Tenants of Faith
Beverly Smith Ministries accepts the Scriptures as the revealed Will of God, and all sufficient rules of faith
and practices, and for the purpose of maintaining general unity, adopts these Statements of Fundamental
Truths and Doctrine.
Section 1 The Scripture Inspired. The Bible is the inspired Word 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 (2Tim. 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12).
Section 2. The One True Godhead. The triune Godhead is comprised of three (3) separate and
distinct personalities, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, who are eternally self~xistent, self-revealed
and function as one entity. Jesus Christ, who is God manifested in the flesh, is the second member of the
Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and The Holy Spirit.
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. (Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 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 became sin and sickness providing both salvation and divine healing
for all mankind, (Psalms 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 is 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.” (Romans
3:24; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:8-10).
(b) The Evidences of Salvation. The inward evidence to the believer of his salvation, is the direct witness of
the Spirit (Romans 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” (1 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 (Acts 16:3; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Romans
14:10-12; and 2 Cor. 5:10).
Section 5. 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 and Fire, 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; 1 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 6. The Evidence of the Baptism in the Holv Spirit. The full consummation of the Baptism
of believers in the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the
Spirit gives utterance, and by the subsequent manifestation of spiritual power in public testimony and
services. (Acts 2:4; 10:4446; 19:6; 6; 1:8).
Section 7. 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.
(Ephesians 1:22; 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23).
Section 8. Total Prosperity.• Spiritual. John 3:3,11; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10.
• Mental. 2 Tim. 1:7; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3.
• Physical Isaiah 53:4,5; Matt. 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24
• Financial. 3 John 1:2; (Tithes and offerings) Malachi 3:10-li; Luke 6:38; 2 Cor. 9:6-10; Deut. 28:1-14.
• Social. Proverbs 3:4
Section 9. Blessed Hope. Jesus is coming again to gather all His Saints to Heaven.
(1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; and 2 Thess. 2:1).
Section 10. 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 11. 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. (Romans 11:25,
27; 2 Thess. 1;7; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:1-7) After this, there shall be a new heaven
and a new earth. (Rev. 21)
Section 12. We believe that water baptism is an essential and necessary part of the “doctrine of
baptisms”, (Hebrews 6:2), performed only upon repentant believers in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
(which we believe to be the fulfillment of the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and for the
remission of sin. (Acts 2:38) This act is to be done by immersion, and we further believe that it is the
means whereby we receive the new covenant sign of “circumcision of heart”. (Romans 2:28-29; Colossians
2:9-13)
Section 13. We believe in the doctrine of the laying on of hands.
(I Timothy 4:14; IITimothy 1:6; Acts 14:22; 13:1,3; 14:23; 8:17-18; Mark 16:16; 10:16)
Section 14.We believe in the five-fold ministries given to the Church at the ascension of Jesus Christ and
that they continue to be needed and should be expected today, that is, ministries of apostles, prophets, evangelists,
pastors and teachers. Working with these ministries will be appointed leadership consisting of elders, deacons,
deaconesses, missionaries, and the gifted men and women of the Church. (Psalms 68:18; Ephesians 4:11-12;
Philippians 1:1)
Section 15. We believe in the practice of worship with one’s total being as set forth in the Word of
God. (Acts 24:14; Ephesians 5:18-19; Psalms 150)
Section 16. We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is being manifested in the Church through
the fruits, (Galatians 5:22-23 graces, ministries and gifts) and we hold that the nine gifts of the Spirit, (I
Corinthians 12:8-11) should be and must be operative in the Church today in order for the Church to enjoy
the fullness of God.
Section 17. We believe in divine healing for the whole man. Healing was obtained through the
atonement in Christ’s sacrificial death (I Peter 2:24-25; Isaiah 53:4-5). We believe in healing as practiced
by the early church (Acts 4:30; 19:11; Romans 8:11; I Corinthians 12:9; James 5:14).
Section 18. We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ expressed as the church individual, the
church local, and the church universal and invisible (all saints of all places and all times united together
under one Lord). As such, we believe the church to be more than just a building or a gathering of people.
It is a body living in relationship and harmony under the direction of the head, Jesus Christ (I Corinthians
6:15; II Corinthians 1:1; Romans 16:5; I Peter 2:4-5; Ephesians 2:19-22; I Corinthians 12:12-31; Romans
12:4-5; Ephesians 4:11-16). The local church is an expression of the community and fellowship of God.
(In part Articles of Incorporation of Beverly Smith Ministries copyright 1995) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
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