|
Statement
of Faith
God
We believe there is one God: the Creator and Ruler of the universe.
He exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit, who are co-equal.
Gen.
1:1-2,26; Ex. 3:14; Ps. 90:2; Matt. 28:19; John 8:58;10:30; Acts
5:3-4; 2 Cor. 13:4; 1 Tim. 2:5; 6:15-16
Jesus
Christ
We believe Jesus Christ is the one and only eternal Son of God,
deity, who entered the world as a human conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, and gave His life
on the cross as a representative and substitutionary payment for
the sins of the world. On the third day He conquered death and rose
bodily from the grave, appeared to men, and ascended to heaven.
He will return again bodily to earth to reclaim His followers, judge
all the peoples of the earth, and establish His Kingdom.
Isa.
9:6; Matt. 1:22,26; John 1:1,15; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:3,4; Eph.
1:7; Phil. 2:5-7; Col. 1:17,19; 2:9; 2 Tim. 2:4-6; Titus 2:13; Heb.
1:3,8
Holy
Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is God, sent by the Father to minister
on earth by convicting people of their need for Christ, baptizing,
sealing and indwelling all who put their faith in Christ at the
time of their conversion, and gifting, guiding, filling, and empowering
believers to know God and serve Him effectively.
Gen.
1:2; John 14:16-17; 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19; 12:4-13; Gal.
5:25; Eph. 1:13; 4:6,30; 5:18; 2 Thess. 2:13; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet.
1:2
The
Bible
We believe the Bible is the Word of God. It was verbally inspired
by God, infallible and inerrant in its original form, delivered
by the Holy Spirit through human authors, and is the sole, final
authority in all matters of faith and practice.
Ps.
119:105; John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:19-21
Humanity
We believe humanity is the capstone of God's creation, made in the
image of God for the purpose of knowing God and enjoying Him forever.
Through Adam's sin all people became separated from God, incapable
of fulfilling their purpose and powerless to change their condition
or restore themselves to God.
Gen.
1:26-31; 3:1-23; Ps. 8:3-6; Isa. 64:6-7;Rom. 3:9-20; 5:12; 6:23
Salvation
We believe salvation is a gift from God to humanity, offered solely
on the basis of God's unmerited love for man through the death,
burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ on their behalf. An individual
receives the gift of salvation by admitting their inability to please
God, repenting of their sin, and entrusting themselves through faith
to Christ's payment alone. The provision and maintenance of this
relationship rests entirely with God and cannot be earned, affected,
or maintained by people's efforts or actions.
John
1:12; 3:16; 14:6; Acts 16:31; Rom. 4:5; 5:1,8; 6:23; 10:9-10; 2
Cor. 5:21; Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Pet. 2:24
Eternity
We believe people will exist forever, either eternally separated
from God or in eternal union with God in Heaven. At physical death
each person's eternal destiny is sealed, and their spirit goes immediately
to hell or heaven. Every individual will be bodily resurrected and
judged by Christ, with their final destination based solely on whether
the person was restored to God through faith in Christ's provision
for their sin.
Dan.
12:2; John 3:16-17; 5:21-29; Rev. 20:11-15; 21:1-4
The
Church
We believe Jesus Christ established the church as His primary method
for building His Kingdom until His return. The universal Church
is the body of Christ, comprised of all true believers on earth,
and is organized through local communities of believers who unite
for the three-fold purpose of exaltation, edification, and evangelism.
Through the church all Christians are to follow the ordinances of
believers baptism and regular participation in the Lords Supper
(Communion) until His return. All believers are to discover, develop,
and use their spiritual gifts to help accomplish the church's mission.
Matt.
16:18; 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4; 5:25-32; Col.
1:24
|
