Core Beliefs
The following are the core beliefs of San Lorenzo Japanese Christian Church based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.
The Trinity
The Trinity is one God eternally and equally existing in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are of precisely identical nature, attributes and perfection.
God the Father, the Father Almighty, Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe; His essential nature is Spirit, His essential attribute is absolutely holy, and His essential character is love.
God the Son, Jesus Christ the eternal Son, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, thereby having a fully divine nature and a fully human nature in one person, and is the only mediator between God and man. To accomplish salvation, He lived a sinless life, completely fulfilling righteousness and offered Himself a substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of the world, satisfying divine justice. He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, died, and was buried. On the third day, He arose bodily from the dead. He ascended into heaven where in His glorified state He intercedes for believers. He shall come again personally and visibly to judge the world in righteousness and to establish His Kingdom.
God the Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. His ministry is to reveal Christ through the Word of God, to fulfill salvation in the regeneration and sanctification of believers, to direct and empower the church in the fulfillment of the Great Commission, and to convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.
God the Father, the Father Almighty, Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe; His essential nature is Spirit, His essential attribute is absolutely holy, and His essential character is love.
God the Son, Jesus Christ the eternal Son, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, thereby having a fully divine nature and a fully human nature in one person, and is the only mediator between God and man. To accomplish salvation, He lived a sinless life, completely fulfilling righteousness and offered Himself a substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of the world, satisfying divine justice. He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, died, and was buried. On the third day, He arose bodily from the dead. He ascended into heaven where in His glorified state He intercedes for believers. He shall come again personally and visibly to judge the world in righteousness and to establish His Kingdom.
God the Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. His ministry is to reveal Christ through the Word of God, to fulfill salvation in the regeneration and sanctification of believers, to direct and empower the church in the fulfillment of the Great Commission, and to convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.
The Bible
The Bible, both the Old and the New Testaments, the Word of God, is a divinely inspired revelation; it is without error in its original manuscripts. It is the supreme and final authority in matters pertaining to faith and practice.
Man
Man was created in the image of God but he disobeyed God, thereby incurring spiritual death, which is separation from God. Man is saved from the condition of spiritual death only by the grace of God through faith in Christ and His redemptive act and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. His spiritual growth and maturity is initiated by God's Spirit and by a conscious act of dedication on the part of the believer and is effected by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Salvation
Salvation is based solely on the grace and love of God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Man never gains salvation by his merit or deeds. It is only received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior because of His redeeming work on the cross.
Through salvation the believer is forgiven of sin, becomes a child of God, is empowered for godly living and service, receives eternal life and an everlasting relationship with God in Heaven, and is saved from God’s wrath and Hell.
Through salvation the believer is forgiven of sin, becomes a child of God, is empowered for godly living and service, receives eternal life and an everlasting relationship with God in Heaven, and is saved from God’s wrath and Hell.