About Portland Christian Center
-
What We Believe
The Scriptures
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. We accept the New Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, as our perfect guide in matters pertaining to behavior and doctrine. (2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Peter 1:21)
The Godhead
Our God is one, but manifested in three persons who are co-equal: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Philippians 2:6)
God the Father is greater than all, the Sender of the Word (Logos) and the Creator of all things. (John 14:28; John 16:28; John 1:14; Genesis 1:1)
The Word became flesh in the form of God’s Son (Jesus). He has existed with the Father from the beginning. Jesus came to save everyone from hell. (John 1:1; John 1:18; John 1:14; Luke 19:10)
The third person of the God-head, the Holy Spirit, leads men into all truth. In fact, He is called the Spirit of Truth. The Holy Spirit is our Helper; He is One Who teaches, comforts, counsels, guides and tells of things to come. (John 14:17, 26; John 15:26; John 16:13)
Man, His Fall & Redemption
Man is a created being, made in the likeness and image of God. Through Adam’s disobedience, believing the devil’s lies, sin came into the world. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) As it is written, “There is none righteous; no, not one.” (Romans 3:10)
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth to undo the work of the devil. Through His shed blood, He gave His life to make a way for man to come back to God. (Romans 5:14; 1 John 3:8)
Salvation is the gift of God to man, and it is separate from works and the law. Man cannot be saved by good works alone. Salvation is a free gift from God. It is received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, which will produce works acceptable to God. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Eternal Life & the New Birth
Man’s first step toward salvation is godly sorrow about his sin. The New Birth is necessary to all men, and when experienced, produces eternal life
(2 Corinthians 7:10; 1 John 5:12; John 3:3-5)
Water Baptism
Once a person has experienced the New Birth, according to scriptures, that person must be baptized by immersion in water. This is a direct commandment of our Lord, and for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the new Christian’s identification with Christ in His death and burial (as the person is immersed in water) and resurrection (as the person rises out of the water). (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12; Acts 8:36-39)
The following example could be said during the baptism ceremony as the person is immersed into and brought out of the water: “On the confession of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and by His authority, I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
Baptism in the Holy Ghost
The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a another gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers. It is received subsequently to the New Birth. This experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance. (Matthew 3:11; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4, 38-39; Acts 19:1-7)
Sanctification
The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive, work of grace; beginning with The New Birth and continuing until Christ’s return or the believer goes to heaven. (Hebrews 12:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:12-14; 1 Corinthians 1:30)
Divine Healing
Healing for physical ills is accomplished by the power of God through the prayer of faith and by the laying on of hands. It is provided by Christ’s sacrifice and it is available to every member of the Church today. (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:17;Mark 16:18; James 5:14-15; 1 Peter 2:24)
Resurrection of the Just & the Return of Our Lord
The angels said to Jesus’ disciples, “…this same Jesus…shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” (Acts1:11) Jesus’ return is imminent. When He comes, “…the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…” (Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Following the Tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of Kings, and Lord of lords. Together with His saints (believers), who shall be kings and priests, He shall reign a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)
Hell & Eternal Retribution
The one who physically dies in his sins without accepting Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the Lake of Fire (hell). After death, there is no further opportunity to hear the Gospel or repent. The Lake of Fire is literal. The terms “eternal” and “everlasting,” used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the Lake of Fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence. These terms are also used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy saints will experience in the Presence of God. (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 19:20)
