Our Attitude Toward Our Beliefs

• In essential beliefs, we have UNITY.

  "We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all."

  Ephesians 4:4-6 (NLT)

• In non-essential beliefs, we have LIBERTY.

  "Welcome all the Lord’s followers... Don’t criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours... Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right... And so, each of us must give an account to God for what we do. ...What you believe about these things should be kept between you and God."

  Romans 14:1,4,12,22 (CEV)

• In all our beliefs, we show LOVE.

  "...if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way"

  1 Peter 3:15 (TLB)

The Essentials We Believe

• GOD is the Creator and Ruler of the universe who exists eternally as a Trinity of three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

  Genesis 1:1 26-27 3:22 Psalm 90:2 1 Peter 1:2-3 2 Corinthians 13:14

• THE FATHER is the first person of the Trinity who controls all things according to His purpose and for His glory.

  Isaiah 64:8 Matthew 6:9 7:11 John 1:12 Romans 8:15-16

• JESUS CHRIST is the fully divine and fully human Son of God who lived a sinless life and offered Himself as the sacrifice for our sins by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days, ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again to gather all who believe in Him.

  Isaiah 9:6 Matthew 1:22-23 John 1:1-5 14:10-30 Romans 1:3-4 Titus 2:13 1 Timothy 6:14-15 Hebrews 4:14-15 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

• THE HOLY SPIRIT is present in every Christian convicting of sin, convincing of truth and conforming us to Christ’s image. After regenerating a person, He provides spiritual gifts, power for living and guidance in doing right.

  2 Corinthians 3:17 Acts 1:8 John 4:16-17 16:7-13 1 Corinthians 2:12 3:16 Ephesians 1:13 5:18 Galatians 5:25 Philippians 2:13

• HUMAN BEINGS are created in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character, but are born with the fallen sin nature of Adam. Sin separates people from God and one another.

  Genesis 1:27 Psalm 8:3-6 Isaiah 53:6a 59:1-2 Romans 3:23

• THE BIBLE is God's Word to us written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is the basis for what we believe and the way we live.

  2 Timothy 1:13 3:16 2 Peter 1:20-21 Proverbs 30:5 Psalm 12:6 119:105 160

• MARRIAGE is the uniting of one man and one woman in an exclusive relationship; It is the only relationship appropriate for sexual intimacy.

  Genesis 2:18-25 Matthew 19:4-6 Romans 1:18-28 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 7:1-3

• SALVATION is God's free gift to us which we receive by trusting in Jesus Christ for forgiveness. We are born again by faith alone, not by any good works that we do.

  Romans 5:1 6:23 Titus 3:5 Ephesians 2:8-9 Galatians 3:26 John 14:16 1:12

• ETERNAL SECURITY is sealed by faith in Jesus Christ who died for all of our sins – past, present and future. Once we have been born again we cannot lose our salvation. We did not earn our salvation through good works and we cannot lose it through bad ones.

  John 10:29 2 Timothy 1:12 Hebrews 7:25 10:10 14 1 Peter 1:3-5

• ETERNITY exists for all people- whether they live forever in God's presence in heaven or forever separated from Him in hell.

  John 3:16 4:17 Romans 6:23 8:17-18 1 Corinthians 2:7-9 Revelation 20:15