First Century Faith – Core Beliefs
In Essentials, Unity. In Non-Essentials, Liberty. In All Things, Charity.
Yahweh, the One True God -
We believe
that the Father, Yahweh, alone is the one true God (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah
45:5-6, Mark 12:29). He is the Creator and sustainer of all things and the
source of life, wisdom, and righteousness (Isaiah 44:24, 1 Corinthians 8:6).
Yeshua Himself affirmed that His Father is “the only true God” (John 17:3).
Yeshua, the Son of God -
We believe
that Yeshua, the Son of God, was the first of God’s works and was with God
before the creation of the world as His divine Word and Wisdom (Proverbs
8:22-31, Colossians 1:15-16). By God's command, all things were made through
Yeshua and for Yeshua (John 1:1-3, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Hebrews 1:1-3). He was
not co-equal or co-eternal with the Father but was begotten by Him and given
authority and dominion as Lord and Messiah (Psalm 2:7, Matthew 28:18, Acts
2:36). The name Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) is unique and deeply significant because it directly
connects to Yahweh, revealing His role in salvation and pointing to Yeshua as
the true Son of God.
The Meaning of Yeshua -
The name Yeshua is derived from the Hebrew root יָשַׁע (yasha‘), meaning to save, deliver,
or rescue. It is a shortened form of Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ), which means "Yahweh is
salvation". This name emphasizes that salvation comes from Yahweh through
His chosen Messiah, Yeshua.
The Angelic Announcement -
When the angel appeared to Joseph, he confirmed the
significance of Yeshua’s name:
"You shall call His name Yeshua, for He will save His
people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)
This declaration reinforces that Yeshua’s mission and
identity are inseparable from Yahweh’s purpose of redemption. His very name
proclaims that He is the agent through whom Yahweh saves His people.
Connection to Old Testament Prophecy -
The name Yeshua appears throughout the Hebrew Scriptures in
reference to salvation from Yahweh:
"The LORD (Yahweh) is my strength and my song, and He
has become my salvation (yeshuah)." (Exodus 15:2, Psalm 118:14)
"Behold, God is my salvation (yeshuah); I will trust,
and will not be afraid." (Isaiah 12:2)
In these passages, yeshuah (יְשׁוּעָה) is used as a noun meaning
“salvation,” directly linking the name of Yeshua to Yahweh’s deliverance. This
linguistic connection is not accidental; it points to Yeshua as the fulfillment
of Yahweh’s saving promises.
The Name Above All Names -
Paul emphasizes that because of Yeshua’s obedience and
exaltation, His name is supreme:
"God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name
which is above every name, that at the name of Yeshua every knee should
bow." (Philippians 2:9-10)
This does not mean that Yeshua is Yahweh, but that Yahweh has
bestowed upon Him supreme authority as His Son and Messiah. The name of Yeshua
brings glory to the Father (Philippians 2:11), confirming that salvation
belongs to Yahweh but is accomplished through His Son.
The name Yeshua is not random; it is divinely appointed to
reveal that Yahweh is the source of salvation. His name alone among men
proclaims Yahweh’s deliverance, marking Him as the true Son of God and the
anointed Messiah through whom all nations will be saved.
The Trinity: A Later Man-Made Doctrine -
We reject the doctrine of the Trinity, which was not taught
by Yeshua, the apostles, or the early believers. The concept of a triune God
developed gradually over centuries and was formalized in the fourth century at
the Council of Nicaea (AD 325) and later refined at the Council of
Constantinople (AD 381). Instead, the Bible consistently teaches that Yahweh
alone is God, and that Yeshua is His Son, the Messiah, and the appointed ruler
of all creation (1 Timothy 2:5, Acts 5:31, Philippians 2:9-11).
Jesus is at the right hand of who? - God.
**Dive Deeper with This Subject Here**
**Trinity Proof Texts Refuted Here**
Death, Resurrection, and Eternal Judgment -
We believe
that death is the cessation of life and is often described in Scripture as
sleep—a temporary state of unconsciousness until the resurrection (Job
14:10-12, Daniel 12:2, John 11:11-14). The dead are not conscious, nor do they
experience torment or reward until Yeshua returns to resurrect them
(Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, Psalm 146:3-4).
