Beliefs

What We Believe

1. THE BIBLE

2 Timothy 3:14-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Hebrews 4:12

We believe that the Scriptures in all 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired of God, error free in the original manuscripts, and the supreme authority of faith and practice for followers of Christ.

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17

2. GOD

Deuteronomy 6:4 Matthew 28:19-20,

Matthew 3:16,17 John 14:9,10

We believe there is one living and true God, who is one in essence, while eternally existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father created and sustains the universe, the Son sets an example and forgives us, and the Holy Spirit empowers and equips every believer.

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

3. MANKIND & SIN

Genesis 1:26-27, Romans 1:18-32; 3:10-23

We believe that mankind was directly created in the image of God to enjoy His fellowship and fulfill His purposes on earth. However, in Adam, all mankind is born with a sin nature. No one has to be taught to sin. There is an age where we become aware of our sin and aware of our separation from God.

9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands: there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good not even one.” 13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. Romans 3:9-20

4. SALVATION

John 1:12; 3:16; 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-9

We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins as the only sufficient sacrifice. Salvation is by the grace of God through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. In order to be saved we must personally accept these truths, repent of sins, and thereby accept the cleansing blood of Christ, which alone can atone for sins.

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

John 3:16-21

5. BAPTISM

Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 6:3-7,

1 Corinthians 11:23-29, Acts 2:38

Baptism is a clear injunction of the Scriptures which outwardly expresses the inward reality of new life in Christ. We believe the method of baptism is immersion after the age of consent.

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:37-39

6. GRACE

Genesis 12:1-3; John 3:16; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; Ephesians 2:1-10

We believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Salvation is wholly of God on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works.

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ ‘even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:4-10