Statement of Faith

Preamble

It is of great importance that we recognize the state of the modern Church. The modern Church is full of apostasy and has focused on the social trends of the world as their primary concern. This has come at the expense of right and sound doctrine according to the faith that has been passed down to us for two-thousand years from Christ and the apostles, and longer still from the prophets of old. We therefore give thanks for the light of truth that has come to us through Christ. And we confess that we have fallen short of the glory of God and by His grace seek restoration to the true heart of worship that comes from a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart.

One should rightfully conclude from this confession, that all areas of our life in thought, word, and deed should be transformed by the Holy Spirit, in order that we may conform and to be shaped into the likeness of the Son, in order that we might bring glory to the Father. World without end. Amen.

1God the Father

We believe in one God, Deuteronomy 6:4, Mark 12:29

the Father Almighty, Isaiah 63:16, Ephesians 4:6

Creator of heaven and earth, Genesis 1:1, Revelation 4:11

and of all things visible and invisible. Hebrews 11:3, John 1:3

Who first loved us while we were still His enemies Romans 5:10

And sent His only begotten Son to die for us while we were dead in our trespasses. Ephesians 2:5

For the purpose of bringing eternal glory unto Himself. Hebrews 1:3

2God the Son

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, John 20:28, Acts 16:31

the only-begotten Son of God, John 1:14, John 3:16

begotten of the Father before all worlds; Psalm 2:7, John 1:1-2

God of God, Light of Light, John 1:4, Psalm 26:1

very God of very God; 1 John 5:20, John 17:1-5

begotten, not created, John 1:1-2, John 1:18

being of one substance with the Father, John 10:30

by Whom all things were created. Colossians 1:16, Romans 11:36

Who, for us men and for our salvation, 1 Timothy 2:4-5, Matthew 1:21

came down from heaven John 3:13, John 6:38

and was made incarnate by the Holy Spirit through the Virgin Mary, Luke 1:34-35

and is truly man; John 1:14, Hebrews 2:14

and was betrayed and murdered by the Jewish people, Acts 7:52, Matthew 27:25

and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, Mark 15:15, 1 Corinthians 15:3

He suffered, died, and was buried, Mark 8:31, Luke 23:53

He descended into Sheol, Ephesians 4:9-10, Psalm 88

The third day He rose again, Mark 16:9, Acts 10:40

according to the Scriptures; Luke 24:45-46, Acts 17:2-3

and ascended into heaven, Luke 24:51, Acts 1:9-10

and sits on the right hand of the Father Almighty, Psalm 110:1 Acts 7:55

Who lives, reigns, and rules now and forever Psalm 2, Psalm 110

above the council of the heavenly beings, Psalm 82:2, John 10:34-36

who are the saints in heaven and His divine council. Psalm 82:1, Deuteronomy 32:8-9

And He reigns above His Church below. Psalm 2, Revelation 11:15

And He shall come again, with glory, Matthew 24:27, Mark 13:26

to judge the living and the dead; Acts 10:42, 2 Timothy 4:1

Whose kingdom shall have no end. Hebrews 1:8, Luke 1:32-33

3The Holy Spirit

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, John 6:63, 2 Corinthians 3:6

Who proceeds from the Father through the Son; John 14:26, 15:26

Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19

Who spoke by the prophets. 1 Samuel 19:20, Ezekiel 11:5

The Holy Spirit intercedes with groaning on behalf of the saints. Romans 8:26

And sanctifies us until the Church is found in a state of eternal glory. Romans 8:28-30

And gives spiritual gifts to the saints according to His will. Galatians 5, 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12

4The Holy Trinity

We worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:17-20

Neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the essence. Romans 1:1-6; Colossians 2:9

For the person of the Father is a distinct person, the person of the Son is another, and that of the Holy Spirit still another. John 3:16-17; John 17:4-5; John 14:25-26

But the divinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one, the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal. Genesis 1:1-2; John 1:1-4

Such as the Father is, such as the Son is, and such is the Holy Spirit. Colossians 1:15-19; Colossians 1:3-8

The Father is uncreated, the Son is uncreated, the Holy Spirit is uncreated. Hebrews 9:14, Micah 5:2

The Father is immeasurable, the Son is immeasurable, the Holy Spirit is immeasurable. Proverbs 30:3-4; Psalm 139:7-10

The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, the Spirit is eternal. John 1:1; Hebrews 9:14

And yet there are not three eternal beings; there is but one eternal Being.