The Resurrection at Yeshua’s Return -
Scripture
teaches that all who have died will be raised when Yeshua returns.
This
resurrection is divided into two outcomes:
1)
The Righteous unto Eternal Life – Those who belong to Messiah will be raised to immortality
and reign with Him in the Kingdom (John 5:28-29, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23,
Philippians 3:20-21). Eternal life is a gift granted only to the saved (Romans
6:23, Titus 1:2).
2)
The Wicked unto Judgment and Destruction – Those who have rejected God will
also be raised but for judgment, resulting in their complete destruction in the
lake of fire (John 5:29, Matthew 10:28, 2 Thessalonians 1:9).
The Second Death and the Lake of Fire -
The final
judgment is referred to as the second death (Revelation 20:14-15), where the
wicked will be utterly consumed. The Bible does not teach eternal torment in
hell but instead describes the fate of the wicked as destruction:
"The
soul who sins shall die." (Ezekiel 18:20)
"For
the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Messiah
Yeshua our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
"They
will be ashes under the soles of your feet." (Malachi 4:1-3)
Unlike
Greek-influenced notions of the immortal soul, Scripture consistently portrays
eternal life as a reward given to the faithful, while the wicked perish (John
3:16, Matthew 7:13-14, Psalm 37:20). Yeshua warned that the wicked would be
destroyed, not tortured forever (Matthew 10:28).
The Hope of the New Heavens and New Earth: Paradise
Restored -
We believe
that the ultimate promise of salvation is not escaping to an ethereal heaven
but inheriting a restored, perfect earth—the New Heavens and New Earth—where
God will dwell with His people in righteousness and peace. This has been the
hope of God’s faithful throughout history and is the fulfillment of His
redemptive plan.
The Original Purpose: Dominion Over the Earth
From the beginning, God created the earth as a home for
humanity and gave mankind dominion over it:
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to
Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds
of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth.’” (Genesis 1:26)
“The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth He has
given to the children of man.” (Psalm 115:16)
Adam and Eve were placed in Eden, a paradise, to live in
perfect communion with God. However, sin brought death and corruption, cursing
the earth (Genesis 3:17-19). Yet, God’s plan has always been to restore what
was lost.
The Prophetic Promise of a New Creation
The prophets foretold a future time when God would renew the
heavens and the earth, removing sin and suffering:
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the
former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)
“They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the
sea.” (Isaiah 11:9)
These passages indicate that God’s plan was always to renew
the earth, not to abandon it. The hope of the faithful was a restored paradise
where righteousness dwells.
Yeshua’s Teaching: The Meek Will Inherit the Earth
Yeshua affirmed that the inheritance of the faithful is the
earth:
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5, quoting Psalm 37:11)
“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in
heaven.” (Matthew
6:10)
If the ultimate hope was to escape to heaven, why would
Yeshua teach that the meek will inherit the earth? This confirms that the earth
is central to God’s eternal plan.
The Apostles Confirm the Restoration of Creation
Paul and Peter emphasized that creation itself will be set
free from corruption and restored:
“The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to
corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19-21)
“But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens
and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13)
Paul describes creation as groaning, waiting for resurrection
and renewal, showing that salvation involves a physical transformation of the
world, not its destruction.
The Final Vision: The New Jerusalem on Earth
The Book of Revelation provides a glorious picture of the New
Heavens and New Earth:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first
heaven and the first earth had passed away.” (Revelation 21:1)
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell
with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be
their God.”
(Revelation 21:3)
This passage does not describe believers leaving for heaven;
rather, God brings His dwelling place down to earth. The New Jerusalem
descends, and God restores perfect communion with humanity.
