Houston Church of God
Statement of Beliefs
This page is a work in progress. It will likely not be finished
before the return of Christ.
If you can think of any other core belief that should be
discussed, please feel free to contact us.
Following is a list of our common beliefs. We have tried to go
through all of the beliefs common to Christians of our sect and to give what we
believe is supported by scriptures. Please feel free to check out our beliefs
and to send comments to us.
As brothers and sisters in Christ, we recognize that not
everything that is knowable has been made known to men and because of this we
may be mistaken in one or more beliefs.
We also recognize that there are others who have not spent the
time studying and researching the issues of scripture and who will need time to
understand the truth of scripture, just as did the Ethiopian Eunuch who
admitted that he could not understand without somebody teaching him. Because of
that, we are a tolerant and loving group of brethren, looking forward to the
day when all can fellowship with us in peace.
Now, on to our Statements of Beliefs.
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GOD
God is the eternal, all present, all powerful, supreme Creator and sustainer of
the entire universe. God is one, composed of spirit and comprised of a family
presently consisting of God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. God is loving,
kind, merciful and wants to share His magnificent existence by reproducing
Himself through man.
Psalms 19:1; 50:1, 6-7; Isaiah 44:6; Nehemiah 9:6, 16-17; John 1:12-13;
3:16; Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:1-2; I John 3:1-2; 4:8;
Exodus 33:17 - 34:7
BIBLE
The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, comprises God's written
Word, which forms the basis of Christianity. The whole Bible is the divinely
inspired Word of God containing His plan of salvation, and the record of His
participation in history. The Bible is God's revelation of knowledge that man
cannot discover for himself. It is the foundation of knowledge, and the
guidebook of life.
Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4; John 17:17; Romans 8:16; I Corinthians
2:7-11; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20
JESUS CHRIST
Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of God, and the Son of man. He was the
prophesied Messiah of the Old Testament, and is described in the New Testament
as being fully human and fully divine. As the second member of the God family,
He has existed throughout eternity as the "Word." He divested Himself
of His power and majesty, and became a human being to die for the sins of all
mankind as our loving and merciful Savior. He was then resurrected, and
ascended to heaven to become our High Priest. Jesus Christ shall return to
establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and rule as King of kings with His
saints forever.
Deuteronomy 18:15; Matthew 17:15-17; John 1:1-14; 3:16; Acts 2:32-33; Romans
5:8; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 4:14-15; Revelation 1:13-16
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is the essence, power, mind, and Comforter from God. God begets
Christians as His sons and daughters through this Spirit. It strengthens a
Christian spiritually, converts his mind, and serves as an earnest of eternal
life. It begets a human spirit with the Spirit of God, the Father, thus
creating a "new creature in Christ," which shall be born as a son of
God.
Acts 1:8; 2:38; Romans 8:9, 14; I Corinthians 2:16; Ephesians 1:13-14; II
Corinthians 5:17
MANKIND
Humans are physical beings with no immortal soul, but they can receive eternal
life as a free gift from God. Man was created by God to be flesh and blood, yet
in God's image, and with a spiritual component to compose the human mind.
Genesis 1:26-27; Job 32:8; I Corinthians 2:11; I John 5:11-13
ANGELIC REALM
God has created powerful spirit beings as His agents, and messengers. Since
man's creation, these spirit beings function as ministering spirits to help
mankind. Like man, angels have free moral agency. Although created to help God,
some of them-led by Satan the devil-rebelled against God, transforming
themselves into demons.
Psalm 91:11-12; Ephesians 6:12; Hebrews 1:7
SALVATION
Salvation is the process by which God, through Christ, saves man from the
penalty of sin and gives him eternal life. This process includes one's calling,
repentance, baptism, justification, receiving of the Holy Spirit, life of faith
and obedience, and ultimately one's birth into God's Kingdom as a spirit being.
Salvation is a freely given gift from God through grace.
Matthew 16:27; John 3:16-17; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 6:1-2
FAITH
Faith is the sure knowledge that God exists, and that He will accomplish those
things He has promised. Faith is necessary for salvation. The basic elements of
faith are courage, action, and risk.
Romans 1:17; 10:17; Ephesians 3:17; Hebrews 11:1-2; James 2:22-24
REPENTANCE
Repentance is the act of acknowledging one's sins, and resolving to fully obey
God. It begins when God opens one's mind to see himself in comparison with God
and His law. True repentance is the first step toward reconciliation with God,
and thereby toward ultimate salvation.
