…as He leads…
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is entirely inerrant in its original manuscripts (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:20-21) and is the unfailing final authority on all matters relating to faith and Christian living (Ps 12:6, Prov. 30:5). It is completely sufficient, containing everything necessary for salvation, spiritual growth, and equipping Believers for every good work (Ps 19:7-8, 2 Tim 3:17, 2 Pet 1:3).
We affirm the Biblical teaching contained in the historic Apostles’ Creed:
We believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth (Gen 1:1, Neh 9:6, 1 Cor 8:6)
We believe in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord (Jn 1:34, 3:16-18, 20:17; Rom 10:9, Heb 1:1-5)
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Mtt 1:18-25, Lk 1:34-35)
He suffered under Pontius Pilate (Mk 15:1-15, Jn 18:28-40)
was crucified, died and was buried (Jn 19:31-42, Lk 23:46)
He descended to Sheol/Hades (the realm of the dead) (Mtt 12:40, 1 Pet 3:18-19)
On the third day He rose again from the dead (Lk 24:1-7, Jn 20:19-21)
He ascended into heaven (Lk 24:50-51, Acts 1:3-11)
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty (Rom 8:34, Mk 16:19)
From there He will come to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42, 2 Tim 4:1)
We believe in the Holy Spirit (Jn 4:24, 14:25-26; 1 Cor 15:45, Rom 8:9, Eph 4:4)
the holy universal Christian Church (Eph 1:22-23, 4:12; Rev 19:7-9)
the communion of saints (1 Jn 1:3, 3:16; Heb 10:25)
the forgiveness of sins (1 Jn 1:9, Rom 5:9, Eph 1:7)
the resurrection of the body (1 Cor 15:35-54, Phil 3:21, Acts 24:15, Jn 5:28-29)
and life everlasting (Jn 3:16, 6:47; Rom 6:23, Mtt 7:14)
Amen.
We believe…
Salvation is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love for humanity. It is a free gift from God the Father that cannot be earned.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 6:23)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph 2:8-9)
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever keeps on believing in him should not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16 in Greek ‘believe’ is in continuous present tense).
Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone.
There is salvation in no one else (except Jesus Christ), for no other name under heaven is given by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:30-31).
Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn 14:6).
Salvation is received by those who repent of their sins and put faith in God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as their personal Lord:
The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15)
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord (Acts 3:19).
I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus (Acts 20:21)
There will be evidence in a person’s life when someone truly receives the Gospel message and accepts Christ as their Lord. A disciple of Christ will demonstrate their salvation is real by displaying the following:
a) Confess to their sins (1 Jn 1:6-9, Jam 5:16, Ps 66:18, Isa 59:2)
b) Repent of their sins: in thought [change of mind regarding how sins are viewed], in word [confession of all known sins] and in deeds [making amends where called to do so] (Mtt 3:2-11, 4:17, Lk 19:8-9, Acts 26:20, 2 Cor 7:10)
c) Publicly declare their faith in Christ alone as their Lord (Rom 10:9)
d) Water baptism [by full immersion where possible] (Acts 2:38,41; 22:16, Mk 16:16, Mtt 3:11-17)
e) Indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, Eph 1:13-14, Rom 8:9, 15-16, 2 Cor 1:21-22, 5:5).
f) Produce spiritual fruit / display love and wilful obedience to Christ’s commands:
By their fruits you will recognize them... every good tree bears good fruit (Mtt 7:16-17)
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples (Jn 15:8)
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance (Lk 3:8)
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22–23)
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead (Jam 2:17)
We know that we have come to know him if we keep His commands (1 Jn 2:3)
By this everyone will know you are My disciples, if you love one another (Jn 13:35)
We know that we have passed from death to life because we love each other (1 Jn 3:14)