What We Believe.
This Statement of Faith represents the primary Christian beliefs we hold to and which have been handed down throughout the history of the church.
God
We believe there is only one true God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equally divine persons. This is commonly known as the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God is the almighty creator of all things, visible and invisible, and he sovereignly rules over and sustains his creation in unchanging holiness, justice, wisdom and love. God alone is worthy of all glory, praise, honour, and worship.
(Gen. 1:1, Ps. 24:1, Matt.28:19, Rev. 4:11)
Humanity
We believe that all people are created in the image of God and have intrinsic dignity, worth and purpose. God created us male and female—equal in value, yet distinct in role. Tragically, as a result of the fall, humanity is by nature and choice, universally sinful, guilty, and under God’s righteous condemnation. Without the regenerative work of God’s Spirit, we are utterly incapable of recovering a right relationship with God.
(Gen. 1:27, 3:1-7, Ps. 8:3-6, Rom. 5:12,19, Isa. 59:1-2, Rom. 3:23, Eph. 2:1-3)
The Bible
We believe that Scripture, which consists of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is the true and inspired Word of God, which is our highest written authority in this world. It is free from error as originally given and sufficient for all that God requires for us to believe and do. The Bible is God’s revelation to humanity about himself—his nature, will, character, and work of salvation in the world, which centres on and culminates in Jesus.
(2 Tim. 3:16, 2 Pet. 20-21, Luke 24:27)
Jesus
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus entered into history, fully God and truly human. He lived in perfect obedience to God his Father, and for the sake of our salvation bore the consequences of human rebellion, willingly suffering and dying in our place upon a cross. He was buried, resurrected on the third day, and now sits at the right hand of God the Father with all authority and power as the King of kings and Lord of lords. He will return in power to judge the living and the dead, and complete the redemption of this world bringing about the fullness of God’s kingdom.
(Matt. 1:22-23, John 1:1-5, 14, 14:6, 10-30, Heb. 4:14-15, Acts 1:9-11, Rom. 1:3-4, 1 Cor. 15:3-4, 1 Tim. 6:14-15, Tit. 2:13, Rev. 21:1-5)
Salvation
We believe that salvation is by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ alone—there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. Jesus’ death, as our representative and substitute, and his following resurrection, demonstrates God’s victory over sin, death, and Satan. As we receive Jesus as Lord through faith, we are declared righteous by God and become children of God, having our guilt, shame, and condemnation removed. By the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit we are born again into a new nature, new spiritual life, and become new creations in Christ. Salvation cannot be earned through our efforts, it can only be received by faith. God transforms our hearts and minds and imparts new desires to love and serve God in holiness. This joyous union with Christ is the first fruits of our certain hope in the final salvation to come—the resurrection of our bodies and eternal life with God.
(Eph. 1:4-5, Acts 4:12, Isa. 53:1-11, Heb. 2:9, 2 Cor. 5:21, 1 Cor. 15:1-4, Titus 3:5- 6, Rom. 10:13, Eph. 2:4-9)
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is also God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son. He moves freely in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus and to bring glory to Jesus. He indwells every true believer from the time of their conversion. He illuminates the Christian mind to understand and apply the truth of Scripture, imparts gifts of grace necessary to build up the church, empowers Christian’s for service, and comforts them in trials. Christian’s seek to be led by the Spirit in their daily lives.
(2 Cor. 3:17, John 16:7-13, 14:16-17, Acts 1:8, 1 Cor. 2:12, 3:16, Eph. 1:13, Titus 3:5, John 14:26, Gal. 5:22-23, 25)
The Church
We believe that the church, as the body of Christ, is the community of all true believers, gathered by God’s Word and Spirit. The church exists to worship and glorify God by making disciples of Jesus Christ, who is the head of the church. We do this through the proclamation of the gospel and the teaching of God’s word, prayer, fellowship, exercising our gifts and talents for the building up of body, and by observing the ordinances gifted to the church by Christ—water baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
(1 Cor. 12:27, Rom. 12:4-5, Matt. 28:18-20, Col. 1:18, Eph. 4:11-16; Acts 2:42-47, 1 Cor. 11:24-25)