Carry Your Cross, Ltd.
- STATEMENT OF FAITH -
1. PACK MULE for CHRIST Ministries®, on the Island of MAURITIUS…Is a non-denominational organization in pursuit to the worship of the Lord Jesus the Christ (Matthew 2:11), the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ (2 Timothy 4:2) and the Study of only the literal form of The Word of GOD, who is Jesus the Christ (2 Timothy 2:15 / 2 Timothy 3:16-17 / John 1:1 / Rev 19:13).
2. PACK MULE for CHRIST Ministries®, has been formed as an outreach to the people on the Island Nation of Mauritius in the Lordship of Jesus the Christ. Our commanded desire is to know The Christ and be conformed to His image by none other than the power of His Holy Spirit.
3. We believe in all the fundamental doctrines of orthodox evangelical Christianity, though we do not identify as a denomination. We are not opposed to denominations, rather we are opposed to the division of the Body of Christ due to preferences to doctrine that a denomination will have and their over-emphasis to categorical interpretation of Scripture. We believe that division does not occur when Members of the Body of Christ disagree about sections of Scripture (John 15:12). Rather, division happens when man imputes his own ideology, forcing others to follow (Galatians 1:8 / Ephesians 4:14 / 2 Peter 1:16).
4. We believe in the Inerrancy of Scripture. That the Old & New Testaments of the Bible are the inspired, infallible Word of GOD (Psalm 18:30 / Psalm 119:152 / 2 Timothy 3:16 / 2 Peter 1:20-21).
5. We believe that The Living God of the Bible is the personal, transcendent and sovereign Creator of all things (John 1:3 / Romans 11:36 / Colossians 1:16 / Hebrews 1:2).
6. We believe that GOD is one, eternally existent in three distinct persons: GOD the Father, GOD the Son and GOD the Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4 / Genesis 1:1-2, 26).
7. We believe that Jesus the Christ is fully GOD and fully man, that He was forever past with God the Father in Heaven, that He was born of a virgin, lived a life as a man without sin, has provided for the atonement of our sins by His vicarious death on a Cross, was bodily resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit, ascended back to the right hand of GOD the Father and forever lives to make intercession for those who have made Him the Lord of their life (John 1:1 / Philippians 2:6-8 / Isaiah 7:14 / Romans 1:2-4 / Hebrews 2:18).
8. We believe that after Jesus ascended to Heaven, He poured out His Holy Spirit on the believers in Jerusalem, enabling them to fulfill His command to preach the Gospel to the known world, an ability and obligation shared by all believers today (Acts 1:5 / Ephesians 4:11-12 / Matthew 28:19-20).
9. We believe that all people are by nature separated from GOD and are held responsible for their own sin, but that salvation, redemption and forgiveness are freely offered to all by the Grace of our Lord Jesus the Christ (Psalm 14:2-3 / 1 John 2:2). When a person repents of sin and accepts Jesus the Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour, trusting Him alone to save them, that person is immediately Born Again and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13). All of his/her sins are forgiven and that person becomes a child of GOD, to be unified with the Lord of Creation for all eternity (John 1:12).
10. We believe that the Holy Spirit is active and working in the life of every believer as mentioned in the Scriptures and that the Scriptures alone are the guidelines to determine the work of the Holy Spirit. We believe that as believers, we are to exercise any Spiritual Gift, in the Love of Christ so that the whole Body of Christ might be edified. We believe that the Love of Christ is the most important gift that we have and that without this Love, all exercise of any Spiritual Gift is worthless (Acts 1:5 / 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 / 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 13).
11. We Believe in the development of the Local Church as being an essential part of the Universal Church, the living spiritual body, of which Christ is the Head and all regenerated persons are the members (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:15-16).
12. We believe that church government should be of Godly men rather than a complex bureaucracy of men and women. We depend on the Holy Spirit to lead, rather than on fleshly promotion (1 Samuel 8:18 / 1 Samuel 16:1-3 / Acts 6:3 / 1 Tim 3:1-13 / Titus 1:5-9).
13. We believe in the second coming of Christ and that it will consist of two distinct and separate events. First to remove all those that have made Jesus Christ the Lord of their life and Second, with His saints to rule on earth which will also be personal for all, and visible to all and premillennial. This motivates us to live our lives which is pleasing to the Living God of the Bible, contribute to heartfelt worship, partake in committed public service and diligent study of The Word of GOD (Matthew 24:27-31 / 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 / Revelation 16:15 / 1 Corinthians 15:58 / 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 / Matthew 5:16 / Ephesians 2:10 / Philippians 2:16).
14. We believe that full immersion water baptism is for anyone that the Holy Spirit has made His home with after that person has made the decision to have Jesus Christ be the Lord of their life. We believe anyone can participate in Holy Communion immediately after accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour (John 14:23 / Acts 10:47 / Luke 23:42-43).
