What We Believe

Tenets of Faith

1. Preamble
2. The Holy Scriptures
3. God
4. Mankind
5. Salvation
6. Empowerment of the Holy Spirit
7. The Church
8. Last Things
9. Ordinances
10. The Lord’s Day
11. Marriage
12. Sanctity of Life
13. What it Means to be a Christian

Section One: Preamble.
We recognize that any doctrinal statement is but a feeble human attempt to summarize the inexhaustible riches of God’s Holy Word. However, this in no way detracts from the importance of such a statement. The following is a summary of the positions held by the pastoral leadership and Board of Directors with regard to the major biblical doctrines, which, no doubt, provides the framework for the teaching ministry of King Oaks Fellowship.

The intent here is to provide those attending King Oaks Fellowship a reasonable look at what we believe to be indispensable doctrines, and those on which, historically, there has been general agreement among all true Christians.

Section Two: The Holy Scriptures.
The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice. (2 Peter 1:20–21; 2 Timothy 3:15–16)

Section Three: God.
There is one true and living God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He has all power and authority in Heaven and on earth. He is the Creator of all things. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 5:48; Matthew 28:18-19; Isaiah 44:24; Colossians 1:16-17)

Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust, as a substitutionary and propitiatory sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures. He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest. He will come again to establish His Kingdom of righteousness and peace. (Philippians 2:6–11; Luke 1:36–38; 1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 2:9, I John 2:2; Romans 5:9; Acts 2:23–24; Hebrews 8:1; Matthew 26:64)

The Holy Spirit is a divine Person, sent to indwell, guide, teach, empower the believer, and convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. (John 14:15–18; Romans 8:9; John 16:13, Acts 1:8; John 16:7–11)

Section Four: Mankind.
Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God. He fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All people are by nature children of wrath, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The future of the unrepentant and unbelieving person is existence forever in conscious torment, and that of the believer in Christ is everlasting life and joy in the presence of the Lord. (Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 2:3; Romans 3:23; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 21:1–4)

Section Five: Salvation.
The only means for salvation has been provided for all people through the shed blood & resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Those who repent and believe in Him are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life, and become the children of God. (I Timothy 2:4–6; Acts 20:21; Titus 3:4–7)

Section Six: Empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit, being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts for the edification of the Body of Christ. (Ephesians 5:18; Acts 1:8; I Thessalonians 5:23; Romans 6:1–14; Ephesians 4:7–13; Romans 12:4–8)

Section Seven: The Church.
The true Church consists of all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again (regenerated) of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church, which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel and making disciples of all nations. Believers should be separated unto our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Christian life is a life of obedient righteousness that reflects the teaching of Jesus and a continual pursuit of holiness.  The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, prayer, fellowship, spiritual gifts, observance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and for the proclamation of the gospel. (Ephesians 1:22–23; Matthew 28:19–20; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; Hebrews 12:1-2; Matthew 5:2-12; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:14; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 3:1-10; Acts 1:8; 2:41–47; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 14:12; Ephesians 4:11-16)

Section Eight: Last Things.
There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust, followed by judgment; for the former, a resurrection unto life in Heaven; for the latter, a resurrection unto condemnation in Hell. (Hebrews 9:27; I Corinthians 15:20–23; John 5:28–29) The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ will be personal and visible. This is the believer’s hope and is a vital truth that is an incentive to holy living and faithful service. (Hebrews 10:37; Luke 21:27; Titus 2:11–14)

Section Nine: Ordinances.
We believe two ordinances have been committed to the local church:

Baptism in water. The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the scriptures.  All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized.  Baptism is an open act of faith and obedience representing the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Thus, believers declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47; Romans 6:4)

Holy Communion. The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements of unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine, is the symbol: expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4); a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26); a testimony of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26); and is enjoined on all believers “till He comes.” The Lord’s Supper is observed at KOF once every quarter (at a minimum) and should always be preceded by solemn self-examination. (1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:26-32).

Section Ten: The Lord’s Day.
The first day of the week, the Lord’s Day, is a Christian institution for regular observance.  It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, and by refraining from worldly amusements, and resting from secular employments, work of necessity and mercy only being excepted. (Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 12:1-12; 28:1ff.; Mark 2:27-28; 16:1-7; Luke 24:1-3, 33-36; John 4:21-24; 20:1, 19-28; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Colossians 2:16; 3:16; Revelation 1:10)

Section Eleven: Marriage.
The term marriage has only one legitimate meaning and that is marriage as sanctioned by God, as described in Scripture, which joins one biological man (being male as created by God) and one biological woman (being female as created by God) in a single, exclusive covenant commitment for a lifetime.  Marriage is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His Church and to provide the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to Biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. (Genesis 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; 20:13; Romans 1:26-29; 7:2; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)

Section Twelve: Sanctity of Life.
Sanctity of human life is established by God the Creator and such sanctity extends to all people including the child not yet born (from the moment of conception), the mentally and physically challenged, and those who are at the conclusion of their life here on earth.  Life is a gift from God and should be afforded to Him. (Exodus 20:13; Psalm 127:3; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:41-42)

Section Thirteen: What it Means to be a Christian. 
Being a Christian is more than identifying yourself with a particular denomination or affirming a certain value system. Being a Christian means you have individually placed your complete trust in Jesus to forgive and cleanse you from your sin and you have submitted your life and will to His.  It isn’t enough to just intellectually believe certain facts about Christ.  Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God (James 2:19), but they do not love and obey Him. True saving faith always responds in sincere love and obedience (Ephesians 2:10).