What We Believe About...
1. The Word of God - The Bible is God's Word to us., The Holy Spirit directed human authors to write down exactly what He wanted through the distinct and varied personalities of holy men of God. So the Bible is an amazing and unique book, written by men but breathed by God. For this reason, it will never pass away. It is true, trustworthy and is the supreme source of truth for Christian faith and practice.
(Mk. 13:31; Jn. 8:31-32; Acts 20:32; 2 Tim. 3:16,17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)
2. God - He is the Creator and Ruler of the Universe. There is only one true God, and God has eternally existed in three persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The three persons of the Trinity have the same divine nature, but distinct functions in fulfillment of God's plan. These three are co-equal and are one God.
(Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; Eph. 4:5-6)
3. The Father - The Father is the first person of the Trinity. He is infinite (having no beginning or end), yet He wants to interact with mankind on a personal level,. The Father is perfect in every quality and virtue and has the power and integrity to keep all of His promises.
(Matt. 23:9; Lk. 10:21-22; Jn. 3:16, 4:24, 6:27; Rom. 1:7, 11:33-36, 2:5-6; 1 Pet. 1:3; 1 John 1:5, 4:7-8; Rev. 1:6)
4. Jesus Christ - Jesus is the second person of the Trinity. He is the unique Son of God who always existed with the Father. Jesus entered human history; God became man, and was born to Mary while she was still a virgin. Jesus was born and lived free from sin. He performed miracles and taught with authority, proving He was divine. Jesus was murdered by being nailed to a cross. He died willingly and His blood provides the perfect and only sacrifice for sin. Jesus died, was buried, but three days later God raised Him back to life, demonstrating His power over sin and death, proving that He is God and that His sacrifice for sin was accepted by the Father. Jesus ascended to heaven and is every believer's advocate to the Father. He will return to earth someday to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
(Matt. 1:18-25, 20:28; Luke 1:26-38; Jn. 1:1-14, 20:28,30-31; Acts 1:11; Rom. 5:6-8, 6:9-10, 9:5;
2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:4-5; Phil. 2:5-11; 1 Pet. 2:21-24; Heb. 7:25, 9:28)
5. The Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son. He proceeds from the Father and the Son and was sent to glorify Jesus. He is the One who shows people how they violate God's standard of perfection and why they need a Savior. Those who receive Jesus as savior are baptized with the Holy Spirit and then placed in the Body of Christ. He lives within every Christian from the moment of new birth. He gives God's people power for living and supernaturally gives special abilities for serving the church. Christians seek to follow his influence moment by moment, being filled with the Holy Spirit.
(Jn. 3:6-8, 14:15-17,26, 15:26-27, 16:7-14; Acts 5:1-9; Rom. 8:1-17,26-27, 15:16; 1 Cor. 3:16, 12:1-31;
Gal. 3:1-5, 5:22-26; Eph. 1:13-14, 3:16; 2 Tim. 1:7; Tit. 3:5)
6. Salvation - Salvation is God's free gift to us but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins for us the moment we experience a new birth through faith in Jesus.
(Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8,9; Jn. 14:6, 1:12; Tit. 3:5; Gal. 3:26; Rom. 5:1; Heb. 9:22)
7. The Church - The church is people who have experienced spiritual birth through faith in Jesus Christ. These followers of Jesus Christ come together to form local churches who worship, serve and grow together. Jesus is head of the Church. The Church is to carry out the directives Jesus gave us and help others learn about the good news of forgiveness and life in Jesus Christ.
(Acts 1:8, 2:41-42; Rom. 12:4-8; Gal. 3:26-28; Eph. 2:19-22, 4:11-13; Col. 1:18; Heb. 10:23-25)
8. Eternal Security - Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in God's salvation for eternity. If a person has been genuinely saved by God and has received the gift of salvation, he cannot "lose it" because Jesus keeps him safe in his hand. Salvation is maintained by the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.
