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He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the
still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name's sake. Psalm 23:2-3
A full person cannot be fed. A disinterested person cannot be challenged,
edified, and uplifted. If you will not listen, you will not learn.
The Word
of God is the sufficient source of direction, counsel and solutions to
problems. There is no substitute for the 66 books of the Bible. They
are the Word of God for every issue of life.
All
the books of the bible contain principles that enable victory in the...
- Social
battle between man and the corrupting influences of the world (John
15:18-27);
- Personal
battle between our flesh with its inordinate desires and the spirit
(Galatians 5:16-26);
- Supernatural battle between the believer and evil
powers (Ephesians 6:10-20);
- Physical battle against sickness and disease
(Job1-2).
The purpose of this ministry is to bring those who have been
gnawed at, taken from, abused and have been hurt, into victory through
the teaching of the Word of God.
Divine order brings healing and restoration.
Divine order is seen in the record of God's relationship with Abraham
in the book of Genesis:* God chose one man, Abraham
- He gave that man a
promise
- From Abraham came a nation - Israel
- God chose the nation of Israel to
be a keeper of His holy word
- From that one nation came the Messiah, Jesus
of Nazareth
God chooses individuals and works
with them to bring His goodness into the earth. There is a divinely ordered
plan for your life. It is God's plan for you to make the right decisions
guided by the principles of the His word. Right decisions and choices always
bring happiness.
I am happy to be a part of God's divine plan. I love making
the right choice every time. You too can be happy and make the right choice.
Charles Gordon,
Living Big in Christ
Read our Ministry Notes - from the Directors Desk
We will preach and teach the gospel of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ through meetings and by radio and television in all the nations
of the world with signs and wonders following.
Living Big in Christ Ministries is a not-for-profit
organization dedicated to bringing the rule of God’s Kingdom,
as set forth in the Holy Bible, to the nations through various media.
Our aim is not just decisions for Christ but to make disciples of
all ethnic groups through preaching and teaching the whole counsel
of the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We will
be silent were the Bible is silent, and clear where the Bible is
clear.
The purpose of the Ministry shall be:
a) Bringing people out of the realm of carnal destruction—drug
abuse, mental and physical abuse etc., through organizing and providing
religious instruction in the word of God and discipleship through various
media.
b) Teaching men and women how to deal with spiritual
and natural life so they can function properly in the context of every
day society-giving and receiving Agape love of fellow man.
The Statement of Faith of the Ministry is as follows:
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God1 by which
we understand the whole Bible to be inspired in the sense that holy men
of God were moved by the Holy Spirit to write the very words of Scripture.2
Divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the original
writings. The whole Bible in the original is, therefore, without error
and, as such, is infallible, absolutely supreme and sufficient in authority
in all matters of faith and practice.3 The Bible does not simply contain
the Word of God, but is, in reality, the complete revelation and very
Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit. Christian believers today
receive spiritual illumination to enable them to understand the Scriptures,4
but God does not grant new revelations which are contrary or additional
to inspired biblical truth.5
The Godhead exists eternally in three persons: the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, having the same
nature and attributes and are worthy of the same homage, confidence,
and obedience.6
The Father exists eternally as the Creator
of heaven and earth, the Giver of the Law, to whom all things will
be subjected, so that He may be all in all.7
The Lord Jesus
Christ, the eternal and only begotten Son of the Father, is true God
and true man.8 He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin
Mary,9 and by His sinless life, miracles and teaching, gave full revelation
of the Father.10 He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust, as
a substitutionary sacrifice.11 He rose from the dead.12 He is now at
the right hand of the majesty on high as our great High Priest.13 He
will come again to establish His kingdom in righteousness and peace.14
The Holy Spirit is also God, performing actions
and possessing the attributes of Deity.15 His personality is shown
