Beliefs
The Short Version:
We believe in the classic Christians creeds (like the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed) and therefore we believe in:
- The Bible as the final authority on all matters of faith and life
- The trinity
- The incarnation of Jesus Christ by virgin birth
- Jesus’ death and its effects on sins and sinners
- The resurrection of Jesus Christ after three days
- The ascension of Jesus Christ to Heaven
- The future second coming of the Lord Jesus to the earth
- Salvation that is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ
The Long Version:
The Bible
The Bible, consisting of Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God. It is true, inerrant, infallible, and complete. It is the final authority in matters of faith and life. (2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17)
God
There is one God. He is uniquely one, yet He is three –the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—three Persons eternally existing and co-equal with God. God is the creator of heaven, earth, and mankind. (1 CORINTHIANS 8:4; MATTHEW 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 CORINTHIANS 13:14; EPHESIANS 2:18, 3:14-17; REVELATION 1:4-5; ACTS 4:24; EPHESIANS 3:9)
The Father
God the Father is over all and has life in Himself. He sent the Son and is glorified in the Son. He possesses the kingdom, transfers the saints into the kingdom and will one day receive the kingdom from the Son. He fixes times and seasons, knows all days, and elects all the saints in His foreknowledge. He is merciful, approachable, hears prayers, and is the source of every spiritual blessing. (JOHN 5:21; EPHESIANS 4:6; JOHN 6:57, 14:13; MATTHEW 13:14; COLOSSIANS 1:12-13; 1 CORINTHIANS 15:24; ACTS 1:7; MARK 13:32; 1 PETER 1:2; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3; JOHN 4:6; EPHESIANS 3:14, 1:3)
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He was God in eternity who became a perfect man in time. He is both God and man. (JOHN 20:31; 1:1; 1:14; 19:5; 20:28; ROMANS 9:5; 1 TIMOTHY 2:5)
The work of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ became a true and real man in His incarnation; He lived a sinless human life; He died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind, thus accomplishing our redemption; He resurrected on the third day, becoming a life-giving Spirit to impart His life into us; He ascended to the right hand of God the Father; and He will one day return to claim the church, His bride, and establish His kingdom forever. (JOHN 1:14; HEBREWS 4:15; 10:12; 1 PETER 2:24; ROMANS 3:24; EPHESIANS 1:7; HEBREWS 9:12; REVELATION 5:9; ACTS 10:40; 1 CORINTHIANS 15:45; 1 PETER 1:3; ACTS 1:9-10; 2:33; EPHESIANS 4:10; JOHN 3:29; REVELATION 19:7; 21:2; REVELATION 11:15; 12:10)
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, the eternally existing Divine Person, is sent by the Father and the Son. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement; sanctifies and indwells believers; grants spiritual gifts; and transforms believers into the image of Christ. The New Testament designates the Spirit as the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of His Son, and the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead. (ACTS 5:3-4; JOHN 14:26; 15;26; 16:8; 1 PETER 1:2; JOHN 14:17; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:7, 11; 2 CORINTHIANS 3:18; ROMANS 8:9; ACTS 16:7; PHILIPPIANS 1:19; ROMANS 4:6, 8:11)
Mankind
God created man and woman in His own image with the intention that they would express Him and have dominion. The first man, Adam, sinned, which brought death into the world. Now all men have sin and are thus condemned. Mankind is now good—created by God—yet fallen—having sin dwelling in them. Jesus was a perfect man, like us in all respects, yet without sin. He released us from our sins by his blood that we may be saved through faith and have eternal life. (GENESIS 1:26-27; ROMANS 5:12; 3:23; 1 JOHN 1:8; ROMANS 5:16, 18; HEBREWS 2:6-8; ROMANS 7:17; HEBREWS 2:14, 17; REVELATION 1:5; EPHESIANS 2:8; JOHN 1:12)
Salvation and Sanctification
Because of all that Jesus Christ is, has, and has accomplished, we sinners can repent and believe in Him for the forgiveness of our sins, for our redemption, for our justification, for our sanctification and for our being born of God, that we may have the eternal life of God and be a child of God. This is our salvation by grace through faith. (ACTS 2:38; 26:20; JOHN 3:16; ACTS 16:31; 10:33; ROMANS 3:24; ACTS 13:39; ROMANS 3:24; 6:22; JOHN 3:5-6; 3:36; 1:12; EPHESIANS 2:8-9)
The Church
All believers in Jesus Christ, with whatever measure of faith or portion of ministry they have received from God, are members of the Church, the universal Body of Christ, which includes all believers throughout all time and space. Members of the Body of Christ are given gifts to function for the profit of all, so that the Body may be built up and grow. Just as the manifold wisdom of God is made known through the universal church, the New Testament displays a pattern of churches in cities as practical expressions of the universal church. (EPHESIANS 1:22-23; COLOSSIANS 1:24; EPHESIANS 3:6; 4:15-16; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:7; COLOSSIANS 2:19; EPHESIANS 3:10; 1 CORINTHIANS 1:2; REVELATION 1:11, 20; 2:1, 8, 12)
The Second Coming of Christ
Jesus Christ will return, appearing again to judge the living and the dead, give reward to the saints, establish His kingdom on earth. The dead will resurrect, the saints will enter the kingdom, and the disobedient unbelieving will suffer eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord. (ACTS 1:11; 2 TIMOTHY 4:1; 2 THESSALONIANS 1:7; ACTS 10:42; REVELATION 11:15, 18; JOHN 5:28-29; 2 PETER 1:11; 2 THESSALONIANS 1:8-9)