The Vine Cluster Church - Articles of Faith

ARTICLE I - INTRODUCTION TO ARTICLES OF FAITH

Our Article of Faith is the Bible. All of the following articles of faith are left open for more to be added as the Spirit shines more light upon God’s Word. Proverbs 4:18; Matthew 13:9-17

SECTION 1. GOD

• 1. is a spirit—John 4:24
• 2. is love—I John 4:8
• 3. is holy—Leviticus 19:2
• 4. is just and right—Deuteronomy 32:4
• 5. is merciful–Exodus 34:6-7
• 6. is gracious–Exodus 34:6-7
• 7. is longsuffering—Exodus 34:6-7
• 8. is faithful—Deuteronomy 7:9; II Timothy 2:13
• 9. is a consuming fire—Deuteronomy 4:24
• 10. is jealous—Deuteronomy 4:24
• 11. is everywhere—Jeremiah 23:24, Isaiah 66:1, Proverbs 15:3
• 12. lives in each believer—I Corinthians 3:16
• 13. is ruler above all, and is all in all—I Chronicles 29:11, I Corinthians 15:28

SECTION 2. JESUS

• 1. was prophesied about by Old Testament prophets
• 2. fulfilled prophecy in New Testament
• 3. was born of a virgin—Matthew 1:18-25
• 4. died voluntarily for the sins of the world—John 1:29
• 5. rose from the dead—Matthew 28:6
• 6. did no sin—I Peter 2:22
• 7. was the Son of God—Matthew 16:16
• 8. is coming again to punish those who do not know God and those that do not obey the Gospel of Jesus—2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
• 9. has been given all authority in heaven and earth—Matthew 28:18
All authority includes:
• a) church—Ephesians 1:22
• b) family—Ephesians 3:15
• c) nations (heathen)—Psalm 22:28
• d) business and economics—Deuteronomy 8:18
• e) health and diseases—Exodus 15:26
• f) weather and natural disasters--Mark 4:39-41
• g) education: learning, understanding, wisdom—Proverbs 2:6
• h) governments: national and local—Daniel 2:21, 4:17
• i) spiritual powers: angels, cherubim, seraphim—Hebrews 1:4
• j) evil powers: Satan, demons—Ephesians 1:21, Hebrews 2:14
• k) pleasures: delights, joy, recreation—Psalm 16:11

SECTION 3. THE WORD OF GOD (Bible)

• 1. is exalted above His name—Psalm 138:2
• 2. is spirit and life—John 6:63
• 3. was written by men through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit—Acts 1:16, II Timothy 3:16, II Pet. 1:21
• 4. is pure—Psalm 119:140
• 5. is the power of God unto salvation—Romans 1:16
• 6. is living and powerful, dividing the soul and the spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart—Hebrews 4:12
• 7. cleanses—Psalm 119:9
• 8. is truth—John 17:17
• 9. was written that men might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and receive life through his name—John 20:31
• 10. tells us of things concerning Christ—Luke 24:25,-27, 44, Acts 28:23
• 11. tells us all things that will be restored—Acts 3:21, 24
• 12. written for our learning that we might have hope—Romans 15:4
• 13. is a shadow of things to come—Hebrews 10:1, Col. 2:16-17
• 14. written that we might know the exact truth of the things we have been taught—Luke 1:1-4
• 15. is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, righteousness, perfection and being fully equipped to all good works—II Timothy 3:16-17
• 16. is Jesus—John 1:1-4
• 17. is not to be added to or diminished from—Deuteronomy 4:2
• 18. is to be taught to children—Deuteronomy 6:6-9
• 19. is to be written and read by civil leaders— Deuteronomy 17:18-19
• 20. is perfect, converting the soul—Psalm 19:7
• 21. is sure, making wise the simple—Psalm 19:7
• 22. is right, rejoicing the heart—Psalm 19:8
• 23. is pure, enlightening the eye—Psalm 19:8
• 24. is true and righteous altogether—Psalm 19:9
• 25. has great reward to them that keep it—Psalm 19:11
• 26. is to be read and studied by everyone—Isaiah 34:16, II Timothy 2:15

