The Meaning of Life Ministry logo
The Meaning of Life Ministry banner

What We Believe

These bullet points are a quick summary of the more detailed version below it.

  • The Bible is the only foundation of truth given to humans, perfect and complete in revealing God.

  • No Bible translation can be considered exclusively superior to all others, But, some are consistently more accurate. 

  • There is only one God, existing eternally in three distinct parts - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - equal in deity, power and glory. 

  • Jesus is fully God, but was fully human in this world; Holy Spirit conceived and born to a virgin. 

  • The Holy Spirit is not a random force or higher power, He is a person, God, with personality, thoughts, and feelings.

  • Mankind was made in the image of God, originally perfect, free from sin and death.

  • God made humans in his image by instilling many of his own attributes, but perhaps none more preeminent than the sovereign power of decision making - Free Will. Calvinism is a wretched lie that robs man of his God-given responsibility and slanders God's perfect nature of justice. 

  • God created humans with two distinct genders, determined by anatomical parts, as well as genetic design. Both genders are created in the image of God and therefore, equal in value. Women receive the same Holy Spirit as men, for salvation, sanctification, and empowerment to glorify God through works of ministry. The Holy Spirit can preach, teach, and prophecy just as well through a woman as a man. However, men and women were created with distinctly different characteristics and we should be humble enough to recognize the need of the moment in consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of those characteristics.

  • Humans are to use free will to bring forth more life in the image of God to glorify him, which begins at conception.

  • Sexual intimacy is only for marriage. Marriage is a life-long covenant between one man and one woman. Therefore, divorce is a sin, and remarriage after divorce is a sin, unless the divorce is a result of infidelity.

  • Husbands are to be servants and respect their wives as co-leaders. Women are to respect their husbands as the head of the family. 

  • All humans have sinned, creating a separation and hostility toward God. They are deserving of wrath and eternal punishment and will not see God’s Heavenly Kingdom without salvation in Jesus.

  • Salvation is a gift by faith in Christ alone, not a one time experience, but an on-going relationship with Christ in obedience, resulting in holiness, which is not optional. 

  • Water baptism and communion are holy but not salvation requirements.

  • Christ made a blood sacrifice for all sins of all people, but those who reject the Lordship of Jesus also reject the benefit of that sacrifice, and will be required to pay for their own sins in Hell.

  • True salvation will always result in the recognizable good fruit of the Holy spirit emminating from the heart and manifested in righteous behavior.

  • All true believers receive the Holy Spirit, but there is a deeper measure of fullness that can increase with more maturity, holiness, and intimacy with God, which results in more fruit and greater supernatural work in the Spirit. 

  • The true Church is all humans who are obedient to Jesus, worldwide.

  • The leadership roles of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher are still valid, but there will always be skeptics of the geniune, and followers of the counterfeit. 

  • The distinction between church leadership and lay ministry leadership is a falsely contrived, man-made distinction – lay ministry is a fully functioning part of the Church with equal gifts, mission, and authority.

  • All of the original gifts of the Spirit, mentioned in the Bible, and displayed in the early church are still available for those who believe, as the Holy Spirit sees fit to distribute.

  • God is patient and compassionate, but he is also angry at sin and sinners.

  • Hell is a literal place of eternal torment. It is not Satan's domain, it is his prison. He will not be in charge of anything, he will be in torment.

  • Demons are real and active on the earth, but true believers have authority over them by the authority of Jesus.

Here's the more detailed version (references are a sample, not exhaustive).

The Bible:

 

The 66 currently canonized books of the Bible are the word of God, and the only foundation of truth given to humans, perfect and complete in revealing God. The Bible is the final authority for everything we believe, and how we are expected to live our lives (Heb 4:12, Deut 11:19, 1 Pet 2:25, Ps 119:89). The Bible is a creation of God given through men by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and therefore, is absolutely perfect, when the reader is inspired by the same Holy Spirit (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:21, Ps 19:7, Ps 12:6, Prov 30:5). No translation can be considered exclusively superior to all others, because the essential element which decides its effectiveness is not a perfect translation, but rather a perfect revelation from the Holy Spirit...who's goal is not to help you know the Bible, doctrine, or theology, but to help you know Jesus Christ (Jn 5:39, Jn 1:1, Jn 14:6, Jn 16:13, Jn 14:26, 1 Jn 2:27). However, some translations are consistently more accurate than others, and there is merit in having both word-for-word and thought-for-thought translations side-by-side. Apocryphal (Deuterocanonical) books could perhaps have limited value when taken in proper context (namely cultural and historical), but the many factual and historical inaccuracies deem them unworthy for consideration as inspired holy scripture, and should be approached very cautiously, if at all.

