What We Believe

Loving God with All of Our Being

We were given life and ransomed so that we can love the One who created us in return with all of our mind, soul, body, and spirit. This is the first and foremost instruction of the One who exchanged His life for ours and arose from the dead on our behalf. Love exuding from all of our being to God is the natural and supernatural expression of our lives and we will forever grow in loving Him more. (Matt. 22:37-39)

The following is a statement of our position on basic Christian doctrines.

As once stated by a great missionary, “There are certain basic Christian truths about which there must be agreement. On all other doctrines, there should be liberty. In all things, there must be charity.”

We resolve to take an uncompromising stand on the essential doctrines of the faith and extend “the right hand of fellowship” to all who hold to them. It is also our resolution to protect the liberty of Christians to hold different perspectives on the “non-essential” doctrines.

There are doctrines we may consider non-essential, but which are important. We therefore make known our belief on these, while presenting them with tolerance toward those who may hold a different position. We are committed to truth and accuracy in doctrine but also understand that one can hold the right doctrines and still do damage to the body of Christ by causing divisions over the non-essentials. We are therefore just as committed to the essential Christian character, believing that “In all things there must be love.” As the apostle stated, “The goal of our instruction is love, from a pure heart and a sincere faith” (I Timothy 1:5). That, too, is our goal and commitment as we promote the following teachings that we hold as truth:
 

On the Person of Jesus

There is only one true God, who is revealed in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the Word (Logos) of God. The Word was with God in the beginning, which states His pre-existence as one with God. “By Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth” (Colossians 1:16), therefore making Jesus the Creator. Jesus Christ is the Purpose of God found in all of creation. He is the Father’s delight and desire, and the Father is looking for the reflection of His Son in all created things. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. In the beginning, it was the ultimate purpose of God for all things to be summed up in Christ (Ephesians 1:10).

Jesus Christ, Who pre-existed with God in the form of God, emptied Himself to become fully a man that He might be the propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Through His appeasing sacrifice made on the cross, all who believe in Him and His sacrifice have their sins forgiven and are restored to the fellowship with God lost by man’s violation.

Jesus was born of a virgin, by the seed of the Holy Spirit. His virgin birth is a testimony that only the Spirit can bring about that which is Spirit. Those of the new creation are not solely of human origin but are born from above by the Holy Spirit. The resurrection of Jesus’ physical body after His crucifixion was literal, as will be the resurrection of both the just and the unjust on the Day of Judgment.

“There is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). All who seek restoration and fellowship with God must go through Jesus and cannot approach God through any person, spirit, or doctrine. It is also a supreme presumption for any person or institution to seek to be a mediator for others in place of Christ Jesus Himself.

The apostolic commission was for His followers to labor until Christ was formed in His church, to present every person complete in Christ, and to manifest the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. When Jesus is lifted up, He will draw all people to Himself. We consider it the primary purpose of the church to esteem and exalt Jesus in every way. It is the focus and devotion of “Awake Winston Salem” to know and preach Him, and not ourselves. We pray for the grace to continually respond to His call to return to our first Love so that we might passionately devote ourselves to pleasing Him in all things while preparing for His return.

On Man

We believe that man was created and formed from the dust of the earth by a loving Heavenly Father. Man was created for fellowship with God, and made with an incredible purpose to fulfill on the Earth.  He was made without sin or the knowledge of good and evil. The first man, Adam, violated the command of God and the process of death entered him and all of his descendants because of that transgression.  There was also a separation of fellowship between man and God that took place after his transgression when he was removed from the garden of God’s presence. Because of our unrighteousness, mankind is unable to be cleansed from our sin, freed from the curse, or able to live eternally with God, except through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Through Jesus, we are not only cleansed of our unrighteousness and freed from the curse, but we can approach and know God personally, and mankind can once again fulfill God’s purpose for him through the love of the Father, the cleansing blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.

On the Atonement

Because all have sinned and are therefore under the sentence of death, all must trust in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for the remission of sins. There is no other way to reconcile with God or escape from eternal judgment, except through the appeasing and perfect sacrifice of Jesus.

