My Statement of Faith

The Bible

I believe that the Bible, both the Old and New Testament, is the inspired Word of God and therefore the supreme authority of faith and practice for the believer in Jesus Christ. (Psalm 119:160; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 1:1-2, 4:12)

God

I believe that there is only one true and living God existing eternally in three equal and distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; John 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

Jesus Christ

I believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal son of God and the Second Person of the Trinity. He came into this world conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and is fully God and fully man. He lived a sinless life and died on a cross as a sacrifice for our sins. He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and is today our high priest and advocate. (John 1:14, I Corinthians 15:3-4, John 1:1, John 14:8, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 24: 23-40, Isaiah 7:14, I Corinthians 15:22, Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 5:1-10, Hebrews 13:5, Hebrews 7:25, I John 3:5, Romans 5:1-11, Romans 10:9-10, II Corinthians 5:17, Acts 1:1-11, I Peter 3:22)

The Holy Spirit

I believe that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity and convicts the world of their sin. He regenerates, indwells, baptizes and seals all Christians at the moment of salvation and fills those yielded to Him. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3,4; John 3:8,16:7-11; 1 Corinthians 6:19,12:11; Ephesians 4:30, 5:18)

Humanity and Sin

I believe that humanity was created by God in His own image. Through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, mankind fell into sin. Because of their sin, every human enters into this world with a sinful nature and therefore we are born spiritually dead. (Genesis 1:27, 3:1-19; Romans 3:23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3)

Salvation

I believe that salvation is the gift of God through the redemptive work of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Salvation is brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 10:27-30; Ephesians 1:7)

The Church

I believe the Church is the body and bride of Christ. It is a spiritual organism and Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. The Universal Church consists of all who have put their faith in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost until the present.  (Matthew 16:16-18; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:5; I Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:20-23; 4:3-10; Colossians 3:14-15)

The Return of Jesus

I believe in the imminent and personal return of Jesus Christ. We believe that return will occur in a bodily, visible manner. (Matthew 24-25; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Revelation 20:1-4)