For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… Romans 1:16
The Gospel is the good news of the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches us that we, mankind, were beautifully created by God and for God, to live in perfect relationship with Him (Genesis 1:27, Colossians 1:16-17).
We rebelled, beginning with the first man Adam, and continuing in each individual human heart, against His Lordship. That rebellion, called sin, caused and continues to cause a separation between God and man. God’s holiness demands payment for that rebellion, and that payment is death (Romans 3:23; 6:23). In His perfect mercy and grace, and because of His perfect love, God the Father sent God the Son to be that payment (John 3:16).
God the Son, Jesus Christ, was physically born, lived a sinless and perfect life, and then died on the cross where He absorbed the righteous wrath of God that all of mankind deserves. He in fact bore our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took our place and became the payment for our sin. Jesus was buried in a tomb and three days later rose again physically and bodily thus conquering Satan, sin, and death.
Our redemption and new life come by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). The way to reconciliation and right relationship with God was, is, and will always be through Jesus (Ephesians 1:7-14, Romans 8:29-30). We have all rebelled and sinned against God, and therefore we all need a Savior. Jesus Christ is that Savior. To be saved all we must do is confess Christ as our Lord and Savior, believing in His work on the Cross.
We believe in one (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 45:5-6) eternal (1 Timothy 1:17), knowable (Hebrews 1:1-2), sovereign God (Daniel 4:34-35). He knows all things (Psalms 139:1-4), and providentially oversees all things (Matthew 10:29-31). He is merciful (Exodus 34:6), and just (Acts 17:31), loving (1 John 4:8), and holy (Revelation 4:8), great in power (Psalms 147:5) and good in purpose (Romans 8:28). His glory is our chief concern (1 Corinthians 10:31).
We believe in one God who exists in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). All three are uncreated, coeternal, and equal in power, glory, and honor. They are rightly worshiped as the one true God–three in one, and one in three (Revelation 22.13, and Acts 5:3-4).
We believe, that while God has revealed himself in his creation (Psalms 19:1-6, Romans 1:18-20), he has spoken to us most clearly in his word (John 14:25-26, Deuteronomy 6:6-7). The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are breathed out by God, holy, complete, and entirely without error in the original manuscripts (2 Timothy 3:16, John 10:35, 2 Peter 1:20-21). The Bible is our final authority in life, doctrine, and godliness (Matthew 4:4, 2 and Peter 1:3-4).
We believe God created the entire universe out of nothing (Genesis 1:1 and Hebrews 11:3). Man and woman were the crown of God’s good creation, being created in his own image (Genesis 1:26-27). As image-bearers, we were created to worship God and reflect him in true knowledge, righteousness, and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24 and Colossians 3:9-10).
We believe that Adam and Eve, our first parents, rebelled against God and plunged themselves and all their offspring into ruin (Genesis 3:1-19). Because of Adam’s sin, we are all guilty sinners (Romans 5:12-21). We come into the world with corrupt natures through and through (Psalms 51:5). We are spiritually dead until God makes us alive in Christ (John 6:44, Romans 3:10-18, and Ephesians 2:1-5).
We believe Jesus of Nazareth was and is the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. We believe he is also the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16). He is fully man and fully God (1 Timothy 2:5 and Titus 2:13). He was born of the virgin Mary, lived a perfect life, taught the way of God’s kingdom, worked miracles, suffered, died, and (bodily) rose again (1 Corinthians 15:1-8).
We believe Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and died a shameful death that we might be counted righteous and forgiven of our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21). He was our sacrificial substitute (1 Peter 3:18). He defeated the devil (Revelation 12:9), removed our guilt (Isaiah 53:4-6), and became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13), bearing the weight of God’s wrath (1 John 1:8-2:2).
We believe that we are justified–declared righteous before God–through faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone (Galatians 2:16). The only way (John 14:6) to be adopted into God’s family is through union with his Son, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3-6).
We believe the Holy Spirit, working through the word, supernaturally converts (regenerates) the hearts of God’s people by making alive what was spiritually dead (Titus 3:5 and 1 Peter 1:23). The Spirit convicts us of sin (John 16:8-11), leads us to repentance (Ezekiel 36:26-27), causes us to grow in holiness (2 Corinthians 3:18), seals us for the day of redemption that we might be assured of our salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14), and equips us with spiritual gifts for the building up of the body (1 Corinthians 12:7).
We believe the church is the communion of God’s people drawn from every tribe, language, people, and nation (Ephesians 2:11-12, Revelation 5:9-10). This invisible body, of which Christ Jesus is the head, exists locally, and imperfectly, as the visible church. Jesus Christ has given his church two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 28:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
We believe God’s people should be marked by Christlikeness (Ephesians 5:1-2), prayerfulness (Romans 12:12), joyful obedience (John 14:15), love of God and love of neighbor (Matthew 22:37-44). We believe the mission of the church is to make disciples by declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit to the glory of God the Father (Matthew 28:19-20). As salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16), we seek to save the lost (1 Corinthians 9:19-23), love others in word and deed (1 Peter 4:11), work for righteousness and justice (Amos 5:24), and care for the hurting and needy (John 3:16-18).
We believe Jesus Christ will return to earth personally, visibly, and bodily as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Acts 1:11). At his appearing the dead shall be raised and the living and the dead will be judged (1 Corinthians. 15:20-28). The wicked and unbelieving will be consigned to eternal punishment (Revelation 20:10 and 14:15). Those belonging to Jesus will have eternal life in the new heavens and the new earth and live in ever-increasing joy to the glory of God (Matthew 25:21 and Revelation 21:1-5).
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.