DECLARATION OF FAITH
We invite you to read and consider our Statement of Faith, which outlines the Biblical convictions and core values upheld
by Co-Missions Africa and its Board of Directors.
The Bible
We believe that the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God ( Matthew 5:18 ; 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ).
We believe that the Bible is inerrant in its original writings, inspired by God, and the complete and final authority for faith and practice ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ).
While He still used the individual writing styles of the human writers, the Holy Spirit guided them perfectly to ensure that they wrote exactly what He wanted written, without error or omission ( 2 Peter 1:21 ).
God
We believe in one God, Creator of all things ( Deuteronomy 6:4 ; Colossians 1:16 ), who has revealed Himself in three distinct Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
( 2 Corinthians 13:14 ).
We believe in one God, Creator of all things ( Deuteronomy 6:4 ; Colossians 1:16 ), who has revealed Himself in three distinct Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
( 2 Corinthians 13:14 ), but who is One in essence and glory. ( John 10:30 ). God is eternal ( Psalm 90:2 ), infinite ( 1 Timothy 1:17 ) , and sovereign ( Psalm 93:1 ).
God is omniscient ( Psalm 139:1-6 ), omnipresent ( Psalm 139:7-13 ), omnipotent ( Revelation 19:6 ), and unchangeable ( Malachi 3:6 ).
God is holy ( Isaiah 6:3 ), righteous ( Exodus 9:27 ; Deuteronomy 32:4 ). God is love ( 1 John 4:8 ), merciful ( 1 Peter 1:3 ; Ephesians 2:8 ) and good ( Romans 8:28 ).
Jesus Christ
We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is God incarnate, God in human form, the express image of the Father, who,
We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is God incarnate, God in human form, the express image of the Father, who, without ceasing to be God, became man to demonstrate who God is and to provide the means of salvation for mankind ( Matthew 1:21 ; John 1:18 ; Colossians 1:15 ).
We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary ( Matthew 1:23 ); that He is truly fully God and truly fully man ( John 1:1 , 14 ); that He lived a perfect, sinless life ( 1 John 3:5 ); that all His teachings are true ( John 14:6 ).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for all mankind ( 1 John 2:2 ) as a substitutionary sacrifice ( Isaiah 53:5-6 ).
We believe that His death is sufficient to provide salvation for all who receive Him as Savior ( John 1:12 ; Acts 16:31 ) ; that our justification is based on the shedding of His blood ( Romans 5:9 ; Ephesians 1:7 ); and that this is evidenced by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead ( Matthew 28:6 ; 1 Peter 1:3 ).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven in His glorified body ( Acts 1:9-10 ) and now sits at the right hand of God as our High Priest and Advocate
( Romans 8:34 ; Hebrews 7:25 ).
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit ( Acts 5:3-4 ).
We believe in the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit ( Acts 5:3-4 ).
He regenerates sinners ( Titus 3:5 ) and indwells believers ( Romans 8:9 ). He is the agent through whom Christ baptizes all believers into his body
( 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 ). He is the seal by which the Father guarantees the salvation of believers until the day of redemption ( Ephesians 1:13-14 ).
He is the Divine Teacher who enlightens believers’ hearts and minds as they study the Word of God ( 1 Corinthians 2:9-12 ). We believe that the Holy Spirit is ultimately sovereign in the distribution of spiritual gifts ( 1 Corinthians 12:11 ).
We believe that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, while by no means beyond the Spirit’s ability to empower, no longer function in exactly the same way as they did in the early development of the church ( 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 ; 2 Corinthians 12:12 ; Ephesians 2:20 ; Ephesians 4:7-12 ).
Angels and Demons
We believe in the reality and personality of angels.
We believe in the reality and personality of angels.
We believe that God created angels to be his servants and messengers ( Nehemiah 9:6 ; Psalm 148:2 ; Hebrews 1:14 ). We believe in the existence and personality of Satan and demons. Satan is a fallen angel who led a group of angels in rebellion against God ( Isaiah 14:12-17 ; Ezekiel 28:12-15 ). He is the great enemy of God and man, and the demons are his servants in evil.
