what we believe.

God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4). Yet, within the unity of God, there are three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:17, 28:19; 1 John 5:7; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14). All three persons are of one substance, power, and eternity (Genesis 1:26; John 8:58; Colossians 2:9).

The Father is not brought into being from or by anyone or anything (Psalms 90:2; Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3). The Son is begotten eternally from the Father, never beginning, not created, always and forever existing eternally with the Father (John 1:14, 18, 8:58). The Holy Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son, never beginning, not created, always and forever existing eternally with the Father and the Son (John 15:26; Galatians 4:6).

God is spirit (John 4:24), infinite in being and perfection (Job 11:7-9; ), invisible (1 Timothy 1:17), eternal (Psalms 90:2), incomprehensible (Psalms 145:3), almighty (Genesis 17:1; Ephesians 1:19; Revelation 4:8), the most wise (Romans 16:27), most holy (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8), most free (Psalms 115:3), most absolute (Exodus 3:14), most loving (1 John 4:8, 16), gracious, merciful, long-suffering, the most abundant in goodness and truth (Exodus 34:6-7), and works all things according to his righteous unchanging will (Ephesians 1:11), for his own glory (Romans 11:36; Galatians 1:5; Ephesians 1:14).

Without contradiction, God is just and terrifying in His judgments, hating all sin and not overlooking the sins of the guilty (Nehemiah 9:32-33; Psalms 5:5-6; Exodus 34:7; Nahum 1:2-3); and God forgives sin through Christ, rewarding those who diligently seek Him (Exodus 34:6-7; Hebrews 11:6; 1 John 1:9).

God is all-sufficient, having in himself all life, glory, goodness, and blessedness (Acts 17:24-25). He needs nothing from any creature that he made, derives no glory from them (Psalm 50:12-15; Romans 11:33-36), but manifests his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them (Romans 11:36).

God is able to work through natural means, yet is free to work without, above and against them, at his pleasure (Isaiah 42:5; Job 38:22-23; Hosea 1:7; Romans 4:19-21; 2 Kings 6:6; Daniel 3:27).

God is the only source of all life, movement, and being; from him, through him, and to him are all things (Romans 11:36; Genesis 1:1; Job 12:10; Acts 17:28). God has sovereign power and authority over all things and may do to them, for them, and with them whatever pleases him (Ephesians 1:19-23; Romans 11:33-35; ). God sees everything, nothing is hidden from his sight (Hebrews 4:13; Psalm 33:13); his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent (Psalm 139:4; Proverbs 3:19-20). He is unrivalled in his wisdom, counsels, works, and commands (Jeremiah 51:15; Job 12:13).

God is due from every person, angel or creature, all the worship, service, or obedience he requires from them (Romans 16:27; Revelation 5:12-14).

It pleased God, to demonstrate the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness (Romans 1:20; Jeremiah 10:12; Psalms 104:24) by creating from nothing the universe and everything in it, visible and invisible (Genesis 1:1; Nehemiah 9:6; Hebrews 1:10, 11:3; Revelation 4:11), in the space of six days (Genesis 1:1-31; Exodus 31:17). And all he made was very good (Genesis 1:31).

After God made all created realms and all they contained, he created mankind in his image, male and female (Genesis 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 11:12), with reasoning and immortal souls (Genesis 2:7; Matthew 10:28), endued with knowledge, righteousness and true holiness just like God (Genesis 1:26; Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24), and the law of God on their hearts, and the power to fulfil it. Besides the law on their hearts (Romans 2:14-15), they also received a command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:8-11, 23). While they kept this law, they enjoyed happy communion with God and had dominion over creation (Genesis 1:26, 28).

However, they were able to break God’s law, because of the liberty God extended to them, which allowed them freedom to act according to their own will (Ecclesiastes 7:29; James 1:14). And so, our first parents, seduced by the subtle temptation of Satan, sinned by eating from the tree forbidden to them (Genesis 3:1, 13; 2 Corinthians 11:3).

