Why a “Statement of Faith”? Don’t you just believe the Bible?
While all Christians claim to “believe the Bible” you might be surprised to find that Christians can differ on what they believe the Bible to teach. Our Statement of Faith captures our specific congregation’s beliefs regarding what the Bible teaches. It is by no means an expression of everything we believe, but a summary of what we believe on important selected topics.
Our Statement of Faith
(1) The Holy Scriptures:
(A) We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God and that God gave the words of Scripture by inspiration without error in the original autographs. We believe that God promises that He will preserve His Word and has kept that promise in the traditional Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. We believe that the Authorized Version (KJV) is an accurate English translation of the preserved Word of God. (II Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:21)
(2) The Godhead:
We believe that one God eternally exists in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Matthew 3:16-17; I Corinthians 8:6; II Corinthians 13:14; I John 5:7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 14:10,26)
(3) Man:
We believe that man was created in the image of God; that man willfully sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but also that spiritual death which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature. (Genesis 1:26; 2:16-17; Romans 5:12)
(4) The Person and Work of Christ:
(A) We believe that Jesus Christ became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order to redeem sinful men. (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; Matthew 18:25; John 1:1-2,14; II Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8)
(B) We believe that Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice and all who believe in Him are justified by His shed blood. (John 3:16; Rom. 5:1, 8-9; Hebrews 7:25; I Timothy 2:5)
(C) We believe that the crucified body of our Lord was literally and physically resurrected from the dead, that he ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of the Father, where he acts as our Intercessor. (Matthew 28:6; I Corinthians 15:4; Acts 1:9,11; Acts 2:18-36; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24)
(5) Salvation:
(A) We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace. All who repent of their sins and by personal faith receive Jesus Christ as both their Saviour and Lord are born again by the Holy Spirit and become the children of God. (Acts 20:21; John 3:3,5; John 1:12; Romans 3:24-25; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 2:24; I John 2:1-2)
(B) All believers are baptized by the Holy Spirit into this one True Body are set apart to a holy walk. (I Corinthians 12:13; I Corinthians 1:30,31)
(6) Eternal Security:
(A) We believe that, having accepted God’s gift of salvation and been born again into the family of God, believers are possessors of everlasting life, cannot be “unborn”, and shall never perish. (John 10:28,29; I Peter 2:23)
(B) We believe the bodily resurrection of the believer and the unbeliever is certain, the believer to everlasting blessedness, and the unbeliever to everlasting punishment. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:11-15; John 5:28,29)
(7) Baptism:
We believe that baptism is neither an act of nor a requirement for salvation, but is an ordinance commanded by Christ as a personal, public profession that one is a believer and follower of Him. As such, baptism is inherently a command for those who can credibly make such a profession. We further believe that baptism is meant to symbolize one’s death to their pre-converted life and their resurrection as a new person in Christ. As such, immersion is the only mode of baptism that fulfills this scriptural symbolism. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:36-38; Romans 6:3,4)
(8) Communion:
We believe the Lord's Supper is an ordinance commanded by Christ as a commemoration of His substitutionary and atoning death and is to be celebrated periodically until He returns. (Luke 22:17-20; I Corinthians 11:23-26)
(9) Christian Living:
(A) We believe that, as children of the Lord, we should endeavor to live a life that is pleasing to our Father by living consistent with His commands and the principles found within Scripture. In doing so, we will enjoy His blessings and point others to Christ while avoiding worldly activities that may be a stumbling block to others and a discredit to our Father.
