Beliefs
Beliefs
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God is creator of the universe and author of life. God is spirit, and therefore, is timeless. Sovereignly possessing all power and all knowledge, He never tires, gains strength, or acquires new knowledge. He is all-present in the universe. God never changes.
God is one. He exists eternally in three persons as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity is of the same essence, co-equally God. He providentially sustains His creation by the word of His power.
God reveals Himself to us generally through nature and specifically through His Son and the Word of God, the Bible. We exist to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. Because of the finished work of Jesus, we can know God as our holy and loving Father.
Related Scripture
Genesis 1:1, John 5:26, John 4:24, Colossians 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 John 3:20, Isaiah 46:9-10, Psalm 33:6, Psalm 139:7-10, Hebrews 6:18, Malachi 3:6, Deuteronomy 6:4, Genesis 1:26, Genesis 3:22, Isaiah 6:8, Isaiah 48:16, Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Hebrews 1:3, Romans 1:18-20, John 1:1-3, Matthew 6:9
Jesus, the eternal Son of God, exists uncreated and is equal in deity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The promised and prophesied Messiah is the Word that became flesh and made His dwelling among us.
While retaining His divine nature, Jesus became man, being born of a virgin through the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is truly God and truly man. Though sinless, He suffered and died by crucifixion as an atoning sacrifice for our sin.
Buried in a borrowed tomb, Jesus bodily resurrected from the dead on the third day. He ascended into heaven and will return in the same manner to judge those living and those already dead. He reigns forever and His kingdom has no end.
Jesus is unique among other religious leaders in that He didn’t point to a path to be followed but declared Himself to be “the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus is the only way to God.
Related Scriptures
Matthew 1:22-23, Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-5, John 14:10-30, Hebrews 4:14-15, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 1:3-4, Acts 1:9-11, 1 Timothy 6:14-15, Titus 2:13, John 14:6
The Holy Spirit, third person of the Trinity, co-equal in deity with God the Father and God the Son, is the promised Comforter, the Helper, the Spirit of Christ, who lives in those who follow Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. The Spirit has a mind, emotions, and a will. He teaches, testifies, leads, and intercedes. He directs, prompts, sends, and gifts the people of God.
He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit regenerates hearts and lives in every believer from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right.
The Holy Spirit works to change us so that we conform to the image of Christ. The Christian seeks to be filled with the Spirit and live under His control daily.
Related Scripture
2 Corinthians 3:17, John 16:7-13, John 14:16-17, 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, Ephesians 4:30, 1 Corinthians 12:11, John 14:26, John 15:26, Romans 8:14, Romans 8:26, Acts 5:3-4, Hebrews 9:14, 1 Corinthians 2:7, 10, Luke 1:35, Psalm 139:7-10, Acts 8:29, Acts 13:4, Acts 16:6-7, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 1:13, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 5:18, Ephesians 3:19
The Bible, containing Old and New Testaments, is the infallible, inspired word of God. Written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Bible is the ultimate source of doctrine, instruction, correction, and reproof.
The Bible is the final authority for Christian beliefs and living and includes all that is needed for a life of godliness. It cannot be added to, subtracted from, or superseded in any way. Any prompting from the Holy Spirit must be measured against the standard of God’s Word. God’s Word and His Spirit will never contradict.
While there are many evidences to the credibility of Scripture, such as its unified message, its majestic style, its endurance despite efforts to destroy it, and its manuscript evidence, it is the inner witness of the Holy Spirit that ultimately convinces the believer that the Bible is authoritative.
Related Scripture
2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 1:13, Psalm 119:105, Psalm 119:160, Psalm 12:6, Proverbs 30:5, Hebrews 4:12, Romans 8:16, 1 Corinthians 2:10-16, 1 John 4:6, John 15:26, John 16:13, John 18:37
Humanity is made in the image of God. Because we are made in His image, we are unique among creation and have special worth derived from our maker. Made in God’s image, He defines our identity and we belong to Him. Our purpose cannot be separated from Him.
Although designed by God for fullness and fellowship with Him, we alienated ourselves from God through disobedience. As a result, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and choose to sin against God. Because we are spiritually dead in our sin, we are incapable of regaining a right relationship with God through our own efforts.
