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Statement of Faith
A. There is one, eternal God, Creator and Lord of the universe who, in the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, both governs all things according to God's will and is accomplishing God's purpose in the world and in the church.
B. The Holy Scripture in its entirety is inspired by God's Spirit through human authors and constitutes the revelation of God's truth to humanity.It is wholly true and trustworthy in all that it affirms.Whatever the Bible, rightly interpreted, is found to teach, we are bound to believe and obey.It is our supreme authority in every matter of belief and conduct.
C. All human beings are created in God's own likeness and therefore have inherent value and equality before God. Human sin and guilt since the fall have rendered us subject to God's wrath and condemnation and
have resulted in our alienation from God's life, suppression of God's truth and hostility to God's law. God's love desires all to come to repentance and to be reconciled rather than condemned.
D. Salvation from the guilt, penalty and all other consequences of sin has been achieved solely through the work of Jesus Christ -- His perfect obedience,
substitutionary death, bodily resurrection and exaltation as Lord.Jesus alone is truly God and truly human, the
only mediator between God and humanity. There is salvation through no other person, creed, process or
power.Each sinner is justified before God and reconciled to God only by divine grace appropriated by faith alone.
E. The work of the Holy Spirit is necessary for the individual's new birth and growth to
maturity. The Holy Spirit empowers and indwells the church, enabling its
constant renewal in truth, wisdom, faith, holiness, love, ministry, power and
mission.
F. There is one,
holy, universal and apostolic church, which is the Body of Christ, and to which
all true believers belong. The church's calling is to worship God
forever and to serve God in the world.
G. As the Father
sent the Son into the world, so the Lord
Jesus Christ sends His church to participate in God's mission by words and
works.In this mission the church is
called: to make Christ known; to proclaim God's truth and the Gospel of God's
grace; to make disciples among all nations; to exhibit God's character through
compassionate care for the needy; to demonstrate the reality of God's kingdom
through creative and sacrificial living, the community of love, the quest for
righteousness, justice and peace, and the care of God's creation.
H. As the Lord
Jesus ascended to his Father, so He will
return personally, visibly and in glory. He will raise the dead and bring salvation and judgment to final
completion. God will then fully establish His Kingdom and finish the new
creation -- a new heaven and a new earth from which all evil and evildoers, all
suffering and death, will be excluded and in which God will be glorified
forever.
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