Those who trust in Jesus Christ have access to the Throne of Grace by His sacrifice and by His sacrifice alone. Good works are acceptable to God only as a love offering given to Him because of His worthiness and have no bearing on our acceptance, standing, or approval, all of which were accomplished by the cross through Jesus. Good works offered for the purpose of acceptance, standing, or approval are therefore an affront to the cross by which all of these things were gained for us by Jesus. Good works are not offered for His approval, but for His joy and glory, and must be offered through the Son (I Peter 2:5) in obedience to Him. Therefore, the goal of our service is fellowship and obedience to Him and not sacrifice.

On the New Birth

We believe that when a person believes in their hearts that Jesus is the Son of God, when they confess that Jesus is Lord, believing that by His death and resurrection we were purchased from the domain of darkness, then they are birthed into a new kingdom as new creatures awakened and freed by God’s love.  Although this does not imply immediate perfection in our temporal life or lifestyle, it does mean that true faith will result in a radical change in us. Being “born again” implies a new beginning, not an ending. Christian maturity in faith, truth, and life is a process. Even so, this process must begin with spiritual regeneration or new birth. While it is possible to change our behavior without regeneration, changing our hearts requires a new birth, and it is our hearts upon which God looks.

On the Purpose of Faith

True faith is of the heart. God’s purpose in requiring faith for salvation and everything that God has made available to man, is to raise our focus above the temporal world that is within our control, to the One who is eternal and overall. Faith in God is the transitioning of the trust we had in ourselves to trusting God for everything. Salvation, eternal life, healing, forgiveness, and the gifts of God are obtained by faith and therefore faith is essential for every believer.

On the Authority of Scripture

We believe in the Divine inspiration and authority of the 66 books of the Holy Bible as the complete canon of God’s testimony to mankind. We are committed to esteeming Scripture as the very Word of God, inspired by God Himself. We do not accept any doctrine which contradicts Scripture.

We understand that there are many practices and doctrines that are considered orthodox which do not contradict the Scripture, but which are not directly addressed in His Word. We are committed to giving liberty in the belief and practice of these teachings, but we will endeavor to maintain the simplicity of the biblical testimony and its stated practices as we are given grace to perceive them. We do not accept any spiritual experience as having its source in the Holy Spirit that does not have a precedent in Scripture. We do not accept any revelation, vision, dream, prophecy, or discernment as truth which contradicts Scripture. We do not believe that any other writings have the same authority as the canon of Scripture.

On the Lord’s Supper

We acknowledge the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Jesus and as a testimony of our communion (common union) with Him in His body, the church. We consider it a holy ordinance, but we do not accept the teaching that communion is for the purpose of remitting sins, which Scripture testifies is based solely on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (Hebrews 9:25-28).

On Water Baptism

We believe that water baptism should be by immersion and accomplished immediately after commitment to the Lordship of Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for our sins. This baptism is a personal and public statement of faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf, and is a commitment to lay down our lives to be one with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection.

On the Second Coming of Christ

We believe in the literal, physical return of the Lord Jesus Christ to take authority and rule on earth. We believe that those who are alive and remain at the return of our Lord will be changed and caught up to be with Him in the air. Those who have died in the faith will be resurrected and precede those who are alive in being changed and caught up to be with Him.

We believe in the literal, physical resurrection of both the just and the unjust for the Day of Judgment. For those of us who have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on our behalf, this resurrection is for eternal life in fellowship with God. Those who are not justified by faith in Jesus are resurrected for an eternal judgment.

On the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the “baptism in the Holy Spirit” is an additional impartation that may be subsequent to regeneration (see Acts 8:15-17 and 19:1-6). This baptism is one of the purposes of Jesus coming into the earth, prophesied by John the Baptist, and is usually accompanied by the gifts of the Spirit (such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, etc.).  The primary purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to impart spiritual power to every believer (from the 1st-century church until today) to be witnesses throughout the earth (Acts 1:8).

