We at Y-City Preachers believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, written by Holy men, Prophets, and Apostles inspired by the Holy Spirit. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21)
We believe in one God; eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son (the Word) and the Holy Spirit. We do not believe (nor is it biblical to believe) in Oneness doctrine, Modalism, Jesus being the Father, or Jesus not being coeternal with the Father. (Genesis 1:1, 1:26, 3:22, Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 3:16-17, 26:39, 28:19, Luke 18:19, John 1:1-3, 1:14, 1:18, 3:34, 6:38, 6:44, 6:46-47, 8:42, 8:58, 9:35, 10:25-29, 10:32, 10:34-38, 12:27-32, 14:21-23, 15:1-2, 15:9-10, 15:16, 15:24, 15:26, 16:5-17, 16:25-28, 16:31, 17:1-26, 20:22, Acts 1:8, 3:26, 3:31, 5:32, 9:31, 10:38, 17:30-31, Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3-5, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2, Philemon 1:3, Hebrews 1:13, James 1:1, 1 Peter 1:1-3, 2 Peter 1:1-3, 1 John 1:3, 1:5-7, 2:1-2, 5:7, 5:20, 2 John 1:3, Jude 1:1, Revelation 1:1-6, 19:11-16)
We do not believe people are "born sinners." We believe that people are born innocent; they do not have knowledge of right or wrong; they are neither righteous nor unrighteous. We believe people have free will and they choose to do right or wrong as they come of age or "age of accountability", which varies between individuals. We believe that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; we have all been led astray by our own free will and we are the ones at fault, no one else. (Genesis 3:14-19, 4:6-7, 6:12, 8:21, Exodus 32:7, Deuteronomy 1:39, 24:16, Psalms 25:7, Isaiah 7:16, 53:6, Jeremiah 19:4-5, 31:29-30, Ezekiel 18:1-32, 33:11-20, Matthew 19:20, Mark 10:20, John 9:39-41, Romans 3:23, 9:11, James 4:17)
We believe all people must be "born again" or "regenerated" because our sins have separated us from God. We have no fellowship with God in our sins because those who sin are of the Devil. We need to be ransomed from the Devil, sin and death, and be cleansed from our sins. God provided the ransom, the atonement (reconciliation) for our sins through His only begotten Son, Jesus. The Lord Jesus gave himself as "an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour" (Ephesians 5:1-2) and by doing so, Jesus ransomed us from the Devil, sin and death. However, we must want to leave the darkness (Satan's kingdom) and be translated into the light (Christ's kingdom). We all must repent and be baptized for the remission of our sins. Repent means a change of your mind and heart, which requires coming into alignment with God's ways, turning from your own ways, turning from your sins, to stop sinning and living for yourself and start living in complete obedience to God, surrendering completely to Him. We have to die to ourselves to have life in God. (Isaiah 1:16-20, 55:6-9, Ezekiel 18:21-31, 33:12-20, Matthew 3:8, 3:10-12, 4:17, 6:24-27, 7:13-14, 7:21, 9:16-30, 10:34-38, 20:28, Mark 2:17, 8:34-35, 10:45, Luke 3:8-9, 9:23-24, 9:62, 15:7-10, 24:47, John 3:3-5, 3:16-21, 3:36, 5:24, 5:40, 6:48-58, 9:31, 13:26-27, 14:6, 14:23-24, 17:3, Acts 2:38, 3:19, 3:26, 4:12, 5:32, 11:18, 16:30-33, 17:30-31, 20:21, 24:16, 26:17-18, Romans 5:8-9, 6:3-7 Hebrews 2:14-18, 9:11-28, 10:1-22, 10:26-31, 1 John 3:8, 3:10)
We believe there are three aspects to salvation; firstly, being born-again (your conversion) your betrothal period, and your final salvation (which is your judgement at the end of your life, i.e. finishing your race: 2 Timothy 4:6-8). Before someone turns to the Lord, they first need to count the cost, as Jesus stated in Luke 14:26-33. Then if you are willing, (after counting the cost) you must "Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). Repent meaning to truly have a change of mind, coming into alignment with God's ways; which includes turning from all of your sins, forsaking your ways and your life by surrendering to God, turning to Jesus by faith, being buried with Christ by water baptism into His death (Romans 6:3-8) and you're determined to live in complete obedience to Jesus through His grace; then you receive the Holy Spirit, you are born again and "saved." For the remainder of your life, (until you die or Jesus returns) you are in the betrothal period (2 Corinthians 