Thursday, January 11, 2007
- Kent Wagner
We
believe in one God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
(Matthew 5:16, 45; 6:1, 4, 8, 9; James 1:17; John
1:1; 4:24; 14:9; 14:16 -20; Genesis 1:2; 2 Peter 1:21).
We
believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of all things visible and invisible
(Genesis 1:1; Acts 17:24 -28; Hebrews 11:3).
We
believe in Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Son, my one and only Savior
(John 1:14; 3:16; 1 John 4:9; 2 Peter 3:18),
Who
was born Jesus of Nazareth,
both fully human and fully divine, conceived of the Holy
Spirit
and the virgin Mary (Matthew
1:18; 21:11; John 1:14; 19:19; Romans 5:15-17;
Colossians 2:9; 1 John 1:1; Luke 1:26 -38)
Who
suffered and was crucified under Pontius Pilate (Luke 23:1-46),
Who
died and was buried, and Who rose again bodily from the dead on the third day (Luke
23:44 – 24:8; John 20:24-29; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8),
Who
ascended into Heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father
(Luke 22:69; Acts 1:1-9; Colossians 3:1),
and
Who
will return to earth to judge both the living and the dead
(Matthew 24:36-42; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10-11;
10:39-42; 1 Peter 4:5).
We
believe in the Holy Spirit, Who is an active and operative part of the triune
God
(John 16:5 -15; Acts 1:7-8; Romans 8:26 -27),
and
Who
indwells every Christian (1
Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 2 Timothy 1:14).
We
believe in the Bible—God’s Holy Word, Scripture. I believe God inspired the
autographs
(original writings) of the Scripture and those autographs were
consequently
without error
(Mark 12:36; John 14:26; 16:12 -15; Acts 1:16; 1 Corinthians
2:12 -13; 2 Timothy 3:14 -16; 2 Peter 1:20 -21).
We
accept the Bible as the final authority for all matters of faith and practice
(Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; Romans 15:4;
Hebrews 4:12).
We
believe the Bible teaches that man, created by God, willfully sinned against
God and is consequently
lost
and without hope apart from Jesus Christ (Acts
4:12; Romans 3:23).
We
believe the Bible teaches that salvation—the forgiveness of sins—is only by
grace through the
blood
of Jesus Christ
(Matthew 26:28; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter
1:18 -19; 1 John 1:7).
We
believe the Bible teaches that one receives God’s grace by putting faith in
Christ,
repenting
of sin, confessing Christ and being immersed into Christ, but that none of
these is
sufficient
in and of itself for the assurance of salvation
(Romans 5:1-2; 6:1 -7; Luke 24:45-47; Acts 3:19;
17:30; 2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9;
Philippians 2:11; 1 John 4:15; Acts 2:38; Galatians
3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21).
We
believe in the Church
of Jesus Christ, founded
on the Day of Pentecost and consisting of all
Christians
everywhere (Matthew 16:13-18; Acts 2:14-47).
We
believe the Bible teaches that the Elders are to exercise authority over the
local
congregation
(Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1; 1
Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4).