God:

There is only one true and living God (Is 45:21, Is 43:10, Deut 4:35, 1 Kings 8:6, Joel 2:27, Eph 4:6, Is 44:6) who is eternal – past, present and future (Rev 1:8, Col 1:17). He exists in three distinct parts, with distinct functions, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as one whole being (Matt 28:19) - and, being one God they are equal in deity, power and glory. God is perfect in every way, he cannot lie (Num 23:19, 1 Sam 15:29, Is 40:8) , and he does not change (Mal 3:6, Heb 13:8, Jms 1:17, Ps 102:27). God created the world and everything in it for His own purpose and all things in existence are sustained by the life that is in Him (Col 1:17, Jn 1:3-4, Acts 17:24-28). All created things are sustained and governed by him, he alone determines the parameters of boundaries and laws (Ps 139, Rom 1, Eph 1, Rev 1). God has chosen to reveal Himself through the Nation of Israel and therefore Israel should be given a certain amount of due respect. The one true God is the only one worthy to receive worship and prayer, either in part or as a whole (Ex 34:14).

Jesus:

Jesus is God incarnate, He is fully God, but manifested himself fully as a man while in this world in a human body (Titus 2:13, Phil 2:6, Is 9:6, Jn 10:33, Jn 20:28, 2 Pet 1:1, Heb 2:10, Jn 17:5, Matt 28:17, Is 44:6). He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to a virgin (Is 7:14, Luke 1:27), lived a sinless life (2 Cor 5:21, Heb 4:15) and willingly received the punishment for all the sins of mankind (Jn 1:29, Heb 10:1-18, 1 Cor 5:7). Jesus physically raised himself from the dead (Jn 10:18). The shedding of his blood satisfied the demand of justice for every human being's sin (Rom 5:8), but anyone who rejects Christ, rejects his sacrifice, and therefore will be required to pay for their own sins in Hell. Jesus’ sacrifice and righteous deeds of obedience to the Father are the fulfillment of the law (Matt 5:7). There is salvation in no other name, and no one can come to Father God except through Him (Acts 4:12, Jn 14:6).

Holy Spirit:

The Holy Spirit is a person with thoughts and feelings (Eph 4:30). As the pledge of our redemption, He is ever-present, and eternally present, dwelling within those who surrender their will to Jesus Christ (Eph 1:13-14, Jn 14:16). As the spirit of God, He empowers us to fulfill God's every purpose, and overcome the flesh nature and the temptations of this world which is defined as: “Grace” (Titus 2:11, Jn 16:8, Lk 24:49, Acts 1:8, Eph 3:16).

All who are saved receive the Holy Spirit (Jn 20:22, Jn 7:39, 1 Cor 12:13), but there is a deeper fullness of the Spirit, a greater baptism, which one can mature into. This greater infilling allows a person to be clothed with power for greater supernatural work in the Spirit (Lk 4:1, Lk 24:49, Acts 7:55, Acts 4:8, Acts 13:52, A6:3, cts Acts 13:9, Lk 1:15, Acts 2, Acts 1:8, Joel 2:28, Eph 5:18, Acts 4:31, Lk 11:13, Lk 1:67, Acts 11:24). He empowers some to function in the power and authority of these leadership rolls: Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher (Eph 3:7). The importance of being enabled in this way is not about titles, positions, or privileges, but accessing certain anointings that empower people for governing authority in the Church, and specifically in the realm of the Spirit. These offices of leadership are meant to be duties of servanthood with the goal of equipping the saints for the ministry. However, there are also many counterfeits (Jn 10:1-4, Matt 7:15, 1 Jn 4:1, Matt 24:24, 2 Pet 2:1, 2 Cor 11:13). And likewise, all of the original gifts of the Spirit, mentioned in the Bible, and displayed in the early Biblical church are still available for those who believe, as the Holy Spirit sees fit to distribute (Rom 12, 1 Cor 12, Mk 16:17, Acts 2). These gifts are to minister to the saints and facilitate signs and wonders which follow those who believe. Miraculous signs validate the gospel message, and make the authority of Jesus Christ known in the earth.