The Tree of Life Restored
Revelation describes Eden’s restoration, complete with the
Tree of Life, confirming that the saved will enjoy eternal life on a
renewed earth:
“The tree of life was on either side of the river… and the
leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:2)
“They shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:5)
This parallels Genesis 2:9, showing that God’s plan from Eden
is finally fulfilled. The curse is lifted (Revelation 22:3), and the righteous
inherit a restored, perfect paradise on earth.
Conclusion: The Kingdom on Earth
The Bible does not teach that believers will spend eternity
in heaven but rather that heaven and earth will be united, and God’s people
will live on a new, perfect earth, free from sin, death, and suffering. The
righteous will inherit what was originally intended:
Paradise restored (Luke 23:43,
Revelation 2:7)
A physical resurrection to eternal
life (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)
A new creation where righteousness
dwells (2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1-4)
This is the true biblical hope—not escaping to a spiritual
realm, but a physical, eternal life in a new, restored world where God dwells
with His people forever.
**Dive Deeper with This Subject Here**
The Fulfillment of Prophecy -
We hold a partial
preterist perspective on biblical prophecy, meaning that much of what
Yeshua and the apostles foretold regarding the "last days" was
fulfilled in the first century, particularly with the destruction of Jerusalem
in AD 70.
The Great Tribulation – Yeshua prophesied in Matthew 24 that Jerusalem would be
surrounded by armies and destroyed, an event that took place within that
generation (Matthew 24:34, Luke 21:20-22). The Jewish-Roman War (AD 66-70)
resulted in the devastation of Jerusalem and the Temple, fulfilling Daniel’s
prophecy of the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:26-27, Matthew 24:15).
The Coming of the Son of Man – Yeshua's language about coming on
the clouds (Matthew 24:30) mirrors Old Testament judgment language (Isaiah
19:1, Psalm 18:7-15) and refers to His coming in judgment against Jerusalem
through the Roman army, not a physical return at that time.
The End of the Old Covenant Age – The destruction of the Temple
signified the end of the Old Covenant system of sacrifices and priesthood, as
prophesied in Hebrews 8:13, where the Mosaic covenant was said to be
"obsolete and ready to vanish away." The Kingdom of God was fully
inaugurated, and the New Covenant was established in its fullness.
Revelation and the Beast (666) – The Book of Revelation, written to
the first-century churches (Revelation 1:1-3), describes events leading up to
the fall of Jerusalem. The beast (Revelation 13:18) is best understood as
Emperor Nero, whose name in Hebrew numerology (Neron Caesar) adds up to 666.
Nero persecuted believers, set fire to Rome, and was associated with the
tribulations leading to Jerusalem’s fall.
The New Jerusalem and the Kingdom Now – The "New Heavens and New
Earth" (Revelation 21:1) represent the New Covenant reality in which God
dwells among His people (Revelation 21:3, 2 Corinthians 6:16). The Kingdom of
God, which Yeshua proclaimed as at hand (Mark 1:15), is a present
spiritual reality, though we still await the final resurrection and restoration
of all things (Acts 3:21, 1 Corinthians 15:24-28).
Baptism, the Spirit, and the New Covenant -
We believe
in baptism by full submersion as a public declaration of faith and repentance
(Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:38). The gifts of the Spirit remain active in the body
of Messiah for edification and ministry (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). Through
Yeshua, we live in the freedom of the New Covenant, justified by faith and
called to walk in love and obedience to God (Galatians 5:1, Hebrews 8:6-13).
Scriptural Foundation -
We believe
that the Scriptures are the inspired Word of God and the final authority in
matters of faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 119:105). Our beliefs
are rooted in careful study of the Bible, and we rely on faithful translations
that preserve the integrity of God’s Word. Our preferred Bible translations
include:
- The King James Proper Names
Bible –
Preserving the original Hebrew names of God and key figures.
- The American Standard Version
(ASV) – Known
for its accuracy and literal translation of Yahweh’s name.
- The 1995 New American Standard
Bible (NASB) –
A highly literal translation that maintains readability.
- The 1984 New International
Version (NIV) –
A clear and widely used translation for study and teaching.
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