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DOCTRINAL STATEMENT OF COVnet
(Creedal Affirmation)
INTRODUCTION
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ we praise God for his great salvation
and rejoice in the fellowship he has given us with Himself and with each other.
We rejoice in what God is doing in our day and are challenged by the unfinished
task of evangelization.
COVnet is a family of ministries committed to the historic confessions of the
Christian faith. The network is also committed to the Pentecostal/Charismatic
dimension of Christianity and the contemporary movement of the Holy Spirit. The
following affirmation reflects our points of common belief. It is not
exhaustive, but rather summary what we believe, confess and teach on the
essential elements of the Christian faith.
We have sought to express the truths of the Christian faith in a way that is
faithful to Scripture and the historic confessions. We have tried to
communicate in a clear and concise manner, consistent with contemporary English
usage.
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The One The God
There is but one living and true God, the eternal Spirit. The one true God is
infinite in power, wisdom, justice, goodness and love; the maker of all things,
both visible and invisible. With Christians throughout the ages, we affirm the
eternal unity of God in three persons, of one substance, power and eternity --
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
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The Lord Jesus Christ
We affirm that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. In Him the divine
and human natures are perfectly and inseparably united. He is fully God in
every respect, possessing all the powers nd prerogatives of the sovereign God.
He is also fully human, possessing all the capacities of human life. With
Christians throughout history, we affirm that He is the eternal Word made
flesh, the only begotten of the Father, born of the Virgin Mary by the power of
the Holy Spirit. As a ministering Servant, He lived a sinless life, and
suffered and died for our sins on the Cross. He was buried, was raised from the
dead by His Father, and ascended into heaven to be with His Father. He shall
return to the earth to establish an eternal Kingdom. Jesus Christ is the only
Savior and Mediator, who intercedes for us, who gives gifts to the church, and
by Him all people will be judged.
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The Holy Spirit
We affirm our belief in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from and is one with the
Father and Son. He convinces the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. He
leads people to respond to the Gospel and into the fellowship of the church. He
regenerates, indwells, comforts, empowers and leads God's people into all
truth.
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The Scripture
We affirm that the Bible is the Word of God. We affirm the divine inspiration,
truthfulness and authority of both Old and New Testament Scriptures in their
century as the only written word of God, without error in all that it affirms,
and the only infallible rule of faith and practice. We also affirm the power of
God's Word to accomplish His purpose of salvation. The message of the Bible
addressed to all for God's revelation in Christ and in Scripture is
unchangeable. Through it the Holy Spirit still speaks today. He illumines the
minds of God's people in every culture to perceive its truth freshly through
their own eyes.
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Creation
We affirm that the world was created by the Sovereign God through the Word and
the Spirit. The created order is good and was created for the well-being of all
creatures as the place of human dwelling in covenant with God.
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Humanity
We affirm that human beings were created in the image of God. God placed man
and woman on this planet to walk in fellowship with Him and to cultivate and
manage the earth. As beings created in God's image, every human being has
destiny and worth and is to be treated with dignity and respect.
Our relationship with God was broken through the willful rebellion of the first
humans, Adam and Eve. As sinful creatures we have broken covenant, become
estranged from God, wounded ourselves and others, and wreaked havoc throughout
the creation. As the result of sin, all human capacities have been affected.
The mind has been darkened. The heart has been corrupted so that all human
actions have been polluted by self-will and the desire for self-gratification.
Only God can save them.
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Salvation
Because God truly loves humanity, He judges our sin, calls us to repentance and
faith, pardons us, receives us by grace, and restores us in His image.
The only hope for humanity is through the work of Jesus Christ, who is the
unique Savior of the human race and the sole Mediator between God and humanity.
Through his suffering and death human beings receive forgiveness from sin and
are restored in the image of God. Salvation includes release from the power as
well as the penalty of sin. The goal of God's redemptive action is to restore
what was lost in the Fall and includes the healing of human beings at every
level of their being. God's salvation also includes the renewal of the created
order. Salvation not only effects reconciliation between God and humanity but
also between persons as well (Col 2:14-15).
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Ordinances of the Church
We affirm that the ordinances of the church are signs and symbols of God's
saving presence among us. They are not badges of Christian profession; but are
signs of God's grace by which He works in us by His Spirit. There are two
ordinances ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels, that is, Water
Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
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Sanctification and Holiness
We believe that sanctification is a work of God's grace through the Word and
the Spirit, through which those who have been born again are cleansed from
their sins in thought, word and actions, so that they become whole persons,
able to live in accordance with God's will. Sanctification is both event and
process.
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The Power of Holy Spirit
We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Father sent His Spirit to bear
witness to His Son; without His witness ours is futile. Conviction of sin,
faith in Christ, new birth and Christian growth are all his work. Further, the
Holy Spirit is a missionary Spirit; thus evangelism should arise spontaneously
from a Spirit-filled church. Believers receive power when they are baptized in
the Holy Spirit. The ministry of the Holy Spirit occurs through prayer, the
ministry of the Word, teaching and the manifestation of spiritual gifts.
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The Church
We affirm our belief in one holy, apostolic and universal church established by
Jesus Christ and built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, composed
of believers from all ages. The church is the community of God's people rather
than an institution, and must not be identified with any particular culture,
social or political system, or human ideology. God has been calling out from
the world a people for Himself, and sending His people back into the world to
be His servants and His witnesses, for the extension of His Kingdom. The church
is a community of committed relationships in which personal faith is nurtured
by mutual responsiveness and accountability.
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Ministry
We believe that the ascended Lord has given gifts of ministry to His church,
including apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These
ministries exist to build up the body of Christ and to equip men and women for
ministry. A person is set apart by the Holy Spirit through calling and gifting,
and subsequently recognized by the leadership of the local congregation.
Transcongregational relationship and accountability are vital and have deep
biblical warrants.
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Mission and Service
Personal faith always involves mission and service to the world. Christian
faith entails more than personal piety; love of God always produces love for
one's neighbor, a passion to see the salvation of others, the renewal of life
and the establishment of justice. No local congregation, association of
congregations or parachurch ministry can hope to complete the tasks of mission
and service in isolation from other parts of the body of Christ. The Gospel is
God's Good News for the whole world. We are determined by His grace to obey
Christ's commission to proclaim to all people and to make disciples of every
nation. Therefore we maintain that unity and partnership are essential for the
fulfillment of the evangelistic and cultural mandates of God's people.
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The Return of Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly, in power and
glory, to consummate his salvation and his judgment.
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The Resurrection of the Dead
We affirm our belief in the resurrection of the dead at the end of
history. Jesus Christ will raise all men and women, the saints, to everlasting
life and blessedness, and the unrighteous to judgment and eternal damnation.
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The Restoration of All Things
We affirm our belief and confidence that Jesus Christ shall reign over all
creation and restore the created order. We look forward with eager anticipation
to that day, and to the new heaven and earth in which righteousness will dwell
and God will reign forever.
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