God, who is infinitely good and whose wisdom is unsearchable, allowed this sin, without approving of it. God had already purposed to work it for his own glory (Genesis 50:20 ; Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:17; Acts 14:16; 17:30). However, the sinfulness of it proceeded only from man, and not from God. God is entirely holy and righteous and neither approves nor authors sin (James 1:13-14, 17; 1 John 2:16; ).

By this original sin, our first parents fell from their true holiness, righteousness, and happy communion with God, and became dead in sin; corrupted in every part of their soul and body (Genesis 2:17, 3:6-19; Romans 7:18, 8:7; Colossians 1:21).

Being our first parents, the guilt of their sin passed to us all, and with it the same death in sin, and corrupted nature (Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:10-18, 5:12, 18-19, 11:32; Hebrews 9:27). We are entirely unable to return ourselves to true holiness, righteousness, and happy communion with God (Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 2:13). Rather we are wholly inclined towards evil, we do no good and do not seek God (Psalm 14:2-3; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19).

All our sins, both those we inherited and those we commit ourselves, break God’s law and bring guilt upon us (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23). Because of sin, we face the wrath of God (Romans 1:18; Colossians 3:6; Ephesians 2:3), the curse of the law (Galatians 3:10), and death (Romans 6:23), with all its spiritual miseries, both in this life and the next (Matthew 25:41; 2 Thessalonians 1:9).

The Son of God, who is God, the second person in the Trinity, is one substance and equal with the Father (Mark 1:9-11; John 1:1, 14; Philippians 2:6; 1 John 5:20). When the fullness of time came (Mark 1:15; Romans 5:6; Galatians 4:4), the Son took upon him man’s nature, with all its essential properties and common weaknesses, but without sin (Hebrews 2:14, 17-18, 4:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21). He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:34-35; Matthew 1:18). As Jesus Christ, he was a union of two whole, perfect, and distinct natures - Godhead and manhood - inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion (Colossians 2:9; Romans 9:5; ). This Jesus of Nazareth, is fully God and fully man, but one Christ, the only mediator between God and man (Romans 1:3-4; 1 Timothy 2:5).

The Lord Jesus Christ was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit beyond measure (Psalms 45:7; John 3:34; Acts 10:38; Luke 4:18-19). In him, God the Father was pleased to fully dwell (Colossians 1:19, 2:9). Christ, having within him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3), being holy, undefiled, and full of grace and truth (Hebrews 7:26; John 1:14), was perfectly positioned to execute the office of a mediator and surety (Acts 10:38; Hebrews 7:22, 12:24). He did not take this office for himself, but was called into it by His Father (Hebrews 5:4-5), who put all power and judgment into his hands, and gave him authority to execute the same (John 5:22; Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:36).

Jesus Christ willingly became for us a mediator and surety (Matthew 26:39; John 10:18; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Hebrews 10:5-10), enduring grievous torment in his soul (Matthew 26:37-38, 27:46; Luke 22:44), and the most painful suffering in His body (Matthew 26, 27). He was crucified, died, and was buried (1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Philippians 2:8). While dead, his body experienced no corruption (Acts 2:23-24, 27, 13:37). On the third day, he rose from the dead and was seen by his disciples (Acts 2:24, 3:15; Romans 6:9).

After the Lord Jesus Christ rose on the third day, he later ascended into heaven (Mark 16:19; Ephesians 4:8-10), where he now sits at the right hand of his Father (Hebrews 1:3, 13, 12:2), making intercession (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25). He will return to judge men and angels, at the end of the world (Romans 14:9-10; Acts 1:11, 10:42; 2 Peter 2:4).

When the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, he gave gifts to the church to equip believers for the work of the ministry, to build up the body of Christ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. These gifts are the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers (Ephesians 4:8-14).

