WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT…
The Bible
The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament. We believe that Scripture originated entirely from God and that it was given through writers inspired by God. Scripture speaks with the authority of God and, yet at the same time, reflects the backgrounds, styles and vocabularies of the human authors. The Scriptures are presented exactly as God intended and without error in the original manuscripts. They are the unique, full and final authority on all matters of faith and practice and there are no other writings similarly given by God.
God
We believe that there is one true, holy God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each of Whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality. In the beginning, God created the world and all things therein out of nothing, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom and goodness. By His sovereign power He continues to sustain His creation. By His providence, His loving and caring guidance, God operates throughout time to fulfill His redemptive purposes.
Salvation
The central purpose of God’s revelation in scripture is to call people into fellowship with Himself. The human race was originally created to have fellowship with God. Through Adam, humanity defied God, choosing to be independent, and was thus alienated from Him. The consequence of this rebellion from God is the corruption of human nature, so that people are unable to reach God’s standard of perfection in any way. Such separation from God produces people who are selfish, who are without purpose and who ultimately will be separated from Him for eternity. This separation took place at the beginning of human history. All individuals since suffer this consequence and, therefore, are in need of the saving grace and mercy of God. The salvation of any person is wholly a work of God’s free grace. Salvation is never the result, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness. Salvation is personally realized when one repents from sin and accepts, through faith alone, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. When God begins a saving work in the heart of any person, He gives assurance in His Word that he will continue performing it until the day of its full consummation.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the eternal second person of the Godhead – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He was united with a true human nature by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily made amends for the sins of people, making possible a right relationship with God. He died on the cross as a substitute for sinful mankind, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. Jesus rose from the dead in the same body, now glorified, in which he lived and died. He ascended into heaven, where He, as mediator, continually intercedes with God the Father for His own – those who have received salvation. He shall come again to Earth, personally and visibly, to bring history and the eternal plan of God to completion.
The Christian Life
The Holy Spirit was sent into the world by the Father and the Son. A genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ is evidenced by a life impacted by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Before salvation, the Holy spirit enlightens the minds of sinners and awakens in them a recognition of their need for a Savior. At the point of salvation, The Holy Spirit permanently indwells every believer and gives them assurance in their relationship with Christ, wisdom to discern what God wants them to do, and strength to do it. In each believer, the Spirit produces: a new value system marked by an understanding and acceptance of the gospel, a desire for fellowship with other Christians, and a striving for obedience to God’s moral law, character change, referred to as the fruit of the Spirit, and unique endowments, called the gifts of the Spirit, that allow each believer to minister for the Lord.
Human Destiny
Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. For all humankind, there will be a resurrection of the body into the spiritual world and a judgment that will determine the fate of each individual. All who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will have an eternal relationship with God. All who have rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be separated from God for eternity.
The Church
The result of union with Jesus Christ is that all believers become members of His body, the church. The church is composed of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Wherever God’s people meet regularly, there is the local expression of the church. Under the watchful care of elders, pastors and other supportive leadership, its members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ. The Scripture commands believers to gather in order to worship, pray, fellowship, teach, observe baptism and communion, serve within the body, and to be an example to and reach out to the world. The church is to be a place filled with grace and mercy, realizing that we are imperfect yet valuable people.
