The Bible
We believe the entire Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the inspired
Word of God and that human authors were inspired by the Spirit of God to write
them. Therefore we believe the Scriptures are infallible and inerrant in the
original writings and are the final authority on all matters of faith and
practice.[1]
The Trinity
We believe in one God, the Creator of all things, who exists eternally in
three distinct persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – co-substantial
in being, co-eternal in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and possessing
the same perfections.[2]
Jesus
We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He became flesh to reveal God
to the world and to become the Saviour of lost humanity. He was conceived by
the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless human life, and
offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all by dying on the
cross. He arose from the dead in bodily form after three days demonstrating
his power over sin and death. He ascended into heaven where he is the only
Mediator between God and humanity. All authority has been given to him, and he
will personally return again to earth at a time known only to the Father to
fully establish his kingdom and exercise his role as Judge of all.[3]
The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is present in the world to convict people of
their sin and their need for salvation through Jesus Christ. He also dwells in
every Christian and provides them with power for godly living, understanding
of spiritual truth, and ability to produce spiritual fruit. He gives spiritual
gifts to individuals in the Church for its edification and its mission.[4]
Sin
We believe that humanity was created in the image of God to have
fellowship with him but became alienated in that relationship through sinful
disobedience. As a result, humanity is incapable of regaining a right
relationship with God through its own effort by self-improvement or good
works.[5]
Salvation
We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, as our substitutionary and propitiatory sacrifice once and for
all. His blood, shed on the cross, provides the sole basis for the forgiveness
of sin. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ and receiving him as God’s offer of
salvation can a person be saved from sin’s penalty and be justified before
God.[6]
Christian Living
We believe that every Christian is called to live for Christ, who is their
Lord, and not for themselves. By obedience to the Word of God and daily
yielding to the Spirit of God, every believer is to continually mature and be
conformed to the image of Christ.[7]
The Church
We believe that the Church is the body of Christ, of which Jesus Christ is
the head. The members of the Church are those who have trusted in the finished
work of Christ through faith and have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. The
purpose of the Church is to glorify God by loving him and by making him known
to the lost world.[8]
Rites of the Church
We believe Christ instituted the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s
Supper, both of which are to be observed by the believers until he returns. We
believe by the initiatory rite of baptism a believer is personally and
publicly identified with Christ in his death and resurrection. We believe the
Lord’s Supper is a commemorative remembrance of Christ’s sacrificial death, a
celebration of his presence, and the rite of continued communion with him. The
elements of the bread and cup are symbols of his body and blood. These
ordinances are not regarded as a means of salvation.[9]
Grace & Destiny
We believe that at the bodily resurrection from the dead, those who have
turned to God in repentance and received salvation through Jesus Christ will
experience eternal blessedness and joy with him in heaven. Those who have
rejected Jesus Christ will face eternal and conscious judgment in hell, the
condition of total and complete separation from God.[10]
[1] 2 Tim 3:16; Dt 8:3; Mt 5:17; Jn 10:34-35; Jn 17:17
[2] Dt 4:35; 6:4; Jas 2:19; Gen 1:1, 26; Ps 90:2; Ex 3:14; Isa 43:13; Gen 21:33;
Isa 48:16; Mt 3:16-17; Dt 32:4
[3] Isa 7:14; 9:22, 28; Lk 22:70; Jn 1:1, 14; 5:16-23; 10:30; 14:9-10; Phil
2:6-7; 1 Tim 2:5; 2 Tim 4:1; Mt 1:18-25; 24:30; Mk 13:32; Lk 1:26-38; 1 Cor
15:15-17; Rom 1:3-4; Heb 1:3; 4:15; Eph 3:12; Rev 1:7; Mt 28:18
[4] Acts 1:8; 5:3-4; 1 Cor 2:11; 7; 12:7-8; Jn 16:8; 3:3-6; 14:16-17; 16:13; Gal
5:22-23
[5] Gen 1:26-27; 2:17; 5:1; Col 3:10; Eph 2:1-5, 12; 2:8-9; Rom 3:23
[6] Heb 2:17; 7:27; 9:12; 10:10; 1 Jn 2:2; 4:10; Eph 1:7; Rom 5:1-2,9; 10:9; 2
Tim 1:12; Tit 3:5-7
[7] Rom 6:5-14; 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:2-3; 2 Pet 3:18; Col 2:6-7; 1 Cor 3:12-13
[8] Col 1:18, 24; 1 Cor 1:1-3; 10:31; Jn 3:3-6;m Mt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
[9] Mt 28:19-20; 26:26-28; Rom 6:3-5; 1 Cor 11:23-28
[10] 1 Cor 15:12-13, 21; Heb 6:1-2; 9:27; Rev 7:15-17; 20:11-15; Mt 25:41, 46; 2
Thes 1:9