RED INK REVIVAL TENETS OF OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH
Red Ink Revival holds to “essentials” in the Christian faith. We also have convictions about, lead and promote various “non-essentials.” Essential doctrine refers to the nonnegotiable (doctrines) of the basic Christian faith. Essentials are what we believe is the bare minimum to the authentic Christian faith. Non-essentials refer to the negotiables (doctrines) that we hold dear as a leadership team but are unnecessary prerequisites to a relationship with Christ. So in essentials, we desire unity, in non-essentials liberty, and in all things we pursue charity!
CHRISTIAN ESSENTIALS (NON-NEGOTIABLES)
The Bible - The Scriptures, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired and infallible revelation of God to mankind. The Bible is the supreme and final authority on all matters of faith and conduct. We accept the Bible as the revealed will of God, as the all-sufficient rule of faith and patience, and for the purpose of maintaining the general unity of all our statements of faith.
God is One (Trinity) - The one true God has revealed Himself as the “I Am,” the Creator and Redeemer of mankind. God is one in essence and three in person (this is known as the doctrine of the Trinity). God is revealed as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is God - The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of God. Jesus was more than a good teacher and moral leader. As Messiah, He is and always was God. No other world religion (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.) leads to God. Jesus is the only access people have to an intimate relationship with God the Father.
The Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit is God and lives within every believer. He is a person with real personality traits to be experienced by a relationship with Him. He is the person who applies the Saving Work of Christ to a sinner’s heart. He is a tremendous source of assurance, comfort, strength, wisdom, guidance, and miracle power. (Our belief of the practical extent of our relationship with the Holy Spirit can be found in our non-essential doctrines, while the basic relationship with the Holy Spirit is here as an essential doctrine.)
Humanity, Sin, and Salvation - Man was created good and upright; however, man voluntarily rejected God’s ideal plan, and consequently, became spiritually dead and banished from God. Man's only hope is through the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ, demonstrated at Christ’s crucifixion. Salvation, or being justly restored to full intimacy with God, is wholly dependent upon the work of God’s free grace. This work of grace empowers an individual’s voluntary faith (demonstrated by repentance) to accept the free gift of Salvation. Jesus Christ is the only way to a personal relationship with God. Humanity cannot morally achieve intimacy with God by good deeds. The justice of God can only be legally satisfied, which is required for intimacy with Him, by accepting Christ’s redeeming work on his/her behalf (Salvation). Without Salvation, man is destined for a final eternal condition separated from God. This eternal condition is called Hell, with intense suffering resulting from the full separation of all the good attributes in God. Eternal good, fun, love, and peace can only be experienced in the span of God’s presence. Hell voids all that is good out; that is the primary context of Hell’s torment.
CHRISTIAN NON-ESSENTIALS (NEGOTIABLES)
Water Baptism by Immersion - Water Baptism is an act of obedience to the command of Christ, fulfilled by individuals who have submitted themselves to the sovereignty of His Word. The word “baptism” means to “immerse” therefore we lower people into a pool of water and lift them back up rather than sprinkle water on them. Baptism symbolizes spiritual cleansing through divine forgiveness and the newness of life experienced by believers by virtue of their identification with Christ. Going under the water represents Christ’s death and coming out of the water illustrates His resurrection. Older children who demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the symbolism of Baptism are encouraged to be baptized. We do not practice infant baptism in that anywhere in Scripture is that practice mentioned (though we do celebrate/recognize the heart intent of many of our parents who oversaw our infant baptisms). Only those old enough to know what they are doing by faith are Scripturally shown to be water baptized. However, we do offer “Child Dedication” ceremonies to those parents desiring to set their children apart from God’s plans for their lives.
Holy Communion - Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper (some refer to it as the Eucharist) is a memorial to Christ’s Redemptive work. The sacrament is special as it bonds the heart of the believer to Christ through the love that Redemption expresses. The bread typifies Christ’s body that was broken to legally purchase the believer’s wholeness. The body also refers to attitudes towards the local church (individuals in the “body” of Christ). The juice/wine typifies Christ’s blood that established an unbreakable covenant between God and the believer. Holy Communion is relational worship, sharing together with God to appropriate all that Christ has provided in Redemption. There are no clear instructions in Scripture as to how often, the words to speak, the number of people present, or whether individuals within a group can receive in isolation. But Holy Communion is commissioned for execution as often as a person remembers. It is to be done with a sincere heart and in faith.
Faith and Practice - We recognize that we cannot bind the conscience of individuals in areas where Scripture is silent. Rather, each believer is to be led in those areas by the Lord, to whom he or she alone is ultimately responsible. Where Scripture speaks, we challenge believers to rise to God’s standard without excuse. On matters of Christian Ethics, the culture vehemently opposes we intend to limit our address within the context of committed and trusting relationships. We avoid using public forums to make single, one-liner points that the culture doesn’t understand. If a public forum is found necessary to use we will endeavor to speak on the topic in a full apologetic (defense). We believe it is disingenuous to rally the passionate Christian base with a one-liner, single points while alienating the unconvinced. We believe love demands respectful Communication of Biblical ideas. These topics requiring precision and wholistic presentations, usually require much more than a 30-minute presentation.
The Church – There is one true Church universal, a conglomerate comprised of all individuals (both in centuries past and those yet to be born) who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Church expresses a visible form in local congregations with organized oversight led by Pastors and leaders with the supreme purpose of fulfilling Christ’s commission. Even with the local congregation’s imperfections and flaws, it is the Christian’s individual responsibility to commit to customary weekly attendance, serving with their gifts and talents, giving financial generosity to the mission, and protecting the unity of the relationships within the church family. It is God’s design that through local church communities, and through regular committed fellowship, that spiritual growth and eternal rewards are registered.
Redemption Benefits - Redemption from sin legally removes the penalties that sin imposed once and for all. When Christ redeemed mankind from sin the justice of God was satisfied. Redemption allows God to legally treat the Redeemed as though they had never sinned. Christ’s Redeeming work has reversed what mankind’s sin imposed. Every penalty and curse that sin catalyzed has been legally trumped by Redemption. Each penalty and curse now has an alternate blessing. Because Christ’s work is accomplished God’s will is revealed as final, authoritative, and eternal. Therefore, it is the legal right, and God’s passionate Will, that every believer is made free from spiritual, physical, material, psychological/emotional, and relational penalties or curses. For each categorized curse God has unchangeably established His will to bless humanity with the counter blessings. These specifically include spiritual vitality, physical protection, divine healing, material prosperity, mental health, and relational/social favor. Redemption, being planned by God’s Sovereign nature, removes the believer’s insecurity about God’s possible mood change; His will is cemented in what Christ accomplished in Redemption. Redemption technically makes these blessings an accomplished “fact” rather than a future “promise” that God might want to do. Redemption is the believer’s inheritance in Christ. Simply put, God has already “done it.” The same way that a believer receives the gift of salvation by God’s grace and through voluntary faith, so it is with the free gifts of God’s Redeemed blessings.