SECTION 4. THE HOLY SPIRIT

• 1. was prophesied to come in the Old Testament—Joel 2:28
• 2. fulfilled the prophecy in the New Testament— Acts 2:17
  • a) is a separate experience from receiving Jesus,
  • b) is a separate experience from believing on Jesus,
  • c) is a separate experience from water baptism—Acts 19:2, 8:12-17
• 3. is promised to all people, even to this present day—Acts 2:29
• 4. is given to them that ask and receive—Acts 5:32, Luke 11:13
• 5. convicts us of sin, righteousness and judgment—John 16:7-8
• 6. guides us into all truth—John 16:13
• 7. shows us things to come—John 16:13
• 8. boasts of Jesus, not of Himself or anything else—John 16:14
• 9. teaches us all things—John 14:26
• 10. produces fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance—Galatians 5:22-23
• 11. has gifts and expressions of wisdom, knowledge, prophecy, languages, interpretation of languages, faith, healing, miracles and discerning of spirits—I Corinthians 12:7-10

SECTION 5. GOD’S NAME

• 1. In the Old Testament, God revealed Himself through many names
• 2. In the New Testament, He is the “Lord Jesus Christ”—Acts 9:5, 16:31, Philippians 2:9-11
• 3. His Word is exalted above His name—Psalms 138:2

SECTION 6. SPIRIT BEINGS

• 1. Seraphim—Isaiah 6:2
• 2. Cherubim—Genesis 3:24
• 3. Archangels: Michael—Revelation 12:7; Gabriel—Luke 1:19, 26
• 4. Angels—Hebrews 1:14
• 5. Satan and his angels—II Corinthians 11:14, Matthew 25:41
  • a) cast out of heaven because of sin—Jude 6, II Peter 2:4
  • b) cannot be reconciled back to God. Hell was made for them— Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10
  • c) spirit beings are not to be worshipped—Colossians 2:18, Matthew 4:9-10

SECTION 7. MANKIND

• 1. is made by God in the image of God and given dominion over all the earth—Genesis 1:26
• 2. was made by God from the dust of the ground—Genesis 2:7
• 3. Woman was made by God from man’s rib—Genesis 2:21-22
• 4. Woman was made to be a help meet for man—Genesis 2:18
• 5. is a three part being—I Thessalonians 5:23
  • a) spirit—god consciousness
  • b) soul—emotions
  • c) body –physical structure
• 6. all have sinned—Romans 3:23
• 7. is separated from God by sin—Isaiah 59:2
• 8. is reconciled back to God by Jesus Christ—II Corinthians 5:18-19
• 9. must believe in Jesus, His death and resurrection, and confess with his mouth that Jesus Christ is his Lord to be free from sin and reconciled back to God—Romans 10:9
• 10. must continue in God’s Word to be a true disciple of Jesus—John 8:31, Hosea 6:3
• 11. must receive Jesus to become a son of God—John 1:12
• 12. is to worship God—Psalm 22:27
• 13. is to fear God and keep His commandments (this is the whole duty of man)—Ecclesiastes 12:13
• 14. shall be judged according to their works (some are sentenced to everlasting life and some to everlasting punishment)—John 5:28-29, Daniel 12:2, Revelation 20:11-15
• 15. is an eternal being; though his body dies, he will be resurrected from the dead, whether he is good or bad—John 5:28-29, Acts 24:15

