Statement of Faith
Statement of Christian Faith
WE BELIEVE…
…that all the words of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are inspired words of God, without error in the original writings, the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life, and constitute completed and final revelation, valid for all times, places, conditions, and relations as the only complete and faithful foundation for order, justice, and righteous living for the individual, family, church, and state. (II Timothy 3:15-17, Psalm 19:7-10, Psalm 119:105, Isaiah 40:8, Jeremiah 36:1-32, Matthew 5:17-18, Matthew 22:29, Luke 21:33, Luke 24:44-46, John 5:39, John 17:17, Acts 2:16, Romans 15:4, Romans 16:25-27, Hebrews 1:1-2, Hebrews 4:12, I Peter 1:25, II Peter 1:19-21).
…that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26 refers to “our” image, Genesis 3:22, John 14:6-26, John 15:19, John 17:22, Matthew 28:19 (one name), Mark 1:10-11, John 1:1, II Corinthians 3:17, Acts 5:5-7, Genesis 1:1, Exodus 3:14, Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 43:3, Isaiah 43:15, Jeremiah 10:10, Philippians 2:5-7, Mark 1:9-11, John 4:24, John 5:26, I Corinthians 8:6, II Corinthians 3:17, Colossians 1:15, John 1:1-18).
…in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His substitutionary death through His shed blood, His bodily resurrection, His ascension, and His bodily return in power and glory. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
…that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore dead in sin and only those who put their faith in Jesus Christ alone shall be saved. (Genesis 1:26, Genesis 9:6, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:11, 23, Isaiah 64:8, I Corinthians 8:6, 1 John 4:14, Malachi 2:10, Ephesians 2:1-8).
…that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose substitutionary death on the cross paid the penalty for man’s sin. (Romans 10:9, John 3:16, I John 5:6-11, Galatians 4:4-6, Ephesians 2:13, Romans 8:3-4, I John 4:9-10, Colossians 1:14, Hebrews 7:26-28, Hebrews 9:27-28).
…that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, convict men of sin, and indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service. (John 17:1-8, John 16:5-15, John 14:15-17, Galatians 5:22-25, Galatians 3, John 14:25 (the Holy Spirit will teach and remind us of everything Jesus taught), Romans 8:1-4, Romans 9 (the requirement of the law was met through Jesus so we can now follow the Spirit).
…in the spiritual unity of believers through our common faith in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 4:3-4, Galatians 3:26, I Corinthians 1:10, I Corinthians 12:12-13, 27).
…that marriage is defined by the Bible as the legal union of one man and one woman before God and the governing authorities. We reserve the right to exclude from membership practicing homosexuals. (Hebrews 13:4, Genesis 2:18-25, Leviticus 18:22, 1 Corinthians 6:9)