11:2). Then there is a future aspect of being "saved" which would be your final salvation, i.e. judgement day. If you do not endure to the end, you will not be saved. It is abundantly clear in scripture that you can depart from the faith, you can be cut off the vine of Christ, apostatize, return to unrighteousness (sin) and thereby forsaking life. This is typically called "losing your salvation." You are betrothed to Jesus while on Earth, you are not married to Christ yet. (Matthew 3:8, 3:10-12, 7:13-14, 7:21-26, 8:12, 10:22, 10:28, 10:33, 11:24, 12:31-32, 13:41-43, 13:49-50, 16:24-27, 18:8-9, 18:21-35, 24:13, 28:18-20, Mark 11:26, 13:13, Luke 9:23-24, 9:62, 12:8-10, 13:2-5, 13:24, 13:27-28, 14:26-33, 16:16, John 3:3-5, 3:15-21, 3:24, 3:40, 10:9, 10:27-28, 14:6, 17:3, Acts 2:37-42, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:3-23, 11:19-22, Galatians 3:26-29, Ephesians 2:1-10, Colossians 2:11-15, Titus 3:3-8, Hebrews 3:6, 3:12-14, 4:11, 10:22, Revelation 2:2-6, 2:9-10, 2:13-16, 2:19-26, 3:1-5, 3:8-12, 3:51-21, 19:7-8, 20:12-15, 21:7-8, 21:27, 22:11-15)
We believe that Christians are to live holy, as saints of God, and are commanded to. Christians do not live in sin and do not sin everyday. Christians are to live a life of obedience to Jesus and His commandments. Christians are tempted and still have an ability to sin, but they have the power and ability to choose not to sin. They have the power from the Holy Spirit living inside them to have victory over all sin. Since we have free will and can choose to be obedient or disobedient, if a Christian sins, they need to repent and confess their sin to God. Biblical repentance requires you to turn away from your sin (stop sinning) and agree with God that you are wrong and forsake it. However, this should be a rarity (if at all) in the Christian's life. A Christian's life is one of victory over sin through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 5:48, 7:16-19, 7:21-27, 12:33-37, 16:27, Luke 6:46-47, 8:21, 11:28, 13:27-28, John 5:14, 8:11-12, 8:34-36, 8:51, 12:46, 13:15, Romans 6:1, 6:6-7, 6:11-16, 6:18-19, 6:22-23, 8:1-2, 8:4, 8:6-8, 8:10, 8:12-13, 11:9-22, 12:1-2, 13:12-14, 15:18, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:9-11, 10:6-10, 10:13, 15:33-34, 2 Corinthians 7:1, Galatians 2:17, 5:16-24, 6:7-10, Ephesians 1:4, 4:17-32, 5:1-11, 5:15-17, 5:27, Philippians 1:9-11, 4:11-13, Colossians 1:10, 1:21-23, 3:5-10, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, Hebrews 4:15-16, 5:9, 12:14-15, James 1:14-15, 1:21-22, 2:14-20, 1 Peter 1:14-16, 2:1-3, 4:1-4, 5:8-11)
We believe Christians must follow all the commandments of Jesus and everything the Apostles taught. This is all found in the New Testament. We don't follow the world's ideology; we follow what the Holy Spirit has revealed through the Apostles written in the New Testament. This means if it's in the New Testament, then we agree with it and follow it in obedience. (Matthew 5:19-20, 28:18-20, Luke 6:46-47, 8:21, 11:28, John 8:31, 8:51, 14:15, 14:21, 14:23, 15:1-17, Hebrews 5:9, 1 Peter 4:17, 1 John 1:5-7, 2:3-6, 3:4-10, 3:22, 3:24, 4:17, 5:3, 5:18, 2 John 6)
We believe Christians are called to be separate from the world. We cannot serve two masters. A Christian is radically changed from their new birth, with a new heart and a new spirit. You are a new creation; you are not the "old man." You truly are different, and the world will hate you because you are not of the world any longer. (Isaiah 55:6-9, Matthew 6:24, 16:25-27, 24:9, Luke 9:62, 16:13, John 8:42-44, 15:18-20, 17:16, Acts 17:6, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 6:14-15, Philippians 3:17-20, Colossians 3:1-4, James 4:4, 1 Peter 4:3-4, 1 John 2:15-17)
We believe that God wants all men to come to repentance but few will be saved. We believe all Christians are commanded to preach, witness and/or share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This can be done in many ways; handing out Gospel tracts, street preaching, witnessing to others, sharing your faith in God with others, and being a light in this world to others! (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:47-48, John 12:32, Acts 1:8, Romans 10:14-17, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, 2 Peter 3:9)