God is spirit (John 4:24; 2 Corinthians 3:17), within the unity of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son, never beginning, not created, always and forever existing eternally with the Father and the Son (John 15:26; Acts 5:32; 1 Corinthians 2:12; Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6; 1 Peter 1:11; Acts 16:7; Philippians 1:19).

The Holy Spirit is a person, who indwells all true believers and produces in them the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), which is the manifestation of the character of Christ in and flowing out of us through our association with him (1 John 2:6; 4:17). The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

There are a variety of gifts given by the Holy Spirit, but all come from the same Spirit and are empowered by God (1 Corinthians 12:4). All these gifts are given for the common good, to build up the church (1 Corinthians 12:7). The gifts of the Spirit include speaking wisdom, speaking knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the ability to distinguish between spirits, various kinds of tongues, the interpretation of tongues, service, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leadership, and acts of mercy (Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-10, 28). All these are empowered by the one same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills (1 Corinthians 12:11).

God has appointed a day when the world will be judged in righteousness by Jesus Christ, to whom God has given all power and judgment (Acts 17:31; John 5:22, 27). On that day, the apostate angels will be judged (Jude 1:6; 2 Peter 2:4), and all people who have lived on earth will appear before Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive judgement according to what they have done while in their body, whether good or evil (2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 2:16, 14:10-12; Matthew 12:36-37).

God has appointed this day of judgement as a time to be glorified in his saints, by extending mercy and eternal salvation to all those who came to him in repentance and faith (2 Thessalonians 1:5, 10); on that day, the righteous will go into everlasting life, and receive fullness of joy and refreshing in the presence of God. (Matthew 25:31-40; Romans 2:6-7, 10-11). It also serves to demonstrate his justice, in the condemnation of all those who are wicked and disobedient and did not receive his Son; the wicked, who do not know God, and have not obeyed the gospel’s appeal to repent, will be cast into eternal punishment (Romans 2:1-6, 8-9; 9:21-22; Matthew 25:41-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12).

God has announced the day of judgment to both deter us all from sin and to console the godly during their adversities (2 Peter 3:10-13; 2 Corinthians 5:9-10; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12; Luke 21:27-28). God has kept unknown the exact day, so that we may shake off false security, and remain watchful and faithful, because we do not know when the Lord will come or when we will have our last chance to repent (Matthew 24:36-44; Hebrews 10:37). We join with the Spirit in saying, “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly, amen” (Revelation 22:6-21).

The Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience, sacrificing himself to God through the eternal Spirit, has fully satisfied the justice of his Father and purchased reconciliation with God, and an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those who come to him in repentance and faith (Romans 3:25-26, 5:19; Hebrews 9:14-16, 10:14; Ephesians 5:2).

Although Christ’s substitutionary death which brought redemption happened during Christ’s incarnation, the virtue, efficacy, and benefits of it were passed on to all those chosen by God, from the beginning of the world (Revelation 13:8; Hebrews 9:24-28), through the promises, types, and sacrifices which pointed to Christ as the seed of the woman, who would bruise the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15), and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world (Genesis 22:8; John 1:29, 36), who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8; Galatians 4:5).

There is no sin so small that the sinner does not deserve eternal punishment (Romans 3:23, 5:12, 6:23; ); there is no sin so great that it can bring this punishment upon those who truly repent (Isaiah 55:7, 1:18; Romans 8:1). Repentance is a wonderful grace extended to us by God (2 Timothy 1:10; Titus 2:11-13; Acts 11:18), and should be preached everywhere (Mark 1:14-15; Luke 24:47; Acts 20:21).

No sinner should be coerced into repentance (Luke 13:34; 1 Peter 3:15; Matthew 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5; Acts 13:51-52), which would contradict the freedom of will extended by God to our first parents, and us all (Gen 2:15-17; Ecclesiastes 7:29). Repentance is a grace extended to us by God and should be engaged in freely and willingly (John 16:8; Titus 2:11-13; Romans 2:4).