Related Scripture
Genesis 1:27, Psalm 8:3-6, Isaiah 53:6, Mark 12:17, Romans 3:23, Colossians 1:21, Isaiah 59:1-2
Jesus is the only way to God. There is no other way of salvation. By trusting in Jesus, we are saved from the curse and penalty of sin and can enjoy an abundant, eternal life that begins when we believe.
Following the pattern of this world, we once lived under the influence of the enemy and were by nature, deserving of God’s anger. We were dead in our trespasses and sins without hope, and because of our sin against a holy God, we deserved eternal punishment in hell. No amount of self-improvement, good works, or religion could ever make up for our sin.
But God, who is rich in mercy and love for us, made us alive through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even though we were dead in our sin. He saved us, not because of our goodness or our good works, but according to His own mercy and for His own name’s sake. He washed us, regenerating and renewing us by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior.
The Bible teaches that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. To those who receive Jesus, believing in His name, God gives the right to become His children. We have been born again, raised up, and seated with Christ. In addition to peace, reconciliation, and access, we have been given an inheritance as children that will never spoil or fade away.
Related Scripture
Acts 4:12, John 14:6, Galatians 3:10-13, John 17:3, John 1:12-13, Ephesians 2:1-10, Titus 3:1-5, Galatians 3:25-26, John 3:3, Romans 5:1-11, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-13, 1 Peter 1:4
Because God gives eternal life through Jesus Christ, believers are secure in their salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by a Christian’s self-effort. It is the grace and eternal power of God that gives this security. We are assured of our salvation based on the character of God who can never lie.
Through confession of sin and repentance, a Christian continues to grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ. A Christian never uses the forgiveness of God as an excuse to sin. A person continuing in sin may have professed Christ without truly possessing Christ. The fruit of repentance is a changed life.
Related Scripture
John 10:29, 2 Timothy 1:12, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 10:10-14, 1 Peter 1:3-5
We were created to exist forever. Those who follow Christ will exist eternally together with Christ in the kingdom of heaven. Those who do not know Christ will be separated from God in eternal torment.
We believe Jesus Christ will return to Earth personally and visibly according to the promises in Scripture. His return will be for the purpose of establishing His absolute rule and authority on the earth. Christians are challenged to be watchful and obedient until His return.
While there are many viewpoints concerning Jesus’ second coming, we believe Christians should look for His return with great anticipation while obediently pursuing the mandate of the Great Commission.
Related Scripture
John 3:16, 1 John 2:25, John 5:11-13, Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:15, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 24:36, Matthew 24:42, Matthew 25:13, Hebrews 9:26-28
God promises when two or three are gathered, He is present among us in a special way. Our gatherings accomplish three important functions: worship, discipleship, and evangelism.
For the Worship of God
We come together on Sundays to worship and serve the Lord. God doesn’t live in the church building but in the hearts of every believer in Christ. So when those saved by Jesus come together to worship God, we get a special sense of His presence. We are mutually encouraged in our worship, but, more importantly, our worship glorifies a worthy God.
For the Teaching of Believers
We gather to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. The discipleship of believers is key to the health of our church. Since the mission of the Church is to go into the world to make disciples, we prioritize the maturity of believers through the teaching of God’s Word so that they might be equipped for the work to which they are called.
For the Evangelism of Unbelievers
Evangelism must also happen beyond the walls of our building, but it is imperative that the Gospel be presented when we gather. In our context, non-Christians will attend church, if asked, and many churchgoers are not Christians. Therefore, we strive to make an environment where all people are welcome. Because we realize that unbelievers attend our church, we will attempt to leverage and redeem culture for the Gospel. We trust that it is through the preaching of God’s Word that faith is born in the heart of a believer.
Where there is only one dimension — of worship, teaching, or evangelism — there may be a movement, a crusade, or a conference, but not a church. A church is made of all three components. We strive to operate with the full pastoral functions of the church.
Related Scriptures
Matthew 18:20, Acts 7:48, Ezekiel 44:16, Hebrews 10:24-25, Romans 10:17