by the fact that He has personal characteristics and that individuals
may relate to Him as a person.16
Angels were created as intelligent and powerful beings to do the will
of God and worship Him.17 However, Satan, the originator of sin, fell
through pride and was followed by those angels who rebelled against
God. These fallen angels or demons are active in opposing the purposes
of God.18 Those who remained faithful continue before the throne of
God and serve as ministering spirits.19
Demons attempt to thwart God's purposes; however, in Christ, the believer
may have complete liberty from the influence of demons.20 He cannot
be possessed by them because his body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
in which Christ dwells as Lord.21
- 2 Tim. 3:16,1
- 2 Pet. 1:20,21
- 3 Psa. 119:160a; Matt. 5:17,18
- 4 1 Cor. 2:12-14
- 5 Prov. 30:5,6
- 6 Matt. 3:16,17; 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14
- Gen. 1:1; 1 Cor. 15:28
- John 1:1,14; 10:30; 17; Phil. 2:6,7; Heb. 1:8
- Luke 1:26-35
- John 12:49; Acts 2:22; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 7:26
- Rom. 5:6,8; 1 Cor. 15:3;
1 Pet. 3:18
- Matt. 28:6; 1 Cor. 15:4,20
- Acts 1:9-11; 2:33; Heb. 8:1
- Matt. 25:31
- Acts 5:3,4
- John 16:13-14
- Psa. 103:20; Rev. 5:11,12
- Isa. 14:12-17' Ezek. 28:11-19; Eph. 6:11,12;
1 Tim. 4:1; Jude 6
- Heb. 1:14
- Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:8; 4:1-4
- Matt. 6:24; 1 Cor. 6:19,20
Man was originally created in the image and
likeness of God.1 He fell through sin and, as a consequence, incurred
both spiritual and physical death.2 Spiritual death and the depravity
of human nature have been transmitted to the entire human race3 with
the exception of the Man Christ Jesus.4 Man can be saved only through
the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ.5
Salvation has
been provided for all men through the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross.6
It is the only perfect redemption and substitutionary atonement for all
the sins of the world, both original and actual. His atoning work has
been proven by His resurrection from the dead.7 Those who repent and
believe in Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and receive eternal
life.8 Furthermore, in the atonement, divine healing was provided for
all believers.9
Man can be born again only through
faith in Christ. Repentance, a vital part of believing, is a complete
change of mind wrought by the Holy Spirit,10 turning a person to God
from sin.
Regeneration is a creative work of the Holy
Spirit by which man is born again and receives spiritual life.11
Justification is a judicial act of God by which the sinner is declared
righteous solely on the basis of his acceptance of Christ as Saviour.12
VI. THE CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE
Assurance of salvation is the
privilege of all who are born again by the Spirit through faith in Christ,13
resulting in love, gratitude and obedience toward God.14
Sanctification is dedication to God and separation from evil.15 In experience
it isboth instantaneous16 and progressive.17 It is produced in the life
of the believer by his appropriation of the power of Christ's blood and
risen life through the Person of the Holy Spirit.18 He draws the believer's
attention to Christ, teaches him through the Word and produces the character
of Christ within him.19 Believers who sin must repent
and seek forgiveness through faith in the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ.20
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience
in which the believer yields control of himself to the Holy Spirit.21 Through
this he comes to know Christ in a more intimate way,22 and receives power
to witness and grow spiritually.23 Believers should earnestly seek the
baptism in the Holy Spirit according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ.24
The initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking
in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.25 This experience is
distinct from, and subsequent to, the experience of the new birth.
26
The gifts of the Spirit are supernatural
abilities given by God through the exercising of which believers are enabled
to minister effectively and directly in particular situations.27 They serve
the dual function of building up the Church, and of demonstrating the presence
of God within His Church.28
Divine healing provided in
the atonement of Christ29 is the privilege of all believers. Prayer for
the sick and gifts of healing are encouraged and practised.30
- Gen. 1:26;
2:7 2
- Rom. 5:12; James 1:14,15
- Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:10-19,23
- Heb. 7:26
- John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5,6
- Isa. 53:3-6; John 12:32,33; 1 Pet.
2:24
- Acts 2:36; Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:14,17,20; Heb. 10:12; 1 John 2:2
- Acts
20:21; 1 Pet. 1:23,25
- Isa. 53:4,5; Matt. 8:16b, 17
- Isa. 55:7; Acts. 17:30; Gal. 3:22,26; Eph.
