WHAT WE BELIEVE
We are convinced by Scripture and by reason, that:
The Bible is the inspired Word of God and free from error of any type (inerrant) in the original manuscripts and completely reliable in its teachings. We always go back to the Bible to find truth and direction in life.
As you move through these topics of belief, click “Read More” and you’ll find our more full justification with scripture references. And always – if you have questions please ask away!
The scriptures are “God-breathed” according to 2 Timothy 3:16 showing them to be inspired by God Himself. This occurred through the supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21
) upon the writers, rendering their writings an accurate record of the revelation of God. 2 Peter 3:2
while using their character traits, flaws, talents and skills to bring to light His elected truth in a providentially protected way.
Inerrant – When all facts are known, the scriptures, in their original autographs and/or properly interpreted/translated, are completely true and trustworthy in everything that they address and/or speak to. This includes doctrine, morality, history and the social, physical and life sciences. This must be true as the Word of God is a revelation of the very nature of God (truth). Anything else would counter this premise and be contrary to God which is not possible.
Canonicity – The 66 books of the Bible are the complete, full Word of God and thus, the canon of Scripture is closed with nothing to be added (Rev. 22:18-19). The books of the Bible are a unit sewn together by the Holy Spirit that is fully reliable upon each other lacking disagreement. This is based upon the fact that it is against the very nature of God to lie or to contradict Himself.
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT GOD
We are convinced by Scripture and by reason that:
God is the only true God, sovereign Lord and Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that they contain. He is a personal God in that He is capable of being known by man. He has always existed and is eternal, demonstrating qualities of personality such as emotion, intellect and will. God exists in the form of three persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Spirit (Holy Spirit).
- Father of creation – God is the ultimate source of heaven and earth (James 1:17)
- National Father of Israel – Israel is special to God as He loves Israel and has given them instruction through the giving of His law (Jer. 31:9)
- Unique Father of Jesus Christ – the Son that is always and eternally begotten of the Father and willing to take on flesh. (Psalm 2:7)
- Protective Father – He meets needs, cares, and defends His children. (Psalm 68:5)
- Redemptive Father – When we trust God, He becomes our Father and we enter into an intimate relationship with Him. (Romans 8:15)
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS
We are convinced by Scripture and by reason that:
Jesus Christ is 100% the true God, co-equal and eternally existent with the Father. Jesus Christ came to earth, on mission, to exist as true man while remaining entirely true God.
Christ pleased the Father by fulfilling His mission on earth of redeeming man to Himself through His vicarious, willful, and atoning death on the cross to pay for the penalty of man’s own sin to which he was bound and from which he was unable to redeem himself.
- The offices of Christ – Jesus fulfilled the three Old Testament anointed offices:
He is our Prophet (Deut. 18:15-19), being the perfect spokesman, predictor, and preacher of God.
He is our High Priest (Hebrews 9:11-14), becoming the perfect mediator (1 Tim. 2:5) for mankind by representing them through offering the perfect sacrifice, and making intercession on man’s behalf. Christ’s priesthood is unlike other priests in that Christ lives forever.
He is our King (Acts 17:7), as seen through His deity, His eternal kingdom, and His subjects. His office now fulfilled and reigning as King demands the new rules of a new priesthood (Heb. 7:12). - The life of Christ – Jesus the Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born to the virgin, Mary (Luke 1:34-37). He lived a sinless life (2 Cor. 5:21, 1 John 3:5) and performed many miracles and healings, fulfilling prophecy and providing a visible and tangible evidence to his divinity, later leveraged by Paul (Acts 9:22). Jesus Christ remained fully God (John 1:14) while taking on flesh through the mystery of kenosis (Phil. 2:6-8) living as the God-Man.
- The sacrifice of Christ – Jesus Christ fulfilled His primary mission by becoming man’s substitutionary atonement for the judgment of sin (2 Cor. 5:21). He redeemed man to God through the shedding of His blood on the cross at Calvary (Titus 2:14, Hebrews 9:22). The exchange of life would require the cost of the very essence of life from the only one deemed and demonstrated (Hebrews 5:9) to be perfect.
Through Christ’s offering, He satisfied God’s wrath toward man (a result of man’s sin) by becoming a propitiation offering for our sin (Hebrews 2:17, 1 John 2:2). Through Christ, the demands of The Law were satisfied (Romans 10:4) and the sins of the elect were propitiously atoned for and deemed finished by God. - Following His death on the cross, Christ was buried and dead, and after three days He rose to live again (Acts 10:40). This resurrection is both the promise of life and demonstration of the sufficiency to save for all those who will exercise faith and believe (1 Cor. 15:20-22). After forty days following His resurrection, Jesus Christ placed His disciples into motion building His church, and then ascended into Heaven to take His rightful place at the right hand of the Father where He prepares a place for all believers (John 14:2).
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
We are convinced by Scripture and by reason that: The Holy Spirit is the divine, third person of the Trinity (Acts 5:3-4), being co-equal to the Father and Son in nature ,yet with a differing role. The Holy Spirit has a distinct ministry in the life of individuals in total cooperation with that of the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit resides in each individual who is found alive in Christ.