We believe that this gift is presently available to all who believe (Acts 2:38-39) but is not essential for salvation or regeneration. While these are accomplished by the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7), there were disciples who did not even know that there was a Holy Spirit. Just as Paul made it a priority to instruct those believers and pray for them to receive this gift, we are committed to doing the same.

This baptism is to be distinguished from being filled with the Spirit (Acts 4:31, 7:55, 13:9,52), which can be a special and repeated empowering for specific purposes.

We believe that when Christians truly have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, they should begin to take on His nature and fruit, becoming “helpers” and “comforters”, leading others into truth, and testifying of Jesus.

On the Present Ministry of the Holy Spirit

We believe that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) and that His ministry in and through the church by the Holy Spirit has not changed from the beginning. We accept, acknowledge, encourage, and seek all of the biblical gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit as present and vital for the church to be encouraged and built up to accomplish her full purpose today.

On the Supernatural

God is a Spirit and a Supernatural being.  Therefore, those who are adopted into His family and born of His Spirit are supernatural beings within a natural body.  Since we are now the “light of the world” as Jesus said, and in Him “we live and move and have our being,” it is normal for us to behave in a supernatural fashion as He did, doing even “greater things” because He has gone to be with His Father (John 14:12).

Within the supernatural lifestyle, miracles, divine healing, words of wisdom, prophecy, and every other supernatural element that is found in the New Covenant is our portion and inheritance as partakers of the divine nature God has granted to us.

We believe that God’s heart and desire is to not only save everyone (I Tim 2:4), but He has paid the price for everyone to receive the benefits He purchased for us on the cross, including healing (I Peter 2:24).   Jesus healed everyone who came to Him and He paid for physical and emotional healing for every person.  “..and they brought to Him all who were ill, taken with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them”  Matt 4:24. Healing from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers.

On Marriage and Divorce

Marriage is a covenant relationship between a man and a woman that God initiated, promotes, intends to be life-long, and uses as a picture of the relationship between Jesus and the church (Eph 5). Within the liberating yet protective framework of marriage, a loving and selfless relationship includes sexual enjoyment and participation in the miracle of birthing children into the world.

Marriage is part of what makes up the healthy fabric of society, and the scriptures tell us that divorce is “hated” by God.  Although Jesus said divorce is “permitted” due to the infidelity of one partner, certainly restoration, healing, and forgiveness is the preferred biblical approach in such cases.  In our fallen world, sometimes restoration does not happen for various reasons.  This does not mean that fellowship with divorcees should be avoided by the church, but rather we should embrace and love divorcees and not withhold fellowship from them.

Sexuality 

God loves every single person on the planet and has demonstrated that love to all of us.  God the Father sent His Son Jesus on a mission to ransom us from enslavement to sin and to bring us into a family where we are His sons and daughters. Only the death and shed blood of a perfect sacrifice could pay for the thousands of years of accumulated sin.  Jesus was the perfect sacrifice and He gave His own life and blood for our freedom and wholeness. There is no greater love than that love. The death of Jesus highlighted the enormous cost of sin and the inexhaustible love that He has for us. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, we were purchased from being owned by Satan and bound by sin; and through His resurrection from the dead, He has enabled us to live free in His power.  

Jesus said that through His mission on the earth, He came to “release captives, set free those who are oppressed, save that which was lost, give eternal life, forgive us of our sins, give us abundant life, destroy the works of the evil one and send the Holy Spirit to help us” (Luke 4:18, John 3:16, John 10:10, Matt 18:11, Matt 26:20, 1 John 3:8, John 16:7).  

In the beginning, when God made the first man, He created Him to live forever, never to experience death.  When God recognized that this eternal man needed an intimate companion to live life with, He uniquely handcrafted a beautiful woman - a person significantly different from the man, but perfectly suited for him in every way, and he for her.  Adam and Eve were anatomically and emotionally opposites, but God designed them to fit together and complement one another physically and emotionally, in ability and purpose.   

A level of intimacy and love that God designed for a man and a woman to enjoy is sexual intimacy. Through enjoying one another sexually, man and woman also became participants in the greatest miracle on earth – the creation of another human being - a baby.  Marriage was one man and one woman enjoying one another physically, and emotionally, and through that enjoyment, life came forth miraculously. This is the natural way that God intended for marriage. Loving, committed, fun and life-giving.  

