DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
While HT’s particular definitions are important to its position, it is readily recognized that they do not define orthodoxy for the whole body of Christ. HT gladly embraces all who faithfully adhere to the essentials of biblical Christianity as fellow believers and colleagues in Christ's cause.
Whereas biblical Christianity is defined by the central tenets of the faith, throughout the history of the church various groups have employed more specific definitions to define themselves.
To maintain continuity and consistency with the legacy entrusted to its care, HT expects members and administration to agree with, personally adhere to and support HT's doctrinal distinctives as noted above and defined in the following Institutional Positions Related to the Hallelujah Tabernacle Doctrinal Statement (2023).
The Doctrinal Statement (Our principle, philosophy, or biblical principles) is founded on a submission to the authority of Scripture, the final authority of Christian faith and practice, and the immovable anchor which protects against forms of biblical and theological drift in an ever-changing culture and world.
ARTICLE I
God is triune, one Being eternally existing in three co-equal Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; these divine Persons, together possessing the same eternal perfections, work inseparably and harmoniously in creating, sustaining, and redeeming the world.
Genesis 1; John 1:1-3; Hebrews 1:1-3; Deuteronomy 6:4: Ephesians 4:4-6; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; John 14:9-10, 26; Matthew 28:18-19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Revelation 4:11
ARTICLE II
The Canon (a collection or list of sacred books accepted as genuine) Bible, including both the Old and the New Testaments, is a divine revelation, the original autographs of which were verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20- 21
ARTICLE III
Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, which is to say, He is Himself very God; He took upon Himself our nature, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary; He died upon the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of the world; He arose from the dead in the body in which He was crucified; He ascended into heaven in that body glorified, where He is now our interceding High Priest; He will come again personally and visibly to set up His kingdom 4 and to judge the quick(living) and the dead.
Colossians 1:15-20; Philippians 2:5–8; Matthew 1:18–25; 1 Peter 2:24–25; Luke 24; Hebrews 4:14–16; Acts 1:9–11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18; Matthew 25:31–46; Revelation 11:15–17; 20:4–6, 11–15; 2 Timothy 4:1
ARTICLE IV
Man was created in the image of God but fell into sin, and, in that sense, is lost; this is true of all men, and except a man be born again (expression means born from above) he cannot see the kingdom of God; salvation is by grace through faith in Christ who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree; the retribution of the wicked and unbelieving and the rewards of the righteous are everlasting, and as the reward is conscious, so is the retribution.
Genesis 1:26–27; Romans 3:10, 23; John 3:3; Acts 13:38–39; 4:12; John 3:16; Matthew 25:46; 2 Corinthians 5:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10
ARTICLE V- SHARING THE GOSPEL
The Church is an elect company of believers baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body; its mission is to witness concerning its Head, Jesus Christ, preaching the gospel among all nations; it will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air ere He appears to set up His kingdom.
Acts 2:41; 15:13–17; Ephesians 1:3–6; 1 Corinthians 12:12–13; Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:6–8; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18
ARTICLE VI
Baptism is defined as a fulfillment of righteousness, and an act of repentance. Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism does not accomplish anything but is an outward personal sign that the person’s sins have already been washed away by the blood of Christ’s cross. Those who accept Christ today and die the same day without baptism will go heaven. All Christians who accept Christ as the personal Lord and Savior is baptized by the Holy Spirit.
This term is found in Hebrews 6:2 – but it it not the usual word for baptism (Cleansing rites). The verb for baptize (baptizo = 80 times) and the noun for baptism (baptisma = 22 times) – are the common words used. The word “baptisms” in Hebrews 6 is baptismos and is found only four times. The other three times it is translated “washings” (Mark 7:4,8 Heb 9:10) It refers to the ceremonial washing of articles as prescribed by Mosaic Law.
HT applies immersion or submersion (Affusion or pouring (if there is no water running); immersion or submersion; Aspersion or Sprinkling(non-biblical))
Marc 16:15-16; Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 23:43; Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Luke 3:22; Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Acts 8:12, 35-38, 19.
ARTICLE VII- MARRIAGE
The act of uniting a man and woman for life. Marriage was instituted by God in the beginning of creation between Adam and Eve as an institutional guide. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate because God hates divorce.
Genesis 2:18- 24; Ephesians 5:31; Matthew 19:8-9; 1 Corinthians 6:18,7:2-5; Hebrew 13:4; Malachi 2:16.
NOTES ELABORATING THE 2023 DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
1. The Bible is errorless, dependable in all it affirms in the original autographs and is the only authoritative guide for faith and practice and as such must not be supplanted by any other fields of human learning.
2. Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is fully God and fully man possessing both deity and humanity united in one person, without division of the person or confusion of the two natures.
3. It is HT’s position that this refers to the premillennial return of Christ at which time He will set up His millennial reign, during which time He will fulfill His promises to Israel.
4. The Church of Jesus Christ is a distinct entity from Israel in the ongoing program of God. Further, this universal Church consists of all who possess saving faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from Pentecost to the Rapture of the Church and which will represent every language, people, and nation.
5. The return of Christ is imminent. Christ will return in the air preceding the seven-year Tribulation at which time He will receive into heaven all believers who constitute His church. During that tribulation period, God will bring salvation to Israel and the nations while exercising judgment on unbelievers (1 Th 4:16-17).