Essentials of Our Faith
All
Scripture is self-attesting and being Truth, requires our unreserved submission
in all areas of life. The infallible Word of God, the sixty-six books of the
Old and New Testaments, is a complete and unified witness to God’s redemptive
acts culminating in the incarnation of the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible, uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and
final authority on all matters on which it speaks.
On
this sure foundation we affirm these additional Essentials of our faith.
- We
believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things,
infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit. To Him be all honor, glory and praise forever!
- Jesus
Christ, the living Word, became flesh through His miraculous conception by the
Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in
one Person forever. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to
the Scriptures. On the third day He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into
heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High
Priest and Mediator.
- The
Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ
to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior. Indwelling our
hearts, He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service.
He instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of
redemption.
- Being
estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly
dependent upon the work of God’s free grace. God credits His righteousness to
those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, and thereby
justifies them in His sight. Only such as are born of the Holy Spirit and receive
Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.
- The
true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ
and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of
Christ. The Church finds her visible, yet imperfect, expression in local
congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the
sacraments are administered in their integrity, where scriptural discipline is
practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained. For her perfecting, she
awaits the return of her Lord.
- Jesus
Christ will come again to the earth–personally, visibly, and bodily–to judge
the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:20)
- The
Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the gospel throughout the
world and to make disciples of all nations. Obedience to the Great Commission
requires total commitment to “Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.” He
calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. “For we are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)
These
Essentials are set forth in greater detail in the Westminster Confession of
Faith.
In Essentials ...................... Unity
In Non-Essentials ............. Liberty
In All Things ..................... Charity
