OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH
WHAT WE BELIEVE
In essential beliefs...we have unity
"There is one Body and one Spirit...there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all...”Eph.4:4-6
In non-essential beliefs...we have liberty
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters...Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls...So then each of us will give an account of himself to God...So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.” Romans 14:1,4,12,22
In all our beliefs...we show love
“...If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains – but have not love, I amount to nothing at all.” 1 Cor. 13:2 (Ph)
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THE FOUNDATIONS OF WHAT WE BELIEVE
1. ABOUT GOD
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
Genesis 1:1,26,27,3:22; Psalms 90.2; Matt. 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; II Cor. 13:14
2. ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to take His people back to Heaven.
Matt. 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5; 14:10-30; Heb 4:14,15; I Cor 15:3,4; Rom 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; I Tim. 6:14-15; Titus 2:13
3. ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under his control daily.
II Cor. 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; I Cor. 2:12, 3:16; Eph. 1:13; Gal. 5:25; Eph. 5:18
4. ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God it is the truth without any mixture of error. It is the sole authority for this church and its direction.
II Tim. 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; II Tim. 1:13; Psalms 119:105,160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5
5. ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS
People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience towards God called “sin”. This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life.
Genesis 1:27; Psalms 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Rom. 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2
6. ABOUT SALVATION
Salvation is God’s free gift to us but we must receive it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by faith in Jesus Christ as God’s offering of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith that believes with the heart, confesses with the mouth, repents with our live and are baptized into Jesus Christ...we have assurance of our salvation.
Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Gal 3:26; Rom. 5:1; Acts 2:36; Rom. 10:9-10
7. ABOUT BECOMING A CHRISTIAN
Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement or doing good deeds. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin’s penalty, which is death. The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith. Therefore, to become a follower of Christ, one needs to admit to God that he is a sinner in need of God’s grace and forgiveness. He needs to pledge to faith that he wants to stop sinning and start living like Christ. Through faith he must accept that Jesus paid the penalty for his sin by dying on the cross and that he is being saved because Jesus came back from the dead. In the Bible, every example of when a person came to Christ, they were baptized (which means to submerge under water) as soon as possible. Since the Bible is our guide manual for life, we follow the same practice.
Acts 2:38; 8:34ff; 22:16; Rom. 5:1-2; 6:1-7; Eph. 2:8-9; Col. 2;12; John 14:6; Titus 3:5; Gal. 3:26-27
8. ABOUT LIVING AS A CHRISTIAN
The Christian life is the best way to live. God desires for people to live the highest quality life possible. Once one becomes a Christian, it’s like getting married to Jesus. We fall in love with Him and want to do the things that please him. We begin a long process of getting rid of sin and becoming more like Jesus. However, the only way possible to live this way is through God’s power within us. Se we seek to practice daily dependence on God’s Spirit to enable us to do what is right.
Phil. 2:13; Eph. 5:1-18