15. We seek to teach the Word of GOD in such a way for all to be able to have the message applied to their life individually, leading that person to a greater maturity in Christ. We believe that men have been given the authority to teach The Word of GOD and that women have not been given the equal authority to do so as men (1 Timothy 2:11-15 / Genesis 3:16 / Isaiah 51:2).
16. We believe that proper teaching of the Word of GOD is to be done in ‘Exegetical’ fashion (Matthew 4:4). We embrace the building up of a personal relationship with the Living GOD of the Bible through music, prayer and the reading through entirely of the Word of GOD (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). We do not allow the interruption of any kind during the teaching of the Word of GOD, or during times of Worship, or during times of prayer (1 Corinthians 14:23, 26-28).
17. We believe that all human life is sacred and created by GOD in His image for a unique purpose. Human life is of immeasurable worth in all its dimensions. This will include ‘Pre-Born’ Babies, the Elderly, the Physically Challenged and every other stage or condition of life starting from conception through to natural death. We believe that we are therefore called to defend, protect and value all human life (Proverbs 16:4 / Psalm 139:13-16 / 2 Timothy 1:9 / Ephesians 1:4-6).
18. We believe that all people are to be awarded Compassion, Love, Kindness, Respect and Dignity (Leviticus 19:18 / Luke 6:31). Any hateful and harassing behavior or attitude directed toward any individual is to be refuted and is not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines that are adhered to by P.M.C. Ministries®.
19. We believe that GOD offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through His Son, Jesus the Christ (Acts 3:19-21 / Acts 4:12 / Romans 5:8 / Romans 10:9-10 / Ephesians 3:17-19).
20. We believe that the term ‘Marriage’ has only one meaning which is the unity of one man to one woman forming an exclusive union as is concretely depicted in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25). We believe that the Husband is the head of his Wife, not as masters to slaves, rather by design and Godly order to that which is in perfect harmony, woman to man to GOD (1 Corinthians 11:3 / 1 Peter 3:7).
21. We believe that God has intended for sexual intimacy to be reserved for the married couple and that of a man and a woman (1 Corinthians 7:2-5). We believe that engaged intimate sexual activity outside of the legal contract of marriage between a man and a woman as described in Scripture is the counterfeit of ‘Love’ which GOD refers to as ‘Lust’ and therefore, sin (Heb 13:4 / 1 Corinthians 6:18 / 1 Thessalonians 4:3).
22. We believe that sexual immorality comes in many forms such as: Adultery, Fornication, Homosexuality, Bestiality, Incest, the use of Pornography and any other thing toward GOD that is contrary to sound doctrine, even to the acceptance and/or the worship of idols (Matthew 15:18-19 / 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 / Exodus 22:19-20 / Deuteronomy 5:7).
23. We believe that GOD wonderfully and immutably creates each person unique as male or female. We believe that these two distinct and complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of GOD within each person (Genesis 1:27). We believe that the rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of GOD within that person.
24. We believe that in order to preserve the function and ‘Integrity’ for the ministries set forth by and with P.M.C. Ministries® as the Body of Christ to any area considered local to that area, and to provide as a tangible, biblical role model to those associated with P.M.C. Ministries® and the community, it is imperative that all persons in association with P.M.C. Ministries® in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, be in full agreement to and abide by the Statement of Faith set forth as it pertains to ‘Marriage’, ‘Gender’ and ‘Sexuality’ (John 17:11 / Matthew 5:16 / Philippians 2:2, 14-15 / 1 Thessalonians 5:22).
We Reject:
1. The belief that Christians can be demon possessed- (Acts 8:13, 18-23).
2. That Christians must perform ‘Water Baptism’ to be saved or before partaking in ‘The Lord’s Supper’- (Luke 23:42-43).
3. The teaching that a believer must ‘Speak in Tongues’, confirming one to be saved- (Romans 10:9).
4. That any one denomination or bible translation is perfect in its configuration- (Acts 2:37-39).
5. ‘Word of Faith’ and ‘Positive Confession’- The movement belief system that man can command GOD to heal or work miracles or bestow material possessions, according to man’s will- (Ezekiel 13:6-7).
6. Human prophecy that supersedes the Scriptures. Rather we believe that the Testimony of Jesus Christ alone is the Spirit of Prophecy. The canon of scripture is complete, putting an end to further prophecy- (1 John 5:9-11 / Revelation 19:10).
7. The worship of angels or the worship of the Holy Spirit, resulting in the over-emphasis of the Spiritual gifts which will include experiential ‘Signs and Wonders’ to the exclusion of Biblical teaching- (Matthew 3:17 / Matthew 17:5 / Hebrews 1:1-4 / Revelation 1:8).