Statement of Faith
Christian Missions in the Philippines (CMPI) is not a sect nor a denomination, but serves as an umbrella organization required for legal recognition by the government as a non-profit incorporation for local assemblies affiliated with it. CMPI is not a central authority of each local church. We believe the Word of God is the basis for our beliefs, doctrines, and practices. Local churches affiliated with CMPI do so voluntarily, recognizing our common faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. We share this statement of faith in order to clarify and affirm these truths for assemblies of Christians desiring to affiliate with CMPI.
I. THE BIBLE
We believe that every word in the original writings of the Old and New Testaments is inspired of God, without error, infallible, and is the final and supreme authority in all matters of faith and life. (Psa. 12:6, 19:7-11; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Rev. 22:18-19)
II. GOD
We believe that there is one God, existing eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and that these three are the one God. (Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Mt. 28:19; Jn. 4:24; 10:30; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor. 13:14)
III. GOD THE FATHER
We believe that the Father is fully God, that His Fatherhood is perfect, eternal and personal and that He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and of all who trust Christ as Lord and Savior. (Mat. 5:48; Jn. 18; Gal. 4:4-7; I Cor. 1:3)
IV. GOD THE SON WHO IS JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man; that He was born of a virgin; that He is sinless and incapable of sinning; that He died as a substitute and perfect sacrifice for sinners. He rose bodily from the dead and ascended in His glorified body to the right hand of God the Father as the only Savior, and the one mediator between God and men. (Mat. 1:21-23; Jn. 1:1,14; Acts 4:10-12; 1 Tim. 2:5; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8; 1 Pet. 3:18)
V. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God; that He glorifies Christ, and does not work in contradiction to the Word of God. He regenerates, baptizes, seals, and indwells all true believers at the moment of conversion. Every Christian is commanded to be filled with the Spirit. He sovereignly gives spiritual gifts to equip every believer for service in the growing church, although some gifts such as apostleship, prophecy, tongues, and healing, were limited in their significance to the foundational and transitional phase of church, and that such gifts are not normative today. (Jn. 16:13-15; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 12-14; 2 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 1:13, 2:20, 4:11-12, 5:18; Titus 3:5; Heb. 2:3-4)
VI. MAN
We believe that man was created in the image of God. Man has a body, soul, and spirit. The first man, Adam, sinned and passed on a sinful nature to all mankind. All mem are sinners by nature and practice, and that apart from receiving God’s salvation, man is lost and will suffer everlasting conscious punishment. (Gen. 1:26-27; Mt. 13:42, 25:46; Mk. 9:43-48; Lk. 16:19-26; Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3; 1 Thes. 5:23; Rev. 20:11-15)
VII. SALVATION
We believe that salvation is initiated by the grace of God, and purchased by the blood of Christ, who died as the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Salvation is offered to all mankind, and is appropriated through human faith apart from good works. God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are involved together in the process of salvation. All who repent of their sins and trust Christ as their Lord and Savior are born again and made eternally secure. (Lk. 5:32; Jn. 3:16, 5:24, 10:28-30; Acts 20:21; Rom. 10:9-10; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 1:13, 2:8-10; Titus 2:11; 1 Jn. 2:2, 5:11-13)
VIII. THE CHURCH
We believe that the universal church is made up of all true believers in Christ form Pentecost to the rapture. Each assembly is a local expression of the universal church. We believe that the local church is central in God’s plan for evangelism, disciple-making, worship, and fellowship. Each local assembly answers to Christ alone as it’s sole Head, and is governed by a number of godly men in the church who are recognized as elders and oversee the spiritual welfare of the assembly. (Mat. 16:18; Acts 2:42-47, 20:28; 1 Cor. 12:12,13, 27; Eph. 1:22-23, 5:24,25,30; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:18; 1 Tim. 1:1-13; 1 Pet. 5:1-5)
IX. WOMEN’S MINISTRIES
We believe that our sisters in Christ are equals as fellow heirs of the grace of life. As such we encourage them to serve the Lord to their fullest potential in areas such as personal evangelism, teaching other women and children, prayer, giving, hospitality, practical service, literature distribution, music, translation, caring for the needy, and building a Christian home. We also recognize Scriptual distinctions between the roles of men and women. The New Testament teaches that women are not to exercise authority in the church over men, nor to teach men, but are to quietly receive instruction with a submissive spirit which is of great price in the sight of God. (Gal. 3:28; Rom. 16:1,2; 1 Cor. 11:1-16, 14:34-37; 1 Tim. 2:9-15; Titus 2:1-5; 1 Pet. 3:1-7)
X. THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH
We believe that there are two Scripturally required expressions of Christian commitment: 1) Baptism by immersion, symbolizing the believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection to walk in newness of life. 2) The Lord’s Supper which is a central part of our worship, done in remembrance of Him through the bread and the cup which symbolize His body and blood, proclaiming His death until He returns. (Mat. 28:19-20; Lk. 22:19-20; Acts 8:36-39, 20:7; Rom. 6:1-4; 1 Cor. 11:23-32)
XI. FUTURE EVENTS
We believe in the imminent rapture of the church, at an unknown time and date, in which the church, the body of Christ, will be caught up by Him before the Tribulation. After the Tribulation Christ will return to reign on earth for a thousand years. Following the millennium will be the resurrection and judgment of the lost resulting in their eternal conscious punishment. The saved will have already entered into eternal blessedness. (Mat. 24:3-44; Lk. 16:19-26; Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Thes. 4:13-5:11; 2 Thes. 1:8,9; Rev. 14:9-11, 20:1-21:8)
XII. FINANCES
We believe that God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply. We look to Christ alone in faith to supply our needs through His people. Giving is to be done in love, as God prospers, as a regular part of worship. We do not believe in public solicitation of funds, nor in seeking contributions from those outside the church. As stewards we desire to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness in the use of all that He has entrusted to us. (Mat. 6:33; 1 Cor. 4:1-2, 13:3, 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8-9 Gal. 6:6; Phil. 4:17-19; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 3 Jn. 7)
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