2:8; 1 John 5:10-13
- John 3:3b,5b,7; 2 Cor. 5:17,18a; 1 Pet. 1:23
- Rom. 3:24; 4:3-5; 5:1-2
- John 10:27-29; Rom. 8:35-39
- John 14:23; Col. 3:17; 1 John 2:6
- 2 Cor. 6:14; 7:1
- John 17:17,19; Heb. 10:10,14
- 1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Tim. 2:19-22; 1 Pet. 1:14-16
- Rom. 6:11,13,14,18
- 1 Cor. 13; Gal. 5:22,23; 2 Pet. 1:3-4
- 1 John 1:9; 2:1-2
- Matt. 3:11; Acts 1:5; Eph. 5:18
- John 16:13-15
- 2 Cor. 3:18; Acts 1:8
- Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,8
- Acts 2:1-4, 39; 9-17; 1 Cor. 14:18
- Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46
- 1 Cor. 12:4-11
- 1 Cor. 12:7; 14:12,24-25
- Matt. 8:16,17
- 1 Cor. 12:28-30; James 5:14
All who are born again are members
of the universal church, which is the Body and Bride of Christ.1
The local church is a body of believers in Christ who
have joined together to function as a part of the universal church.2 The local
church is ordained by God and provides a context in which believers
corporately worship God,3 observe the ordinances of the church,
are instructed in the faith and are equipped for the evangelization of
the world.4
The Lord's Supper is a symbol,
memorial and proclamation of the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This ordinance of communion is to be participated in by believers until Christ's
return.5
Water baptism signifies the believer's identification
with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection and is practised by immersion.6
A divinely called and ordained ministry is the provision of
the Lord to give leadership to the church as it fulfils its purposes.7
At death the
souls of the believers pass immediately into the presence of Christ,8 and
these remain in constant bliss until the resurrection of the
glorified body. 9 The souls of the unbelievers remain after death conscious
of condemnation10 until the final bodily resurrection and judgement of
the unjust.11
The rapture, the blessed hope of
the church, is the imminent coming of the Lord in the air to receive to Himself
His own, both the living who shall be transformed, and the dead
in Christ who shall be resurrected.12 This event takes place before the
wrath of God is poured out during the tribulation. Believers
then will appear before the judgement seat of Christ to be judged according
to faithfulness in Christian service.13
The tribulation
will be a time of judgement on the whole earth.14 During this
period the Antichrist will emerge to offer false hope to the nations.15
The return of Christ to earth in
power and great glory will conclude the great tribulation with the victory
at Armageddon,16 the defeat of Antichrist and the binding of
Satan.17 He will introduce the millenial age,18 restore Israel to her own
land, lift the curse which now rests upon the whole creation, and bring
the whole world to the knowledge of God.19
There
will be a final judgement in which the unbelieving dead will
be raised and judged at the great white throne, according to their works.20
The beast and false prophet, the devil and his angels, and whoever is not
found in the Book of Life, shall be cast into the lake of fire,
not to annihilation but to everlasting punishment, which is the second
death.21
- 1 Cor. 12:13;
Eph. 5:25b; Col. 1:18; 1 Tim. 3:15
- Acts 14:23; 1 Cor. 16:19
- John 4:23; Acts 20:7
- Acts 1:8; 11:19-24; 2 Tim. 2:2; 1 Pet. 5:2
- Matt. 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 10:16-17;
11:23-26
- Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38,41; 8:36-39; Rom. 6:3-5
- Acts 6:2b-4c;
13:2-4a; 14:23; Eph. 4:8,11-13
- 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:21,23-24
- Rom. 8:22,23; 1 Cor. 15:42-44; 2 Cor. 5:1,4b
- Luke 16:22-31; John 3:36
- Dan. 12:2; John 5:28-29; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; Rev.
20:11-15
- 1 Cor. 15:51-57; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13
- Rom. 14:10-12;
1 Cor 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:9-10
- Matt. 24:15,21-22; 1 Thess. 5:1-3
- 2 Thess. 2:3-12; Rev. 13:11-18
- Matt. 24:27,30; Luke 17:24,26-30
- Rev. 16:12-16; 17:8,12-14; 19:11-20:3
- Psa. 2:6-12; Dan. 2:44-45; Luke
22:29-30; Rev. 3:21; 20:6
- Isa. 1:24-27; 2:1-4; Zech. 14:3,4,9; Rom. 8:19-23;
Rev. 22:3
- Dan. 7:9-10; John 12:48; Rom. 2:2,6,11,16; Rev. 14:9-11;
20:11-15
- Matt. 25:41b; Jude 6; Rev. 20:10,15; 21:8
The righteous will share the
glory of God in the new heaven and the new earth for eternity.1
Marriage is a provision
of God whereby a man and a woman enter into a lifelong relationship2
through a marriage ceremony which is recognized by the church and legally
sanctioned by the state. Marriage establishes a "one-flesh" relationship3
which goes beyond a physical union and is more than either
a temporary relationship of convenience intended to provide personal
pleasure or a contract which binds two people together in a legal partnership.
