GOD
There is one true God. He is the Creator and Ruler of all creation (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 22:28; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 43:10-11; Isaiah 44:6; Daniel 4:34-35; Daniel 7:13-14; John 1:1-3; John 17:3; Colossians 1:15-16; 1 Timothy 2:5; Revelation 4:11; Revelation 19:11-16).
The one true God simultaneously co-exists in three distinct co-eternal Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:1-2; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-2; John 8:58; John 10:30; John 14:9; John 20:24-29; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9; 1 Peter 1:2; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 22:12-13).
JESUS CHRIST
Jesus is both fully God and fully man, has always existed, was supernaturally born of a virgin, lived a completely sinless life, voluntarily died on a cross, bodily rose from the dead on the third day, was seen by witnesses, returned to heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father, and will physically return one day to set up His kingdom in the new heaven and new earth. He is the Son of God, God the Son, Lord, and Savior (Isaiah 7:14; Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew 1:18-23; Matthew 24:27-31; Matthew 26:63-64; Matthew 27:24-66; Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 15:16-47; Luke 21:25-28; Luke 23:24-56; Luke 24:1-53; John 1:1-5; John 10:17-18; John 10:30; John 19:1-42; John 20:1-29; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 2:9; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Peter 3:22; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 19:11-16; Revelation 22:12-21).
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is God. He convicts and convinces people of their sin, of their need to be saved, that Jesus Christ is the Savior, and that in Him we find life, peace with God, and forgiveness of sins. The Holy Spirit lives within every believer forever. He indwells each believer as soon as he or she is saved. He gives believers the power to live the Christian life. He empowers them to share the gospel with the lost. He gives every believer spiritual gifts that are to be used for the glory of God and the benefit of others. He illuminates the truths of the Scriptures so that believers understand the Word of God as it is meant to be understood. He guides and directs. He produces His fruit in the lives of believers. He intercedes on behalf of believers. The Christian should seek to live under His control moment by moment, day by day (John 14:15-17; John 15:26; John 16:7- 15; Acts 1:8; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 8:9; Romans 8:26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:11-12; 1 Corinthians 6:19- 20; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; 1 Corinthians 12:11; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Galatians 5:16; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 5:18-21).
HUMANKIND AND SIN
All humans are equally created in the image of God and are the crowning jewel of God’s creation. People were designed to have fellowship with God; however, all of mankind has been separated from God as a result of sin and is deserving of eternity apart from God in hell (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8:3-8; John 3:1-8; John 3:16-21; John 3:36; Romans 3:10-18; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23a).
SALVATION
Salvation from sin and peace with God is found exclusively by placing one’s faith and trust in Jesus Christ. God sent His Son into the world to pay the penalty for sin so that those who believe in Him would pass from death to life and experience a restored relationship with God. The moment someone places his or her faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord, that individual is immediately made into a new creation; he or she experiences forgiveness of his or her sins, is indwelled by the Holy Spirit, and is adopted into the family of God. Spiritually, the believer has been crucified with Christ and now lives a new life through Him (John 1:12-13; John 3:16; John 14:6; John 20:30-31; Romans 5:1; Romans 5:6-11; Romans 6:1-14; Romans 6:23b; Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:1-10; Ephesians 2:13; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 Peter 2:24).
All those who place their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will spend eternity with Him. When a believer dies, he or she will go to be with Him. When He returns and sets up His kingdom on earth, all those who belong to Him will receive new physical bodies like His resurrected body and will live with the Lord in the new heaven and new earth forever (Matthew 25:31-46; 1 Corinthians 15:12-58; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:21-26; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 5:11-13; Revelation 21-22).
SECURITY OF SALVATION
Salvation is not maintained by the self-effort of the Christian but is maintained by the grace and power of God. Therefore, a Christian’s salvation is secure. It is based on the finished work of Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:38-39; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 10:19-22; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Jude 24).
THE SCRIPTURES
The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are God-breathed and therefore entirely true, inerrant, and infallible. The Bible is the Word of God and is the standard for all matters of faith and practice (Psalm 119:160; Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 4:4; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
THE CHURCH
Everyone who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ is equally part of the universal church. As the body of Christ, the universal church is one of the primary means that the Lord carries out His will and advances His kingdom on the earth. While every believer is part of the universal church, it is also imperative that all Christians be members of a local congregation where they can gather with other believers to corporately pray and worship the Lord, where they can use their spiritual gifts to glorify the Lord and build up the body, where they can give of their time and finances to be part of the advancement of the kingdom of God, and where they can be spiritually nourished through their pastor’s guidance and shepherding, through hearing the Word of God taught, and through authentic relationships with other believers (Matthew 16:13-19; Romans 12:3- 8; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:24-25; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 4:10-11).
BAPTISM
Every born-again believer is commanded to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism is not a requirement for salvation, but it is an act of obedience and should not be neglected by any Jesus follower. It is an outward sign of the inward transformation that takes place the moment someone is saved. It depicts how the believer has died with Christ and has been raised with Him and how he or she is now a new creation in Christ. As such, baptism should follow salvation and not precede it. It should be one of the first acts of obedience for every Jesus follower (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:38; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12; Acts 8:35-38; Acts 9:17-19; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 16:30-34; Acts 18:8; Romans 6:1-4; Colossians 2:11-12).
THE LORD’S SUPPER
The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act by which we remember how Jesus Christ’s body was broken and His blood was poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. It reminds us of the gospel truth that the sinless Lamb of God died in our place so that the judgment of God would pass over us. It communicates how the sinless One died on behalf of sinners so that whoever places his or her faith and trust in Him would be clothed with His righteousness. Observing the Lord’s Supper is to be a recurring event in the life of a Jesus follower (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
MARRIAGE
The institution of marriage was established by God and is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. Anything besides the union of one man and one woman is not the Creator’s design and is therefore not a valid marriage according to the Bible. Marriage symbolizes Jesus Christ’s relationship with His bride, the church. The marriage relationship is the closest earthly relationship. That is, it is above every other relationship second only to one’s relationship with Jesus Christ. The husband should leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife. The two become one flesh. Romantic love is to be reserved exclusively for one’s spouse. The marriage bed is to be kept undefiled, and any sexual activity outside the context of a biblical marriage whether mental, emotional, or physical is sin. The husband is called to love his wife as Christ loves the church and gave Himself for her. The wife is called to love, respect, and submit to her husband as unto the Lord (Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:3- 6; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:21-33; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Hebrews 13:4; Revelation 19:6-8).