Beliefs
The Bible
We believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God and is infallible.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
God
We believe there is one God eternally existent in three-fold unity (Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit).
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
John 1:1-3, & 14 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 14So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
1 Corinthians 2:11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit
John 14:26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you
Sin:
We believe in the existence of sin. We believe sin is acts of commission or omission in our hearts, minds, motives or actions that are out of alignment with God’s will
Romans 3:23 everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Salvation:
We believe in the opportunity for salvation. Salvation is the resolution of our sin debt through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:25-26 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Romans 10:9-10 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
Baptism:
We believe in baptism. We believe that baptism is an official ceremony that is both a public identification and a symbolic representation of a person’s commitment to living a life surrendered to Christ.
Public/private representation:
Baptism is an outward display of an inward commitment. Its pronouncing to the world you belong to Christ, you have become a member of the church (the body of Christ), and that you have given your life, (direction, activity, and intention) over to the Lordship of Jesus.
We believe baptism is an affirming act of a prior surrender to God and personal devotion to follow him. As such it should be done after a commitment to God has been made.
Matthew 3:15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.
Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Symbolism:
Baptism represents a spiritual death of your former sinful/self-driven life and the initiation of spiritual birth into your new Christ-centered/God-directed life.
Romans 6:4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Holy Spirit:
We believe in the presence of the Holy Spirit:
We believe the Holy Spirit comes to live in the heart of the believer when they receive salvation. It is the Holy Spirit that equips, empowers and enables the believer to live a life that is pleasing to God.
Romans 8:15-16 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father”. For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
Prayer:
We believe in prayer. We believe in prayer as the sacred privilege of communication with God. Prayer can be used in every situation and is a vital component of the believer's relationship with God.
1 John 5:14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.
Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Healing:
We believe in the ability of the Almighty God to intervene in our lives and bring correction, wholeness and restoration physically, spirituality, emotionally and relationally.
James 5:14-16 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
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