Statement of Faith Unpacked

We affirm the Chicago Statements on Biblical Inerrancy and Biblical Hermeneutics. We believe the Bible is the Word of God. It was written by human authors that were inspired by the Holy Spirit. The original manuscripts, inspired by the Holy Spirit, are free from errors and contradictions. It is the only authoritative and trustworthy rule for faith and life. (2 Pe 1:20-21, 2 Tim 3:16, 1 Cor 2:13, Lk 21:33, 1 Th 2:13) The Bible is to be taken as literally as possible except where obviously or reasonably figurative. While there are questions of meaning and application over which we may agree to disagree, there is nothing for which we are responsible to God in terms of our salvation and sanctification that is not expressed in Scripture, either in precept or principle. (2 Tim 3:14-15, Ps 119:9, 2 Pet 1:19, 1 Jn 5:13, Jn 15:5-8, Eph 6:10-17, Ps 1:1-3, Jos 1:8,Mt 4:4, 1 Pet 3:15, Jn 8:32)

There is only one God. (Deut 6:4, 32:39, 4:35, Jn 5:44-47, Is 45:21-22, 1 Chr 17:20, Mk 12:29). He is the only Supreme Being with no gods created before or after Him in all of existence, in all places, in all time. (Is 43:10, 44:6, 45:18, 44:8, Eph 4:6, 1 Tim 1:17,Ps 86:10, Acts 17:29, Ex 33:20, 2 Sam 7:22, 1 Cor 8:4). He has always been God and was never anything else. (Ps 90:2). We are to worship the LORD God and serve Him only. (Lk 4:8, 1 Cor 8:6)

There is one God, and this one God exists as one (ousia) “essence/substance” in three (hypostasis) “persons” — God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), God the Holy Spirit (also called the Holy Ghost). God is one absolute perfect divine Being in three persons. His being is what God is, in relation to the universe that he created. The three are called Persons because they relate to each other in personal ways. All three are the one God, co-eternal and co-equal. In every action of God all three persons work together as one, with one divine Will as they are in perfect agreement. (Gen 3:22, Mt 3:16-17, 28:19, John 3:34-35, 14:26,14:16, 2 Cor 13:14, Eph 4:4-6, Titus 3:4-6, 1 Pet 1:2)

Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son of God. He is the eternal Word of God, the second person of the trinity, who became a man. He was miraculously conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Mt 1:18-25, Lk 1:26-33, 34-35, 2:5-7). Because God interrupted the natural birth process with Jesus, he did not inherit a sin nature. This was the fulfillment of preordained prophecy. (Isa 7:14, 9:6, Gen 3:15, Micah 5:1-3). He added human nature to His divine nature. He is both fully human and fully divine and, therefore, has two natures. He is one person-not two. He is not part God and part man. He is presently a man, one person, with two natures where one nature is wholly God and the other wholly man. (Phil 2:5-11, Col 2:9,1 Tim 3:16, Heb 1:5-13, John 1:1-3, 14). This paradox has been given the name the “incarnation” to describe God becoming flesh. Jesus remained sinless and because of this, he was able to break the chain of sin, represent us before the Father, and provide salvation for mankind. (1 Pet 2:22, 2 Cor 5:21, Heb 4:15). Jesus will eternally remain as a God-man and intercedes for us eternally as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. (Heb 6:20, 7:25).

The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force or energy, but rather, is the third Person of the triune God. He is co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and the Son. He is sent to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He fully indwells every true believer as a guarantee of his inheritance, guides and empowers them, providing them gifts for ministry, interceding in accordance with the will of God, witnessing to Jesus. (Acts 5:3-4, Luke 1:35, Eph 4:30, 1 Cor 2:10-11, 3:16, 6:11, Ex 34:34, 2 Cor 3:16-17, 2 Pet 1:21, Ps 139:7-10, Jn 14:17, Is 40:13, Jn 16:13, Zec 4:6)

