What We Believe
"….holding fast the faithful Word” (Titus 1:9)
10 Statements of Belief
The following 10 statements are a summary of what we believe at the Lighthouse of Holiness, but it is not an exhaustive account of the Christian faith. For this we rely solely upon infallible and inerrant Word of God as our authority and trust that these statements are in accordance with such.
1. We believe in one infinite God, eternally existent in three persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
(Genesis 1:26-27; Matthew 28:19; John 14:26; John 15:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 5:7)
2. We believe that the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments constitute the Holy Scriptures: They are the inspired and infallibly written Word of God, fully inerrant in their original manuscripts, and have been transmitted to the present without corruption of any teaching, even when they speak on points of history, science, geography or any other subject matter.* Most importantly, they are the sole and final authority in faith and practice.
(Genesis through Revelation; Psalm 119; Proverbs 30:6; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35; Luke 24:44-47; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:22-25; Revelation 22:18-19)
3. We believe that since the fall of Adam all men have been born in a state of total depravity and are therefore unable in their own strength to do the right. But, through Jesus Christ, the prevenient grace of God enables all to voluntarily respond in repentance and faith.
(Genesis 3:6; Job 14:4; John 1:4-5; Acts 3:19; Acts 17:30; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12; Romans 7:14-25)
4. We believe that the atonement through Jesus Christ is a free gift for the whole human race; and that whosoever truly repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, receives this gift, and is immediately justified, regenerated, saved from the dominion of sin, and adopted into the family of God.
(Genesis 17:17; John 3:16; Acts 2:21; Romans 3:21-26; Romans 5:18; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:15; Romans 10:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4; 1 John 1:9)
5. We believe that the opportunity is given for personal salvation only by divine revelation from the Holy Spirit, Who convicts the sinner of sin, righteousness and judgment, and offers “the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23) The Lord has called His church to be a witness in this power of the Spirit. To be light to the world one must be in the world but not of it. Light shines because of its contrast to the darkness that surrounds it.
(Isaiah 53; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47-49: John 15:26; John 16:5-15; John 17:8; John 17:14-16; Acts 1:8; Acts 3:22; 2 Corinthians 3:3,6; Ephesians 5:7-8: Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 3:18)
6. We believe that genuine converts to the Christian faith will be assured of personal salvation through the witness of the Holy Spirit and will manifest His graces and gifts.
(Romans 8:16; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Galatians 4:6; Galatians 5:23-23; Ephesians 4:7-16; 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:13; 1 John 5:6)
7. We believe that believers are to be sanctified wholly, subsequent to regeneration, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that the Spirit will also bear witness to this change.
(Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Matthew 3:11-12; John 7:37-39; John 14:15-18; Acts 2:1-4; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 2:20; I Thessalonians 5:23-24; I John 1:7,9)
8. We believe that our Lord will return, in person, the dead will be raised, and the final judgment of all mankind will take place.
(Psalm 98:9; Matthew 24:36; Matthew 26:24; Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:44; Acts 1:11; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Peter 3:10; Jude 1:14-15; Revelation 20:12)
9. We believe that both the living and the dead who stand before God at the final judgment in a state of impenitence will be cast into the lake of fire – a place created for the devil and his angels - to suffer the just and eternal punishment of God.
(Isaiah 1:31; Isaiah 34:10; Matthew 3:12; Matthew 13:42; Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:10-15; Revelation 21:8)
10. We believe that if one perseveres till the end of his life, by faith, in the grace that has freely been given, he will receive both a crown of life and a Heavenly mansion in the presence of our glorious Lord for an eternity.
(Job 17:9; John 14:2-4; Acts 13:43; Romans 2:7; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Galatians 6:9; 2 Timothy 3:14; Hebrews 11:8-10; Hebrews 12:1; 1 Peter 1:13; Revelations 3:11; Revelation 21:1-7; Revelation 22:14)
* We believe that God created the universe out of nothing in a period of six straight 24-hour days, and that the first 11 chapters of the Bible (including the creation account and worldwide Noachian flood) are to be regarded as both historical and accurate in every detail.