Through repentance, the sinner who has seen and understood the filthiness and offensiveness of their sin, which is so contrary to the holiness and righteousness of God, and who has understood the mercy of God found in Jesus Christ, may repent of and hate their sin (Psalm 119:128), turning from their sin to God (Ezekiel 18:30; 36:31-34; 2 Corinthians 7:11), purposing and endeavouring to walk with God in his ways (Deuteronomy 5:33; Psalm 1:1-3; 119:5-7; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 2:3-10).

We should not be content with only general repentance, but where possible, we should repent of our specific sins, specifically (Matthew 3:6; 1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13).

Our repentance does not cause us to be forgiven; forgiveness is only provided through the grace of God in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Psalm 19:13; Ephesians 2:1-10; Romans 3:24); yet, all sinners must repent to receive the forgiveness of God (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30-31).

Each believer should make private confessions of their sins to God, turning from their sin and praying to be forgiven (Psalm 51, 32:1-6; Acts 2:38). However, when their sin is against another Christian or the Church, they should be willing to confess, demonstrate sorrow, and affirm their repentance to those who were sinned against (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 John 1:7). Those sinned against should forgive, be reconciled to them, and receive them in Christian love (Luke 17:3-4; Matthew 6:12).

Baptism is given by Jesus Christ as a sign and seal of the New Covenant, for those made alive in Christ through repentance and faith, and surrendered to God, through Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19; Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:1-4). Baptism is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in His church until the end of the world (1 Peter 3:21; Acts 2:38).

Baptism is done by fully immersing the believer in a body of water (Acts 8:38; Mark 1:9-10). The believer is to be baptized in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and of God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Baptism need only be administered once to any believer (Acts 2:38; Matthew 3:6; Acts 2:41).

No person should be coerced into baptism. In baptism, the believer associates themselves freely and willingly with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ their saviour, just as our Lord offered himself freely and willingly in his own death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:1-4; John 10:17-18).

Although a believer should not neglect or despise baptism, grace and salvation are not conditional on it (Luke 23:43). A person can be saved without having yet been baptised in water; and a person fully immersed in water without coming to repentance and faith is not saved by such a baptism (Luke 13:3).

Baptism of the Holy Spirit is ordained in the New Testament by Jesus Christ as a vehicle of God’s grace and power to us who believe (Matthew 3:11–12; Acts 1:5-8; Acts 11:15–18). While God indwells every believer by his Spirit at the moment they come to believe, the scriptures show other moments of filling by the Holy Spirit apart from conversion (1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 1:5; John 20:22 cf. Acts 2:1-4).

Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a work of God’s grace, and a source of great power, particularly for the work of being a witness (Acts 1:8). To this end, the scriptures instruct us to go on being filled with the Holy Spirit and to eagerly desire the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 12:31, 14:1).

The liberty Christ bought for us by his sacrifice sets us free from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law (Titus 2:14; Romans 8:2; Acts 13:39), and delivers us from this present evil world (Galatians 1:4; John 16:33), bondage to Satan, the power of sin (Romans 6:14; Jude 1:24), the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and from everlasting damnation (1 Cor 15:54-57). Jesus Christ’s sacrifice also opened for us free access to God (Rom 5:1-2; John 14:6; Eph 2:18, 3:12; Hebrews 4:16, 10:19-22). It is appropriate, then, that we yield in obedience to God, not out of slavish fear, but in childlike love, and with a willing mind (Romans 12:1, 8:14-16; 1 John 4:18).

Those who, claiming to exercise Christian liberty, practice sin or cherish any lust, do not act in Christian liberty; which is designed so that having been delivered from sin and death, we would serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life (Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 2:16; John 8:34; Luke 1:74-75).

No one should be coerced into living for God, which would contradict the freedom of will extended by God to our first parents and us all (Gen 2:15-17; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Isaiah 53:6), and our freedom to serve and give ourselves to the Lord cheerfully by choice (Psalm 100:2; Deuteronomy 30:19; Joshua 24:15). But holiness does not happen automatically or come naturally to us (Romans 3:10-12). God’s grace has been given to teach us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12).