Man is made in the spiritual image of God. In man, God united the spiritual and material worlds. (Gen 1:26, 2:7, Isa 42:5, Job 27:3, Zech 12:1, Ecc 12:7) Every person of every race is equal under God and possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love. Man was created innocent of sin, but by his free choice sinned against God, bringing sin into the human race, trickling down through all future generations. Man thus inherited a nature of flesh, that is pre-corrupted by, and naturally inclined toward, sin. Because of sin, man incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God. (Ps 51:5, Rom 5:12) All mankind has sinned and falls short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23, Ecc 7:20, Eph 2:1-5, Isa 59:1-2). Even when we fully submit and obey all the law and righteousness of God we are unable to fully stand blameless before God; there is none that is perfectly righteous. (Rom 3:9-23, Jn 3:6-7). Man is unable through good works to earn God’s approval and avoid judgment. Any effort to prove your righteousness must come from humility and repentance, seeking God’s grace and forgiveness. (Lk 18:9-14)

Salvation is obtained by grace alone, through faith alone, in the atoning substitutionary death of Christ alone. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, Rom 5:15,6:23) God the Father so loved us that He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die for us and restore us to Him. This was foretold and was fulfillment of prophecy. (Mt 16:21, 17:22-23, 20:18-19, Mk 8:31, 9:31, 10:33-34, Lk 9:22, 9:44, 18:31-33, Jn 2:19-21, 12:32-33, Jer 11:19, Isa 53:6, 44:22) Jesus, the Word, became man, bore our sins in His body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24), and died in our place, suffering the consequences of breaking the Law (1 Jn 3:4), which is physical death (Romans 6:23) and spiritual death (Is 59:2), that was due us (Is 53:4-6). He became sin on our behalf (2 Cor 5:21). His sacrifice was a legal substitution for us (1 Jn 2:2, Jn 19:30, 1 Pet 2:24) that paid our debt. It was legal since sin is breaking God’s Law (1 Jn 3:4) and substitutionary since Christ took our punishment (Isaiah 53:4-6) as the sacrificial lamb (Gen 22:7-8, Num 6:14, Jn 1:29, Mt 26:2, 1 Pet 1:18-19, Heb 9:14) and tasted death for everyone (Heb 2:9). As a result, God’s justice was satisfied and the debt that our sin brings against us has been canceled (Col 2:14). More than just a legal transaction, we also affirm that this was the result of God’s love for fallen humanity and His desire to bring forth a restoration of our relationship to Him, an awareness and appreciation of His mercy, and a manifestation of His glory.

We believe in the reality and personality of angels. Angels are spirit beings, created by God, to be His servants and messengers. (Neh 9:6; Ps 148:2; Heb 1:14) We believe in the existence and personality of Satan and demons. Satan is a fallen angel who led a group of angels in rebellion against God. (Isa 14:12-17; Eze 28:12-15) He is the great enemy of God and man, and the demons are his servants in evil. They disguise themselves as friendly and angels of light but they are liars who seek to kill, steal, and destroy. (Gen 3:45, 2 Cor 11:14, Jn 8:44) He and his demons will be eternally punished in the lake of fire. (Mt 25:41; Rev 20:7-10)

Heaven was created by God, will abide forever, and is a house not made with hands. It is the home of the Lord God. Heaven is real and is a place without death, sorrow, crying or pain. There is also no want, hunger or thirst and no day or night or sun or moon. It is a holy and perfect place where no sin or evil inclination can thrive. (Gen. 1:1, 2 Cor. 5:1, Matt. 6:9, Ps. 20:6, Rev. 21:14, 7:16) We believe that all those who die in Jesus Christ would be there. (1 Thes 4:14)

Hell is an eternal destination, without God’s presence. It is also eternal death, where every part of a being that comes from God slowly dies until whatever is left eventually ceases to exist. Hell was originally prepared for the Devil and his fallen angels, and not intended for man, but men who die in their sins by refusing the work of redemption on the Cross of Calvary through the shed blood of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, would have no other choice than to have hell as their abode. As heaven is eternal, so also is hell eternal. We believe that hell is not inconsistent with the boundless love of God, but an expression of His Holiness and Justice. God is both loving and just. (Our article on Hell) (Mt 5:29, 10:28, 13:40–42, 25:41–46, 2 Thes 1:9, Dan 12:2, Mk 9:42–48, Jn 5:29, Isa 33:14, 51:6–8, 53:5, 64:6, Rev 19:20, 20:10-15)

