ABOUT GOD: God made everything, and He wants us to know Him personally.

 

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.

 

Genesis 1:1, 26–27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14

 

ABOUT JESUS:  Jesus is God’s Son who came to rescue us from sin and give us new life.

 

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He physically resurrected from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to the right hand of the Father in Heaven and will physically and visibly return in power and glory to establish His Kingdom on earth.

 

Matthew 1:22–23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1–5, 14:10–30, 20:28; Hebrews 4:14–15; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Romans 1:3–4; Acts 1:9–11; 1 Timothy 2:5, 3:16, 6:14–15; Titus 2:13; Philippians 2:5–6; 1 Thessalonians 4:15–17

 

ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT: The Holy Spirit helps us know God, live for Him, and share His love with others.

 

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make us aware of our need for Jesus Christ. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer spiritual gifts as He wills to build and empower the Church. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily. Baptism in the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost. It is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after His Ascension, to empower the Church to preach the Gospel throughout the whole earth.

 

2 Corinthians 3:17; John 14:16–17, 16:7–15; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:10–13, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13–14; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18; 1 John 2:27; Joel 2:28–29

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GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: The Holy Spirit gives every believer unique gifts to serve others and produces spiritual fruit that shows Christ at work in us.

 

The Holy Spirit enables us to live victoriously. The nine fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—are the natural result of a Spirit-filled life and evidence of spiritual maturity (Galatians 5:22–23).

 

In addition, the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers as He wills to build up the body of Christ. These include gifts such as teaching, prophecy, healing, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, discernment, wisdom, and others (1 Corinthians 12:4–11; Romans 12:6–8; Ephesians 4:11–13). We are instructed to diligently seek the gifts, but they must always be exercised in an orderly way and in the context of love (1 Corinthians 13–14).

 

ABOUT THE BIBLE: The Bible is God’s Word—we can fully trust it to guide our lives.

 

All Scripture is God-breathed. The Bible is the only inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the truth without any mixture of error in its original writing.

 

Psalm 12:6; 119:89, 104–105, 160; Isaiah 40:8; Luke 1:37; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Hebrews 4:12

 

ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS: We were created to know God, but sin broke that relationship—and only His grace can restore it.

 

Human beings are the supreme object of God’s creation, made in His own image as male and female. In the beginning, humanity was innocent, and God awarded humanity the freedom of choice. Through the temptation of Satan, humanity disobeyed the command of God and fell from innocence, ushering in a sin nature into humanity and all of creation. This sin nature separates people from God and causes many problems in life, including eternal death. Only the grace of God can restore human beings to their creative purpose and relationship with Him. All people are uniquely created, loved by God, and worthy of dignity, holy love, and respect.

 

Genesis 1:27–30, 2:5; Psalm 8:3–6; Isaiah 53:6; 59:1–2; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:1–3

 

ABOUT SALVATION: Salvation is God’s free gift through Jesus—we simply receive it by faith.

 

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ: His sin-atoning death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is God’s free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty, which is death and eternal separation from God. When we turn to Jesus in faith, we receive forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation.

 

Psalm 32:1–5; Isaiah 53:6–12; John 3:16–17, 14:6; Acts 2:21; Romans 5:1–2, 6:23, 10:10–13; Ephesians 1:7–12, 2:4–10; Titus 3:4–7; Galatians 3:26–28; 1 John 1:7–9; 4:9–10

 

ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY: Once you truly belong to Jesus, nothing can separate you from Him.

 

Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer, who hears and follows His voice, is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot be “snatched” from His hands. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.

 

John 10:27–29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10, 14; 1 Peter 1:3–5

 

ABOUT ETERNITY: We were created to live forever—either with God or separated from Him.

 

People, as image bearers of God, were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. Heaven is the eternal dwelling place for all true believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Matthew 5:12, 20, 25:34; Mark 9:43–48; John 3:16; John 14:1–3, 17:24; Romans 6:23, 8:17–18; Revelation 20:11–15; 1 Corinthians 2:7–9; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 9:27, 11:16; 1 Peter 1:4

 

BAPTISM: Baptism shows the world that Jesus has changed our life.

 

Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change. It’s a public declaration of how Jesus changes our life and demonstrates to others the decision to follow Jesus. Baptism doesn’t save a person; it’s a symbol and celebration of salvation. Baptisms in the Bible were by immersion. Immersion in the water symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus: being submerged underwater represents our death to sin and old way of life; being raised out of the water is a picture of how Jesus raised us, transformed us, and gave us new life in Him.

 

Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:36–39; Romans 6:4–11; Colossians 2:12

 

COMMUNION: Communion reminds us of Jesus’ sacrifice and our salvation in Him.

 

The Lord’s table consists of two elements: the bread and the cup. Those elements are symbolic of the body and blood of Christ. Communion is a memorial of Christ’s sufferings on the cross and a celebration of our salvation. It is an opportunity for believers to examine themselves and reflect on the forgiveness that is theirs through Christ.

 

Matthew 26:26–28; 1 Corinthians 11:23–30

 

MARRIAGE: God designed marriage to be a loving, lifelong union between one man and one woman.

 

Marriage, as instituted by God, is a faithful, exclusive, and lifelong union between a man and a woman joined in an intimate community of life and love and should be held in honor among all. God created marriage as a loyal partnership between one man and one woman for companionship.

 

Genesis 2:23–24; Matthew 19:4–6; Ephesians 5:22–33

 

SANCTITY OF LIFE: Every life is a gift from God—precious, valued, and worth protecting.

 

The Bible reveals that God created the universe, the world, and all living things. Every human life, from conception through death, is therefore to be valued, respected, nurtured, and protected. Every human life is to be lived in obedience to God and His Word.

 

Genesis 1:26–30; Psalm 139:13–16; Jeremiah 1:5; Leviticus 19:16b, 18; Romans 12:1