STATEMENT OF FAITH

HOW WE BELIEVE

  1. In the essential beliefs we have unity.

    “There is one Body and one Spirit...there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all...” (Ephesians 4:4-6).

  2. In the non-essential beliefs we have diversity.

    “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters...Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls...So then each of us will give an account of himself to God...So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.” (Romans 14:1-22).

  3. In all our beliefs we show charity.

    “...If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2).

WHAT WE BELIEVE

We believe in the doctrines which are commonly considered as the essentials of historic, biblical orthodoxy, (as reflected in the Apostles’, Athanasius, and Nicene Creeds). Our beliefs and foundation as believers are based on God’s Word as preserved in the Holy Bible. As members of this church, we believe in the following statements of faith:

  • There is one living and true God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that He has revealed Himself to be perfect in love, holiness, and righteousness; that He created all, and upholds all, and governs all, (Psalm 19:1, Romans 1:18-20, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Mark 1:9-11, Romans 8:14-15, Exodus 34:6-7).

  • He is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross for the just and the unjust, as a substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. He rose from the dead according to the scriptures. He is now at the right hand of God, the majesty on high as our great High Priest. He will come again to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace, (Isaiah 7:14, John 1:1-18, Colossians 2:9, Hebrews 9:11-15).

  • He is the third person of the Trinity, sent to indwell, guide, teach, comfort, empower the believer, and convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment. He also gifts us with spiritual gifts for the building up of the church, (John 16:7-13, Romans 8:9-17, 1 Corinthians 12:3-13, 2 Timothy 1:6-7, Ephesians 4:9-13, Acts 1:8).

  • The Holy Bible, (consisting of 66 books in the Old Testament and New Testament), was written by men divinely inspired, (God-breathed), and is God’s revelation of Himself to humankind. It has God for its author, salvation for its end and truth for its matter. Therefore all scripture is true and trustworthy (Psalm 119:89, 2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21, Psalm 19:7-10).

  • Created in the image and likeness of God; he fell through disobedience, rebelling against God, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All humanity is now fallen in nature and evidences this condition in sinful deeds.

    We are therefore sinners by nature and choice and under condemnation, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The portion of the unrepentant and unbelieving is an eternal existence forever in Hell: and that of the believer, eternity with the Lord forever (Genesis 1:26-30, Romans 5:12-19, Ephesians 2:1-3, Matthew 25:31-46).

  • Salvation has been provided by Jesus Christ for all people: for those who repent and believe in Him are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life, and become children of God (John 14:6, Romans 1:16-18 and 3:23-25, Titus 2:11-14, Acts 20:21).

  • The church consists of those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the head of the Body, the Church, which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the Gospel to all nations. The local Church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God. Being led by the Pastor and Elders the church gathers for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclaiming of the Gospel, the observance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:41-47, Ephesians 4:11-16, 1 Timothy 3:1-15, Hebrews 10:24-25, John 3:3-5, Colossians 3:15-17).

  • Personally and visibly, Jesus Christ will return to earth to raise the dead, judge the world, consummate His glorious kingdom and bestow eternal blessing on the righteous. This is the hope of the Church. There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life with Christ; for the latter, a resurrection unto judgement in Hell (1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Revelation 20:11-15; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).