CHRIST COMMUNITY STATEMENT OF FAITH
I. The Word of God
We believe that the Bible is fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the Bible in its entirety (composed of 66 books) is the Holy, infallible Word of God; that it is and ever shall be the complete and final and supreme revelation of the will of God to man, and the final authority in all spiritual matters of faith and conduct.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31, 32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32)
II. God
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons (The Trinity): Father, Son and the Holy Spirit; that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.
(Genesis 1:1, 26; John 1:1, 3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19, 20; Ephesians 4:5, 6; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14)
III. God the Father
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
(Luke 10:21, 22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; I Timothy 1:1, 2; 2:5, 6; I Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6)
IV. God the Son, Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His voluntary, sacrificial, and substitutionary atoning death on the cross paid the penalty of sin and purchased eternal life for all who believe and receive Him. We believe in His bodily and visible resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, and His perpetual intercession for His people, and His personal visible return to earth.
(Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 19:17-19; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 8:46; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; I Timothy 3:16)
V. God the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, who is a Person of the Trinity came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide.
(Matthew 28:18, 19; Romans 8:1, 14; John 14:16,17,26; 15:26,27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26)
VI. The Creation, Fall, Curse, and Regeneration of Man
We believe that God created the universe and that it was perfect; We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he rebelled and sinned against God and thereby incurred the curse of physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God; and that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. We believe that salvation is the gift of God, by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins; that this salvation is the possession of those who by faith accept Christ as their personal Savior. We believe that there is no other way of salvation. We believe that those who hear the Gospel, truly repent and forsake their sin, and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become new creatures, delivered from condemnation and receive eternal life.
(Genesis. 1:26; 5:2; Genesis 3; Genesis 2:17; 3:19; Eccl. 2:11; John 3:14; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; Romans 9:22; Ephesians 2:5, 8II Thessalonians 1:9; Rev. 19:3,20; 20:10;14,15; 21:18; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5: 18-19, 10:13; I John 1:9; John 3:16; 16:7-11; John 1:13; II Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1)
VII. The Church and the Gospel
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local Gospel church, consisting of a company of born-again believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work, and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
We believe that every born-again Christian should be an active member of such a Gospel church; that the local church is God’s prime instrument of testimony in this age; that the work of Christian teaching and of worldwide evangelism is entrusted first to such Gospel churches; and that no organization or fellowship should have priority over such a church.
(Matthew 28:18f; Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 1:1-8; 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25)
VIII. The Ordinances of the Local Church
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:23-26)
IX. Christian Conduct
We believe that the Bible teaches that each believer can and is commanded to live in separation from all worldly and sinful practices. We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being of his fellow men; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions; and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.
(I Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15,23-24; I John 2:3-6; II Corinthians 9:6-9; I Corinthians 4:2; Col. 1:9-10)
X. Religious Liberty
We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other.
(I Timothy 2:5; Romans 14:7-9, 12)
XI. Church Cooperation
We believe that local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another. Such an organization, whether a regional or district conference, exists and functions by the will of the churches. Cooperation is voluntary and may be terminated at any time.
(Acts 15:36, 41; 16:5; I Corinthians 16:1; Galatians 1:1-3; Revelations 1:4, 10, 11)
XII. The Last Things
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe that God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus; that those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ shall dwell eternally with Him, and that those who refuse His offer of salvation shall eternally be cast into the Lake of Fire. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked.
(Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14: 1-3; Acts 1:11; Romans 6:23; Phil. 3:20; I Thessalonians 4:15; II Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; I Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 15; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15, 21:8)
XIII. The Family and Marriage
We believe that marriage was instituted by God as a picture of His love for His church with the intent that it would be a life-long heterosexual union between one woman and one man, to the exclusion of any other person, without separation or divorce; resulting in mutual spiritual, emotional and physical intimacy.
We believe that God created human life to begin at conception and end at death; and that each human being, no matter their age, appearance, physical or mental challenges, race, born or unborn, to be of priceless value and of great worth.
We believe that each parent has a God given responsibility to nurture, love, protect and discipline their children; with the hope of raising a responsible adult, and doing so without being harsh or punitive in the execution of their responsibility.
(Genesis 2:24; Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Psalm 139:13–14; I Corinthians 7:3-5; 7:10-11; Ephesians 5-6:1-4)