Pre-conversion ministries of the Holy Spirit
The primary ministry of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life prior to accepting Christ is that of conviction with regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8), and in enabling the unbeliever to see the truth of the Gospel. The Spirit of God illumines and calls the believer to the Gospel message (John 6:44
, Romans 10:14
, Titus 3:5
). The Holy Spirit also maintains the role of restrainer – though man is fallen and depraved he is not as bad as he could be (even the unbeliever) – preventing the world from being thrown into complete corruption (2 Thess. 2:7
).
The conversion ministry of the Holy Spirit
During a person’s conversion, the Holy Spirit performs a work of regeneration (Titus 3:5) when all things become new in Christ. At that same time, a person is also baptized of the Spirit – meaning that they are placed in Jesus Christ and the family of God (1 Cor. 12:13
). The Holy Spirit then comes to indwell the believer at conversion (1 Cor. 6:19
), making man the tabernacle of God, and thus enabling worship and guidance. The last thing the Holy Spirit does at conversion is to seal the believer (Eph. 1:13-14
) as a promise of God’s continued commitment to the new heir in Christ.
The post-conversion ministries of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit fills believers, thereby enabling service (Eph. 5:18, Acts 22:). The Holy Spirit sanctifies (forgives and sets apart to God) at the point of salvation, but also enables the continual process of sanctification during the life of a believer (2 Cor. 3:18
) and then ultimate sanctification at the return of the Lord or at a believer’s death (1 John 3:2
). The Spirit also illuminates believers (John 16:13
), intercedes in prayer (Romans 8:26-27
), bears fruit in the believer (Gal. 5:22-23
), and bestows gifts (Romans 12:6
, 1 Peter 4:10
).
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT THE CHURCH
We are convinced by Scripture and by reason that:
The Church is the called-out assembly of believers belonging to Jesus Christ. All those in the Church have placed their faith in Christ as Lord and Savior and are committed to the Great Commission of making disciples.
What is the nature of the Church?
Each believer in the Church is called by and endowed with the Holy Spirit, enabling them to interpret Scripture, and each has the requirement to minister according to the gifts that they have been given (1 Peter 2:9-10, Romans 12:6
). The Church is led by those mature believers called to the various roles of Church leadership, which primarily include elder (or bishop), and deacon (Philippians 1:1
, 2 John 1:1
, Titus 1:6
, 1 Timothy 3:12-13
, 1 Timothy 3:1-2
). The Church is both a local body and the universal body of Christ, with Christ as the head (Matthew 16:18
, Revelation 3:1
, Ephesians 5:23
). The Church is built by Christ and belongs to Christ (Matthew 16:17-19
).
What is the government of the Church?
Elder: A servant/leader of spiritual maturity responsible for overseeing and shepherding in the Church through leading, feeding, encouraging, and protecting the flock. He is also responsible for preaching the truth of Christ and the Word, and for teaching and explaining the Scriptures (1 Timothy 5:7, 1 Peter 5:2
, 1 Timothy 5:20
, Titus 1:9-13
, Ephesians 4:12
, Acts 20:28
).
Deacon: Spiritually strong servants of good standing and report within the Church who ensure that the ministries of service to the needy within the Church, such as widows and orphans, are taking place. This ministry in turn frees the elders so that they can continue in the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:1-6, 1 Timothy 3:1-13
).
The Ordinances of the Church: There are two ordinances of the Church which are symbolic of the powerful work of salvation through the work of Jesus Christ.
Baptism is the initial step of obedience that is done once and is the public declaration of a person’s identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
The Lord’s Supper is the ongoing act of obedience practiced frequently in remembrance of the price paid by Christ for our salvation.
– Baptism
The outward expression of the new life a believer has with Jesus Christ in which a person is obedient to identify with Christ through the picture of His death, burial and resurrection by immersion in water. This was commanded and demonstrated by the Lord, Himself. (Acts 2:38, Matt. 28:19
, Acts 2:41
, Luke 3:21-23
, Romans 6:3-5
, 1 Peter 3:21
)
– The Lord’s Supper
The ongoing expression of one’s faith in Christ through the remembrance of His sacrifice for our sins. The fruit of the vine and the bread are partaken of symbolically, representative of the body and the blood of Christ. The Lord’s Supper strengthens the fellowship with Christ and with other believers. (1 Cor. 11:23-34, Acts 2:46-47
, Matt. 26:26-29
).
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT SIN
We are convinced by Scripture and by reason, that:
Man has incurred both physical and spiritual death, as well as being separated from God, due to his disobedience. Apart from accepting Jesus Christ and His atoning death as well as entering into a relationship with Him, man is doomed to the bondage of sin and eternal hell.
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT MANKIND
We are convinced by Scripture and by reason that:
Man was created by God in His image.
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT SALVATION
We are convinced by Scripture and by reason that:
God provided Jesus Christ as the only solution to the problem of sin.
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT OUR FUTURE HOPE
We are convinced by Scripture and by reason that:
All humanity is living in the last days of this age.
This age will end and a new age will come.
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