When Adam and Eve chose to reject their Father and His ways by listening to and following Satan when he deceived them, they sinned.  This was the first sin.  Sin simply means to “miss the mark.” In other words, sin is to stray or rebel in thought, word, or deed from what God created, intended, and communicated.  Sinning or missing the mark results in death. It’s a bit like someone being given a car and instructed to drive it on the road. However, if that person drives it off the road and over a huge cliff, they have missed the mark, and strayed from the path and the result is death. Similarly, God created our bodies and the path for our bodies to live upon.  When Adam and Eve “drove” off of the path that God showed them, death (spiritually and naturally) was the result.   

After Adam and Eve rejected and rebelled against God, first in thought and then in action, sin quickly multiplied from there to include a multitude of “missing the mark” mindsets and behaviors, all producing death and further enslavement. God has clearly shown us what kind of things are sin and off course from His design. Of the many things that are sin, such as pride and envy, the purpose of this writing is to focus upon sexual sin in particular: 

“…You shall not have intercourse with your neighbor’s wife, to be defiled with her…..You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.  Also, you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion.” Leviticus 18:20 & 22 

In these two verses in the Old Testament, God addresses three specific sexual sins.  The first is adultery (sexual intercourse with another person’s spouse). The second is homosexuality.  To “lie” with a male means to have sexual relations between a male and another male. The third sexual sin identified here is bestiality, or sexual relations between a man and an animal, or a woman and an animal. Adultery, homosexuality, and bestiality are the three sexual sins listed here in this passage that are clear variances or perversions from what God created and intended.  All three miss the mark.  

Moving from the Old Testament to the New Testament, the list of sexual sin identified includes not only physical sexual conduct, but any sexual conduct in thought, word, or deed outside of marriage between a man and a woman. 
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says:  

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God: Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” 

In this passage that includes sexual and non-sexual sin, the Apostle Paul adds  “fornicators,” or anyone who engages in physical sexual activity outside of marriage. He also says “Do not be deceived” to warn the Corinthians that there may be some deception regarding people who embrace sin but still think they are going to inherit the kingdom of heaven. He is bringing clarity and highlighting the seriousness of unrighteous or sinful behavior.    

In the book Galatians, sexual sins are again discussed when the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 5:19: 

“Now the deeds of the flesh (carnal, sinful nature) are evident, which are: immorality (“Porneia” in Greek, which means to indulge unlawful lust, homosexuality, fornication, adultery or incest), impurity (Defilement of Moral Character, Uncleanness in thought word or deed), sensuality (Licentiousness – flagrant disregard of sexual restraints “outrageous conduct”)…”   

“Immorality” covers a wide range of sexual sins that include those mentioned previously in the books of Leviticus and Ephesians. All sexual conduct outside of marriage between a man and a woman is considered “immorality” here in this Galatian passage, and fleshly activity that is contrary to behavior inspired by the Holy Spirit. “Impurity” and “Sensuality” refer to sexual behavior in fantasy or thought, along with physical sexual activity outside of marriage between one man and one woman.   

In Matthew Chapter 5:27 & 28, Jesus raises the bar from the Old Testament description of physical sin by saying that it’s not just physical adultery that is sin, but also the adulterous thoughts in our hearts that is sin. Sexual thoughts, fantasies, and imaginations toward anyone that is not our spouse is sin – missing the mark, according to Jesus. We are instructed to take “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5).  God has always been after and interested in what is taking place in our hearts and minds, not just what we are doing with our bodies (1 Sam 16:7, 2 Chron 16:9, etc). He desires that we “love Him with all of our heart, mind and strength,” and if we love Him, we will align our minds and bodily behavior with His ways.  

