WHAT WE BELIEVE: STATEMENT OF FAITH
THE SCRIPTURES
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the inspired, inerrant word of God and therefore, the final authority in all matters of faith, life and practice.
We believe that they are wholly inerrant in their original writings and that they are infallible, as they were breathed out by God.
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Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20-21
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Further information on the inerrancy of scripture can be at:
https://www.moodybible.org/beliefs/the-chicago-statement-on-biblical-inerrancy/
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THE GODHEAD
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons––Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; co-eternal in being, co-eternal in nature, co-equal in nature, power and glory, having the same attributes, beauty, truth and perfections.
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Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14
THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God. That He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, so that He might redeem sinful man. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His substitutionary death, in our place, on the cross and that our justification is made sure by His literal physical resurrection from the dead. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father, where He fulfils His ministry as our High Priest. One day, He will return bodily to the Earth, bringing all things under the fullness of His reign, whereby He will specifically redeem His people, the church, removing their sin, sickness, death, pain and suffering forever.
Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; Acts 1:9-10; Romans 3:24; Romans 8:34;
Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3–5, 2:24; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24;1 John 2:1–2.
THE PERSON & WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin and is the One who brings about regeneration by Faith and spiritually baptises all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling in them and subsequently sealing them in Christ.
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John 16:8–11; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12–14; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 5:18
THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam’s sin, all humanity fell, all mankind inherited a sinful nature, as well as sinning out of their own volition, and are alienated from God. As such, man is totally depraved and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost relationship with God.
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Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:1–3:12
SALVATION
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace alone and is received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins past, present and future. We believe that this salvation was foreknown by God, and as such, God predestined those who are His own before the foundations of the World.
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John 1:12; Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:102, 7, 2:8–10; 1 Peter 1:18–19
​ETERNAL SECURITY AND ASSURANCE OF BELIEVERS
We believe that all the truly redeemed will be kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation. This does not mean that Christians abuse the grace of God by wilfully and uncaringly participating in sin.
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John 6:37–40, 10:27–30; Romans 8:1, 38-39, 13:13-14; 1 Corinthians 1:4–8; Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 1:5; Titus 2:11–15.
HEAVEN AND HELL
We believe in a literal heaven and hell and that all mankind will end up in one of them, living in an eternally conscious state. We believe that all mankind is deserving of Hell, due to our rebellious life and wilful sin, which are a rejection of God. We believe that the only way to receive Salvation is not by being a 'good person’ or doing ‘good works/deeds’, but by believing and trusting solely upon the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the substitute for their sin. We, therefore, believe that anyone who rejects Jesus Christ as the only way of Salvation will find themselves in eternal conscience torment in Hell - under God’s righteous wrath for all eternity, rather than living in eternal conscience bliss with God, fellow believers and the Angels.
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Job 19:26-27; Luke 16:23-24; John 5:28-29; Acts 3:21, 24:15; Romans 3:9-18; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44; 2 Corinthians 5:1,6-8; Ephesians 4:10; Philippians 1:23, 3:21; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 3:19; Jude 1:6-7.
THE MINISTRY AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS
We believe that God sovereignly bestows all spiritual grace gifts to all believers as He sees fit, so that they can minister to the church and the world. As such, the believer is responsible for developing these gifts, as they depend on the Holy Spirit. Yet, most importantly, those who possess any gift are no more spiritual or of greater value than those who possess different gifts.
We believe that God does hear and answer prayer in accordance with His perfect will.
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John 15:7; Romans 12:1–8; 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, 13, 13:1
Ephesians 4:7–8; 1 John 5:14-15; 1 Peter 4:10–11.
THE CHURCH
We believe that the church, which is the body and bride of Christ, is a living cathedral made up of all believers. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is the normative pattern, and this is taught and defined in the New Testament.
We believe that the local church must be led spiritually by the Elders, who are qualified men and who are supported by the Deacons and the whole congregation, so that they may lead faithfully.
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Acts 13:1–4, 14:27, 15:19–31, 18:22, 20:28; Romans 16:1, 4; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16; 5: 4–7, 12:12–14, 13:2;
2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25–27; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11; 1 Peter 5:1–4.
THE SACRAMENTS
COMMUNION
Communion is one of the two sacraments that Christ instituted, and it was done so at the Last Supper and given as a lasting ordinance to the Church.
We believe that Communion is a sacrament that the church is to administer.
We believe that communion is only to be partaken by those who have confessed Christ as their Lord and Saviour. We believe that it is primarily the responsibility of the saints to examine their own hearts, to see that they are walking in the light of their good confession.
In taking communion, the believer, as part of the Church, is proclaiming their commitment to their covenant relationship with God through Christ’s atoning work, as well as their faith in the future return of Christ.
We believe that Christ is uniquely and spiritually present when the church gathers and partakes in communion.
We believe that the bread and the grape are wholly symbolic of Christ’s body and blood that was split on our behalf at Calvary.
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Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-21; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
BAPTISM
The second sacrament that Christ personally instituted was that of baptism.
We believe that Baptism is a sacrament that the church is to administer.
We believe that the Church should only baptise those who have made a personal and full confession of belief in the Gospel of God. We believe that those desiring to be baptised must be able to give an account of their conversion and beliefs.
We believe that baptism should be by full immersion in water on the confession of the baptisee.
We do not believe that anyone is saved by baptism, but that baptism is a means of a public confession of their covenantal relationship with the Father, through Christ’s death and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is an outward symbol of the work that Christ has already done in the life of the person.
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Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; John 1:29-34; Acts 2:14-41; Romans 6:3-11