Brian & Candice Simmons | Passion & Fire Ministries

Statement of Faith

what we believe

The Bible: We believe the Bible is the only inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God, inerrant in its original manuscripts, communicating exactly what God desired to communicate to us about himself and his redemptive plan for humankind. The Bible has all authority over issues of faith and life. We believe the canon of Scripture is closed and complete. (2 Tim. 3:16–17; 2 Pet. 1:20–21; Heb. 4:12; Ps. 19:7–11)

Trinitarian God: We believe that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons and in one essential unity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deut. 6:4; Mt. 28:19; Jn. 10:30)

Jesus Christ: We believe in the full deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, eternally begotten of the Father and of one being with the Father, who is coequal in power, glory, authority, and dominion with the Godhead; his virgin birth by the power of the Holy Spirit, taking upon himself the flesh and blood of full humanity; his sinless life, who was himself tempted in every way just as we are, yet conquered sin; his miracles, displaying his power and authority over creation, while offering a foretaste of the kingdom of God; his vicarious and substitutionary atoning death through the shedding of his blood on the cross for the forgiveness of sins; his bodily resurrection from the dead after three days as foretold in the Scriptures, the firstfruits of a great resurrection harvest of those who have died; his ascension to the right hand of the Father, where he sits in full glory and power having all things placed in subjection under his feet by the Father; and his bodily return in power and glory. (Jn. 1:1, 14; Lk. 2:1–21; Acts 2:22–36; Heb. 1:1–4; Heb. 2:9–15; Heb. 4:4–5:2; Gal. 4:4; Phil. 2:5–10; Col. 1:13–20, 2:8–12; Jn. 19–20; Acts 1:9–11; Rev. 20:1–6)

Holy Spirit: We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is fully divine and proceeds from the Father and the Son, co-equal and co-eternal with the Godhead; his full participation in the activity of the Godhead, from creation to salvation-history to the consummation of all things; his present, ongoing ministry through God’s people after having been given to the church at Pentecost; his indwelling and empowering of Christians, enabling them to live a life of godliness and effective service for Christ. (Jn. 14:15–27; Jn. 16:7–15; Rom. 8:1–27; Gal. 4:16–26)

Humankind: We believe that God created humans male and female in his own image and likeness, creating them as free and responsible moral agents with the choice to faithfully serve, follow, and obey the Creator God. However, everyone has sinned against God, and primarily God, and has fallen short of God’s glory and intended purpose. Everyone is dead in their sins and offenses. (Gen. 1–3; Rom. 3:23; Rom. 5:12–14, 17-21; Rom. 6:23; Ps. 51:3–6; Ps. 139:13–16)

Salvation: We believe the Son of God, Jesus Christ, willingly offered once and for all the one supreme sacrifice for the sins of the world—a perfect sacrifice through which he has made us perfectly holy and complete in justification, sanctification, and glorification. Salvation is found in his name alone, for there is no one else who has the power to save us; there is no other name by which people can be eternally saved from sin and death, and restored to relationship with God. We believe that personal repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit are absolutely essential for the eternal salvation of sinful and lost humans. (Jn. 1:12; Jn. 3:16; Acts 17:30; 2 Pet. 3:9; Eph. 1:7–8; Eph. 2:8–9; 1 Cor. 15:20–22; 2 Cor. 5:17–21; Rom. 6:23; Heb. 10:1–18; 1 Jn. 5:11–13)

Baptism of the Holy Spirit: Given at Pentecost, we believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after his ascension, to empower the church to preach the gospel throughout the whole earth, and to live holy lives through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:22–24; Rom. 12:1–2; 1 Pet. 1:13–2:3; Rom. 8:5–17; Gal. 5:13–25; Phil. 3:7–14)

Sanctification: We believe that God in his great love has called us through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be saved from the power of sin and to live lives for him in holiness and effective service for Christ. We believe that through the cross of Christ we can be freed from sin’s control and from selfish desires. Through personal repentance and faith, we can enter into a living, vibrant relationship with Christ by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is given to fill us, is effective in working Christ’s character within us, and is revealed through us. This experience, which we call sanctification, is initiated by an act of faith and full surrender to God. Sanctification is not the result of human effort, self-initiated works, acts of willpower, or modified behavior. It continues as a process in which we mature in grace, truth, love, understanding, and power. (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:22–24; Rom. 12:1–2; 1 Pet. 1:13–2:3; Rom. 8:5–17; Gal. 5:13–25; Phil. 3:7–14)

Gifts of the Holy Spirit: We believe the Holy Spirit is manifested in the lives of all believers through the continuation of a variety of spiritual grace-gifts, graciously given by God to build up, sanctify, and edify the church, and advance the gospel-mission of the kingdom of God. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire and seek the manifestation of these grace-gifts in their lives. It is the Holy Spirit who determines their distribution, activation, and operation in the body of Christ as he chooses for each believer. These grace-gifts always operate in harmony with Scripture and should never be used in violation of the biblical parameters outlined in the New Testament. (Acts 1:8, 2:1–4; 1 Cor. 12:1–6; 1 Cor. 14:1–25)

Continuation of Spiritual Grace-Gifts: Since there is no scriptural reason to believe otherwise, we believe the spiritual grace-gifts outlined in the New Testament and portrayed during the life of Jesus and the apostles continue to be operative today, just as they were in operation during the earliest days of the church from the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit has graciously filled every believer with these supernatural gifts for the purpose of serving God in power and ability, building up and strengthening the entire church, and bearing witness to the gospel of Christ and kingdom of God. These continued grace-gifts include such abilities as revelation-knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, leadership, and the speaking in and interpretation of tongues. (Rom. 12:3–8; 1 Cor 12:4–11, 27–30; 1 Cor 14:26–39; 1 Pet. 4:11)

The Church: We believe in the spiritual unity of the communion of saints in our Lord Jesus Christ. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of Jesus Christ, who is the head over the universal church. (Matt. 16:18–19; 1 Cor. 12:12–26; Col. 1:18)

Resurrection: We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost. Those who are saved are raised unto the resurrection of life, ruling and reigning with Christ on the new earth. Those who are lost are raised unto the resurrection of eternal torment in the lake of fire with the devil and the fallen angels. (1 Cor. 15:1–50; 2 Cor. 5:1–8; Rev. 20:11–15, 21:1–8)

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