Doctrinal Statement

While fully recognising and appreciating the fact that no doctrine of Scripture should be supported by anything less than all the Scripture has to say concerning that doctrine, we nevertheless believe that it is of value to append each of the following doctrinal statements with two or more Scriptures supporting them.

 

The fundamental teachings of MFI are reflected in the following clear statements:

  • We believe in the plenary-verbal inspiration of the accepted canon of the Scriptures as originally given (2 Timothy 3:16, 1 Corinthians 2:13).
  • We believe in the Eternal Godhead who has revealed Himself as ONE God existing in THREE persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; distinguishable but indivisible (Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14).
  • We believe in the creation, test and fall of man as recorded in Genesis; his total spiritual depravity and inability to attain to divine righteousness (Romans 5:12, 18).
  • We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of men, conceived of the Holy Spirit; born of the Virgin Mary, very God and very man (Luke 1:26-35, John 1:18, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6).
  • We believe Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, and personally appeared to His disciples (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 4:25).
  • We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, His exaltation and personal, literal and bodily coming again the second time for the Church (John 14:2-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
  • We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace, through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work of the cross of Calvary by which we obtain remission of sins (Ephesians 2:8-9, Hebrews 9:12, Romans 5:11).
  • We believe in the necessity of water baptism by immersion in the name of the Eternal Godhead in order to fulfil the command of Christ (Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:36-39, 19:1-6).
  • We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as an experience at or subsequent to salvation, the normative evidence; namely speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance (Acts 2:1-4, 8:14-17, 10:44-46, Galatians 3:14-15).
  • We believe in the operation of the gifts of the Spirit as enumerated in 1 Corinthians 12 and through to 14, manifested in the Early Church.
  • We believe in the Spirit-filled life, a life of separation from the world and perfecting of holiness in the fear of God as an expression of Christian faith (Ephesians 5:18, 2 Corinthians 6:14, 7:1).
  • We believe in the healing of the body by divine power, or divine healing in its varied aspects as practised in the Early Church (Acts 4:30, Romans 8:11, 1 Corinthians 12:9, James 5:14).
  • We believe in the Table of the Lord, commonly called Communion or the Lord’s Supper, for believers (1 Corinthians 11:28-32).
  • We believe in the eternal life for believers (John 5:25, 3:16) and eternal punishment for unbelievers (Mark 9:43-48, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Revelation 20:10-15).
  • We believe in the reality and personality of Satan and eternal judgement of Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10-15).

 

In addition to these basic fundamentals, we also hold that…

  • The Biblical form of Church government is a plural eldership with a senior minister, who qualify on the basis of spiritual life, character, domestic life and rulership ability (1 Timothy 3).
  • The Church of Jesus Christ is the last instrument that God is using to extend His Kingdom prior to the second coming of Christ (Ephesians 3:10, Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 1:20, 22).
  • The local church is completely autonomous, that is, it is self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating in its mature state.
  • Every believer in Christ must be subject to God’s authority in a specific local church for spiritual protection and long-term fruitfulness (Hebrews 13:17).
  • The theological framework for understanding all of God’s dealings with mankind is to be found in the divine covenants revealed in Scripture.

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