Our Beliefs: “Sin, Salvation, Service”

SIN

We believe that as a result of the fall, every human being has a sinful nature and doesn’t measure up.

God has a problem with me because I do not measure up to His perfect standard. Although God created humans good and in His own image, I have repeatedly broken the law – committing crimes against Him and others in my thoughts, words, and deeds. I have a natural tendency to hate God and my neighbor.

We believe God is righteous and just. This results in my punishment, namely death.

God is righteous and perfect. My sin is a barrier to His embrace. God is just and must punish every sin I have committed or will commit. The punishment is death — the eternal punishment of body and soul.

We believe good works won’t work.

There is nothing I can do to make myself acceptable to God no matter how hard I try or how religious I become. Actually I increase my guilt every day.

SALVATION

We believe God is loving and merciful, so He provided a substitute.

In His love God provided a substitute, someone to take the punishment for me. No other creature could accomplish this work, so God the Father sent God the Son to be this substitute.

We believe Jesus is the perfect substitute.

1. Truly human and truly righteous: Jesus was fully human and lived a sinless life. Human nature, which has sinned, must pay for its sin. A sinner could never pay for another sinner.
2. True God: Only by the power of His divinity could Christ bear the weight of God’s anger.

We believe Christ died and rose again.

God put my sins on Jesus and punished Him in my place at the cross. Jesus died and was buried. On the third day he rose from the dead, proving that my two enemies — sin and death — have been completely overcome. This guarantees my glorious resurrection.

SERVICE

We believe Jesus invites us to new life through repentance and conversion.

Jesus offers forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life. He offers this to those who, through the Spirit’s work and by true faith, trust in Him. Jesus saves them from sin and eternal condemnation to a new life lived with and for Him.

We believe we are saved to do good works.

Christ by His Spirit is renewing me to be like Himself so that:
a. By my living I show that I am thankful to God and praise Him
b. By good works I am assured of my faith by its fruits
c. Others may be won over to Christ.