STATEMENT OF FAITH

THE BIBLE (The Scriptures)

We believe that the Holy Scriptures, as originally given by God through their various authors(a) are the infallible(b) and true(c) Word of God and form God’s chosen way of revealing Himself to mankind. The Holy Scriptures consist of 39 books known as the Old Testament and 27 books known as the New Testament. Together these books form the Holy Bible. We believe the doctrines taught in the Holy Bible and we recognise the Holy Bible as our sole authority in all matters of faith and practice.(d)

(Note: The books which make up the Apocrypha are not of divine inspiration and are not a part of Holy Scripture. They have no more authority than any other human writings.)

(a) Deuteronomy 18:18; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:1, 2; 2 Peter 1:20, 21
(b) John 17:17
(c) Titus 1:2; John 17:17; (Hebrews 6:18)
(d) Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 19:7-11; Psalm 78:5-8; Psalm 119:9-11; Acts 2:42a; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; 2 Timothy 3:16

THE TRINITY

We believe in one God,(a) the God who is referred to in Scripture as “the living and true God”.(b) We believe that He has revealed Himself in the Holy Scriptures as a Trinity: God the Father(c), God the Son(d) and God the Holy Spirit.(e) We believe that the Divine Persons in this Holy Trinity exist in perfect unity(f), are co-equal(g) and co-eternal(h), and are sovereign in creation,(i) providence,(j) redemption(k) and judgement.(l)

(a) Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4, 6; Jeremiah 10:10
(b)1 Thessalonians 1:9
(c) John 6:27; 1 Peter 1:2
(d) John 1:1, 14; Titus 2:13; 1 John 5:20
(e) Acts 5:3, 4
(f) Matthew 3:16, 17; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14
(g) John 10:30; John 17:22
(h) Psalm 90:2; John 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 9:14
(i) Genesis 1:2, 3; Job 24:13; Job 33:4; John 1:2, 3
(j) Psalm 33:10, 11; Psalm 135:6; Daniel 4:34, 35; Acts 17:25-28
(k) Ephesians 1:3-14
(l) 2 Timothy 4:1; Genesis 18:25; Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 25:31-46

GOD THE FATHER

We believe in God the Father. We believe that as Eternal God He is holy,(a) righteous,(b) full of grace,(c) mercy,(d) compassion(e) and love.(f) In His infinite love God the Father sent His Son the Lord Jesus so that the world might be saved through Him.(g) Following Jesus’ ascension to Heaven, the Father sent the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ name to live in all true believers.(h) We believe that God the Father is father to all true believers(i) and that everything in this creation is for Him and will be subject to Him.(j)

(a) Leviticus 11:44, 45; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7; Isaiah 6:3; 1 Peter 1:16; Revelation 4:8
(b) Deuteronomy 32:4; Ezra 9:15; Psalm 119:137; John 17:25
(c) Genesis 33:11; Galatians 1:15; 1 Peter 5:10
(d) Daniel 9:9; Ephesians 2:4
(e) Psalm 86:15
(f) 1 John 4:8
(g) John 3:16-17; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:9, 10.
(h) John 14:26
(i) Matthew 6:9; John 1:12 & 13; Romans 4:11; 1 John 3:1, 2
(j) 1 Corinthians 15: 24-28

GOD THE SON

We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God.(a) We believe that in Jesus Christ all the fullness of Deity lives in bodily form.(b) He was, and is, fully God.(c) and yet He became fully man.(d) We believe in His virgin birth,(e) His sinless life,(f) His teaching,(g) His divine miracles,(h) and His atoning death on the cross(i) as our substitute. We believe that on the cross He offered Himself as the one perfect and final sacrifice for sin,(j) triumphing over sin, death.(l) and also the Devil (Satan).(k) We believe in His bodily resurrection(m) and also in His bodily ascension into heaven(n), where He now sits in glory at the Father’s right hand,(o) King of kings and Lord of lords(p) and the only Mediator between God and men.(q)