Acts 2:38; 3:19-21; 8:22; I John 3:4
BAPTISM
The ceremony of water baptism is performed by immersion, for the forgiveness of
sins, upon true repentance and acceptance of Christ's sacrifice. By Baptism,
one receives the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. Baptism symbolizes
the renunciation of the past sinful way of life, the burial of the old man in a
watery grave, and the emergence of a new, Spirit-led man living with Christ's
mind and following in His footsteps.
Matthew 3:13-16; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-8; Colossians 2:12
LAYING ON OF HANDS
The laying on of hands is an act performed on special occasions, such as for
the receiving of God's Holy Spirit after baptism, at ordination, anointing of
the sick, or for other special purposes.
Matthew 19:13-15; Acts 6:5-6; 8:17-18; 13:3; I Timothy 4:14; Hebrews 6:2
KINGDOM OF GOD
The Kingdom of God is the family of God ruling as the government of God. It is
a future world-ruling government to be set up on earth by Christ at His return
as King. The resurrected spirit-composed saints will be in positions of rulership under Him. The Kingdom of God-referred to as a
"mystery" in the New Testament-was first preached and explained by
Christ, then by His church. The Kingdom shall be established on earth for a
thousand years following Christ's return, and shall be completely fulfilled when
New Jerusalem and God the Father come down out of heaven to dwell on the New
Earth.
Mark 4:11; Revelation 5:10; 20:4; 21:1-3,7,10
GOSPEL
The gospel is the message preached by Christ and by His church about God's
coming Kingdom, the restoration of His government on earth, and how mankind can
enter that Kingdom and government. It includes the message of what Jesus has
done, is doing, and shall do-and ultimately is the message of the entire Old
and New Testaments. The primary purpose and commission of the Church is to
"Go ye therefore, and teach [make disciples of] all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit."
Matthew 3:2; 24:14; 28:19-20; Mark 1:15; Luke 24:47; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
RESURRECTIONS
The hope of all mankind and the promise to the Christian is the resurrection
from the dead. The Bible refers to (1) the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the
firstborn from the dead and the pioneer of our salvation; (2) the resurrection
of the saints-called the "first resurrection"-at the return of Christ
when the true believers shall become spirit-composed members of God's family;
(3) the resurrection back to physical life of all who have ever died without
having understood God's way, for their first opportunity for salvation. The
incorrigibly wicked-those who have refused to repent and have rejected God's
way-will be consumed in the lake of fire (called the "second death").
John 5:28-29; Acts 2:32; Romans 8:11; I Corinthians 15:20; I Thessalonians
4:13-17; Revelation 20:4-6, 13-14
JUDGMENT
The time of one's judgment is the time of his opportunity for salvation,
extending from one's calling by God until his death (or the resurrection at
Christ's return). Those who inherit God's Kingdom-the overwhelming
majority-shall have eternal life, and those who deliberately and knowingly
reject God's way shall be consumed in the lake of fire.
Matthew 13:49-50; 25:34; I Peter 4:17; Revelation 20:15; 21:8
LAW OF GOD & THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS
The law of God as revealed in the Bible is a good, right, and perfect system of
eternal directives and principles that reflects God's character and serves as a
means of expressing His love toward man. God's law teaches man how to properly
worship God, how to love his fellowman, how to live life abundantly, and, at
the same time, how to prepare for an eternal spiritual life in the family of
God. The law of God is revealed in both the Old and the New Testaments, and is
expressed by both physical actions and spiritual motivations.
John 14:15,21; Romans 7:12; I John 5:2-3
The Ten Commandments, as revealed by God to
Moses, and ratified and magnified by Christ, are the perfect expression of
God's love. They are the foundation of all biblical teaching, showing man how
to express love toward God and fellowman, and are consequently the focal point
of Christian life.
Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5; Matthew 5:17-19; Romans 13:10; I Corinthians 7:19;
Revelation 12:17; 22:14; Matthew 22:36-40
BIBLICAL COVENANTS
Both Testaments record that God made certain promises in the form of specific
contracts or agreements with man. These are called "covenants," and
define the terms of God's relationship with individuals or groups in various
circumstances and eras. Of these covenants, the best known are the covenants made
with physical Israel and the New Covenant established on "better
promises," which will be fully confirmed with spiritual Israelites after
the return of Jesus Christ. The New Covenant, which also applies to the New
Testament church from the time of the original apostles, makes God's law even
more relevant by expanding it to include one's mental attitude and spiritual
intent. Under the New Covenant, God writes the Ten Commandments in the heart of
the Christian, indelibly impressing the spiritual intent of God's law on the
innermost being, thus lifting God's holy law to a spiritual plane.