We believe in all the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit. We believe that Christians can get refilled and have/get subsequent refillings of the Holy Spirit. We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 3:11, Luke 4:1, John 3:34, Acts 1:4-5, 2:1-4, 4:31, 13:9-10, 13:52, 1 Corinthians 12 - 1 Corinthians 14)
We believe Christians will go through the tribulation; we do not believe in the "pre-tribulation" rapture. We believe many Christians will be martyred by the Antichrist system and will go through the 7 year tribulation. This means that we are "post-tribulation" in our eschatological view. (Matthew 24:29-32, 1 Corinthians 15:50-57, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 2 Peter 3:10-13, Revelation 11:15-19)
We believe that the Bible confirms that there are two kingdoms on Earth: the kingdom of darkness; (kingdoms of the world) and the kingdom of light; (kingdom of God). Christians are a part of the kingdom of God now and live by His commands and laws. (Matthew 4:8-10, 6:24, 28:18-20, Luke 4:1-8, John 14:30, 2 Corinthians 4:4, John 15:19, 17:16, Acts 17:6, Romans 1:28-32, 12:9, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Ephesians 5:1-21, 6:10-18, Philippians 3:17-20, Colossians 1:12-14, 3:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 5:5, 1 Peter 2:11-12, James 4:4, 1 John 2:15-17, 3 John 11)
We believe as Jesus said: Love your enemies, turn the other cheek, do not repay evil with evil, do not resist an evil person, do good to those who persecute you. So all forms of self defense, retaliation, and killing (including "for your country") are never to be engaged in by Christians. We take the teachings of Jesus literally and they are easily understood in their context, especially compared to what all of His Apostles taught. (Matthew 5:9, 5:21-22, 5:38-40, 5:43-48, 26:52, Luke 6:27-36, John 18:36, Romans 12:14-21, 2 Corinthians 10:2-6, Ephesians 6:10-18, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, 5:22, Hebrews 12:14, Revelation 13:10)
We believe as a Christian, the marriage that you are in, (when becoming born again) is the marriage that you stay in because you are now under the Law of Christ and must walk according to Jesus' commandments. We are biblically commanded (1 Corinthians 7:17-24) to: "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called" and: "as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk" and: "let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God." These scriptures from 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 are in the context of marriage; in fact, the whole chapter is about marriage. The Gentiles (those outside of Christ) are not under the Law of Christ; they are a law to themselves (Romans 2:12-16, 1 Corinthians 9:20-21 & Luke 12:35-48) and will be judged for their sins accordingly. Jesus gave an exception to his followers (those who are believers) for divorce and remarriage: sexual immorality. The Apostle Paul (through inspiration of the Holy Spirit) addressed a situation (1 Corinthians 7:12-16) pertaining to a Christian who is currently married to an unbelieving spouse and the unbelieving spouse chooses to depart: "A brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases." We do not believe (nor does the Bible state) that all remarriages are a continuous state of adultery. (Genesis 2:22-24, Deuteronomy 24:1-5, Matthew 5:31-32, 19:1-13, Mark 10:1-12, Luke 16:18, Acts 15:1-31, 17:22-31, Romans 7:1-4, 1 Corinthians 6:15-20, 1 Corinthians 7)
We believe that Christian women are to have their heads covered while praying or prophesying. Biblically, she does not have to wear a head covering at all times. Long hair on a woman is not the head covering (1 Corinthians 11:5-6) that the scriptures are addressing for her to apply. Men are to have their heads uncovered while praying or prophesying. (1 Corinthians 11)
We believe legalism is a dangerous doctrine and it leads to unrighteous judgement which is condemned by God! Legalism IS NOT obedience to Jesus' teachings because we are commanded to obey Jesus! Legalism is adding "commandments of men" to the word of God. This would entail making things out to be sin, (that may not necessarily be sin,) that the Bible does not CLEARLY define as sinful. This would be known biblically as "doubtful disputations." (Romans 14, Matthew 15:1-20, Mark 7:1-23, 1 Corinthians 8-11)
