Principles and Confession of faith of Camp Isola
1. We believe in the divine and total inspiration of the original manuscripts from the 66 books of the old and new testament, which constitute the Bible. The Bible is without error and unfailing, and as the word of God, the only final and supreme authority for Christian faith and conduct (2 Timothy 3:15-16).
2. We believe in the trinity, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, coeternal in their being, identical in their nature, equal in power and glory, with the same attributes and the same perfection. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10, Matthew 28:19, John 10:30, Colossians 2:9).
3. We believe the following about the person and the works of the Lord Jesus Christ:
❖ Jesus Christ is the eternal son of God: he became man without ceasing to be God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. He was born of the Virgin Mary to reveal the Father to us and to redeem the sinful man. (Matthew 1:20, John 1:18, Philippians 2:6,7).
❖ Jesus Christ completed our redemption through his death on the cross, as a vicarial sacrifice and our substitute, our justification is complete and assured through his literal and physical resurrection from death. (Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18).
❖ Jesus Christ acceded to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of the Father, where, as our High Priest, He completes his ministry as our intercessor and advocate. (Acts1:10-11; Hebrew 7:25; 8:1-2, 1 John 2:1).
❖ Jesus Christ will return again to this world to establish his reign. His coming will be physical, unexpected and pre-millennial. (Acts 1:10-11; 1 Corinthians 15:53; Matthew 25:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 5:9).
4. We believe the following concerning the person and works of the Holy Spirit:
❖ The Holy Spirit is a person who convinces the world of its sin and of righteousness and judgement. We also believe he is the supernatural means of regeneration. Moreover, we believe there is a single baptism in the Holy Spirit, and this baptism incorporates us into the Body of Christ at the time of new birth. He lives in the believer and seals him until the day of redemption (John 16:8; Acts 5:3; Ephesians 4:5, 30).
❖ He is the divine teacher who guides believers in all truth, and it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He shows his work through a supernatural transformation which is most compellingly shown through mature love. (John 16:13; Eph 5:18; 1 Cor 13).
❖ We believe that the events of the first Pentecost, historic and unrepeatable happenings, do not instruct the church today to “speak in tongues” as a sign of baptism in the Holy Spirit nor that “speaking in tongues” is evidence of the filling of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13,30)
5. We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam’s sin he fell, inherited a sinful nature and was alienated from God. Moreover, man is totally depraved and with his works is incapable of remedying his condition of eternal damnation (Gen 1:27, 2:17; Rom 3:23, 5:12-14).
6. We believe in the necessity of new birth, which results from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit and the Word – that is by salvation, not by works. We believe that salvation is God’s gift that reaches man through His grace and is received by means of personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. All those who personally receive the Lord Jesus in this way are born again of the Holy Spirit and, through new birth, become Children of God. Moreover, we believe that all believers are custodians of God’s power and that the Word of God clearly prohibits believers to use their Christian freedom as an opportunity to please the flesh (John 1:12, 3:5, 16; Eph 2:8-9; Gal 5:13).
7. We believe that Christ’s order to preach the Gospel to all men is still valid for every believer. (Matthew 28:19, 20; 2 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Timothy 4:2, 5).
8. We believe in the sinfulness of every man – resulting from Adam’s sin – evidenced by choices and actions for which he is personally responsible, and his total incapacity to contribute in any way to his own salvation (Rom 5:12; Titus 3:5).
9. We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of man’s fall; that he is God’s and man’s enemy; and that he will be eternally punished in the lake of fire prepared for him and his followers (Isaiah 14:14; Eph 2:2; John 8:44; Rev 20:10).
10. We believe that the Scriptures teach that all those who are justified by faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will reign with Him for eternity. Those who do not accept the offer of God’s forgiveness and mercy, believing in Jesus as their personal Savior, will spend eternity punished in hell (2 Tim 2:12; Rev 22:5, 20:13-14).
11. We believe that the Church, which is the body of Christ, began with the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost; that everyone who personally accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior becomes a member of the body of Christ and the Universal Church; and that, as well as being part of the Universal Church, every believer should feel obliged to belong to a local church where they can exercise their spiritual gift or gifts (Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 4:11-16; Heb 10:25).
12. We believe in obedience to the Lord through the practices of Christian baptism by immersion as a testimony of faith in Christ and in the Lord’s Supper. (Mark 16:16; 1Corinthians 11:23-29).