Christ has also appointed, by his Holy Spirit, leaders within the church (Hebrews 13:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:12): Elders and Deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-13, 5:17-18), who work with the gifts Christ gave: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and, teachers (Ephesians 4:8-11). These leaders and gifts serve the body together, to equip believers for the work of the ministry, and to build up the body of Christ, until all believers reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:12-16; Hebrews 13:17).

God has ordained at all who come to him in repentance and faith, through Christ, should serve him as priests (1 Peter 2:9). Every member of Christ’s body has a purpose to fulfill in God. Each member is different, but all are equally important in Christ’s body, vital to the healthy functioning of the church, and indispensable in our witness to the world (1 Peter 2:5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31).

The practice of eating bread and drinking from the cup (filled with wine or grape juice), is called communion. It was instituted by Jesus Christ on the night he was betrayed, when, taking bread and wine, he associated them with his own body and blood and gave them to his disciples (1 Corinthians 11:23-25; Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16). This practice is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in His church until the end of the world (1 Corinthians 11:26; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

Communion, also called The Lord’s Supper, was instituted first as a perpetual remembrance of the death and resurrection of Christ, looking forward to his return (1 Corinthians 11:26). Second, it serves to impart the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice to true believers, for their spiritual nourishment and their growth in Him (John 6:35, 51, 53-58). Lastly it stands as a pledge of believers communion with Him, and with each other, as co-members of Christ’s mystical body (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

In communion, Christ is not offered up again to his Father, nor is any new sacrifice made for our sins. Rather, communion is a commemoration of, and opportunity for praise and thanksgiving for, that one offering Christ made upon the cross, once for all (Hebrews 9:28, 10:10).

The bread and the cup, called the elements, represent Christ’s body and blood, but do not materially become Christ’s body and blood (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16). While it is right to handled them with respect, they should not be worshipped; worship is for God alone (Luke 4:8; John 4:24).

These elements, once set apart for use in communion, become so associated with Christ’s body and blood, that they are sometimes called by the name of the things they represent, although in their material nature they remain only bread and drink (Matthew 26:26-35; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25). Those receiving communion in a worthy manner do indeed, by faith, feed and drink on Christ, receiving all the benefits of His death (John 6:53-58).

No one should be coerced into partaking in communion, which would contradict the freedom God gives to all to associate freely and willingly with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (John 10:17-18). The Lord’s Supper is only for those who have come to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. When unbelievers receive the elements, they do not receive the good things signified by it. Those who participate in communion unworthily are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, to their own judgement (1 Corinthians 11:27-32). Therefore, no one should take the elements unless they have come to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus.

The Old Testament and the New Testament in their original languages, were inspired by God, through the prophets and apostles (2 Timothy 3:15-16; Hebrews 1:1-2; Luke 1:3-4), and by His providence have been preserved to establish the church against error (Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 6:23; 2 Peter 1:19), and give us hope (Romans 15:4). In all matters of life, they are our final authority. But, because these original languages are less well known in the church today, they are faithfully translated into the languages of every people, so that knowledge of the scriptures will lead to the worship of God and hope for those who believe.

The authority of the Bible comes from it being inspired by God (2 Tim 3:16). Because the Bible is the self-revelation of God, it has the supreme authority to define, prescribe and teach, commanding us in belief and action (Luke 24:27, 44), and directing us concerning salvation (2 Timothy 3:15). The scriptures become a final court of appeal for all matters of human behaviour; both a plumb line and a bottom line, in any decision-making process.

The intertestamental books, including those called Apocrypha, were not divinely inspired through the prophets, are not Scripture, but are human writings, and therefore do not carry the authority of scripture in the church. Likewise, ancient and modern post-testamental books, including those called the Gnostic Gospels, were not divinely inspired through the New Testament apostles, are not scripture, but are human writings, and therefore do not carry the authority of scripture in the church (Ephesians 2:20).