Faith Statement

I. The Doctrinal Inerrancy of the Bible

The Lighthouse recognizes the Historic Bible to be the inerrant Word of God, which was inspired by the Holy Spirit and passed down from one generation to the next through a series of carefully transcribed manuscripts. These manuscripts were written by over 40 authors in three original languages (Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic) on three continents over a thousand years with crystal clear doctrine that does not contradict itself, from Genesis through Revelation. The prophetic precision of minute details of actual cities in the ancient world is well documented and validated by Archeology. The Bible is merited on the basis of other works of antiquity as an accurate historic document in of itself, as well as being accurate when compared to official political records of formerly established governments. These manuscripts are represented today in the word for word translation like New American Standard Bible or thought for thought translation like New International Version or the beauty of the King James Bible (2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:21).

II. The Virgin Birth

We know that the prophets looked down the corridor of time to the Messiah (Isaiah 7:14, Daniel 9 and Zachariah 9:9). Isaiah described the virgin birth of Emanuel. Daniel proclaimed the days of Christ the King, as being 69 weeks of Sabbaths (490 years) from King Artaxerxes decree for Nehemiah to restore the wall in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2) on 30 March 457 BC to the Triumphant Entry on Monday, 30 March 33 AD (Nisan 10) (as predicted by Zechariah) to the cross Friday, 3 April 33 AD (Daniel 9:26) was to the day and hour the time Christ fulfillment of the law in our place. The immutable fact of the Resurrection occurred three days later (see Jewish definition of a day).

Documentation of the period in which the historic Jesus lived is found in Jewish documents like the Talmud. The column of Governor Pilate has been unearthed in Judea. The Gospel accounts validate the Virgin Birth, as accurate and historic (see Matthew chapters 1 and 2 & Luke chapters 1 and 2). Since man is conceived in sin, the Savior could not have been conceived in a like manor. If Christ would be the second Adam (who had to be unblemished and perfect), then He had to be perfect.

III. The Deity of Christ

Since we know that the Bible is historic and evidential, we can trust that Christ is who He claimed to be, who God the Father proclaimed Him to be and who the Holy Spirit demonstrated Him to be. There is no doubt that Jesus Christ is Messiah! The family of Christ the King was opened to the Gentiles as prophesied by Joel (Joel 2:28) and ratified by the tearing of the curtain in the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 23:45). The Apostle John wrote of the Deity of Christ (John 1:1f) throughout the Gospel and letters of John, which is a great apologetic to make that point.

IV. Salvation through the Perfect Atonement of Christ, or free Gift of God

The Law convicts the individual and sets the standard by which God’s people are to live, but we are made free from the Law through Christ (Romans 8 and Ephesians 2:8f).

V. Guidance through the Application of the Word to our Lives and Prayer

In order for God’s people to know what God’s plan is, the believer must read the Bible. The more familiar and personal God becomes to a person, the more that person will know how to pray and seek the face of God. Knowledge of the Scriptures empowers the believer to pray according to God’s will. This is where the rubber meets the road; not my will, but Thy will be done--submission (Matthew 6:10, Matthew 7:21, Colosians 1:9, Romans 12:2) and renewing of the mind through the Scriptures.

VI. The Return of Christ

God cannot bear false witness, because of His moral attributes. Christ said He would return (Luke 21:25f). The Old Testament prophets (like Joel, Isaiah, as well as New Testament witnesses like John the Beloved) saw down the corridor of time and saw the events in the season of the Second Advent, unlike the first Advent where every detail of the life of Christ was foretold according to a specific time-table (Matthew 24:37-51f, Luke 17:22f, Genesis 18:25f). The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cap stone of our faith (Luke chapter 24). He is alive and will return for His bride one glorious day!

VII. Establishment of the Millennial Kingdom

Since we have placed out trust in the Jesus Christ being the Word who became flesh, we know that His mission was to destroy the work of The Kingdom of Darkness. He defeated the accuser of the Saints at the cross and made an open show of Satan and his demons (Col. 2:14-15). We know through Christ’s character that we can rely on Revelation 20 (where Satan’s doom is sealed) and we recognize that through the Creator, all things will become new (Revelation 21).

VIII. The Trinity

Unfortunately, the essential doctrine of the Trinity has to be addressed in the Articles of Faith because of the aberrant groups teaching otherwise. Therefore, the Trinity is specifically cited and defended here. The famous variant for the word “Trinity” was fabricated by Erasmus for use in the King James 1611 version of the Bible. However, the actual word “Trinity” was expressed in 1 John 5:7, which read “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one”. Although the concept of the God-Head (one God in three persons) is correct (1 John 5:6f), the idea that there is only one God found in the Jewish Proclamation “The Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deut 6:4). The Hebrew word for God in Genesis 1:1 is plural, Elohiym- Hebrew Lex #430.

God the Father is found in the Lord’s Prayer, as “Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be they name...” (Matthew 6:9f).

God the Son is Jesus Christ (John 1:6-18, 14:6).

God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-18, 14:16-18, Acts 5:3-4, 16:6-7, 2 Corinthians 13:14).

We see these three personalities together in the beautiful scenery of Creation, the Virgin Birth, Jesus Baptism and the Resurrection (Acts 5:30f, Romans 8:11). This essential is not up for debate.

IX. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

This Article of Faith is not an essential, but since there is so much heated debate over the issue it is clarified here. There are two views held within the church-at-Large, which are deemed correct in the pale of orthodoxy. That is today that the cannon of Scripture is closed and the gifts are not longer needed. The other view is that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are extant today, while keeping in mind that the gift of Prophecy must be washed through the grid of Scripture; or no new revelations. Lighthouse holds of the later position with a caution to people; which is that gifts must be used as prescribed in the Scripture. Used to Edify, not to destroy and definitely not used to abuse.