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The belief and practice concerning spiritual gifts at Higher Expectations Community Church is continuationism; we believe that all spiritual gifts seen in the New Testament— including those of prophecy, healing, and speaking in tongues—did not cease with the death of the apostles but continue for consistent and well-ordered use in the Church for the purpose of upbuilding the body of Christ.
Our practice is guided by and under the authority of the Word of God to be exercised in the manner of humility worthy of our calling as Christ followers.
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The ScripturesWe embrace biblical orthodoxy as an essential component to the health of believers. Therefore we believe the Holy Scriptures of the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament to be the verbally inspired word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible, and God-breathed and don’t need to be added to (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12, 13).
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The Trinity (Godhead)We believe in one Triune God as creator, eternally existing in three persons— God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—co-eternal in being, co-eternal in nature, co-equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
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The Holy Spirit is Fully GodWe believe that the Holy Spirit is a person and the third member of the Godhead who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption and enabling spiritual gifts (John 16:8–11; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 12:12–14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18).
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he Finished Work of Jesus Christ on the CrossWe believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God (he added humanity to His divinity), having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man (John 1:1–2, 14; Luke 1:35). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished ¬our redemption through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice, and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3–5). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry as Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9, 10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:24; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1–2). We believe Jesus is coming again to judge the living and the dead (1 Peter 4:5; Romans 14:9; 2 Timothy 4:1).
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The Total Depravity of ManWe believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; man is totally depraved and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition without placing saving faith in Jesus Christ (Genesis 1:26, 27; Romans 3:22, 23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1–3, 12).
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Salvation by Grace Through FaithWe believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who is God’s means of grace for redemption, whose blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 2:8–10; John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18–19).
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Eternal Security and Assurance of BelieversWe believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever and that salvation can not be lost. Additionally since we have this eternal assurance in Christ that does not give us a license to sin, but rather faith in Christ leads one to daily die to self and to deny their sinful desires for the sake of the gospel (John 6:37–40; 10:27–30; Romans 8:1, 38, 39; 1 Corinthians 1:4–8; 1 Peter 1:5; Romans 5:20 – 6:4; Romans 13:13, 14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11–15).
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Spiritual GiftsWe believe that God is sovereign in distributing spiritual gifts to believers. It is, however, the believer’s responsibility to attempt to develop their God-given spiritual gift(s). The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at moment of placing saving faith in Christ and is the placing of the believer into the Body of Christ. We also believe that particular spiritual gift(s) are neither essential, nor prove the presence of the Holy Spirit, nor are an indication of deep spiritual experience (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, 13; Ephesians 4:7–8). We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accordance with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; 1 John 5:14, 15). We believe that it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to minister according to the gift(s) and grace of God that is given to him (Romans 12:1–8; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Peter 4:10–11).
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The ChurchWe believe that the church, which is the body and bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again people (Ephesians 1:22, 23; 5:25–27; 1 Corinthians 12:12–14; 2 Corinthians 11:2). We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 18:22; 20:17; 1 Timothy 3:1–3; Titus 1:5–11). We believe in the autonomy of the local churches, free of any external authority and control (Acts 13:1–4; 15:19–31; 20:28; Romans 16:1,4; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16; 1 Corinthians 5:4–7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1–4). We recognize believer’s baptism and the Lord’s supper as scriptural means of testimony for the church and that every believer is called to be an active member of a local church. (Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 2:41, 42; Acts 18:8; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26).
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MarriageWe believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Genesis 2:18-25, Mark 10:6-9) We believe that God has provided for sexual intimacy to occur only within marriage and that any form of sexual intimacy outside of the bounds of marriage, as marriage is herein defined, is sin. (Matthew 15:18-20, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 18; 7:2-5, Hebrews 13:4)
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Christ's ReturnWe believe that all will be resurrected to give an account to God for their lives. Those that have placed saving faith in Christ will be resurrected to eternal blessedness and have joy and peace in the presence of the eternal God. Those that have not placed saving faith in Christ will be resurrected to judgment and endure eternal punishment (1 Thes. 4:13-18; Zech. 14:4-11; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:1-6; 1 Thes. 1:10; 5:9; Rev. 3:10).
SPIRITUAL GIFTS DEFINED
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