(Jn. 10:29; Eph. 1:13ff; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 7:25, 10:10,14; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
9. Two Ordinances - Jesus gave the church two ordinances that remind us and show others what God has done for His people. One is baptism. This demonstrates what God has already done in us in new birth. Baptism parallels Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. It illustrates dying to the old life, receiving new life and rising from the dead to live as a new creation of God. The new believer is submerged in water symbolizing death and then brought up out of the water symbolizing new life in Christ.
(Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 2:38-41, 8:36-39; Rom. 6:1-4)
The second ordinance is called communion or the Lord's Supper. This is meant to help us remember Jesus' death for us. The family of God shares bread, which is a symbol of Jesus' body, and wine (or juice), which is symbolic of Jesus' blood. The Bible tells us to continue this memorial meal until He returns.
(Matt. 26:26-29; Mk. 14:22-25; Lk. 22:17-20; 1 Cor. 10:16-17, 11:23-26)
10. Human beings - Every person is made in the image of God. Therefore every person has supreme value. Though infinitely loved by God, all of us have been marred by the curse of sin. Not only were we born guilty of sin but our natural inclinations are sinful. Sin separates us from God and from one another. God has provided a way back to him through his Son Jesus in whom the problem of sin is totally and irrevocably solved.
(Gen. 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 59:1-2; 53; Rom. 3:23)
11. The end of time - People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God in hell because of sin or we will exist eternally with God in heaven because we are forgiven. Every person who has ever lived will be brought before God to give a final account. Christians will receive rewards according to the quality of their work while nonbelievers face a heartbreaking judgment. Some day soon, Jesus Christ will come for his own and then make a visible return to the earth to set up His earthly millennial kingdom. After that, the devil will be destroyed and we will enjoy a new heaven and a new earth forever and ever.
(Matt. 16:27; Mk. 14:62; Jn. 14:3; Acts 1:11; Rom. 14:10-12; 1 Cor. 15:20-24,35-58; Phil. 3:20,21;
1 Thess. 4:14-18; 2 Thess. 1:6-10; 2 Tim. 4:1; Tit. 2:13; Rev. 20:4-15, 21:1-4)
1. The Word of God - The Bible is God's Word to us., The Holy Spirit directed human authors to write down exactly what He wanted through the distinct and varied personalities of holy men of God. So the Bible is an amazing and unique book, written by men but breathed by God. For this reason, it will never pass away. It is true, trustworthy and is the supreme source of truth for Christian faith and practice.
(Mk. 13:31; Jn. 8:31-32; Acts 20:32; 2 Tim. 3:16,17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)
2. God - He is the Creator and Ruler of the Universe. There is only one true God, and God has eternally existed in three persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The three persons of the Trinity have the same divine nature, but distinct functions in fulfillment of God's plan. These three are co-equal and are one God.
(Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; Eph. 4:5-6)
3. The Father - The Father is the first person of the Trinity. He is infinite (having no beginning or end), yet He wants to interact with mankind on a personal level,. The Father is perfect in every quality and virtue and has the power and integrity to keep all of His promises.
(Matt. 23:9; Lk. 10:21-22; Jn. 3:16, 4:24, 6:27; Rom. 1:7, 11:33-36, 2:5-6; 1 Pet. 1:3; 1 John 1:5, 4:7-8; Rev. 1:6)
4. Jesus Christ - Jesus is the second person of the Trinity. He is the unique Son of God who always existed with the Father. Jesus entered human history; God became man, and was born to Mary while she was still a virgin. Jesus was born and lived free from sin. He performed miracles and taught with authority, proving He was divine. Jesus was murdered by being nailed to a cross. He died willingly and His blood provides the perfect and only sacrifice for sin. Jesus died, was buried, but three days later God raised Him back to life, demonstrating His power over sin and death, proving that He is God and that His sacrifice for sin was accepted by the Father. Jesus ascended to heaven and is every believer's advocate to the Father. He will return to earth someday to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
(Matt. 1:18-25, 20:28; Luke 1:26-38; Jn. 1:1-14, 20:28,30-31; Acts 1:11; Rom. 5:6-8, 6:9-10, 9:5;
2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:4-5; Phil. 2:5-11; 1 Pet. 2:21-24; Heb. 7:25, 9:28)
5. The Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son. He proceeds from the Father and the Son and was sent to glorify Jesus. He is the One who shows people how they violate God's standard of perfection and why they need a Savior. Those who receive Jesus as savior are baptized with the Holy Spirit and then placed in the Body of Christ. He lives within every Christian from the moment of new birth. He gives God's people power for living and supernaturally gives special abilities for serving the church. Christians seek to follow his influence moment by moment, being filled with the Holy Spirit.
