139 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA (617) 492-1736
WHAT WE BELIEVE
In brief: We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, giving the true history of the creation of the heavens and the earth, and of mankind, and contains the correct prophecy of the ages to come, regarding the heavens and the earth and the destiny of man.
We believe in the One True all powerful God, who is everlasting, and Holy in nature, attributes and purpose. The first of all commandments is, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord" (Deut. 6:4). He is "One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Eph. 4:6). The I Am That I Am is the Self-Existing One, also called the Holy One who is (a) Spirit. He does not exist in three persons as is erroneously taught without spiritual discernment or spiritual understanding of God's omnipresence. The Godhead is one of the great mysteries of the Bible (1 Timothy 3:16) If you believe God is the Trinity, please read, the TRINITY.
This one true God was manifested in His Son Jesus Christ who is the express image of His Person (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the beginning of the creation of God. God was “tabernacled” among us , and was referred to as Emmanuel, “God with us.” God, which is the Word, was made flesh (became human). The human body of Jesus was the temple for the Holy God. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:19). This Jesus the Son of Man, was truly man and truly God because in Him dwelt all the fullness of the godhead [deity], bodily (Colossians 2:9). He and His Father is One, (John 10:30, Isaiah 9:6).
We believe that man was first created as a spiritual being in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). His body was formed from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7) and he was placed in the Garden of Eden, yet man was not made complete in the image of God. This is a great mystery. Man who was created in innocence became separated from God through disobedience and stood in need to be restored into fellowship with God. "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous" (Romans 5:19). He was expelled from the Garden of Eden in an incomplete state and remained a "wretch undone." Man fell into the hands of Satan who proceeded to shapen [complete] him after his image (Psalms 51:5, Ephes. 2:1-2).
Man would have to be redeemed from the grasp of Satan. Redemption came through the shed blood of the righteous Savior, Jesus Christ who died to save us. If we call upon the Name of the Lord, and trust Him, we shall be saved. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). It is only in Christ that we are made complete. This is a mystery clearly understood by Apostle Paul by the many instances he has in his epistles, but we have failed to realize it. It would take a length to explain this revelation. Read Romans 8:29, I Cor. 15:49, 2 Cor. 4:4, Ephes. 1:5, 2:1-2, Col. 1:15, 3:10 and Heb.1:3. Through God's obedient Son is salvation made available to all.
"He that believeth (the gospel) and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). We believe that baptism should be done by immersion since it is a symbol of burial. A dead person's body is not disposed of by sprinkling dust or ashes on it but is buried. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized intohis death?"
We believe that baptism should be done in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Read Acts 2:38, 19:5). The apostles and disciples of our Lord did not baptize using titles, they used the Name. "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matt.1:21). We were instructed in Matthew 28:19 to baptize in the Name of, not in the Names of. The promise is that we shall be filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues, as the Spirit of God gives utterance.
We believe that godly living should characterize the life of every child of the Lord, and we should live according to the pattern and the example given in the word of God. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world" [age]- (Titus 2:11,12).
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust - (2 Peter 1:4). We are in the world but we are not of the world. God has called us unto sanctification. Furthermore, we believe that prior to “The Day of the Lord,” the Lord will return for His people. The Lord will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of God, (the last or 7th trumpet) and that the dead in Christ shall arise, and we that are alive and remain shall be caught up with them to meet our Lord in the clouds of the air - (1 Thess. 4:16). This is commonly called the rapture. He will appear this second time, just as he went away - (Acts 1:11).
We do not believe in a pre-tribulation rapture as is popularly taught by many Christians. This position cannot be validated by Scriptures, as much as many have tried. This teaching is false and is very dangerous as many will not be prepared for the events of the last days and will fall prey to Satan. This is taught by men who do not understand the mystery of the will of God. The Scriptures simply cannot be broken and here is one simple reason; you cannot have a harvest before you have the firstfruits! The rapture is the harvest of the earth, ultimately fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant. (Genesis 22:18, Rev 14:13-16, James 5:7-8) The remnant of Israel is the firstfruits (Revelation 14:4). Israel will give birth in the Tribulation [travail], "...for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children (Isaiah 66:8).. "Shall I bring to the birth [time of delivery] and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord....." (Isaiah 66:9). The tribulation brings forth the children [firstfruits] then after that comes the harvest of the world [Gentiles]. The tribulation is described as Jacob’s (Israel’s) trouble (Jeremiah 30:5-11, Dan. 12:1, Matt. 24:21, Rev.12:13-14).
The Tribulation will be interrupted by the coming of the Day of the Great God. The Lord will subdue His enemies by the pouring out His wrath upon a rebellious earth and will save Israel. This period of darkness will be followed by the dawn of a better day on earth and that for a thousand years there shall be "peace on earth and good will toward men." (Rev. 20:1-4, Isa. 65: 17-25; Matt. 5:5; Daniel 7:27; Mic. 4:1-2; Hebrew 2:14). The raptured saints will return with the Lord. – (Matt. 19:28, 1 Thess. 4:14, Jude 14, Rev. 19:14).
When the thousand years are finished, there shall be a resurrection of all the dead, who will be summoned before the great white throne for their final judgment, and all whose name are not found written in the Book of Life shall be cast into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone, which God hath prepared for the Devil and his angels, Satan himself being cast in first. (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:7, 15: 21:8).