Beliefs

Statement of Faith

1. God: We believe in one God, who is the holy Creator of all that exists. He is infinitely perfect, and exists in three equal persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is omnipotent and omniscient. God has lovingly purposed from eternity, to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

2. Word of God: We believe in the inspired Word of God, both Old and New Testaments. God has spoken in the Scriptures through human authorship. The Bible is without error in the original writings, is the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the complete authority for our faith and practice. We believe all that it teaches, are to obey what it commands, and trust in all that it promises.

3. Human Condition: We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image; however, they sinned against Him when tempted by Satan. As Adam’s offspring, we are by nature sinners, and are responsible for our sinful choices. Therefore, mankind is alienated from God and under His wrath and judgment. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued and reconciled with God.

4. Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus, who is the promised Messiah, was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus lived a sinless, perfect life. He was crucified on a cross by Pontius Pilate, rose bodily from the dead, gave the Great Commission to all disciples, ascended into heaven and sits at the Father’s right hand as our High Priest.

5. Work of Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ, as our substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection are the only ground for salvation. If one believes in their heart in Christ, trusting in His resurrection from the dead, and confessing with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, that one will be saved. We are justified before God by grace, through faith, in Jesus Christ alone.

6. Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ in all that He does. He convicts the world of its guilt, regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ as adopted sons, daughters and heirs of God’s family. He indwells, fills, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers believers for new life, ministry, and King Jesus’ mission in the world.

7. Christian Life

a. Church: We believe that the true church is the collective body of everyone who has been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. We are united in one body by the Holy Spirit, with Jesus Christ as the Head. God commands us to love Him supremely and one another sacrificially, and in obedience to the Great Commission, we are to make disciples of all nations, observing everything Jesus has commanded.

b. God’s glory: We believe that God’s chief purpose in the world is the glory and fame of His own name. Therefore, we have been created and redeemed for the purpose of declaring the greatness, majesty and glory of God in everything we do. God’s glory is His first priority; it is therefore His church’s first priority.

c. Practices: We believe that the church is to participate in two practices that Jesus Christ established. Water baptism, and the Lord’s Supper are not necessary for salvation, but are practices by which we express the gospel and through which we make public proclamation of our faith and life in Christ.

8. Christ’s Return: We believe in the personal, bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The return of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and watchfulness. Jesus’ return motivates believers to live for His glory every day, and energizes the church to fulfill the Great Commission in the world.

9. Eternal State: We believe that God will raise the dead bodily, and will judge the world. He will assign unbelievers to eternal punishment in the lake of fire, and the believer to eternal life and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth.

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