Our Beliefs

The Bible, comprised of 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament, is the inspired Word of God and is totally inerrant in its original manuscripts. We further believe that the Bible is Truth and is our infallible rule in all matters. We believe it was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. The scriptures should be applied to the believer’s every day life through diligent study and meditation.

2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; I Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12; John 5:39; Psalm 12:6; 119:105,160; Proverbs 30:5

There is one true and living God, eternally existent in three persons; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are equal having the same nature, attributes, and perfection. Each executes a different but harmonious function. They each are worthy of the same reverence and obedience. Deuteronomy 6:4; Hebrews 1:1-3; Genesis 1:26; John 1:1-5, 14; Romans 1:19-20; 2 Corinthians 13:14

God the Father

God the Father is infinite, yet personal. He is perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. He infallibly knows all that shall come to pass. He hears and answers prayers, is faithful to every promise, works all things together for good to those who love Him, and in His unfathomable grace, gave His Son, Jesus Christ, for mankind’s redemption. He made all things for the praise of His glory and intends for man, in particular, to live in fellowship with Himself. Luke 10:21-22; John 3:16; 6:27; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6

God the Son

Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, has always existed and became man without ceasing to be God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. Jesus lived a sinless life and freely offered Himself as an atoning sacrifice for our sins through His death on the cross. After His physical, literal death, He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and now is exalted at the right hand of God. He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate on our behalf. Jesus is the only mediator between God and man, and salvation is found in no other. Anyone who accepts Him as Lord and Savior will be with Him for all eternity. John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:18-25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:24; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 7:25; Rom 8:34; I John 2:1-2; 1 Timothy 3:16; John 14:6; Acts 4:12

God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and Son, and convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He is the Supernatural agent in regeneration, sanctifying and empowering all who believe in Jesus Christ. He provides to those in whom He dwells strength for living, understanding of spiritual truths, guidance in doing what is right, and power to bear witness to Jesus Christ. He dwells in all believers from the moment of salvation and is the evidence and seal of that salvation. He uniquely gifts every believer with gifts of grace to fulfill their roles, and actively works miracles attesting to the person and work of Jesus. John 16:8-11; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Romans 8:9; Galatians 5:22-26; Ephesians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

God created man, both male and female, in His image and likeness. We were created to fellowship, worship, and enjoy God. However through the original sin of the first man and woman they, along with all mankind, were sentenced to both physical and spiritual death, which is separation from God. All have sinned and have no hope of Salvation outside of Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the cross. It is through Jesus’ sacrifice that we have access to His grace by faith, which is a gift from God. Genesis 1:26,27; Ephesians 2:8,9; Genesis 3; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; 5:12-21

The Bible is clear that there is only one way a person can be saved from their sin, and that is faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that Salvation is a gift from God and is not accomplished by any works of man. He gives generously, and our response to His gift of grace is necessary for the work, but made possible only by the drawing and wooing of the Holy Spirit. Eternal life begins at conversion. When the Holy Spirit draws an individual to Himself, the truth of the Gospel is presented, and the individual responds in faith and repentance. This is the moment of conversion that re-establishes fellowship with God, and the natural bi-product of it, is spiritual fruit. A believer has security in knowing this gift of grace will not be revoked.
Ephesians 2:8; Galatians 5:22-25; John 6:44; John 12:32; Hebrews 9:15; Ephesians 1:3-14; Romans 8:28-30; John 16:5-16; John 10:28-29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 10:14; I Peter 1:3-5

The Church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is not a building or an organization, but a people. We believe that God has established His Church (composed of all recipients of His grace for all time) on the earth. Jesus is the head of the Church and the Church is subject to Him in every way. The establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament scriptures. The purpose of the Church is to glorify God by building its members up in the faith through instruction of the word, fellowship, and keeping the ordinances for the advancement and communication of the gospel to the entire world.. God has given gifts to men for the building up of the Church (apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists), and the leaders of the church are to use these gifts to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. I Peter 2:4-10; I Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 5:23; 4:11, 12; 1:22, 23; Matthew 16:13-19; 28:18-20; Luke 15

Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church, Baptism and the Communion.

Christian Baptism is the immersion of the believer in water, which is a public testimony of the believer’s new life in Christ, and his or her identification with the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection.

The Lord’s Supper, foreshadowed for thousands of years by Passover, was instituted by Christ for the commemoration of His death. The elements of communion are symbolic of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, and are meant to remind us of the sacrifice He made, and the hope of salvation that comes from this sacrifice.

These two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 22:15-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:8; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

The church was founded by, has been sustained by, and continues to grow by the power of God working graciously and miraculously through His people. God continues to work in the world today in any way He chooses – both in ways seen explicitly in the Bible, and in unique ways consistent with the principles of the Bible but not seen explicitly. One role of the Holy Spirit is to empower every believer for service to others by imparting spiritual gifts for the building up of His church. All the spiritual gifts seen in the New Testament church are active and available to present day believers through the enablement and choosing of the Holy Spirit. None of these gifts have ceased to exist, nor have they ceased to play a vital role in the mission of the church. All of the gifts are important to the church today, but each will cease to exist when Jesus returns for His church. John 14:12-14; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13:13; Ephesians 4:11-14

Man and woman were created to exist forever. After physical death, our spirits will eternally be with God in Heaven, or eternally separated from God in Hell. We believe that both Heaven and Hell are places that really exist as the Bible describes them. John 3:16; Romans 6:23; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13; Revelation 20:15; 2 Peter 2:4; Luke 12:5; Jude 7; Jude 21

There are many issues in the Bible that the Body of Christ has allowed to splinter the Church, running to one side of scripture or the other. At Luminous Church, we believe that there are clear Biblical truths that are not up for debate or discussion. We also believe there are many truths in the Bible that are paradoxical – two issues that seem to be opposing viewpoints but are in fact both true. This is the wonder and mystery of a sovereign, powerful, just, merciful, and omniscient God and Creator. Theologians have argued for centuries over some of these paradoxes and we believe that God simply holds some things as a mystery.

Because of this:

In essential Beliefs – We have Unity

In non-essential Beliefs – We have Liberty

In all our Beliefs –We show Love and Grace

Proverbs 25:2
“2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.”
I Corinthians 13:9-12
“9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”