He and his demons will be punished forever in the lake of fire ( Matthew 25:41 ; Revelation 20:10 ).
Humanity
We believe that humanity came into being through the direct creation of God and that humanity was made unique.
We believe that humanity came into existence through the direct creation of God and that humanity was uniquely made in the image and likeness of God
( Genesis 1:26-27 ).
We believe that all humanity, as a result of Adam’s fall, has inherited a sinful nature, that all people choose to sin ( Romans 3:23 ), and that all sin is extremely offensive to God ( Romans 6:23 ). Humanity is utterly incapable of recovering from this fallen state ( Ephesians 2:1-5 , 12 ).
Redemption
We believe that salvation is a gift of God’s grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
We believe that salvation is a gift of God’s grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross ( Ephesians 2:8-9 ).
Christ’s death fully accomplished justification by faith and redemption from sin. Christ died in our place (Romans 5:8-9) and bore our sins in His own body
( 1 Peter 2:24 ). On the third day after His death, Jesus physically rose again, demonstrating His victory over sin and death ( Romans 14:9 ; 1 Corinthians 15 ).
We believe salvation is received by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Good works and obedience are results of salvation, not requirements for salvation.
Because of the greatness, sufficiency, and perfection of Christ’s sacrifice, all who have truly accepted Christ as Savior are forever secure in salvation, preserved by God’s power, forever assured, and sealed in Christ ( John 6:37-40 ; John 10:27-30 ; Romans 8:1 , 38-39 ; Ephesians 1:13-14 ; 1 Peter 1:5 ; Jude 1:24 ).
Just as salvation cannot be earned by good works, it also does not require good works to be maintained or sustained. Good works and changed lives are the inevitable consequences of salvation ( James 2 ).
The Church
We believe that the Church, the Body of Christ, is a spiritual organism consisting of all believers of this present age.
We believe that the Church, the Body of Christ, is a spiritual organism consisting of all believers of this present age ( 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 ; 2 Corinthians 11:2 ;
Ephesians 1:22-23 , Ephesians 5:25-27 ).
We believe in the ordinances of believers’ water baptism by immersion as a testimony of Christ and identification with Him, and the Lord’s Supper as a remembrance of Christ’s death and shed blood ( Matthew 28:19-20 ; Acts 2:41-42 , Acts 18:8 ; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ).
Through the church, believers are to be taught to obey the Lord and to testify of their faith in Christ as Savior and to honor Him by a holy life.
We believe in the ‘Great Commission’ as the primary mission of the Church.
It is the obligation of all believers to bear witness to the truths of God’s Word by word and life.
The gospel of the grace of God must be preached to the whole world ( Matthew 28:19-20 ; Acts 1:8 ; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 ).
That which is to Come
We believe in the blessed hope ( Titus 2:13 ), the personal and imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to take away His saints in the rapture
( 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ).
We believe in the blessed hope ( Titus 2:13 ), the personal and imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to take away His saints in the rapture
( 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ).
We believe in the visible and bodily return of Christ to earth with His saints to establish His promised millennial kingdom ( Zechariah 14:4-11 ; 1 Thessalonians 3:13 ;
Revelation 3:10 , Revelation 19:11-16 , Revelation 20:1-6 ).
We believe in the physical resurrection of all people – the saints to eternal joy and bliss on the New Earth, and the wicked to eternal punishment in the lake of fire
( Matthew 25:46 ; John 5:28-29 ; Revelation 20:5-6 , Revelation 12-13 ).
We believe that the souls of believers at death are absent from the body and present with the Lord, awaiting their resurrection when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified with the Lord forever ( Luke 23:43 ; 2 Corinthians 5:8 ; Philippians 1:23 , Philippians 3:21 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ).
We believe that the souls of unbelievers, after death, remain in conscious misery until their resurrection when, reunited with soul and body, they will appear at the Great White Throne Judgment and be cast into the Lake of Fire to suffer eternal punishment ( Matthew 25:41-46 ; Mark 9:43-48 ; Luke 16:19-26 ; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 ;
Revelation 20:11-15 ).
