AWF statement of faith
- There is one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust, as a substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures. He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest. He will come again to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace.
- The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, sent to indwell, guide, teach, gift and empower the believer, and convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.
- The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for our salvation and the redemption of creation. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.
- Man and woman were originally created in the image and likeness of God; fell through disobedience, incurring both physical and spiritual death. Everyone is born with a sinful nature, is separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The portion of the impenitent and unbelieving is eternal and conscious separation from God; and that of the believer everlasting joy in God’s presence.
- Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for everyone; and those who repent and believe in Him are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life, and become the children of God.
- It is the will of God that each believer, in union with Christ, be filled with the Holy Spirit. Consequently each believer should be sanctified thoroughly, being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to God. Through the filling of the Holy Spirit the believer receives power for holy living and effective service. This is distinct in nature from conversion, experienced subsequent to conversion but not necessarily distant in time.
- Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the whole person. Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the Church in this present age.
- The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church, which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the Gospel to all nations. The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the Gospel, and observance of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s supper.
- There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life; for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment.
- The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal and visible. This is the believer’s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service towards the completion of Christ’s commission.
As approved at the 2021 AWF Quadrennial Convocation