ARTICLE 1. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
We affirm the 66 books of the Bible (Old and New Covenants), are the standard of all truth, the final authority for doctrine and practice. Scripture in its original manuscripts is inerrant.
Traditional Jewish literature is of human origin, and we recognise its value only where it is supported by or conformable to the Word of God. We regard it as in no way binding upon faith or life.
ARTICLE 2. THE ETERNAL GOD
We believe in the unity of God as reflected in the Sh’ma. The God of Israel eternally exists in three equal persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each possessing the nature and perfections of deity, as well as the characteristics of personality.
ARTICLE 3. YESHUA THE MESSIAH
We affirm Yeshua of Nazareth is the Messiah of Israel; fully God and fully man in one person, risen from the dead, and will be so forever. Whilst on earth, he was subordinate to God the Father in his role and his humanity, yet in his Divinity He is and always will be fully equal with God the Father. Save for sin, Yeshua was fully human just as we are. Yeshua did not give up any of his deity when he became man.
ARTICLE 4: THE HOLY SPIRIT
We affirm that God the Holy Spirit’s work is to manifest the active presence of God in the world, and especially in the messianic community. Together the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit into the world; to create saving faith in people and enable them to respond to the gospel call; to place and maintain believers in living union with Yeshua; to bring about their growth in holiness of life, and give them assurance of salvation and understanding of the Scriptures.
ARTICLE 5: THE FALL OF MAN AND ITS REVERSAL BY YESHUA THE MESSIAH
We affirm that mankind was created in an original state of goodness by a specific act of God, for the purpose of glorifying God and bringing him joy. Adam represented all members of the human race in the failure in the Garden of Eden. But Yeshua the Messiah, the Second Adam, representative of all who believe in him, obeyed God perfectly and then died upon the cross bring new life for all who believe.
ARTICLE 6: THE ATONEMENT
We affirm that atonement was made for all people through the work of Yeshua on the cross. He became a once for all sacrifice by the shedding of his blood; bearing the penalty that we deserve. Apart from this atonement, salvation is unavailable. Atonement is available to all people upon receiving Yeshua as Lord and Saviour.
We deny the human beings gain merit before God by their prayer, repentance, and good deeds; such replacing sacrifice as God’s only means of granting atonement.
ARTICLE 7: THE SALVATION OF MAN
We affirm that personal salvation is our willing response to the gospel call, in which we sincerely repent of sins and place our trust in Yeshua for salvation. This salvation is entirely a gift of God on account of the finished work of Yeshua on the cross, received through faith alone.
ARTICLE 8: THE MESSIANIC COMMUNITY: LOCAL & UNIVERSAL
We affirm Yeshua founded a new community, embracing both Jews and Gentiles on an equal footing, giving His body the task of spreading the gospel.
We deny that God has replaced the Jewish people with the “Church” as the New Israel, but rather that Gentile believers share together, through faith in Yeshua, in the promises that God gave the Jewish people.
ARTICLE 9: THE BELIEVER’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE LAW OF MOSES
We affirm that the law given under the Old Covenant, in its civil, ceremonial, and moral dimensions is God’s perfect, objective standard of righteousness, a standard that never changes. We further affirm that believers today are not under obligation to obey the civil and ceremonial aspects of the Law of Moses as they have been fulfilled in the Messiah.
However, both Jewish and non-Jewish believers have the freedom in Messiah to maintain those aspects of the Law of Moses and Jewish cultural identity, which do not violate Scripture. These observances are not, nor ever were, a means of justification or sanctification, which are by faith in Messiah alone.
ARTICLE 10: THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We affirm that God the Holy Spirit continues to empower believers for service by sovereignly distributing in the Body of Messiah all of the spiritual gifts found in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament). Any empowerment of believers with different spiritual gifts or other spiritual experiences subsequent to salvation are properly understood as “fillings” with the Holy Spirit. These are not limited to being one-off events, but can occur repeatedly over the course of a believer’s life.
No one spiritual gift is the definitive evidence of “fillings” with the Holy Spirit. The evidence is actually the work of the Spirit within the believer, which produces godly character and behaviour, ie the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22).
ARTICLE 11: IMMERSION
We believe that immersion (baptism) is an outward witness to the inward work the Holy Spirit has done in effecting a person’s renewal to faith in Messiah. We affirm that immersion is for believers only.
ARTICLE 12: THE LORD’S SEDER
We affirm the Lord’s Seder was instituted at a Passover meal that Yeshua had with his disciples. It is a fellowship meal signifying our continuing union with Messiah. We see the matzah/bread and the wine as representative of Yeshua’s body and blood.
ARTICLE 13: MIRACLES AND DIVINE HEALING
We affirm that God acts today in supernatural ways to arouse people’s awe and wonder and bear witness to Himself. Miraculous healing is among the signs and wonders which accompany the preaching of the gospel, and can occur in answer to believing prayer according to his will. Scripture is silent as to why some are healed in this life and not others.
ARTICLE 14: THE INCLUSION OF JEWISH EVANGELISM IN THE GREAT COMMISSION
We affirm the Messianic Community has a divine mandate to give special emphasis to sharing the Gospel with Jewish people, and we further affirm that it is anti-Semitic to deny that Jewish people need Yeshua as their personal saviour.
ARTICLE 15: THE SECOND COMING OF THE MESSIAH AND HIS MILLENNIAL RULE
We affirm that Yeshua the Messiah will himself, in bodily form, return to this earth. He will at this time set up his Kingdom ruling the nations from Jerusalem for 1,000 literal years; assisted by Jewish and Gentile believers who comprise His Messianic community. The Messianic kingdom predicted by the Hebrew Prophets will be realised during this time.
ARTICLE 16: THE FINAL JUDGMENT
We believe that the final state of those who have trusted in Messiah Yeshua will be eternal life in the presence of God. The state of those who have not trusted in the Messiah will be one of eternal judgment.
Please note that we do not support the following doctrines:
- Any form of replacement theology; replacing Israel with the Church.
- Any form of the Two House / Ephraimite theology