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Our BeliefsThe Bible The sixty-six books of the Bible were written by human authors yet remain without error, entirely reliable and truthful because they were uniquely inspired by God. The Bible is the only rule of life and faith for all people.
God There is one God. He exists in three persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He created everything by speaking it into immediate existence and is the sovereign ruler of the entire universe. He is holy, perfect in all His attributes.
Jesus God’s Son is fully God and fully man. He lived a sinless life and offered Himself in death as the only satisfactory payment for sin and man’s only hope of reconciliation to the Father. He arose bodily from the dead and ascended to heaven where He awaits His immanent second coming.
The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit is God. He makes people aware of their need of reconciliation to the Father and enlightens them so they may believe in Jesus Christ. He permanently indwells every believer from the moment of turning to Christ in faith.
Humanity God made His greatest creation in His own image. Although created innocent, man chose to rebel against God introducing sin and death to the human race. As a result each person is born with a will under the bondage of sin and consequently lives in alienation from God.
Salvation Alienated individuals may be restored to relationship with God and receive forgiveness of sins through the atonement of Jesus. This is available to man as a gift of God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, unattainable through any amount of self-improvement or good deeds. It results in a changed nature desiring godliness and the reward of heaven.
Assurance of Salvation Every believer possesses the unquestionable guarantee of salvation on the basis of God’s promise of eternal life and the perseverance of His saving grace. In spite of man’s inability to obey perfectly, his salvation is assured by God’s ability to save perfectly.
Baptism This is the public announcement of faith in Jesus commanded for every believer. It symbolizes the reality that cleansing from sin and a changed life are available only through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The Bible does not endorse the baptism of infants. Baptism with water has no power to remove sin.
The Second Coming Jesus has promised His bodily return to earth at a time known only by the Father. At this time Christ will restore God’s righteousness on earth and eradicate rebellion completely. All humanity will then be judged, some sentenced to eternal punishment and others rewarded with eternal life.
The Afterlife After physical death the soul continues in conscious, personal existence eternally. Those who have responded to Jesus Christ with saving faith will enjoy their promised reward in heaven, while those who have not will suffer eternal punishment in hell.
Missions God’s glory is seen vividly through all peoples enjoying eternal life in Him. Because of this and the eternal issues at stake for human beings, there is an urgency to communicate the gospel to every person. This is the personal responsibility of every believer. |
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