Doctrine of Samaria Christian Church

The Apostle Paul shares with us these words:

2 Timothy 1:13-14  

“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.  Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you – guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”

The leaders of Samaria Christian Church strive to do exactly that.  Seven of the eight doctrinal beliefs come from Paul’s letter to the Ephesian Church to encourage them to remain faithful.

Ephesians 4:4-6   

“There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”

1. ONE BODY

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”   

There is only one church – the church of Jesus Christ.  We call our local congregations by many names.  What we must all understand is the fact that unless we truly believe and follow the Lord Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures, we are not a part of His Body – the Church.  It is essential to obey EVERYTHING Jesus has commanded us.  We can claim to be a part of the body of Christ and we can claim to be Christians, but unless we follow the pattern that is given us in the Scriptures we will not be a part of His Body.”

2. ONE SPIRIT

 “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever = the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

“Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.'”

Anyone who wants to be a part of the Body of Christ must receive His Spirit into their life which occurs once a person gives their life to the Lord and is baptized.  We must allow ourselves to be guided by the One Spirit in order for us to be like-minded in serving our God and accomplishing His will on earth.  The Spirit will be our Counselor and constant Companion.  He will direct us in staying on the path that leads to everlasting life!

3. ONE HOPE

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”  Thomas said, to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.  We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.  According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we  will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore encourage each other with these words.”

As Christians we are called by Jesus unto the hope of everlasting life with Him.  This hope helps to keep our minds and hearts upon the things of God.  Without this hope, man is a miserable creature.  With this hope we are able to endure anything in this life, for our hope far outweighs the pains of earth.  This hope will become reality when we are living in Heaven with God.

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

4. ONE LORD

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

We have but one Lord and Savior who is Jesus Christ the only Son of God.  We must accept the Lordship of Jesus over our lives.

“I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the flesh, I now live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave His life for me.”

5. ONE FAITH

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God – the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead:  Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Anyone who wants to be a part of the Body of Christ must have an undying faith in Jesus Christ.  We must believe that He is the Son of God who was born of the Virgin Mary and lived His life free of sin so He could pay the price for our sins on the cross at Calvary.  This same Son is also eternal as God the Father is eternal.  We must believe as He taught us that “I and the Father are One and the same”  John 10:30     We cannot receive salvation apart from Jesus – “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”  Acts 4:12

“Fight the good fight of the faith.  Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

 6. ONE BAPTISM

“Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

“Who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.  In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.  It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

In order for us to become a part of the Body of Christ we must submit to baptism.  The baptism spoken of is an immersion in water which shows our death to self, rising from this death to a new life in the Spirit.  Jesus commanded that those who want to become His disciples must be baptized.  It is at baptism that the Trinity is joined together in our lives as we are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  It is at this point that we begin a personal relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Baptism alone does not save.  Belief alone does not save.  A careful study of Scripture teaches us that when we hear the message, accept it in our lives, repent of our sins and submit to baptism – then we will receive salvation and God’s gift of His Spirit to live in our lives.  Now we are ready to begin living each day in the light of our salvation.

7. ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL

Our God has always been and always will be.  He is the One and only God.  This God is Creator of all.  Nothing exists without Him and nothing can sustain life outside of Him.  He is the Almighty.  He holds all things together.  Without Him all would cease to exist.

Genesis 1:1    “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”

8. INSPIRATION OF SCRIPTURE

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

We must accept the Bible as infallible.  All Scripture comes from the Holy God.  We need to accept it as authority in our lives.  Our responsibility is to study it and apply what we have learned to our lives so will be able to teach these things to others.  In this way we will be able to live our lives under the leading of Almighty God.

“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.  For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Psalm 119:105    “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”

Psalm 119:160 “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.”

“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.  Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.”

All Scriptures taken from New International Version (NIV)