This I Believe

My Statement of Faith

“The proper ground for believing a thing is not that the church or reason says it. Both of these authorities may err, and in any case, it is not to them that God told us to go for authoritative indications of His mind. The proper ground for believing a thing is that God says it in His written Word, and readiness to take God’s Word and accept what he asserts in the Bible is thus fundamental to faith.” J. I. Packer ¹

Correct Orthodoxy Leads to Correct Orthopraxy

THE WORD OF GOD: I believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God; it is without error, infallible, and Spirit-breathed. It is the ultimate authority in all matters of faith and conduct. The Bible is God’s written revelation of who HE is and His redemptive plan for His Creation – past, present, and future.

2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Mark 13:31; John 1:1-5; John 20:31; Romans 15:4

THE TRINITY: I believe there is one living and true GOD. HE has existed eternally as GOD the Father, GOD the Son, and GOD the Holy Spirit, perfectly distinct, yet operating in perfect union and purpose. THEY are identical in divine characteristics and essence, each executing distinct but harmonious functions in every aspect of creation, providence, and redemption. GOD is ONLY, there is NO OTHER.

Genesis 1:1, 26; John 1:1, 3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19-20; Ephesians 4:5-6

GOD THE FATHER: I believe in GOD the FATHER, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in every aspect of His character. While one attribute or characteristic may be on display for a specific purpose, the whole of GOD’s essence – all His attributes are fully and equally employed, they are never out of balance. I believe that God is mercifully and intimately involved with the affairs of each person and His Creation, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and eternal death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

Luke 10:21-22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:1-2; 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6

GOD THE SON: I believe in JESUS CHRIST, God’s only begotten Son; He is one with the Father. Jesus became the only acceptable sacrifice for the sins of mankind when HE came to earth fully God and fully man, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born to a virgin.

– Jesus lived a pure and perfect sinless life then willingly laid down His life on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins, to redeem and rescue me from eternal death.

– He was buried and on the third day, He rose victorious over sin and the grave.

– He appeared to His disciples and followers after His resurrection, and then

– He ascended to Heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for Believers.

– The Church eagerly awaits the day when Jesus Christ literally and physically returns to earth. Mounted on a white horse and surrounded by the armies of heaven, HE who is called “Faithful and True” will bear the title of KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS.

Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; Romans 9:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:3-5; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8, 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28;1 Timothy 3:16; Revelation 19:11-21

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT: I believe in the HOLY SPIRIT who came forth from the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. I believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every Believer in Christ Jesus, He is the Seal and Guarantor of the Believer’s salvation and eternal hope. He is an abiding helper, teacher, guide, encourager, and comforter. It is the Holy Spirit Who opens the Believer’s eyes, hearts, and minds to illuminate the truth of God’s Word.

John 14:16, 17, 26; John 15:26, 27; John 16:7-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26

SALVATION – REGENERATION: I believe that GOD created the first man, Adam, in HIS image, perfect and without sin. GOD gave man the ability to choose and, sadly, Adam chose to not obey his Creator. That choice of disobedience and act of rebellion ushered in sin, and from that moment on, every baby is born with a sin nature and the desire to be his/her own god.

Therefore, I believe that ALL people are sinners by nature and by choice, and without supernatural intervention, we are all condemned.

I believe that before the foundations of the earth were established, God chose His elect; at the same time, I believe that God meant it when He said, “whosoever will.” I believe any man, woman, boy or girl who calls on the name of Jesus Christ in sincere repentance of their sins and in believing faith will be saved. How those two truths reconcile, I do not know, but I believe in God’s perfect plan it makes perfect sense.

At the moment of Salvation, the Regenerating and Transforming work of the Holy Spirit begins in the Believer.

Genesis 1:26, 5:2; Genesis 3:1-24; Genesis 2:17, 3:19; John 3:14-18, 5:24; John 8:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 19:20, 20:10,14-15; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:19, 5:12,19; Proverbs 28:13;n1 John 1:9; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1

THE CHURCH: I believe that the universal church is the spiritual body of Jesus Christ; He is the head, and all regenerated persons are members.

I believe that the local church is a body of regenerated, baptized believers in Jesus Christ joined together for worship; for growth in the knowledge of God, His Word, and in relationship with Him; and for the purpose of equipping the saints, creating accountability, encouraging, teaching, building community, service, and fellowship.

I believe that the directive of the Great Commission extends to the members of the local church: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Matthew 28:19-20; Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25

CHURCH ORDINANCES: I believe that Scripture instructs the Local Church to observe and administer two ordinances: Baptism and The Lord’s Supper.

Baptism is the immersion of a Believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of submission and obedience as modeled by Jesus at the beginning of His ministry and it is an outward statement of identification with Christ to the world. The act of baptism is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection Jesus and a reflection of the Believer’s new life in Christ: death – dying to sin and self, burial – putting off the “old man,” resurrection – putting on the “new man” – the new, redeemed, and sanctified life in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 2:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:26-27; Acts 22:16; Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3-4

The Lord’s Supper was instituted by Jesus Christ for the commemoration of His death on the cross and remembrance that Jesus gave Himself as the perfect sacrificial Lamb for the sins of mankind. To observe The Lord’s Supper is an act of worship, thanksgiving, and obedience. This ordinance is also forward-looking in that it is a foreshadowing that one day all believers will sit down to the banquet table of our LORD and Savior for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Revelation 19:9

¹J. I. Packer, Classic Collection “’Fundamentalism’ and the Word of God,” page 142

Prepared By: Sherri R. Mewha