(a) John 1:14
(b) Colossians 2:9; 1Timothy 3:16
(c) John 1:1; John 20:28; Titus 2:13-14
(d) Philippians 2:5-8; Romans 1:3
(e) Luke 1:34-35; Matthew 1:20-25
(f) 1 Peter 2:22; Hebrews 7:26; Hebrews 4:15
(g) Luke 6:46-49; John 6:68; John 15:7
(h) Acts 2:22; John 2:11
(i) Romans 5:19; Romans 3:21-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21
(j) Hebrews 7: 23-28; Hebrews 10:12-18
(k) 1 Corinthians 15:56-57; John 1:29; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18
(l) Colossians 2:13-15; 1 John 3:8
(m) John 2:19-22; 1 Corinthians 15:4-8
(n) Acts 1:9-11
(o) Ephesians 1:20-23; Philippians 2:9-11
(p) 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; Revelation 19:16
(q) 1 Timothy 2:5, 6; John 14:6; Acts 4:12

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity.(a) We believe that His work is to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgement.(b) We believe that the Holy Spirit regenerates the sinner(c) by leading him to repentance(d) and faith in Christ,(e) and that He equips the believer with gifts for service(f), sanctifies him through the Word,(g) and makes it possible for him to commune with God daily and to enjoy fellowship with God forever.(i) We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is essential for spiritual power and effectiveness both for the individual Christian and also for the whole Church.(j) We believe that it is Scriptural for all believers to continuously seek the filling(k) and power(l) of the Holy Spirit in their lives, an experience which we call the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are relevant and available today and that they are given by God for the building up of the Church.(k)

(a) 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; John 14:15-17, 25-26
(b) John 16:8
(c) John 3:5-8; Romans 8:9
(d) Acts 3:19
(e) 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
(f) Ephesians 4:11-13
(g) John 17:17; Ephesians 4:22-32; Gal 5:22, 23
(h) John 4:24; John 16:13-15; Romans 8: 26-27
(i) Acts 20:32
(j) Zechariah 4:6; Acts 19: 1-7
(k) Ephesians 5:18b
(l) Acts 1:8
(k) 1 Corinthians 12 & 14; Hebrews 2:4

MAN AND SIN

We believe that as a result of the Fall every person is sinful by nature.(a) Sin is destructive(b); it infects and pollutes every part of his being(c), renders him unable to please God by his own efforts(d), and makes him guilty in the sight of God who is holy(e). Thus, such a person is described as being “dead in sin.”(f) We believe that unless a person is saved he is lost and will be subject to the penalty which, in His wrath and condemnation, God has decreed against sinners.(g). Every person judged by God as evil will be condemned(h). This penalty is known as the Second Death.(i)

(a) Romans 5:12; John 3:6
(b) Romans 1: 18-32; Galatians 5: 19-21
(c) Romans 3:10-18; Titus 1:15, 16
(d) Romans 3:12, 23; Mark 7:20-23; 1 Corinthians 15:50
(e) Romans 3:19
(f) Eph. 2: 1-5; Col.2:13
(g) Ephesians 2:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10
(h) John 5: 27-29
(i) Revelation 21:8

SALVATION

We believe that salvation comes from God (a) and is made freely available (i.e. by grace) to all who will come to God through Jesus Christ.(b) We believe therefore that it is through faith alone in Christ alone that a sinner is justified freely by God.(c) We believe that the death of Christ on Calvary was accepted by God as the final and perfect sacrifice for our sins and that no sacrifice for sins needs to be offered now or in the future.(d) We believe that it is on the basis of this sacrifice, which was offered once and for all, that God can forgive all our sins,(e) bring us into a relationship with Himself,(f) and credit Christ’s righteousness to our account.(g) We believe, therefore, that as salvation is a gift from God it is not gained by human achievement(h) and the person trusting in Christ alone for Salvation is assured that he is eternally secure.(i) He has passed from death into life.(j) and has become a fellow-citizen with God’s people and a member of God’s household.(k) We believe that the spirits of believers who die are taken immediately to be with the Lord(l) and that, when Christ returns, their bodies will be raised from the dead into a new life. Then they, along with the believers still living, will ascend to be with the Lord forever.(m) We believe that, in Heaven, God will reward those who have faithfully served the Lord on earth.(n)

