Compassionate Outreach Ministries accepts the Scriptures as the revealed Will of God, the all sufficient rule of faith and practice, and for the purpose of maintaining general unity, adopts these statements of Fundamental Truths and Doctrine.
Section 1. The Scriptures Inspired.
The Bible (Scripture) is given by inspiration of God, a revelation from God to man, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason (2 Tim. 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12).
Section 2. The One True Godhead, Creator of All Things (Gen. 1: 1-27; John 1:3).
The Triune Godhead is comprised of three separate and distinct persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who are eternally self-existent, self-revealed and function as one entity (I John 5:7). Jesus Christ, who is God manifested in the flesh, conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of a virgin (Luke 1:26-37; Isaiah 7:14; Mat. 1:18), is the second member of the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 44:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; Gen. 1:26, 3:22; Hebrews 1:2; John 1:1, 14, 5:18; acts 5:3, 4).
Section 3. Man, His Fall and Redemption.
Man was created good and upright, for God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our Likeness.” But, man, by voluntary transgression, fell and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ the Son of God (Gen. 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Rom. 5:12-21).
Section 4. The Salvation of Man.
(a) Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. On the cross Jesus Christ bore sin and sickness providing both salvation and divine healing for all mankind, (Psalm 103:3) being justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. For by grace we are saved through faith. “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart-that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation: (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 2:8; Rom. 10:8-10).
(b) The Evidences of Salvation. The inward evidence, to the believer of his salvation, is the direct witness of the Spirit (Rom. 8:16). The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness. “And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us” (I John 3:23).
(c) Faith and Works. Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and not by human works; however, our works will determine the rewards in eternity (Rom. 10:9-10; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Rom. 14:20-21; and II Cor. 5:10).
Section 5. Baptism in Water.
The ordinance of baptism by a burial with Christ should be observed as commanded in the Scriptures by all who have really repented and in their hearts have truly believed on Christ as Savior and Lord. In so doing, they declare to the world that they have died with Jesus and that they have also been raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:47, 48; Rom. 6:4).
Section 6. The Lord’s Supper.
The Lord’s supper, consisting of the elements, bread and fruit of the vine, is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (II Peter 1:4); a memorial of His suffering and death (I Cor. 11:26), and a prophesy of His coming (I Cor. 11:26); and is enjoined on all believers “until He comes.”
Section 7. The Promise of the Father.
All believers are entitled to, and should ardently expect and earnestly seek, the promise of the Father, the Baptism in the Holy Ghost, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian church. With it comes the endowment of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; I Cor. 12:1-31). This wonderful experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts 2:38; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15: 7-9).
Section 8. Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
The infilling of the believers in the Holy Ghost is witnessed by the physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4). The speaking of tongues in this instance, is the same in essence as the gift of tongues (I Cor. 12:4-10, 28), but different in purpose and use. Also, by the manifestation of spiritual power in public testimony and service (Acts 10: 44-46; 19:2, 6; 1:8).
Section 9: The Church.
The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her Great Commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general assembly and church of the first born, which are written in Heaven (Eph. 1:22; 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23).
Section 10. Total Restoration.
Spiritual. John 3:3, 11; 11 Cor. 5:17-21; Rom. 10:9-10,
Mental. II Tim. 1:7; Rom. 12:2, Isaiah 26:3.
Physical. Isaiah 53: 4, 5; Matt. 8:17; I Peter 2:24.
Financial. III John 1:2; Luke 6:38, II Cor. 9:6-10.
Social. Proverbs 3:4, Acts 2:46-47.
Section 11. Blessed Hope.
Jesus is coming again to gather all His Saints to Heaven (I Cor. 15:51-52; I Thess. 4:16-17; II Thess. 2:1).
Section 12. The Lake of Fire.
Those who have not accepted the redemptive work of Jesus Christ will suffer eternal separation from the Godhead. The devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life, shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. This is the second death, the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20; 20:10-15).
Section 13. The Millennial Reign of Jesus.
The return of our Lord Jesus Christ with His Saints from Heaven to rule and reign for one thousand years on earth as the Scriptures promised (Rom. 11:25-27; II Thess. 1:7; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:1-7). After this, there shall be a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21).