(Jn. 3:6-8, 14:15-17,26, 15:26-27, 16:7-14; Acts 5:1-9; Rom. 8:1-17,26-27, 15:16; 1 Cor. 3:16, 12:1-31;
Gal. 3:1-5, 5:22-26; Eph. 1:13-14, 3:16; 2 Tim. 1:7; Tit. 3:5)
6. Salvation - Salvation is God's free gift to us but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins for us the moment we experience a new birth through faith in Jesus.
(Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8,9; Jn. 14:6, 1:12; Tit. 3:5; Gal. 3:26; Rom. 5:1; Heb. 9:22)
7. The Church - The church is people who have experienced spiritual birth through faith in Jesus Christ. These followers of Jesus Christ come together to form local churches who worship, serve and grow together. Jesus is head of the Church. The Church is to carry out the directives Jesus gave us and help others learn about the good news of forgiveness and life in Jesus Christ.
(Acts 1:8, 2:41-42; Rom. 12:4-8; Gal. 3:26-28; Eph. 2:19-22, 4:11-13; Col. 1:18; Heb. 10:23-25)
8. Eternal Security - Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in God's salvation for eternity. If a person has been genuinely saved by God and has received the gift of salvation, he cannot "lose it" because Jesus keeps him safe in his hand. Salvation is maintained by the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.
(Jn. 10:29; Eph. 1:13ff; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 7:25, 10:10,14; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
9. Two Ordinances - Jesus gave the church two ordinances that remind us and show others what God has done for His people. One is baptism. This demonstrates what God has already done in us in new birth. Baptism parallels Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. It illustrates dying to the old life, receiving new life and rising from the dead to live as a new creation of God. The new believer is submerged in water symbolizing death and then brought up out of the water symbolizing new life in Christ.
(Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 2:38-41, 8:36-39; Rom. 6:1-4)
The second ordinance is called communion or the Lord's Supper. This is meant to help us remember Jesus' death for us. The family of God shares bread, which is a symbol of Jesus' body, and wine (or juice), which is symbolic of Jesus' blood. The Bible tells us to continue this memorial meal until He returns.
(Matt. 26:26-29; Mk. 14:22-25; Lk. 22:17-20; 1 Cor. 10:16-17, 11:23-26)
10. Human beings - Every person is made in the image of God. Therefore every person has supreme value. Though infinitely loved by God, all of us have been marred by the curse of sin. Not only were we born guilty of sin but our natural inclinations are sinful. Sin separates us from God and from one another. God has provided a way back to him through his Son Jesus in whom the problem of sin is totally and irrevocably solved.
(Gen. 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 59:1-2; 53; Rom. 3:23)
11. The end of time - People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God in hell because of sin or we will exist eternally with God in heaven because we are forgiven. Every person who has ever lived will be brought before God to give a final account. Christians will receive rewards according to the quality of their work while nonbelievers face a heartbreaking judgment. Some day soon, Jesus Christ will come for his own and then make a visible return to the earth to set up His earthly millennial kingdom. After that, the devil will be destroyed and we will enjoy a new heaven and a new earth forever and ever.
(Matt. 16:27; Mk. 14:62; Jn. 14:3; Acts 1:11; Rom. 14:10-12; 1 Cor. 15:20-24,35-58; Phil. 3:20,21;
1 Thess. 4:14-18; 2 Thess. 1:6-10; 2 Tim. 4:1; Tit. 2:13; Rev. 20:4-15, 21:1-4)