(a) John 3:14-18; Romans 1:16-17
(b) John 1:12; Ephesians 2: 4-9
(c) Ephesians 2:8-10; Galatians 2:16; Romans 3:22 & 28; Romans 4:4-5; Romans 5:1
(d) Hebrews 10:14-18; Hebrews 7:23-28
(e) Colossians 2:13-14; Romans 4:23-25
(f) John 3:16; 1 Pet 3:18
(g) Isaiah 61:10; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 3:21-26
(h) Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:9
(i) John 10:28; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:35-39.
(j) John 5:24; Ephesians 2:1
(k) Ephesians 2:19
(l) 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23
(m) 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
(n) 1 Corinthians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 9:24; Philippians 3:14; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12;
1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10

GOOD WORKS

We believe that good works are commanded by God(a) and are the fruit and evidence of a true and living faith.(b) We believe that a person is not saved by his good works but for the purpose of producing good works.(c) By good works believers obey God,(d) express their thankfulness to God(e), make the Gospel attractive(f), and demonstrate Christ’s love in the world.(g) The believer’s ability to do good works does not come from himself(h) but from the Holy Spirit who is at work in him.(i)

(a) Titus 2:11-12; Romans 6:1-2
(b) James 2:14-18; 2 Peter 1:5-10
(c) Ephesians 2:8-10
(d) Deuteronomy 11:1; John 14:15, 21; 1 John 5: 2-3
(e) Psalm 116:12-14; Philippians 1:11
(f) Titus 2:9-10
(g) Matthew 5:16
(h) John 15:5
(i) Philippians 2:13; Ezekiel 36:26-27

THE RETURN OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will return personally, visibly and glorioously to this earth (a). We believe that when He comes He will raise up all the dead, both the just an the unjust (b) and that as the righteous Judge, He will separate all menn into two, and only two, categories – the saved and the lost (c). Those whose faith is in Christ will be saved eternally (d) and will enter immediately into the joy of their Lord sharing with Him, His inheritance in heaven.(e) The unbelieving will be condemned by Him to hell, wher they will be punished for eternity under the righteous judgement of God (f).

(a) Acts 1:11; Matthew 25:31-33
(b) Acts 24:15
(c) John 5:28-29
(d) John 5:24-25
(e) Matthew 25:34; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
(f) Matthew 25:41, 46; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Revelation 20:11-15

THE CHURCH

We believe that the church is also known as the elect of God(c), the saints(d) the children of God(e) and as the Bride of Christ.(f) We believe that every true believer has been adopted into the Family of God(g) and has been made a member of the Body of Christ(h) and is thus united to the Lord Jesus Christ as his Head.(i) We believe that a true local church exists where the following marks are evident, and are practised according to the Word of God:

The existence of a group of believers that God has brought together(j) under the Lordship of Jesus Christ(k) for the purpose of worship,(l) prayer,(m) fellowship,(n) teaching(o) and equipping for service(p) in keeping with the Great Commission.(q);
The preaching of the Gospel of Christ.(r);
The administration of Baptism(s) and the Lord’s Supper(t);
The exercise of a Biblical pattern of Church discipline(u).

(a) John 3: 3, 5
(b) 1 Corinthians.1:2
(c) 1 Peter 1:1, 2; Ephesians 1:4
(d) Ephesians 1:1; Romans 1:7
(e) Romans 8:16; Galatians3:26; John 1:12; 1 John 3:1-2
(f) John 3:29; Rev 21:9; Rev 22:17
(g) Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:5
(h) Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27
(i) 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13, 27; Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 4:11-16
(j) Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:47; Acts 5:13-14;
(k) Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18
(l) 1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalm 99:5; John 4:23
(m) Matthew 6:9; Matthew 26:41
(n) 1 John 1:3, 7
(o) Psalm 86:11; Acts 5:42; 1 Timothy 4:11
(p) Romans 12:1, 2; Ephesians 4:11, 12
(q) Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8
(r) Mark 16:15; Galatians 1:8-9
(s) Matthew 28:19
(t) 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
(u) Matthew 18:15-18; 1 Corinthians 5:12- 6:3; Hebrews 12:1-12