Conduct for Workers
We believe that it is important that all workers at Lighthouse of Holiness love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength, and love one’s neighbor as they love themselves (Exodus 20:3-6; Leviticus 19:17-18; Deuteronomy 5:7-10; 6:4-5; Mark 12:28-31; Romans 13:8-10). The evidence of this love of Christ in the heart of all believers is a devotion to Jesus Christ, a godly walk, and a desire to work for the glory of God.* Furthermore, it the desire of Lighthouse of Holiness that all workers be sanctified wholly, or earnestly desire to be cleansed from indwelling sin (Eph. 5:23-24)
FIRST: We believe that the love of Jesus Christ within the heart of a believer will result in obedience to the following obligations and commands (John 14:15), but is not limited to only these. The whole scope of the Christian canon of scripture is the believers’ sole authority in faith and in practice.
(1) A worker will share the gospel of Jesus Christ, with the unconverted through both evangelism and invitation to church meetings (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Romans 1:14-16; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
(2) A worker will be courteous to all men (Ephesians 4:32; Titus3:2; 1 Peter 2:17; 1 John 3:18).
(3) A worker will be helpful to all Christians and tolerable to all his brothers and sisters in Christ (Romans 12:13; Galatians 6:2, 10; Colossians 3:12-14).
(4) A worker will seek to do good to the bodies and souls of men; feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and ministering to the needy, whenever he has opportunity and if he is able. He will have the conviction that his care for the human soul is of the greatest importance, as the soul is eternal, and the body, mortal. Therefore, his compassion must be accompanied with a communication of the Word (Matthew 25:35-36; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; 2 Corinthians 9:8-10; Galatians 2:10; James 2:15-16; 1 John 3:17-18).
(5) A worker will contribute to the church and its work in tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:10; Matthew 23:24; Luke 6:38; 1 Corinthians 9:14; 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-10; Philippians 4:15-19).
(6) A worker will attend faithfully all the ordinances of God, and the means of grace, including the public worship of God (Hebrews 10:25), the ministry of the Word (Acts 2:42), the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-30); searching the Scriptures and meditating** thereon (Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-16); family and private devotions (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Matthew 6:6). Devotions will be regarded as the most important, as knowing Christ is the worker’s greatest need (Matthew 7:23; Luke 10:42).
(7) A worker will share in the responsibility of the ministry by praying for the growth of the ministry, warmly welcoming those who visit and defending the faith (I Thessalonians 1:22; Luke 14:23; Romans 15:7; Jude 1).
(8) A worker will serve the ministry and support it’s testimony by discovering his gifts and talents, by being equipped to serve by his pastors, by developing a servant’s heart, attending faithfully, by living a godly, Spirit-filled life and by giving of his time regularly (I Peter 4:10; Ephesians 4:11-12; Philippians 2:3-5, 7; Hebrews 10:25; Philippians 1:27; I Corinthians 16:2; Leviticus 27:30)
(9) A worker will avoid evil of every kind, including:
a. Taking the name of God in vain (Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12; James 5:12).
b. Profaning of the Lord’s Day by participation in unnecessary secular activities, thereby indulging in practices that deny its sanctity (Exodus 20:8-11; Isaiah 58:13-14; Mark 2:27-28; Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10).
c. Promiscuous lifestyle (Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7).
d. Habits or practices known to be destructive of physical and mental well-being. Christians are to regard themselves as temples of the Holy Spirit (Proverbs 20:1; 23:1-3; 1 Corinthians 6:17-20; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:18).
e. Quarreling, returning evil for evil, gossiping, slandering, spreading surmises injurious to the good names of others (2 Corinthians 12:20; Galatians 5:15; Ephesians 4:30-32; James 3:5-18; 1 Peter 3:9-10).
f. Dishonesty, taking advantage in buying and selling, bearing false witness, and like works of darkness (Leviticus 19:10-11; Romans 12:17; 1 Corinthians 6:7-10).
g. The indulging of pride in dress or behavior. Workers are to dress with the Christian simplicity and modesty that become holiness (Proverbs 29:23; 1 Timothy 2:8-10; James 4:6; 1 Peter 3:3-4; 1 John 2:15-17).
h. Music, literature, and entertainments that dishonor God (1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 6:14-17; James 4:4).