Matthew 5:21-22; II Timothy 3:15-16; Hebrews 8:6-13
SABBATH (SATURDAY)
The seventh-day Sabbath is the Fourth of the Ten Commandments the breaking of
which is defined to be sin. The Sabbath is to be taught and kept holy in
accordance with the biblical instruction. Instituted at creation, reaffirmed to
Israel as a part of the covenant at Sinai, taught by Jesus Christ, and observed
by the New Testament Church, the observance of the Sabbath is basic to a
Christian's relationship with God.
Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 16; 20:8-11; 31:12-17; Mark 2:27-28; Luke 4:16; Hebrews
4:1-10
ANNUAL HOLY DAYS
The annual holy days were ordained and commanded by God, observed by the
ancient Israelites, observed by Jesus the Christ, and continued to be observed
by the early New Testament Christians. These seven annual "appointed
feasts" picture God's plan of salvation for man.
Leviticus 23; Zechariah 14:16; John 7:8-10; Acts 2:1; 12:3; 20:6,16; 27:9; I
Corinthians 5:8; 16:8
TITHING
Tithing is an act of worship; it is a private matter between the individual and
God.
Malachi 3:8-10; Matthew 6:21; 23:23; II Corinthians 9:7
SIN
Sin is the transgression of God's law-the falling short or missing the mark of
the character of Jesus Christ. The penalty for sin is death in the lake of
fire. However, all sin can be completely forgiven by God, who desires that all
men be saved. (The unpardonable sin is sin for which the sinner asks no
pardon.) God forgives sin upon the repentance of the individual who accepts the
shed blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ as payment in full for the penalty of
his sins.
Romans 6:23; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 1:14; I John 3:4
THE CHRISTIAN
A true Christian is:
A.) one in whom the Holy Spirit dwells;
B.) one who has repented of sin, been baptized, and received
the Spirit of God which begets him as a "new creature in Christ;"
C.) one who seeks to live by every word of God;
D.) one who seeks to follow the example of Jesus Christ;
E.) one who seeks to allow Jesus Christ to live His perfect
life within the Christian;
F.) one who exemplifies Christian character, such as
"goodness, meekness, gentleness, faith, against which there is no
law;"
G.) one who is Christ-like, humble, converted;
H.) one who prays for and expects the Kingdom of God to
appear on earth.
Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:13
THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY
The marriage relationship is the basis of the family, which in turn is the core
of a stable society. As a physical analogy of God's plan for mankind, marriage,
child rearing, and the family are given a prominent place in the teachings of
the Bible and the church. Although distinctive roles within the family are
defined, men and women have equal spiritual potential before God.
Exodus 20:12; Malachi 4:5-6; Ephesians 5:22-29; 6:1-3; I Peter 3:7
HEALING
Divine healing is a miracle that God in His mercy, wisdom and love extends to
those who call upon Him in time of need, according to faith. The healings of
Jesus Christ demonstrate and represent His power to express compassion, to
forgive sin, and ultimately, to resurrect the dead and establish the Kingdom of
God on earth.
Matthew 9:1-7; James 5:14-15
THE CHURCH OF GOD
The Church is the spiritual body of Christ, a group of people called out by God
and impregnated with His Holy Spirit. As a spiritual body, the church is made
up of baptized, Spirit-led individuals who are scattered around the world. As
"the assembly" of called-out individuals, the true Church of God can
never become "incorporated" in the legal sense into one
"religious organization," but consists of true Christians, in whom
God's Holy Spirit dwells, who may be members of different organizations, but
are joined directly to Christ through the Spirit.
I Corinthians 12:12-14,27; Colossians 3:1
THE DEAD
The dead are not in heaven, hell as most people understand the term, purgatory
or limbo as is believed by most religions. They are in fact in
"hell," but "hell" is just an old English term used in the
King James Bible. It actually means the grave. The dead are not awake in some
other place watching us. They are not haunting us. The biblical comparison is
sleeping. Death is like sleeping in that the dead went to sleep and in their
next waking moment they will be resurrected.
Ecclesiates 12:6-7; John 11:11-14; Ecclesiastes 9:5