Regarding homosexuality specifically, the book of Romans discusses that due to people rejecting God and not giving thanks to Him, degrading passions have emerged within them: 

“… for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” Rom 1:26-27 

This is another clear biblical passage that identifies homosexuality as something that was never intended by God, missing the mark and unnatural. Here, the Apostle Paul says that when God is not honored, people exchange natural for what is unnatural, committing indecent acts. This is also true today. When we don’t honor or recognize God and His ways, we exchange what is natural for unnatural things. Just as it is completely unnatural for a person to have sexual relations with an animal, a man and a man together sexually is also unnatural. A woman and another woman together sexually is unnatural. Homosexuality is not what God intended for mankind just as bestiality or adultery is not what God intended either. God knows and has the best and highest way to live for all people and that way is to either live as a single person or in a committed marriage between one man and one woman.  

All sexual sins are harmful to our relationship with God, harmful to our own bodies (1 Cor 6:18), harmful to one another, harmful to our spiritual health and harmful to our eternal life. Attesting to one level of this harm, science bears out that if one man and one woman are committed to one another sexually, then no sexually transmitted disease can enter their bodies. A committed sexual relationship within marriage between one man and one woman is a protection from disease, while adultery, fornication, homosexuality, and bestiality open people up to disease and can even cause disease to spread.   

For many years, people who have identified as being a part of the LGBTQ community were mistreated, harmed, or rejected. This was wrong. Followers of Jesus are called to love all people and to view them as people made in the image of God, treated with dignity.  

Although we love all people, we also hold fast to the things that God values and one of them is how we conduct our own bodies.  We are told that our bodies are “the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6), and “our body belongs to the Lord.” Scripture also tells us that it is important to God how we behave in our bodies, who we have sexual contact with, and who we should not.   

 In the last several years, both homosexual and adulterous behavior have been accepted by a growing number of people, including government institutions and many churches. However, the scriptures define morality, truth and what is natural -  not opinion, our feelings, or progressive thinking. Remember, we were warned in 1 Corinthians 6:9 not to be deceived about these very issues.   

Just as God loves every person, we here at Awake also love every person and we are all on a journey of freedom with God. All are welcome to attend Awake, and our desire is that every person would receive Jesus into their lives, enter into fellowship with their heavenly Father and experience His freedom in every way -  forgiveness of sin, clarity of mind, and restoration of the soul. This freedom is available. We recognize that people involved with adultery, homosexuality, bestiality or any other immorality need help and are the very people that Jesus came to help, save and set free. There is no judgment or criticism from us toward people involved with these sins, because all have sinned and every person is in desperate need of Jesus and the forgiveness, grace, and love that He gives. There is hope for every person involved in any sin, sexual or otherwise when we take ownership of our sin, repent from it and embrace Jesus and His ways.   

For those involved with or struggling with gender dysphoria, same-sex attraction specifically, we know that there are numerous reasons for this. Some people feel that they were born that way and have never felt “normal” or that they fit in anywhere else. Some with very sensitive natures and creative giftings may have just felt accepted by the LGBTQ community and possibly rejected by a church or Christians, causing them to question their sexual orientation.  For others, someone told them to explore their sexuality to see what they might be sexually and have come to the conclusion that they are gay. For many, they have been physically or emotionally abused or manipulated by another person during their lifetime, which initiated unnatural attractions toward people of the same sex. Regardless of the reason for being involved in homosexuality, we are very sorry for whatever damage, abuse or rejection that anyone has experienced during their life. We compassionately desire for them to be healed and made whole.   

Although the reasons vary for those who view themselves as a part of the LGBTQ community, what is the same for every person is this - Jesus has provided a way to be cleansed, freed, connected to their loving Heavenly Father, and healed in body, soul, and mind. He has made a way for our identity to not be wrapped up in our sexual orientation, but rather in our identity as a child of God. Jesus said that He came to “set every captive free”, to give us “life abundantly” and to reveal what the Father is really like. He has that introduction to a Father’s love and abundant life for every person who is involved with sexual sin or addicted to anything.   

This writing isn’t just a statement of what we believe, but also a heart-felt appeal and invitation for every person to experience the freedom and love that Jesus provides. We want to be a part of your freedom. Please let us know if you would like prayer, ministry, or someone to help you.