About – What We Believe
a. The Bible:
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of humanity, and the Divine and final authority for what we believe and how we live.
(2 Peter 1:2, 1 John 10:35, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Timothy 3:15, Matthew 5:18, Romans 10:14-17, Matthew 24:35)
b. God:
In one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
(Genesis 1:26, 3:22, 11:6-8, John 1:1-4, Isaiah 63:8-10, Acts 5:3-4, Matthew 28:19-20,
2 Corinthians 13:14, Mark 12:29, Revelation 1:4-6, Hebrews 1:1-3)
c. Jesus Christ:
Jesus Christ is completely God and completely human, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life and died on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where He is head of the Church and intercedes for believers. He will come again personally, bodily and visibly to judge humanity and to establish an eternal Kingdom of righteousness.
(Isaiah 7:14, John 5:39, Matthew 1:18-23, Acts 17:2-3, 18:28, John 1:1, Acts 26:22-23, 28:23, Luke 1:35)
d. Holy Spirit:
That the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict humanity of sin, regenerate the believing sinner and seal the believers salvation; also to indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living and service.
(John 7:38-39, 14:16-17, 15:26, 16:7-15, Ephesians 1:13,14, Acts 1:8, 2:1-4, John 14, 15:18, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 1:13-14, 5:18)
e. Fall of Humanity:
That human kind was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore under the penalty of eternal death and spiritual separation from God, and subject to the power of the devil.
(Genesis 1:26, 2:17, Ephesians 2:1-3, Isaiah 64:6, John 5:40, 6:53, Genesis 6:5, Romans 5:12-19, Psalms 14:1-3, 51:5)
f. Salvation:
That salvation comes through personal acceptance of Christ as Saviour. That salvation is accomplished solely by the blood of Jesus Christ, is not the result of any good in us or done by us, but is the result of the grace (gift) of God through repentance of sin and faith in Christ Jesus alone.
(Acts 13:39, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 5:1, Titus 2:11-14, Leviticus 17:11, Galatians 3:13, Matthew 26:28, Ephesians 1:7, John 1:12, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 2:24, Romans 5:6-9, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
g. Believer in Christ:
That the true believer is secure in Christ forever and is being progressively transformed into the likeness of Christ.
(John 10:28-29, 2 Timothy 1:12, John 5:24, 6:39, Romans 8:33-39, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Philippians 2:12,13, 2 Corinthians 7:1, Galatians 5:16-25, John 17:17-19, Ephesians 5:25-27)
h. Church:
That the true Church is composed of all genuine believers in Jesus Christ who are united together in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The local church is the visible expression of this body.
(1 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:2, Matthew 18:15-20)
i. Ordinances:
Water baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the believer in Christ during the present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation.
(Acts 2:41; 8:36-39, Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-32)
j. Satan:
That Satan exists as an evil personality, the originator of sin, the archenemy of God and humanity; that he was defeated by Christ on the cross, and is condemned to eternal punishment.
(1 Peter 5:8, Acts 13:10, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, John 8:14, Ephesians 6:11-13, Genesis 3:1-6, Genesis 3:15, Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:8, Revelation 20:10)
k. Eternal Things:
In the reality of heaven and hell that at death the spirit of the believer in Christ goes to be with Christ, while the spirit of the unbeliever suffers separation from Christ and eternal conscious punishment. Someday Jesus will return from heaven to resurrect the bodies of the believers of all ages, and take up the living believers from the earth, each to share in His glory and to live and reign with Him forever. The bodies of the unbelieving dead will be resurrected to final judgement resulting in eternal punishment.
(Acts 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 1 Corinthians 4:5, John 5:28,29, Revelation 20:11-15)