Humans:

Mankind was made in the image of God, originally perfect, free from sin and death. God made humans in his image by instilling many of his own attributes, but perhaps none more preeminent than the sovereign power of decision making - Free Will. God backed this sovereign decision making nature with god-given authority, and humans were originally commanded to rule upon the earth (Gen 1:26-27, Josh 24:15, Is 1:18, Deut 30:19). Humans used their free will to make a choice outside of God’s will, resulting in spiritual death (gen 2:17, Rom 6:23). When humans submitted to Satan’s influence and obeyed his will, they gave Satan authority to exert dominance over them, making them vulnerable to his destructive desires. Humans are now infected with the nature of sin which is passed down from one generation to another, along with death (Ex 20:5), and can only escape the curse of sin by putting to death the old life of sin (Rom 8, Gal 5, Gal 2:20, Matt 16:24) and walking in the new life of Jesus Christ. All humans have sinned, creating a separation from God, and a hostility toward God. They are therefore guilty of wrath and eternal punishment and will not see Heaven or God’s Eternal Kingdom without the salvation of Jesus Christ, with the goal of making them into a holy being which embodies the image of God originally designed into humans.

God created humans with two distinct genders, determined by anatomical parts, as well as genetic design. Both genders are created in the image of God and therefore, equal in value. Women receive the same Holy Spirit as men, for salvation, sanctification, and empowerment to glorify God through works of ministry. When the Holy Spirit anoints a being to carry out the will of God and speak on his behalf, the anointing should be honored regardless of gender, age, race, education, or background, even if it happens to be a donkey like that of Balaam who is rebuking a spiritual leader. The Holy Spirit can preach, teach, and prophecy just as well through a woman as a man (1 Cor 12, Heb 2:4, Eph 4:7). When a woman is called to ministry and leadership, she should do so with great faith and God-given authority. The distinction between church leadership and lay ministry leadership is a falsely contrived, man-made distinction – lay ministry is a fully functioning part of the Church with equal gifts and authority!

All life on Earth begins with a seed of its own kind. Humans use their God-given power to be fruitful, by putting a man's seed into a woman, and human life begins at the moment of conception. A design that empowers humans to use their free will for bringing forth more life in the image of God, which glorifies him. Humans were created with distinct and opposite but complimentary genders to fulfill this purpose, within the healthy framework of marriage and family (Mt 19:6, Gen 2:22-23, Mt 19, Mk 10, 1 Cor 6). Sexual intimacy was designed only for the marriage relationship (Gen 1:27-28, Lev 18:22-23). It was designed to be treated with respect, and motivated by holy love, not to be used for careless pleasure, selfish ambition, or monetary gain (Heb 13:4). Marriage is a covenant between one man and one woman for life, therefore divorce is a sin, and remarriage after divorce is a sin, unless the cause of divorce is the breaking of the covenant by infidelity. Husbands have a mandate from Christ to sacrificially lay down their lives as servants for their family, and should respect their wives as co-leaders over their children. Women have a mandate from Christ to respect their husbands as the head of the family.

Salvation:

Salvation is a gift of God received by faith. The salvation of humanity is found in Christ and Christ alone (Acts 4:11, Jn 14:6), and no amount of religious works, good deeds, or institutional affiliation can save a man from God's judgment (Eph 2:7-9). Salvation is not a one time experience, but rather an on-going relationship with Christ (Jn 17:3, Matt 7). One must enter the narrow gate and remain on the narrow road to be saved. Christ said, “those who endure to the end will be saved” and again “those who overcome will be saved”. Christ has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us (Heb 13:5), but it is possible for us to walk away and reject him (Heb 10:26-29, Mt 7:21-23, Jn 15:6, 1 Cor 1:18, 1 Cor 9:27, 1 Tim 6:21, 2 Pet 3:17, Heb 6:4). That salvation includes the process of being made holy, as we obediently surrender our will to His will, allowing him to manifest his life through us (Phil 2:13, Gal 2:20, Heb 12:14, Heb 5:9). Righteous deeds (works) are an outward manifestation of the Holy Spirit's salvation work within (Ezek 36:26-27, Eph 2:9-10, Jms 2:17-24), which results in a desire to worship God with our entire life - thoughts, words and deeds (Rom 12:1-2). Works are essential for salvation, but it is not the works of man, but the works of Jesus manifested through our life as we take up our cross and put the flesh to death (Phil 2:12-13, Eph 2:10, Gal 2:20, Phil 1:6). Salvation will always result in recognizable, good fruit (Jn 15:1-8, Gal 5:22, Matt 7:16-20). The fruit of good works is not a means to salvation, but rather the evidence of salvation, the outward manifestation of a changed heart. The removal of sin and the outworking of good deeds, all center around loving God above all else, and loving your neighbor as much as yourself (Mt 22:36-40, Jms 2:8, Mk 12:31, Gal 5:14Lk 10:27).

