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    The Network's Statement of Faith...      Updated Mar 1, 1994
 

                 The Essentials We Believe...

     About  God:  God is the Creator and Ruler of  the  universe.  
He has eternally existed in the three personalities: the  Father, 
the  Son, and the Holy Spirit.  These three are co-equal and  are 
one God.

Genesis 1:1, 1:26, 1:27, 3:22, Psalm 90:2, Matthew 28:19, I Peter 
1:2, II Corinthians 13:14

     About Jesus Christ:  Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  He  is 
co-equal  with the Father.  Jesus lived a sinless human life  and 
offered  Himself  as the perfect sacrifice for the  sins  of  all 
people  by dying on a cross.  He arose from the dead after  three 
days to demonstrate His power over sin and death.  He ascended to 
Heaven's glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as 
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Matthew  1:22,23,  Isaiah  9:6,  John  1:1-5,  14:10-30,  Hebrews 
4:14,15,  I  Corinthians  15:3,4, Romans 1:3,4,  Acts  1:9-11,  I 
Timothy 6:14,15, Titus 2:13

     About the Holy Spirit:  The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the 
Father  and the Son of God.  He is present in the world  to  make 
men aware of their need for Jesus Christ.  He also lives in every 
Christian  from the moment of salvation.  He provides the  Chris-
tian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and 
guidance  in  doing  what is right.  He gives  every  believer  a 
spiritual  gift  when they are saved.  As Christians we  seek  to 
live under His control daily.

II Corinthians 3:17, John 16:7-13, 14:16,17, Acts 1:8,  Ephesians 
1:13, 5:18, I Corinthians 2:12, 3:16, Galatians 5:25, 

     About  the  Bible:  The Bible is God's Word to us.   It  was 
written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of  the 
Holy  Spirit.   It is the supreme source of truth  for  Christian 
beliefs  and  living.  Because it is inspired by God, it  is  the 
truth without any mixture of error.

II  Timothy  1:13, 3:16, II Peter 1:20,21,  Psalm  119:105,  160, 
12:6, Proverbs 30:5

     About Human Beings:  People are made in the spiritual  image 
of  God,  to be like Him in character.  People  are  the  supreme 
object  of God's creation.  Although every person has  tremendous 
potential  for  good,  all of us are marred  by  an  attitude  of 
disobedience  toward God called "sin".  This  attitude  separates 
people from God and causes many problems in life.

Genesis  1:27,  Psalm  8:3-6, Isaiah 53:6,  Romans  3:23,  Isaiah 
59:1,2

     About Salvation:  Salvation is God's free gift to us but  we 
must  accept  it.   We can never make up for  our  sin  by  self-
improvement  or good works.  Only by trusting in Jesus Christ  as 
God's  offer  of  forgiveness  can anyone  be  saved  from  sin's 
penalty.  When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus 
in  faith  we  are saved.  Eternal life  begins  the  moment  one 
receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

Romans  6:23,  Ephesians  2:8,9,  John  1:12,  14:6,  Titus  3:5, 
Galatians 3:26, Romans 5:1

     About  Eternal Security:  Because God gives us eternal  life 
through  Jesus  Christ,  the  true believer  is  secure  in  that 
salvation  for eternity.  If you have been genuinely  saved,  you 
cannot "lose" it.  Salvation is maintained by the grace and power 
of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian.  It is the grace 
and keeping power of God that gives us this security.

John  10:29,  II Timothy 1:12, Hebrews 7:25,  10:10-14,  I  Peter 
1:3,4,5

    Further, the Bible clearly  teaches that  eternal life and the
heavenly inheritence are PRESENT POSSESSIONS of the believer (John
3:36;5:24; 6:47; Rom 5:9; Eph. 1:14; 4:30; II Tim. 4:8), and  will
not be taken away (John 10:28-29; Rom. 8:35-39; 11:29;I Pet. 1:4),
because God preserves believers (Hab. 3:17-19; Phi. 1:6;  I Thess.
5:23-24; II Thess. 3:3; II Tim. 1:12; 4:18; Heb. 7:25; I Pet. 1:5;
II Pet. 2:9; Jude 24).  As the Scripture teaches, we can indeed be
assured of our salvation (Rom. 4:16; I John 5:13).

     About  Eternity:  People were created to exist forever.   We
will  either  exist  eternally  separated from  God  by  sin,  or 
eternally  with  God through forgiveness and  salvation.   To  be 
eternally  separated from God is Hell.  To be eternally in  union 
with  Him  is eternal life.  Heaven and Hell are real  places  of 
eternal existence.

John 3:16, 2:25, 5:11-13, Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:15,  Matthew 
1:8, 2:44,46

     Overall Summary: All Christians, have passed from death unto life
the moment  they place their trust in Jesus Christ.  Jesus  proclaimed
in John 5:24, "I say emphatically that anyone  who listens to my mess-
age and believes in God who sent  me has  eternal life, and will never
be damned for his sins, but has already passed out of death into life.
1 John 5:12 says, "And what is it that God has said? That he has given
us eternal life and that this life is in his Son. So whoever has God's
Son has life; whoever does not have his Son, does not have life."

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