Outside the wall of the old city of Jerusalem in 29 AD our world was forever changed. A Roman soldier took a rough iron spike and nailed the hands and feet of what he thought was a criminal. Little did that soldier know he was piercing the flesh of God Himself. (I Timothy 3:16, Colossians 2:9)
Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the God of eternity come to live in a human body. That hot April day in Palestine the great God of eternity shed His own blood for our redemption. (Acts 20:28; I John 3:16)
That is the basis of our faith at Cornerstone Pentecostal Church. We ascribe to the tenets of faith of the New Testament. We discard councils, tribunals, and ecclesiastical bodies. We ascribe to the tenets of Christianity before the time of Creeds. We seek to know the original format left by Jesus to His disciples. We ask "What did Jesus say?" We ask "What did Jesus command?" We ask, "What did His disciples teach?"
It is our belief that this is enough. No further dogmas, doctrines, opinions, or additions are to be added to Christianity today. This alone we seek. We want the church of the 2000's to replicate the church of 29 AD as closely as possible.
Therefore we baptize as found in the Book of Acts. We practice receiving the Holy Ghost speaking in tongues, the same as the early church did. We practice going to church on the first day of the week because of their precedent. We still see healings and the miraculous. We follow the pattern set by Jesus disciples in separation from the world and its sin. We believe the Bible is literal. We offer no apology and give no quarter when the Bible is placed in juxtaposition to any other writ.
The Bible is right. This is our statement of faith!
If you want some specifics, we believe:
The Word of God
Cornerstone Pentecostal Church affirms that the Bible is the inerrant, infallible Word of God and is, therefore, our authority for salvation and Christian living (II Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17). Some of the primary doctrines of the Bible that we embrace include:
Sin and Salvation
Everyone has sinned and needs salvation. Salvation comes by grace through faith based on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-25; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9). The saving gospel is the good news that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.
Jesus is the Author of eternal salvation to those that obey Him. (Hebrews 5:9). The gospel is not only to be believed—it is to be acted upon in obedience. (Mark 16:15-16; I Peter 4:17). We obey the gospel by repentance (death to sin), water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (burial), and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (resurrection) (I Corinthians 15:1-4; Acts 2:4, 37-39; Romans 6:3-4). This was, and is, the consistent message and experience of the New Testament Church (Acts 2:38; 4:12; 8:12-17; 10:43-48; 19:1-6).
Jesus is the Author of eternal salvation to those that obey Him. (Hebrews 5:9). The gospel is not only to be believed—it is to be acted upon in obedience. (Mark 16:15-16; I Peter 4:17). We obey the gospel by repentance (death to sin), water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (burial), and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (resurrection) (I Corinthians 15:1-4; Acts 2:4, 37-39; Romans 6:3-4). This was, and is, the consistent message and experience of the New Testament Church (Acts 2:38; 4:12; 8:12-17; 10:43-48; 19:1-6).
The Godhead
There is one God with no distinction of persons; and in Jesus Christ is the fullness of the Godhead incarnate. Indeed, Jesus Christ is God manifested in flesh (humanity). Jesus Christ was and is, at the same time, both fully God and fully man. He possessed both absolute, unmitigated deity and complete, genuine humanity. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 1;18-23; John 1:1-14; Ephesians 4:4-6; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 3:16; 2:5) The nature of God's indivisibility was revealed in Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one" (Masoretic text).
Holiness
As Christians, we are commanded to love God and others. We should live a holy life inwardly and outwardly. We should live a life of separation from the world. The fruit of the Spirit (including love, joy peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance) should be manifest in all that we say and do. Naturally, this requires that Christians abstain from the many activities, behaviors, and practices which may be common to our society, but are contrary to Christian living. (Psalms 29:2; Mark 12:28-31; II Corinthians 6:14-17; Ephesians 4:22-24; Galatians 5:22-23; Hebrews 12:14) "Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" is to be evidenced in our thinking, our actions, our speech, our dress, our deportment - every facet of our lives as Christians. Holiness disallows hypocrisy in our lives. We still preach against sin in all its forms, and endeavor, through the Spirit to "mortify the deeds of the body" (Romans 8:13), and to live what we preach.
The Church
The church is the body of Christ and His ambassadors in this world. The mission of the church is to spread the gospel and lead the lost to Christ. The supernatural gifts of the Spirit, including healing, are for the church today. Jesus Christ is coming again to catch away His church. The Word admonishes believers to assemble together to exhort one another in the faith. The Scripture also admonishes us to bear one another’s burdens, to love one another, and to be kindly affectioned one toward another. (Mark 16:15; I Corinthians 12; II Corinthians 5:20; Philippians 2:5-11; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 10:25; Galatians 6:2; I Peter 1:22; Romans 12:10)
Praise and Worship
Praise and worship are pleasing to the Lord. Worship involves both inward and outward expressions of thankfulness, awe, joy, and love. Demonstrative actions such as clapping hands, lifting hands, leaping for joy, shouting, dancing, singing, playing musical instruments, testifying publicly, praying aloud, and so forth are all biblical and appropriate expressions of praise and worship. The Lord desires true worship that comes from the heart. We are to “enter into His gates with thanks giving, and into His courts with praise. (Psalms 47:1; Psalms 66:1-2; Psalm 149:3; Psalms 150; Acts 4:24; I Corinthians 14:26; Ephesians 5:19; I Timothy 2:8; John 4:23; Psalm 100:5)
Marriage
God Himself instituted the covenant of marriage and made Eve for Adam to be "an help meet [appropriate] for him" (Genesis 2:18). This narrative from the Scripture tells us that God "made...a woman, and brought her unto the man...therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Genesis 2:22-24). The Lord also gives the purpose for marriage in the message of the prophet Malachi. He mentions those who "dealt treacherously" against their wives and mentions that they are in a covenant. It mentions that the Lord made them "one flesh" for a reason; namely, "that he might seek a godly seed" (Malachi 2:15). God intended marriage to be between a man and a woman, and that marriage covenant endure for their lifetime. Regardless of how civil authorities may try to redefine marriage, we will continue to view marriage within its biblical framework only: a covenant between a man and a woman for life, to raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
Other Biblical Principles and Doctrines
We believe in the sanctity of human life and stand adamantly against abortion, euthanasia, and fertility treatments that may produce multiple human embryos (often discarded) in order to produce one baby. We believe that human life begins at conception and that no one has the right to prematurely end that life because it is thought to have a life devoid of value, or for stated reasons of compassion or convenience. Please see Pastor Connell's recently published book, "On the Sanctity of Human Life," or his original paper by the same title on which the book expounds more thoroughly.
We believe that humans are sinners by nature, according to our fallen nature (See Genesis 3). God requires repentance (turning as a result of godly sorrow for our sins) from sin (Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38, et al.) and that we are born again of water and the Spirit, and that we continue to live a life pleasing to Him by the power of His Spirit that dwells in us when we receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. God can save people from all manner of sins, including lying, stealing, murder, sexual promiscuity of every kind including homosexuality, and more - but repentance is required. He expects converts to stop their sinful lifestyles and to work on "perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Please note the following passage from the English Standard Version of the Bible: (9) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, (10) nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV). The last verse is a direct reference to the work done in a repented believer's life through obedience to the message of Acts 2:38.