SECTION 8. THE CHURCH

• 1. built by Jesus Christ—Matthew 16:18
• 2. is made up of people that follow god’s Work and have Jesus living in them—John 8:31, Acts 8:1, 9:1, 4, 5
• 3. Christ is the head (chief ruler)—Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 5:24
• 4. There are five ministry gifts given to the Church for the perfecting and edifying of the Church—Ephesians 4:11
  • a) Apostles—ambassadors of Christ with patience, signs, wonders and mighty deeds—II Corinthians 12:12
  • b) prophets—foreteller of events—Acts 11:28, 21:10-11
  • c) speaks words of edification, exhortation and comfort to the Church— I Corinthians 14:3
  • d) evangelists—those who preach Christ with faith, signs, and miracles accompanying his preaching
  • e) pastors—those who care for and feed the people of God—Ezekiel 34:2
  • f) teachers—those that instruct the way of Christ and teach the whole Bible skillfully, making it plain to those that hear—Acts 18:24-28, Ezra 7:6-10, Nehemiah 8:7-12
• 5. there is only one Church—Romans 12:4, I Corinthians 1:13, 12:20
• 6. all believers are set in the Church by God as it pleases Him—I Corinthians 12:18
• 7. Christ loved the church and died for it—Ephesians 5:25
• 8. Christ desires to present the Church to Himself—glorious, no spot, no wrinkle, holy and faultless—Ephesians 5:27, Haggai 2:7-9
• 9. is to be separated from the lifestyle and habits of unbelievers—II Corinthians 6:14-18, Jeremiah 10:2, Deuteronomy 18:9, 20:18, 7:2-4
• 10. is to love God with all their mind, soul, and heart—Matthew 22:36-40
  • a) is to love their neighbor as their self—Matthew 22:36-40
  • b) is to love their enemies—Matthew 6:44
  • c) is to love one another—John 15:12
• 11. is to teach all unbelievers and be a blessing to them—Matthew 28:19, Galatians 3:7-9
• 12. is to keep Christ’s commandments and make Him Lord by doing what He says—John 14:23, Luke 6:46

SECTION 9. THE UNBELIEVER

• 1. walks in his own ways—Acts 14:16
• 2. knows not God—I Thessalonians 4:5
• 3. prays with vain repetition—Matthew 6:7
• 4. worries about the cares of this life—Matthew 6:25, 32
• 5. exercises dominion and control over others—Matthew 20:25
• 6. follows not after righteousness—Romans 9:30
• 7. follows after sexual lust of adultery, fornication, pornography, and sensualism—Leviticus. 18:1-24
• 8. has sex with people of same sex or with animals—Leviticus 18:22-23
• 9. promotes activity with evil spirits, uses divination, enchantments, horoscopes, witchcraft—II Kings 17:10-17, Deuteronomy 18:9-10
• 10. brings own method of worship into God’s house—II Kings 21:2
• 11. does things secretly against God that are not right (erroneously believes that “as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else, it’s all right”)—II Kings 17:8-9
• 12. seduces others to do evil (doesn’t sin alone, but must entice others to accompany him)—II Kings 21:0
• 13. causes God’s people to turn from God by close involvement—Numbers 31:16, Revelation 2:14, Numbers 25:1-3

SECTION 10. THE GOVERNMENT

• 1. is placed in by God—Daniel 4:17, John 19:10-11
• 2. is given authority by God—Romans 13:1-4, I Peter 2:13-21
  • a) to punish them that do evil
  • b) to honor them that do good
• 3. is a servant of the people—II Samuel 23:3
• 4. is not to commit wickedness or lie—Proverbs 16:12, 17:7, 29:12
• 5. is not to associate with wicked people—Proverbs 25:5
• 6. if wicked, causes the people to mourn—Proverbs 29:2
• 7. rulers without understanding oppress the people—Proverbs 28:16
• 8. rulers are not to receive gifts (bribes)—Proverbs 29:4
• 9. rulers are not to drink wine and strong drink—Proverbs 31:4-5
• 10. rulers are not to commit adultery and sexual sin—Proverbs 31:3
• 11. when the righteous are in authority the people rejoice—Proverbs 29:2
• 12. taxes are to be paid to governments—Romans 13:6
• 13. We are to submit to righteous authorities and laws—Romans 13:1-2, I Peter 2:13-14
• 14. We are to honor civil rulers—I Peter 2:17
• 15. We are to submit to God’s authority and obey his word above civil authorities and laws—Daniel 6:9-13, Acts 5:40, 42, Luke 13:32, Acts 8:14
• 16. God will destroy unrighteous rulers— I Samuel 26:10, I Chronicles 10:13-14