Jesus Christ rose from the dead in the same body He died in after being in the grave for three days. He was raised in a glorified, physical body (still retaining his crucifixion wounds). It was his physical body: they saw his scars, touched his body, ate and drank with Him. This was proof that He conquered death. (Jn 20:19-20, 27, Lk 24:39-40, 43, Mt 28:9) It was also a glorified, physical-spiritual body that could do things natural human bodies can’t do. (Jn 20:26, 1 Cor 15:42-44, 50, Phil 3:21) Jesus was the firstborn of the resurrection of the living. (Col 1:18, Rev 1:5, Heb 12:23, Rom 8:29, 10:9) He ascended bodily into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, and rules heaven and earth. (1 Pet 3:22, Jn 2:19, Lk 24:39, 1 Cor 15:1-8, 12-17, Ps 16:10) Likewise, we Christians will be raised bodily from the dead and spend eternity with the Lord. (1 Cor 15:51-57, 1 Cor 15:12-19, Ps 89:26-37, Lk 20:36, Jn 5:21, 28-29, Rev 21:3-4, 22:4)

It is through faith in Christ’s redemption on our behalf on the cross that we are purified of our sin—can be born again as a new creation where the Holy Spirit indwells the person—and adopted as a son or daughter of God. (Gal 4:4-5, Jn 1:12-13, Eph 1:5,Heb 2:13, Eph 5:1-11). It is through Christ only that we become spiritually adopted as God’s children. (Rom 8:12-17, 1 Pet 1:3-4,1 Jn 3:1). Genuine repentance and a turning away from sin is a necessary first step of conversion. (Is 55:7, Lk 3:3, 5:32, Mt 3:2,4:17, Acts 2:28, 3:19, Rom 2:4, 2 Cor 7:8-11, Jam 4:1-10, Heb 10:22, Isa 1:15-20, 2 Pet 3:9, 1 Jn 1:8-10). Then, one must fully put their faith in Jesus’s atonement for the forgiveness of their sins. (Mt 26:28, Eph 1:7, Lk 24:47, Acts 3:19, Heb 9:22). Then one must lay down their old sinful, selfish life and live in, and for, Christ. (Rom 6:3-4, 5:8-11, 6:11, Col 2:11-12, 1 Pet 3:18, 1 Jn 1:7,1:9). Those spiritually dead to sin and alive to Christ must persevere in the faith, allowing the Holy Spirit to sanctify them, until the end and faithfully “remain in Him.” (Rom 8:13, 1 Cor 6:9-11, Heb 10:22, 12:10, 1 Pet 1:15-16, Eph 4:17-24, Jam 5:19-20, 1 Jn 1:7, 1 Thes 4:3-6) We believe the gifts of the Spirit are active today but do not hold that outward evidence of tongues or any other gift needs to be evident in order for any person to qualify someone as having been born again or received the Spirit. We believe this is for God to determine for sure. As for the fruit to look for, one who is born of God will: 1) believe that Jesus is the Christ, 2) love God and others, 3) do what is right. (1 Jn 1:8, 1:10, 2:29, 4:2-3, 4:6-7, 4:12, 4:15-16, 4:20, 5:1-5, 5:18, 5:20)

We believe the church is the fellowship of the redeemed, the body of Christ, the people of God, called out by God for mission in the world. We believe God calls all people to respond in faith to the Gospel of Jesus Christ whereby they become members of the universal church of God. With Christ as the head, this community is the body of Christ on earth. We understand each local congregation to be an expression of this universal church, and that it is God’s will for each believer to be a committed member of a local congregation. We believe that all who repent and confess Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord are part of the church of God. We seek mutually enriching fellowship with all who share this personal faith. Aware of racial, cultural, religious, and other diversity around the globe, we are committed to working for the visible unity of the one church that is rooted in biblical faith. Our Lord empowers believers to do the work of ministry. Jesus instructed us to model our ministries and manner of leadership after his example of being a servant rather than seeking positions of power. We understand that it is the church’s responsibility, in response to God’s call, to appoint and equip gifted women and men to a variety of leadership responsibilities for building up the body of Christ. In devotion to Christ as the head of the church, we desire to be a biblical people, a people who worship the triune God, a people transformed by the grace of God, a people of the Kingdom of God, a people committed to building up the one, universal church of God, and a people who in God’s love care for the whole world.