Lindsey Trinity Church Doctrine

These beliefs and doctrines reflect that of a Wesleyan theological tradition.

Statement of Beliefs

1. The scriptures inspired. The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to man,

the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary

to reason (2 Timothy 3:15-16, 1 Peter 2:2).

2. The one true God. The one true God has revealed himself as the eternally self-existent, self-

revealed “I AM” and has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship

and association, i.e., Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4, Mark 12:29, Isaiah 43:10,

Isaiah 11, Matthew 28:19).

3. Man, his fall and redemption. Man was created good and upright for God said, “Let Us make

man in our image, after our likeness.” But man, through his own freewill, and by voluntary

transgression, fell and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ the Son of God (Genesis

1:26-31, Genesis 3:1-7, Romans 5:12-21).

4. The salvation of man.

a. Conditions of Salvation. The grace of God, which brings salvation, has appeared to all

men, through the preaching of repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus

Christ; the power of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, and being justified

by hope of eternal life. This must be personally chosen as true love is only given through

free will (Titus 2:11, Romans 10:13-15, Luke 24:47, Titus 3:5-7).

b. Evidence of salvation. The inward evidence to the believer of his salvation is the

direct witness of the spirit (Romans 8:16). The outward evidence to all men is a life of

righteousness and true holiness.

5. Baptism in water. The ordinance of baptism by a burial with Christ should be observed as

commanded in the scriptures. Baptism is to be granted to those who are committed to the

Christian faith, and to their children, provided they have not been baptized before. In so doing,

they have the body washed in pure water as an outward symbol of cleansing, while their heart

has already been sprinkled with the blood of Christ as in inner cleansing. They declare to the

world that they have died with Jesus and been raised with Him to walk in newness of life

(Matthew 28:19, Acts 10:47-48, Romans 6:4).

6. The Lord’s supper. The Lord’s supper, consisting of the elements, bread, and the fruit of the

vine, is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter

1:4), a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26), a prophecy of His second

coming (1 Corinthians 11:26), and is enjoined on all believers until He comes.7. Regeneration. All people who turn from their sins and put their faith in the finished work of

Jesus Christ receive a new birth by which their life is regenerated by the power of God’s Holy

Spirit (John 3:3-6, Titus 3:5). From that time forth the regenerated person has God’s Holy Spirit

dwelling within them enabling them to live a holy life (1 Corinthians 3:16, 2 Peter 1:3-4). Also

giving them power to be witnesses for Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8).

8. The promise of the Father. All believers are entitled to the promise of the Father and the

baptism in the Holy Spirit according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the

normal experience in the early Christian Church. With it comes a deeper spiritual life and

service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Luke 24:49, Acts

1:4, 1 Corinthians 12:1-31). This wonderful experience is distinct from and subsequent to the

experience of the new birth (Acts 10:44-46, Acts 11:14-16, Acts 15:7-9).

9. Sanctification. The scriptures teach a life of holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to obey the command, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Sanctification is the will of God for all believers and should be pursued by walking in obedience

to God’s Holy Spirit. Sanctification is experienced in basically three ways:

a. Instant or positional sanctification. This is what happens to every person who puts their

trust in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are saved through faith in

Jesus, we are sanctified in the eyes of God through the blood of the cross. As God the

Father looks at us, He sees the holiness of Jesus, which is imputed to us, and does not see

our sin (Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:14).

b. Progressive or practical sanctification. This is the process by which we strive to live on

a day to day basis by considering ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in holy living

through the power of God’s divine nature within our lives (Romans 6; Philippians 2:12,

Philippians 2:13, 2 Peter 1:3, 2 Peter 1:4).

c. Final sanctification. This is when we are totally set free from the presence of sin

within our life after seeing Jesus our Lord and being made like Him because of seeing

Him as He really is in all His glory (1 John 3:2).

10. The church. The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the spirit with

divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the spirit,

is an integral part of the church, which is written in heaven (Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 1:23,

Ephesians 2:22, Hebrews 12:23).

11. The ministry and evangelism. A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been

provided by our Lord for the evangelization of the world and the edifying of the body of Christ

(Mark 16:15-20, Ephesians 4:11-13).

12. Divine healing. Deliverance from sickness is provided for us in atonement and is the

privilege of all believers (Isaiah 53:4, Isaiah 53:5, Matthew 8:16, Matthew 8:17).13. The blessed hope. The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their

translation, together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, is the

imminent and blessed hope of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Titus

2:12, 1 Corinthians 15:51, Romans 8:23).

14. The millennial reign of Jesus. The revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven, the

salvation of national Israel, and the millennial reign of Christ on earth are the scriptural promise

and the world’s hope (2 Thessalonians 1:7, Revelation 19:11-14, Romans 11:26, Romans 11:27,

Revelation 20:1-7).

15. The new heavens and the new earth. We, “according to His promise, look for new heavens

and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21, Revelation 22).