FAITH STATEMENT
Biblical truths which serve as a basis for who we are…and how we minister.
1. The Trinity:
We believe in one living, holy, and eternal God who is the source of all power, authority, wisdom, goodness, and righteousness. (Genesis 1:1, I Timothy 1:17) God created woman and man in his own image. God has revealed himself as three persons but being of one substance (called the Trinity): the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. (John 1:1-2; 4:24; 5:18; 10:30)
2. The Father:
The first person of the Trinity is God the Father. Father God is not some remote, unknowable spiritual force. Rather, the Bible reveals Father God as our loving and powerful heavenly Father.
Father God created heaven and earth and all that is in them. This speaks about the goodness of creation and gives it and its care meaning. Because God is Creator, people can know truths about God through His world. (Isaiah 40:28; Ephesians 3:9; Psalm 136; Deuteronomy 32:4; 1 John 3:1; Psalm 19:1)
3. Jesus:
We affirm that Jesus of Nazareth, though born of a woman, was more than a human being; he was actually Father God’s Son—God in the flesh. His virgin birth through Mary gave Jesus a sinless and perfect nature while on earth.
As the Christ, Jesus fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies about a Messiah who would save God’s people. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are grounded in historical fact.
After his earthly work of salvation was finished, Jesus ascended to his place in heaven as Lord of all things. He will come again to make all things new. (John 1:14; Luke 10:21; Acts 2:36; Mark 10:45; Luke 19:10; Romans 5:1-11; Colossians 1:20)
4. The Holy Spirit:
When Jesus ascended to heaven, he promised his disciples they would not be alone but that he would send a comforter. This gift was the third person of the Trinity—the Holy Spirit. Ever since then, the Holy Spirit has dwelled in and empowered God’s people.
The Holy Spirit is the presence and power of God with us here and now, leading the church in truth, uniting God’s people in love, applying God’s forgiveness to our broken lives, speaking to us, and encouraging us as individuals and as the church to live according to God’s will as revealed in the Bible. (Matthew 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Joel 2:28; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Acts 11:16; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:14)
5. The Bible:
The Bible contains all that people need to know for salvation and how to live as God wants us to. We call the Bible God’s Word, believing that God speaks to us through this book. Because he inspired human authors to write his words and thoughts, the Bible has authority, and thus, is worthy of our trust.
You could also think of the Bible as a library of sixty-six unique books of various kinds, written by many authors in different contexts, and covering thousands of years. But it is only one book: all of it forms one overarching story of God’s loving purpose for humanity and creation. (Amos 7:1; Ezekiel 39:13; Romans 1:17-18; Habakkuk 2:2; Revelation 1:11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
6. Salvation:
We believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone. Salvation is God’s work on our behalf which is received by faith.
Because of the fall of humanity through Adam and Eve, we all have a sin nature. Our sin separates us from holy God. God’s plan to redeem us (to buy us back from our sin) was to send His Son, Jesus, to earth. Being born sinless and living a sinless life of perfect obedience, Jesus voluntarily went to the cross to die as a payment for our sin. Jesus offered himself on the cross as the spotless lamb. After three days in the grave, God raised Jesus from the dead. His resurrection means that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice for us.
Salvation, being made right with God, comes when each person confesses their sin, believes that Jesus died for our sin, and invites him into our heart and the Great Forgiver and Life Leader. This is salvation by grace alone through faith alone. This is how we are brought into God’s forever family as the Holy Spirit then comes to live in us. (Romans 3:23; Romans 5:1, 8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; John 5:24; Romans 10:9; Galatians 2:20)
7. Spiritual Growth:
As a child of God, God wants us to grow in our new relationship with Him. We call this process of spiritual growth, sanctification. God wants us to develop godly character, live by biblical values, and grow in love for Him and others. The Holy Spirit leads us in our spiritual growth by opening the truth of the Bible to us, giving us a faith based family (the church), and speaking to us in our hearts.
As children of Father God and followers of Jesus, we are responsible to follow the Spirit’s work in our lives by being obedient to God and developing a heart of love. It takes time, effort, sacrifice, and support from others to grow spiritually—it doesn’t just happen out of nowhere. This new life as a follower of Jesus is completely different than the sinful way of life. When we follow God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, God gives us joy, meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in our new life. (Galatians 5:6, 22-25; Romans 11:6; 2 Corinthians 10:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Philippians 1:9-11)
|