So too there are not three uncreated or immeasurable beings; there is but one uncreated and immeasurable Being. Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29

Similarly, the Father is almighty, the Son is almighty, the Holy Spirit is almighty.

Yet there are not three almighty beings; there is but one almighty Being.

Thus, the Father is God, John 17:3; Galatians 1:1

the Son is God, John 1:1, Colossians 2:9

the Holy Spirit is God. Acts 5:3-4; Genesis 1:2

Yet there are not three gods; there is but one God. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5

5The Enemies of God

We believe in the reality of spiritual forces Ephesians 6:12

and physical forces John 8:12-59

who resist God’s love, including Satan and his children, who oppose God and all mankind. 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16

Who were conquered by Christ at Calvary through His death, descension, resurrection and ascension. Ephesians 4:4-10; Romans 6:7-11

Satan, his children, and all the enemies of God and mankind; Death, Hades and all of those who are not written in the Book of Life will be condemned to eternal punishment. Revelation 20:7-15

6Creation & the Fall

Some time after the beginning, man sought to elevate himself above God that we may gain knowledge by knowing what was forbidden so that we too may be like gods. Genesis 2-3

Thus, we fell according to our own hand, not by the hand of God who created all things good. Genesis 1

Because of this, all of humanity has fallen into a state of sin and is wicked by nature. Romans 3:9-18

7Salvation

Therefore, we must depend fully on Christ for the work of salvation. That we who are His, are justified fully and truly in the beauty of His majesty, before God the Father, by grace through faith and not by works, in order that none may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

It is by this grace that we are made alive in Christ, and that we confess these things as a church in order that His name might be proclaimed. The God of our salvation, Whom has been revealed to us through His word and to all of the cosmos through His creation. And in Whom salvation is secured for those chosen by God and those who love God. (Colossians 1:15-23)

8The Church

The Church is the bride of Christ and her duty is to preserve what is good and make disciples of the nations according to the measure of faith that has been given. This is accomplished in us by the power of the Holy Spirit who enables us to live lives that are holy and pleasing to God.

It is important to note the words of the Apostle Paul, If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

The confession of life for the believer begins and ends with the confession of love for Christ. If we are to be found in Christ we must be found in love of the way. That is to abide in Christ and in His ways. John 15:1-11

Therefore, we confess that the love of God should reign supreme in our lives and the love for neighbour should be seen as secondary and necessary to the Christian faith. Failing to love God in thought, word, and deed and failing to love our neighbour as ourselves in thought, word, and deed is what mars the church and therefore makes us fully dependent on the work of Christ Jesus from the time that we are justified until we are fully glorified. (Matthew 22:37b-40)

And we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. Acts 1:8, Ephesians 4:4

We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; Galatians 3:27, Colossians 2:12 13

and we look forward to the resurrection of the dead, Romans 6:4-5, 1 Thessalonians 4:16

And the life of the world to come. 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1

Amen. Psalm 40:14, Psalm 71:19

9Pleasing God & Walking in Holiness

The holy catholic and apostolic Church is to:

1. walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, (Ephesians 4:1)

2. with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, (Ephesians 4:2)

3. eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)

4. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— (Ephesians 4:4)

5. one Lord, one faith, one baptism, (Ephesians 4:5)

6. one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:6)

7. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. (Ephesians 4:7)

8. The LORD has given us the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, (Ephesians 4:11)

9. to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:12)

10. until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, (Ephesians 4:13)

11. so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:14)

12. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, (Ephesians 4:15)

13. from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:16)

The church is also given deacons to ensure the well-being of the members of the body (Acts 6).

We are called to be “imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

And that we abstain from all worldliness and works of the flesh. (Ephesians 5:3-21)

And that we live out our freedom in manner that is worthy of He who calls. (1 Peter 2:13-17)

10Future Things

We believe that Christ will redeem all things both in heaven and earth. 2 Peter 3:11-13

And that the new heavens and new earth will remain forever under the eternal kingship of Christ. Revelation 21:5-6

And by His authority all things will be made new according to the Scriptures. Revelation 21:1-4

And we understand and trust that the day and hour will come when God the Father brings all things to pass. Matthew 24:36

We trust in His sovereign decree that all things will come to pass according to His will, to Whom we can put our trust in, from now and henceforth, Amen. Ephesians 1:7-12