The Church:

The Church consists of all believers worldwide, as a corporate body, working together for one common goal: Glorifying God (Jn 4:23-24), building each other up so we can better glorify God (Eph 4:11-14, 1 Thes 5:11, Heb 10:24-25), and preaching the gospel of repentance to make disciples (Mark 16:15, Matt 18:20, Eph 1:22-23, Matt 28:19) who will glorify God. Anyone who recognizes Jesus Christ for who He is as God, Lord, and savior, worships Him in spirit and truth (Jn 4:24), and doesn't add to or take away from His word (2 Cor 11:4, Gal 1:8, Rev 22:19), is a part of that church (1 Cor 12:13). The Church and the Kingdom are synonymous, but the Church is an earthly institution which represents the eternal spiritual Kingdom in Heavenly places. God’s Kingdom will eventually be established on Earth after the final judgment and destruction of the old earth, when there will be a new Heavens and a new Earth (2 Pet 1:10-11, Luke 17:20-21, 2 Pet 3:10, Rev 21:1-3).

Baptism/Lord's Supper:

These two ordinances are not a means to salvation, but rather outward displays of worship that symbolize the spiritual benefits received from Jesus Christ through His sacrifice (1 Cor 11:24, Rom 6:3-4). Though not required for salvation, these displays of affection should be regarded as important because they have deep symbolic meaning in God's heart (the same way one cherishes their wedding ring, even though the ring doesn't make you married). There is a powerful Holy Spirit blessing to be had in water baptism, and serves to establish three things in a new believer: 1) an attitude and pattern of being of obedient to Christ, 2) a sense of empowerment from the very beginning to be bold and publicly unashamed of him, 3) the importance of identifying with and participating in the death and resurrection of Christ. There is no indication that baptism was ever anything other than a complete emersion in water, either in Jewish tradition or early Church history. However, the sprinkle or dip debate is probably a minor argument compared to the general overemphasis of water in the salvation process.

Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell:

Human beings are eternal beings, and after experiencing the death of their physical bodies, will face Jesus as the Judge of their life (Heb 9:27, 2 Cor 5:10, Rev 20:13, Heb 10:31, Matt 12:36, Matt 16:26-27). They will face Him either as a forgiven friend, resulting in eternal life, or as a guilty enemy, resulting in eternal death (Matt. 25:46, Rom 6:23, Dan 12:2, Gal 6:8, Jn 5:29, Ez 18:4) Heaven is a place of perfect bliss, free from sin, affording those who love Jesus, and value worshiping Him above all else, the opportunity to be with Him unhindered and unending (1 Cor 2:9). Hell is a real place of separation from God’s goodness, where one is faced with with the torment of God’s holy fire. The fire, torment, and punishment will never cease, and there will be no place for excuses or second chances after death. (2 Thess 1:9, Matt 13:50, Mark 9:43, Jude 1:7, Matt 25:41, Rev 19:20, Matt 10:28, Luke 16:24, Jude 12-13, Rev 14:11, Rev 20:10, Rev 21:8, Matt 13:41-50, Mark 9:48, Matt 23:33, 2 Pet 2:17, Lk 16:23, Matt 3:12, Mark 9:48).

Satan and Demons:

Satan along with one third of Heaven’s angels sinned by rebelling against God and were cast violently out of heaven. They now roam the earth looking to see who they can take advantage of and devour (1 Pet 5:8). Fallen angels are referred to as unclean spirits or demons (Matt 12:43, Rev 18:2, Mark 5, Lk 11:24). Demons despise humans because they are jealous and hate God. And, even in complete ignorance, humans are influenced, deceived, and victimized by demons. Satan is still able to disguise himself as an angel of light. Cults and false teachings often begin when people listen to demons disguised as messengers of Heaven who speak lies. Satan and the other demons were judged at the cross and will eventually be cast into the Lake of Fire where they will be punished in unending torment forever. Hell is not Satan's domain, it is his prison, and he will not be in charge of anything, he will be in torment. The power of the Holy Spirit and authority of Jesus Christ are given to believers in order to take authority over the demons, up to and including, making them depart from a place or person that the believer has proper authority over (Lk 10:19, Mark 16:17, Acts 8:7, Jn 14:12).