God

We believe in the Trinity, meaning that God is three persons with one being. God is the one and only God, but what God is includes the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity can be seen in the OT during creation when God refers to Himself as “Us” (Gen 1:26) and in His plural name, Elohim. In the NT the fact is seen throughout that Jesus is God, that the Father is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. Scripture refers to the three in equal terms (Matt 28:19, 2 Cor 13:14, 1 Pet 1:2).

Jesus

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Mt 16:15, Heb 4:14). He is 100% man (Heb 2:14, 1 Tim 3:16, Jn 1:14) and 100% God (Jn 1:1ff, 20:28; Acts 10:36; 1 Jn 5:20, Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 1:1). He was present and active at creation (John 1:1-3, Col 1:16, Heb 1:2), He was born of the virgin Mary (Mt. 1:23), He lived a sinless life (2 Cor 5.21, Heb 4:15, 1 Pet 2:22, 1 John 3:5), He paid for our sins at the cross (Mt. 20:28, Rom 3:25, 1 Jn 2:2, 1Jn 4:4 ) and He was raised on the third day (Acts 2:24, Acts 3:26, Acts 10:40, 1Cor 15:4). He now sits at the Father’s right hand in heaven (Acts 2:33-34, Eph 1:20, Col 3:1), serves as our high priest (Heb 4:14), reigns over His Kingdom (Acts 2:29-36) and will return again (Mt 25:31ff, Mk 13:26ff, Lk 21:27ff, 1 Thess 4:16).

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture (2 Sam 23:2, John 16:13, Acts 1:16, 1 Cor 2:13, 2 Pet 1:21) and, in doing so, it was the Holy Spirit’s role to provide the special revelation of God to us. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit acts to convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8). Today, we are promised that we can receive the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9-11, 1 Cor 6:19, 2 Cor 1:22) at our baptism (Acts 2:28). The Spirit also plays a part in regenerating and renewing us during conversion (Titus 3:5). The indwelling Spirit provides us help to live the Christian life in godliness and sanctification (Rom 8:13, 1 Cor 12:3, Gal 5:22ff, Eph 3:16, Phil 2:13). Finally, the Holy Spirit equips Christians with different gifts to meet certain needs within the body (1 Cor 12:4, 28).

The Bible

Scripture is the inspired and inerrant Word of God and is the authority for His people, “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work” (2 Tim 3:16). It is the faith “once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3).

Man

All “mankind to live on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26) were created by God in His own image (Gen 1:26-27) and to be loved by Him (John 3:16). To be human is also to have free will, the ability to choose good or evil. Unfortunately we have all sinned (Rom 3:23), putting us crossways of God’s righteousness and in danger of eternal death (Rom 5:12). We are all in need of redemption that we cannot provide for ourselves. We have been given only one name by which we can be saved, and that is the name of Christ (Acts 4:12). We are all headed toward eternity; those who have submitted themselves to the salvation of Christ will receive eternity in Heaven and those who have not, to eternity in Hell (John 14:6).

Salvation

In order to become a Christian, one must hear the gospel (Rom 10:14, 17; Gal 3:2; etc.), believe what they have heard (John 3:16; Acts 10:43, 13:39; Rom 1:16, 10:14, 3:22, 10:14; etc.), repent of their sins (Acts 2:38, 3:19; 2 Cor 7:10; etc.), confess Jesus as Christ and Lord, and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, 8:12, 8:38, 10:48, 16:15; Rom 6:3ff; Gal 3:27ff; etc.).

As a Christian one must be committed to Christ, living out a life of faithfulness to Him. Faith is not a onetime event, but a habitual lifestyle. It consists not only of mental ascent and trust, but also of knowledge and obedience.

Eternity

Jesus made it very clear that the only way to the Father is through Him (John 14:6). Throughout Scripture we see this again and again, that life in Christ is the only way to be saved. What is the final destiny of the saved (the Christians)? We can read many times in the New Testament that there is much that awaits the Christian after this life; this includes a glorified body (1 Corinthians 15:20-24, 35-50; 2 Corinthians 5:1-4; Philippians 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), rewards, (1 Cor 3:14) and eternal life (Rom 6:23, 1 Tim 1:16). As for the unsaved, death (Rom 6:23), and eternal punishment in Hell (Matt 25:46, Jude 1:7) are what await in eternity.