Statements of Faith
We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are given by inspiration of God and are the only infallible and inerrant rule of faith and practice.
Teen Translation: God introduced who he is and what he wants from us. It’s in a book called the Bible. And you can trust every word of it.
· We believe in one God - the Creator and Ruler of the Universe, existing in a divine and incomprehensible Trinity - the Father; the Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Spirit - each possessing divine perfection.
Teen Translation: We believe in a God who made everything and is master over everything. According to the Bible, there is one God, but that God exists as three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It’s certainly hard to understand, isn’t it? But if God is as great as the Bible says He is (and we believe he is), we think it’s natural that there are mysterious things about him that we simple can’t comprehend. (If God were easy to figure out, He wouldn’t be all that impressive, now would He?)
· We believe that our first parents were created holy and upright, that they fell from this condition; and that in consequence the whole human race is by nature dead in trespasses and sins.
Teen Translation: God made us for good things--to enjoy Him and his creation. But we rebelled. And that rebellion brought the consequence of death. Look around: something’s not right with the world, is it? It’s because people’s hearts are not right before God and they aren’t in good relationship with Him.
· We believe in the incarnation, death, and bodily resurrection of the Son of God; and that salvation is attained only through repentance and faith in Him.
Teen Translation: God the Son became a real human being. The human part of him died on the cross. The God part of him gave him power over death. This all happened so that God and humans could be reconciled (be friends and at peace)--if you and I will turn away from our self-centered rebellion, change the direction of our lives, and trust and treasure Jesus Christ.
· We believe in the necessity of a radical change of heart and that this is effected through the truth by the agency of the Holy Spirit.
Teen Translation: Actions speak louder than words. If you say you are a true believer, there will be evidence in your life.
· We believe that the Christian is called with a holy calling to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Because he has become a new creation in Christ Jesus and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, yet during his earthly pilgrimage never delivered from the flesh with its fallen nature, he must be in constant subjection to Christ and His commandments by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Teen Translation: Knowing God and walking in fellowship with Him is a great privilege. And great privileges come with great responsibility. We must almost remember that we are called to high standards of living. We have to live clean, pure, honest, admirable lives. Of course, life is a battle and we’ll stumble and fall sometimes. But we have to be committed to the fight, knowing that we are totally dependent on Jesus for our strength.
· We believe that only those should be admitted to membership in the visible Church who have experienced a change of heart.
Teen Translation: Church is not for perfect people. But it is only for those who have come to realize--and back it up with the way they live--that their only hope in life is the Perfect One, Jesus Christ. That’s the only way you can be part of the family of God.
· We believe the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper together with the observance of the Lord’s Day are of perpetual obligation in the church.
Teen Translation: Jesus taught us to perform some special acts to remind us of his love. Baptism is when someone is immersed in water after placing their faith in Jesus. It’s meant to symbolize the fact that we were made clean by Jesus (the water), that our old life is over (“submerged” in the water), and that we are resurrected to new life (coming up out of the water like Jesus came up out of the grave!). During the Lord’s Supper, we eat a small piece of bread and drink a small cup of juice. This is to remind us of the cross, the hope of the Christian, when Jesus body (symbolized by the bread) was broken and his blood (the juice) was shed for us, so that we might be forgiven our offenses against God. In addition to practicing baptism and the Lord’s Supper, we believe that God has set aside Sunday as the day when God’s people gather to fellowship, be taught from His Word, and worship Him! We believe we never come to a point when we are no longer obligated to practice these things.
· We believe in the resurrection of the dead and future judgments from which the righteous go away into everlasting life and the wicked into everlasting punishment.
Teen Translation: We believe the #1 problem facing all of us is death. Not just physically decomposing, but death as the Bible defines it: separation from God. The Bible teaches that those who trust and treasure Jesus Christ will, though they die physically, will be raised up (resurrected) with a new body and new life--to live eternally in the presence of God and with his people. We can’t even begin to imagine how amazing heaven will be. It will literally be beyond our wildest dreams. We also can’t begin to imagine how terrible hell will be for those who reject God. But we know at least one thing about it: people will be separated from God and everything good that comes from life in his world. Which, when you think of it, is everything! Can you imagine existing in a place where there is not one good thing, not even one molecule of a blessed thing? Can you imagine existing in a place where all there is is you and the sin in your own heart? This is what the Bible says awaits those who reject God and his ways. We don’t rejoice in that. But we take it very seriously.
· We believe in the personal bodily return of Christ in power and great glory as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and in Christ’s ultimate complete triumph and the establishment of ‘new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.’
Teen Translation: Jesus is coming back. That’s what he said. It will be a sight to see. He will make everything right. He will be the king over all, who rules with peace and goodness.
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