all Christians should read and study the Bible. My basis of faith is the Bible. At JIL Church (Lipa City Chapter), where I pastored for years, we teach that the Bible is the "God-breathed, infallible Word of God." It is perfect truth from cover to cover, and all Scripture in the Old Testament through the New Testament points to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, the Ultimate Word of God.

THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS
I believe that every Christian has direct access to God through Jesus Christ. I do not have to go through someone else to confess my sins to God or to pray to God. All Christians are ministers. We may have different roles of leadership in the church (such as pastor, elders, teacher, etc.), but every Christian is called to be a minister.

BELIEVER'S BAPTISM BY IMMERSION
I believe that the Bible teaches that when a person makes a decision to become a Christian, baptism by immersion follows that decision as a public testimony of one's faith in Christ. In the early church, according to the Bible, baptism was by immersion.
Since I believe that salvation is a personal relationship with Jesus and not through association with a church, infant baptism and sprinkling would be unacceptable. I do not believe that baptism is required for salvation, but I believe that it is a symbolic testimony of our faith in Christ.

SYMBOLIC VIEW OF THE ORDINANCES
We observe two ordinances (not sacraments) in our congregation: The Lord's Supper and Baptism. I believe that observing the Lord's Supper reminds us symbolically of the great price Jesus paid for the forgiveness of our sins. This is a time when believers carefully examine their lives, confess sin, and remember the sacrifice of Jesus' life that makes salvation possible.
Baptism by immersion symbolically describes what occurs in salvation: 1) we are completely cleansed of all sin, and 2) we have died to sin and selfishness (a symbol of burial as one goes under the water), and we rise to a new life identifying with the Resurrected Lord Jesus (as we come up out of the water). Baptism by immersion dramatizes the new life in Christ.

EMPHASIS ON MISSIONS AND EVANGELISM
I believe it is our responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord. This means we are to go out into society and tell people about the gospel of Christ. For those who receive it, we are to teach them about God and His Word.
We voluntarily give to the “Missions Fund” that provides support for all our missionaries and Bible teachers. We feel we can support more people and do more missions through a cooperative effort, though each church is free to support any Christian mission work as God leads.