(B) We believe that the power to live the Christian life is not of ourselves but comes from the Holy Spirit who enables us to both to will and to do. (John 15:5; Philippians 2:13)
(C) We believe that, while the Bible both commands and forbids certain actions, the Bible makes clear that the Christian life is not primarily a matter of rule-keeping, but is rather a Father-and-child relationship. This relationship will naturally result in the keeping of our Father’s specific commands as we, moved by our Father’s love for us, seek to conform ourselves to His image. (Revelation 12:1,2; Colossians 3:1-17)
(10) The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit:
(A) We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, the Agent of conviction, regeneration, indwelling, sanctification, and illumination of all who are born into God’s family through Jesus Christ. (John 3:5-6; John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14)
(B) We believe that He is the divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to allow the Spirit to fill all areas of our life through the process of sanctification. (Ephesians 1:17-18; 5:18; I John 2:20, 27)
(C) We believe that He is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer and that He uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the church to do the work of the ministry. (Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11,28; Ephesians 4:7-12)
(11) The Person of Satan:
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; Revelation 20:10)
(12) The Second Coming of Christ:
We believe in the imminent, pre-Tribulation return of Jesus Christ for all believers (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) to be followed by a seven-year Tribulation, after which Christ will return with the raptured saints to set up His millennial Messianic reign on earth which was promised to the nation of Israel (Revelation 20:1-3, 21:1-5; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Psalms 89:3-4; Daniel 2:31-45; Zechariah 14:4-11; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6.
(13) Creation:
We believe that the Genesis account of creation is neither allegory nor myth but a literal, historical account of God’s creation of the universe in six, literal, twenty-four-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. Gen. 1-2; Exo. 20:11)
(14) Civil Government:
(A) We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home, 2) the church, and 3) the state.
(B) We believe that every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word.
(C) We believe that God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God.
(D) We believe that we must obey the state unless it requires us to act contrary to our faith, at which time we must obey God rather than the state. (Matthew 22:15-22; Acts 5:29; Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Titus 3:1-2; Hebrews 13:17; I Peter 2:13-14)
(15) Human Sexuality:
(A) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between one naturally born man and one naturally born woman.
(B) We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex.
(C) We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance. (Genesis 2:24; 19:5,13; Genesis 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)
(D) We believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one naturally born man and one naturally born woman for life. (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; I Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23)
(16) Family Relationships:
(A) We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, and also believe that God has ordained distinct and spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for ordination by the church. (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18; I Timothy 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12)
(B) We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church and to dwell with his wife according to knowledge. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ.
(C) We believe that children are a heritage from the Lord and that parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. (Genesis 1:26-28; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mark 10:6-12; I Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; Hebrews 13:4; I Peter 3:1-7)
(17) Abortion:
(A) We believe the Bible teaches that life is a gift of God, that human life must be respected from conception until natural death, and that all human life has value and dignity.
(B) We believe abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life and is, therefore, murder.
(C) We also believe that God’s grace applies to both those who have chosen to have an abortion and those who have enabled abortion and that there is forgiveness and healing for anyone who, in true faith and repentance, confesses and asks forgiveness of their sin to Christ.
(D) We reject any teaching that abortions due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the physical or mental well-being of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5; 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)
(18) Euthanasia:
(A) We believe that the direct taking of an innocent human life is a moral evil, regardless of the intention, as life is a gift of God and, therefore, must be respected from conception until natural death. Thus, we believe that an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder contrary to the will of God.
(B) We believe that discontinuing medical procedures that are extraordinary or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be a legitimate refusal of over-zealous treatment. (Exodus 20:13, 23:7; Matthew 5:21; Acts 17:28)
(19) Love:
(A) We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward those who are not believers, those who oppose us, and those who engage in sinful actions. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions.
(B) We believe that we are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice (Leviticus 19:18; Mattew 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Romans 12:9-10; 17-21; 13:8-10; Philippians 2:2-4; II Timothy 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; I John 3:17-18)
(20) Lawsuits Between Believers:
(A) We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes.
(B) We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members.
(C) We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (I Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32; Matthew 18:15-17)
(21) Missions:
We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. As ambassadors of Christ, we must use all available means to encourage, support, and participate in missions work, local, domestic, and international. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:20)
(22) Giving:
(A) We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to financially support his local church.
(B) We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel.
(C) We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of his tithe or offering once the gift has been made. (Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; I Corinthians 16:2; II Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; I Timothy 5:17-18; I John 3:17)
AUTHORITY OF THE STATEMENT OF FAITH
This Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith as the Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe, however, that the foregoing Statement of Faith accurately represents the teachings of the Bible and, therefore, is binding upon all members.