(8) A worker will submit himself to church discipline. For any fault of a brother that has caused a personal offense to a worker, he will seek to win his brother back by following the steps given by Christ in Matthew 18:15-20, with long-suffering and love for all those involved in the matter. For a sin that may cause harm to the purity of the bride of Christ (e.g. adultery, murder, apostasy) the offender will be removed from his position as “worker.” A worker recognizes that church discipline exist in order that those within the church may rightfully glorify God, protect the purity of Christ’s bride and seek the spiritual good of those disciplined (Matthew 18:15-20; Eph. 4:11-15; Eph. 5:22-30; I Cor. 5:6; I Cor. 10:31).
(9) Workers who come for mission trips to the Border will be instructed on the do's and don'ts in Mexico. Please understand that these are given for your own safety. We expect you to follow these guidelines at all times.*** *All workers at Lighthouse of Holiness must have been given the understanding through the Word and the Holy Spirit that they have not been saved by their own works, but by “grace through faith” (Eph. 2:8). It is only by His grace that a believer becomes the workmanship of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:10) and may now do good works to glorify the Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16). **Christian meditation is simply thinking carefully upon the scriptures, so that the believer may act accordingly (Joshua 1:8; Psalms 1:2-3; Psalm 63:6). It is not, in any way, to be confused the transcendental meditation.
***Our trips are offered exclusively to churches and individuals with whom we have already established relationships and have the following understanding: It is imperative that the body of Christ guard against immorality in its midst and movements that seek to contaminate the pure gospel of Jesus Christ e.g. the New Apostolic Reformation, Critical Race Theory or Wokeness, the Prosperity Gospel, the Word of Faith movement, the Emerging Church movement, Purpose-driven philosophy, Churchianity and any teaching that promotes worldliness over holiness. Lighthouse of Holiness is a Evangelical Christian ministry that is distinctively Wesleyan-Arminian in its understanding of the Word, but we welcome churches and individuals who agree on the essentials of the Christian faith (e.g. the Trinity, justification by faith, the virgin birth & the inerrant and infallible Word of God as the only source of authority) and are respectful of our distinctives.
(9) Workers who come for mission trips to the Border will be instructed on the do's and don'ts in Mexico. Please understand that these are given for your own safety. We expect you to follow these guidelines at all times.*** *All workers at Lighthouse of Holiness must have been given the understanding through the Word and the Holy Spirit that they have not been saved by their own works, but by “grace through faith” (Eph. 2:8). It is only by His grace that a believer becomes the workmanship of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:10) and may now do good works to glorify the Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16). **Christian meditation is simply thinking carefully upon the scriptures, so that the believer may act accordingly (Joshua 1:8; Psalms 1:2-3; Psalm 63:6). It is not, in any way, to be confused the transcendental meditation.
***Our trips are offered exclusively to churches and individuals with whom we have already established relationships and have the following understanding: It is imperative that the body of Christ guard against immorality in its midst and movements that seek to contaminate the pure gospel of Jesus Christ e.g. the New Apostolic Reformation, Critical Race Theory or Wokeness, the Prosperity Gospel, the Word of Faith movement, the Emerging Church movement, Purpose-driven philosophy, Churchianity and any teaching that promotes worldliness over holiness. Lighthouse of Holiness is a Evangelical Christian ministry that is distinctively Wesleyan-Arminian in its understanding of the Word, but we welcome churches and individuals who agree on the essentials of the Christian faith (e.g. the Trinity, justification by faith, the virgin birth & the inerrant and infallible Word of God as the only source of authority) and are respectful of our distinctives.