Statement of Faith
What we believe about…
The Bible
The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments (II Timothy 3:16, Luke 24:27 and 2 Peter 3:15-16). We believe that Scripture in its entirety originated with God and that it was given by means of chosen men (2 Peter 1:20-21). Scripture thus at one and the same time speaks with the authority of God and reflects the background, styles, and vocabularies of the human authors. We hold that the Scriptures are infallible and inerrant in the original manuscripts (Psalm 19:7-8 and Titus 1:1-3). They are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18-19).
God
We believe that there is one true holy God (Deuteronomy 6:4 and Romans 3:30), eternally existing in three Persons (Genesis 1:26 and Isaiah 6:8) – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19, John 1:1 and Acts 5:3-4). Each possesses equally all the attributes of Deity and the characteristics of personality (Exodus 3:14). In the beginning God created the world out of nothing. He also created all the things therein (Hebrews 11:3), thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom, and goodness (Romans 1:20). By His sovereign power, He continues to sustain His creation (Colossians 1:17). By His providence, He is operating through history to fulfil His redemptive purposes (Ephesians 1:11-12).
Salvation
The central purpose of God’s revelation in Scripture is to glorify Himself (Ephesians 1:5-6) by calling His people into fellowship with Himself (Matthew 1:21 and John 17:3). Originally created to have fellowship with God, man defied God (Genesis 3:6 and Romans 5:12), choosing to go his independent way, and thus was alienated from God (Isaiah 53:6 and 59:2), and suffered the corruption of his nature, rendering himself unable to please God (Romans 8:7). The fall took place at the beginning of human history, and all individuals since have suffered these consequences (Romans 5:19). Adam, being the one who initially sinned, opened the way for sin to spread to all people, resulting in physical and spiritual death (Romans 5:12-14). Thus, all are in need of the saving grace of God.
The salvation of mankind is, then, wholly a work of God’s free grace, not the result, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness. Man’s salvation must be personally appropriated by a change of mind unto faith, which is entirely a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 4:6, Acts 5:31 and John 6:29). When a person enters into a relationship with Jesus by faith, that person has a right standing before God, solely because of Jesus and His righteousness (Romans 3:21- 23 and I Corinthians 1:30). Thus, salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, apart from works (John 3:16 and Acts 15:8-11). When God has begun a saving work in the heart of an individual (Galatians 3:28), He gives assurance in His Word that He will continue performing it until the day of its full consummation (Philippians 1:6).
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the eternal second Person of the Triune-God (Matthew 28:19 and John 5:18) Who was united forever with a true and complete human nature (Romans 5:15) by a miraculous conception and virgin birth (Luke 1:34-35). He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father (2 Corinthians 5:21), voluntarily paying for the sins of all (1 Timothy 2:6) by dying on the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying the divine justice (Romans 3:25), and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone (John 19:30). He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died (Matthew 28:6 and John 20:24-28). He ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:20), where He, the only mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), continually makes intercession for His own (Hebrews 7:25).
The Holy Spirit & the Christian Life
The essential accompaniment of a genuine saving relationship with Jesus is a life of holiness and obedience (1 John2:3-6), attained by believers as they submit to the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), the third Person of the Triune-God (Matthew 28:19). He was sent into the world by the Father and the Son (John 15:16) to apply to mankind the saving work of Christ. He enlightens the minds of sinners, awakens in them the recognition of their need of a Saviour and regenerates them (John 16:8-9 and Titus 3:5). At the point of salvation, the believer is baptized into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). At this time, the Holy Spirit permanently indwells every such believer (Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30) to become the source of assurance, strength, and wisdom (Galatians 5:22-23), and uniquely endows each believer with gifts for the building up of the Body (1 Corinthians 12:7). The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Scriptures (1 John 2:27). His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christ-like character and to bear fruit to the glory of the Father (I John 15:8 and Galatians 5: 22-23).
The Church
The result of union with Jesus Christ is that all believers become members of His Body, the church (I Corinthians 12:12-13 and Ephesians 1:22- 23). There is one true church universal, comprised of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord (Galatians 3:28). The Scriptures command believers to gather together (Hebrews 10:25) to devote themselves to worship, prayer, the teaching of the Word, fellowship, service to the Body through development and use of talents and gifts, and outreach to the world (Acts 5:41- 47). The observance of believer’s baptism, which is done by immersion as the normative practice (Matthew 28:19 and Acts 8:35-38) and communion (Luke 22:14-21), are seen as those ordinances which were established by Jesus Christ and are to be partaken of by believers in obedience to Him. Whenever and wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to the command to meet together, there is a local and autonomous expression of the Church under the headship of Christ (Titus 1:5 and Ephesians 4:15-16). Under the watchful care of Elders and other supportive leadership (I Timothy 3:1-3), its members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ (Philippians 2:1-11).
Human Destiny & Last Things
Death seals the eternal destiny of each person (Hebrews 9:27). For all mankind, there will be a resurrection of the body and a judgment that will determine the fate of each individual. Unbelievers will be separated from God into eternal condemnation. God’s judgment will reveal His justice in consigning them to hell for eternal punishment, due to their own rejection of God (Revelation 20:11-15). Believers will be received into eternal Communion with God and will be rewarded for works done in this life (2 Corinthians 4:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10). We believe in the personal, visible, bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the fulfilling of the eternal plan of God (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and Titus 2:13).
