Beliefs

I Believe:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of the universe.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again, and made it an empty tomb. Jesus ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to claim his own and disperse with the others.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body.

I believe in an eternal, ever lasting life with Jesus and all the faithful.

I believe in the triune God. There is one, true, Holy God who exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God in being, character, power, and eternal qualities. In the beginning, God created the universe out of nothing. By God’s sovereign power, creation is continually sustained, and God’s redemptive purposes are being fulfilled. Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary by miraculous conception, lived a sinless human life, and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all by dying on the cross. Jesus physically rose from the dead after three days, demonstrating God’s power over sin and death. He ascended into heaven, where He rules as our Lord and mediates between God and people. He will return again to earth in the future to establish God’s perfect peace and justice for eternity. The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and Son, and is present in the world to make people aware of their sin and their need for Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation, providing the Christian with power for living, knowledge of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing God’s will. The Holy Spirit is involved in continually transforming each follower into the image of Christ, and is actively working within the Christian community to bring about God’s plan of redemption for all people and all creation.

Human beings are the supreme object of God’s creation, made in the image of God to be like God in character. Although we have tremendous potential for good, everyone is marred by an attitude of rebellion toward God called sin, which separates people from God. Human beings are incapable of beginning or maintaining a relationship with God through our own knowledge or effort.

People are created to exist forever. Every person will either exist eternally in union with God through salvation offered only through Jesus Christ (heaven), or exist eternally separated from God by sin (hell). 

Salvation is a gift from God to all people. Human beings can never cancel their sin debt through self improvement or by good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior can a person be forgiven of their sins and the penalty of sin and instead enjoy the blessing of a personal relationship with God through Jesus.