Marriage establishes an emotional and spiritual oneness which
enables both partners to respond to the spiritual, physical and social
needs of the other. 4 It provides the Biblical context for the procreation
of children.
Marriage is to be an exclusive relationship
that is maintained in purity.5 It is intended by God to be a permanent
relationship. It is a witness to the world of the relationship between
Christ and His Church.6 Marriage requires a commitment of love, perseverance
and faith. Because of its sanctity and permanence, marriage should be
treated with seriousness and entered into only after counsel and prayer
for God's guidance. Christians should marry only those who are believers.7
An individual who becomes a believer after marriage should
remain with his or her partner in peace, and should give witness to the
gospel in the home.8
The Bible holds family life as a position of trust
and responsibility. The home is a stabilizing force in society, a place
of nurture, counsel, and safety for children.9 Marriage can
only be broken by "porneia" which
is understood as marital unfaithfulness10 involving adultery,
homosexuality, or incest.
While the Scriptures give evidence that the
marriage vow and "one-flesh" union
are broken by such acts, and therefore do recognize the breaking
of the marriage relationship, the Scriptures do recommend that the most
desirable option would be reconciliation.11
We
believe that divorce is not God's intention. It is God's concession to
the "hardness of men's hearts. "12
We, therefore, discourage divorce by all lawful means and
teaching. Our objective is reconciliation and the healing of the marriage
union where possible. Marital unfaithfulness should not be considered
so much an occasion or opportunity for divorce but rather an opportunity
for Christian grace, forgiveness, and restoration. Divorce
in our society is a termination of a marriage through a legal process
authorized by the State. While the Church recognizes this legal process
as an appropriate means to facilitate the permanent separation of spouses,
the Church restricts the idea ofdivorce, in the sense of dissolution
of marriage, to reasons specified by the Scriptures.
The weight of the
Biblical record is negative and the explicit statement is made, "God
hates divorce."13 Divorce is more than an action
of the courts which breaks the legal contract between the
partners in a marriage. It is also the fracture of an unique human relationship
between a male and a female. Divorce has profound consequences
for the children. Divorce is evidence of the sinful nature expressed
in human failure. Jesus gives one explicit cause for the dissolution
of marriage: "porneia" or marital unfaithfulness.
Where
all attempts at reconciliation have failed and a divorce
has been finalized, we extend Christ's love and compassion.
Remarriage is the union, legally sanctioned by the State,
of a man and woman, one or both of whom have been previously married.
It is regarded as acceptable by the Scriptures in the event
of the death of the former spouse. It is also regarded as
acceptable when there has been sexual immorality on the part of the former
partner or the former partner has remarried.
Tithing
was divinely instituted by God under the old covenant and
was compulsory upon the people who worshipped God.14 Under the
new covenant we are not bound by arbitrary laws; but the
principles of right and wrong, as expressed by the law, are fulfilled
in the believer's life through grace. Grace should produce
as much as, or more than, law demanded. Regular systematic
giving is clearly taught in the New Testament. It is known
as the grace of giving.15 The gauge or rule of this systematic
giving is defined in the Old Testament, known as the law
of tithing. All Christians should conscientiously and systematically
tithe their income to God.
- Matt. 13:43; John 17:24; 2
Pet. 3:13; Heb. 11:10; Rev. 21:1-2,10,22-23
- Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:6
- Matt. 19:5; Mal. 2:15
- Gen. 2:18, 1 Cor. 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4
- Eph. 5:3,26,27
- -Eph. 5:25,31,32
- 2 Cor. 6:14,15
- 1 Cor. 7:12-14,16
- Eph. 6:4
- Matt. 5:32; 19:9
- Eph. 4:32
- Matt. 19:8
- Mal. 2:16
- Lev. 27:30-32; Mal. 3:10
- 2 Cor. 9:6-15
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