WHAT WE BELIEVE

 

the Holy Bible

We believe the bible to be the inspired, infallible and authoritative Word of God. The Bible is the ultimate and final authority for believers and the Church in all matters on which it speaks.

See also: 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Titus 1:2; Psalm 19:7-8

GOD

We believe in one God eternally existing in three persons simultaneously, namely, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and each person is fully God. These three Persons are distinguishable yet indivisible and of one substance. The Bible describes the character of God as good, loving, righteous, holy, just, merciful, faithful, kind and perfect. God is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-present.

See also: Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isaiah 45:5-6; 21-22; 1 Timothy 2:5; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 1:1; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; 2 Peter 1:1; Hebrews 1:3; 1 Corinthians 2:11-12

Jesus Christ

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father and in His personal return in power and glory.

See also: John 1:1-3; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8; Matthew 1:18-25; John 3:16-18; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Luke 24:50-51; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Revelation 1:7

sin

We believe that as a result of the fall of man into sin, people remain spiritually dead, morally depraved, separated from God and unable to attain right standing with God apart from Jesus Christ. Everyone has sinned and stands guilty before God.

See also: Genesis 3:1-19; Romans 5:12; 18-19; Hebrews 11:6; Romans 8:5-8; John 3:3; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1

salvation

We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. Salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God’s free grace and is manifested through repentance from sin and faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross. Through His work, not our own, we obtain the forgiveness of sins and are adopted into the family of God.

See also: John 1:12; 5:24; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9

holy spirit

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. We also believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as an experience at or subsequent to salvation and evidenced by various signs.

See also: John 14:17; Romans 8:11; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Luke 3:16; Acts 8:4-8; 14-17; 19:1-7; Hebrews 6:2

the church

We believe in one true universal Church consisting of all genuine believers and in the visible expression of that Church in local congregations. Local churches are commissioned to propagate the gospel, teach God’s Word, administer the sacraments (baptism and communion), exercise spiritual authority and pastor God’s people into their destiny.

See also: 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 4:4-16

christ’s second coming

We believe in the second coming of Christ – physical and visible – to judge the living and the dead, receive His Church and to consummate human history in the plan of God.

See also: Acts 1:10-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Romans 2:5-8; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:12-13

the resurrection

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: the saved unto the resurrection of life and the lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

See also: Acts 24:14-15; Matthew 15:49-50; John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:11-15