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What We Believe About...
GOD
God is the creator and ruler of the universe. One God has eternally existed in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Genesis 1:1
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26,27
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14
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JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God. He has coexisted with the Father throughout eternity. He became a human being through a miraculous birth. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered himself as a perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the grave after three days demonstrating his power over sin and death. He later ascended to be with the Father and to intercede on our behalf. We believe that it is through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we have salvation from our sins and the gift of eternal life.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. . . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-5,14
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. . . For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form . ...Colossians 2:6,7,9
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THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is also a distinct person, who has coexisted with the Father throughout eternity. He lives within every Christian from the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Romans 8:9-11
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THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible is God's written word. The Bible was recorded by human authors, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. We also believe that the Bible is relevant and applicable to our lives.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16,17
For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
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HUMAN BEINGS
People are created in the image of God and have tremendous potential for good, but all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called "sin". Sin separates people from God and causes many problems in life.
Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:1,2
...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal. 5:19-21
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
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SALVATION
Jesus Christ is God's solution for our sins. Through him, we can experience God's forgiveness for our sins, receive God's Spirit, and be adopted into God's family forever. We believe that salvation is God's free gift to all who will respond in faith to his wonderful grace.
God's Grace It is only by grace that anyone can have salvation.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8,9
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. Titus 2:11
Faith We must put our faith in Jesus Christ as God's Son and our Savior.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1,2
Repentance Our faith must result in a change of heart and mind. (We must decide to turn from a self-directed life, to a Christ-directed life.)
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Matthew 4:17
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, Acts 3:19
Confession Our faith must lead us to verbally identify ourselves with Christ by confessing him as our Lord and Savior.
"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." Matthew 10:32,33
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
Baptism Our faith must lead us to visibly identify ourselves with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus by being baptized (immersed in water).
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19,20
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." . . . "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. Acts 2:38-41
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Acts 8:36-39
*Comment* We practice and recognize the original, biblical form of baptism which is immersion in water. The New Testament word for baptism, baptizo, means immersion. By being immersed in water in Jesus' name we identify ourselves with his death, burial, and resurrection. We also follow the example and teaching of the Bible and baptize only intentional believers.
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Romans 6:1-7
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3:26,27
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THE LORD'S SUPPER
It is our practice to observe the Lord's Supper (also known as holy communion, the Eucharist, or the breaking of the bread) each Sunday. The bread and juice remind us of the body and blood of Christ offered up for our sins on the cross. Jesus Christ ordained certain practices, so that his believers could remember that in a real way he is always with them. Baptism is the ordained event that the individual is initially united in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lord's Supper is the ordained event to regularly renew that union with the risen Lord.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom." Matthew 26:26-29
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ETERNITY
People were created to exist forever. We will exist either eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with God is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. We believe that a Christian can have confidence of his/her eternal salvation.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." John 14:1-3
Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:17,18
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28
He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13
Are
you confident about your personal relationship with God?
A Simple (ABCDE) Explanation
of God's Plan of Salvation
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