WHAT WE BELIEVE
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." 2 Tim. 3:16-17
God: We believe that there is one eternal God (Isaiah 43:10-11; Mark 12:29) made up of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; distinct, yet perfectly one with each other (2 Cor. 13:14). God the Father is spirit (John 4:24), invisible (1 Tim. 1:17), and no one can see Him and live (John 1:18; 1 Tim. 6:16). God the Son is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), having had all things created through Him (John 1:1-3) and having the fullness of the Godhead dwelling in Him bodily (Col. 1:19, 2:9). God the Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit (1 Cor. 2:11) who teaches us (John 14:26), guides us (Rom. 8:14), comforts us, and convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-11).
Jesus: We believe that Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God (1 John 4:9) was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35). He is the Word who was with God and was God in the beginning (John 1:1). He was made flesh to dwell among us (John 1:14) and is called Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). He lived a perfect, sinless life (1 Peter 2:22) and then became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21), bearing our sins in His body on the cross; by His wounds we have been healed (1 Peter 2:24). This one act of righteousness completed by Jesus on the cross leads to justification and life for all who believe in Him (John 6:47; Rom. 5:18). He died for the sins of the world (1 Peter 3:18), was buried, rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-4), and lives forever as our interceder (1 Tim. 2:5) and Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14, 7:24-25).
Bible: We believe that the Bible is God’s infallible Word breathed out by Him for teaching, correction, and training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16). It is the ultimate authority on God’s will for us and was preserved through the ages; we believe it did not pass away (Matt. 24:35; 1 Peter 1:24-25; Isaiah 40:8).
Man: We believe that man is sinful (Psalm 51:5) and that we have all fallen short of God’s glory because of our sin (Rom. 3:23). By the first man, Adam, came sin and death into the world (Rom. 5:12); making us all enemies of God (Rom. 5:10) and vessels of wrath prepared for destruction (Rom. 9:22). Our only hope for salvation and reconciliation to God is in Jesus Christ alone.
Salvation: We believe that God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners and His enemies, He sent His only Son to die for us (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8). We are justified and saved by grace alone as a free gift, because God was rich in mercy toward us (Eph. 2:4). It is not by works of righteousness that we’ve done that we have eternal life, but because of the free gift of God through Christ Jesus that we have good standing with God (Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 3:24; Titus 3:5). We believe that salvation means to be saved from physical death and sin, and be granted eternal life with God (John 5:24, 28-29, 10:27-28; Rom. 6:23; 1 John 5:13).
Church: We believe that the true Church is the spiritual house built by believers in Christ as living stones (1 Peter 2:5); because where two or more are gathered in Jesus’ name, He is there also (Matt. 18:20). Its purpose is to provide a place for Christians to fellowship with each other (Acts 2:42), to teach one another, to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Col. 3:16), and to reason the Scriptures together (Isaiah 1:18; Acts 17:2). The Church of Jesus Christ is not a physical entity or building, but the collection of believers worldwide who act as the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.