SECTION 11. THE FAMILY

• 1. The husband is the head of the wife—Ephesians 5:23
  • a) is to cheer up his wife (joyful relationship)—Deuteronomy 24:5, Proverbs 5:18, Ecclesiastes 9:9
  • b) is to love his wife—Ephesians 5:25, Colossians 3:19
  • c) is to give honor unto the wife—I Peter 3:7
• 2. Wives are to be in submission to husband—Ephesians 5:22
  • a) so the Word of God will not be evil spoken of—Titus 2:5
  • b) so the husband may be won by the wife’s behavior—I Peter 3:1
  • c) to love their husband and their children—Titus 2:4
  • d) to guide the household—I Timothy 5:14, Proverbs 31:27
• 3. Parents
  • a) have their children under submission with all honesty—I Timothy 3:4
  • b) are not to provoke their children to wrath—Ephesians 6:4
  • c) provide food, clothing, and shelter for children—I Timothy 5:8, II Corinthians 12:14
  • d) correct their children with a rod—Proverbs 13:24, 19:18, 22:15, 23:13, 29:15
  • e) are to teach their children the Word of God—Deuteronomy 6:6-7, 11:18-21, Psalm 78:3-8
  • f) are to train up their children in the way they should go—Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4
• 4. Children
  • a) are to obey their parents in the Lord—Ephesians 6:1
  • b) are to honor their parents—Ephesians 6:2
  • c) are not to associate with riotous companions—Proverbs 28:7
  • d) are to come to Jesus and learn of his kingdom—Matthew 19:14
  • e) are to learn the fear of the Lord—Psalm 34:11
  • f) are to be wise, making their parents glad—Proverbs 10:1
  • g) are to worship and praise God—Psalm 148:12-13, Matthew 21:15
  • h) are to be taught in the House of God—Joshua 8:35, II Chronicles 20:13, Matthew 21:15
  • i) are to be taught by their parents at home—Deuteronomy 6:6-7, 11:1821
  • j) the Lord will take them up when parents forsake them—Psalm 27:10
  • k) are not to follow their parent’s wicked counsel that opposes God’s word—II Chronicles 22:3-5, Ezekiel 20:18-19

SECTION 12. THE EARTH AND HEAVENS

• 1. Created by God in six days—Genesis 1:1, Exodus 20:11
• 2. All animals were created by God—Genesis 1
• 3. All plants were created by God—Genesis 1
• 4. The sun, moon, stars, planets, galaxies were created by God—Genesis 1
• 5. Day and night, summer, winter, spring, and fall were created by God— Genesis 8:22
• 6. God controls the universe—Joshua 10:12-14, II Kings 20:8-11
• 7. They will pass away, and god will create a new heaven and earth— Revelation 21:1

SECTION 13. DOCTRINE

• A. Foundational—Hebrews 6:1-2
• 1) repentance from dead works
• 2) faith toward God
• 3) Baptisms
• a) in water—Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4-12, Colossians 2:12-14, I Peter 3:21
• b) in the Holy Spirit—Matthew 3:11, Acts 2:4, 8:17, 10:44-45, 19:6
• c) into the body of Christ (the church) 1 Corinthians 12:13,18
• 4) laying on of hands
• a) healing of physical body—Mark 16:18
• b) Holy Spirit baptism—Acts 19:6
• c) Blessing—Mark 10:16
• d) Impartation—Numbers 27:18-20
• 5) resurrection of the dead—John 5:28-29
• 6) eternal judgment—II Corinthians 5:10-11

• B. Sound Doctrine
• 1) righteous principles—I Timothy 1:9-10, Titus 2:1-12
• 2) godly principles
• 3) self-control principles

• C. Mature Doctrine
• 1) principles that bring man’s tongue and body under control—James 3:2
• 2) principles that make a person skillful in the Word of righteousness, and able to discern both good and evil—Hebrews 5:12-14
• 3) principles that keep jealousy, quarreling, and divisions out of God’s church—I Corinthians 3:3
• 4) principles that bring people to a total commitment to Jesus Christ— Matthew 19:21