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Introduction
We believe that
the Bible is the word of God and that the Bible alone defines the truth
about God and knowing him. The purpose of this document is
to provide a summary of Bible teaching. It is very similar in content to the summaries drawn up
by Bible-believing Christians throughout the ages and all around the
world.
Contents - click one of the topics below:
What do we believe about
God?
We believe in one living and true
God. He is infinite in his power, glory and wisdom, and perfect in his holiness,
justice and love. He alone is to be worshipped and obeyed.
God created from nothing the entire
universe; he upholds it by his power so that it continues to exist; and he
sovereignly rules over all things for his glory, in a manner that expresses
his infinity and perfection.
We believe that this one God exists
eternally in three Persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three persons
are equal in nature, power and glory.
Passages for study:
Genesis
1:1-2:4
Deuteronomy 6:4-19
Psalm 8, 104
Romans 11:33-36
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What do we believe about
The Bible?
God reveals his glory and power
in the universe that he has made and just from looking around us we can see
how powerful, wise, generous, skilful and awesome he is. However, such an
outline on its own is insufficient to bring us to truly know God. Thankfully
God has not kept silent but has spoken clearly to tell us who he is, what
he is like, how we can get to know him and why we need to.
God has revealed himself through
his dealings with people throughout human history, and caused people to pass
on the truth about him by word of mouth and by written record. This culminated
in him fulfilling many spoken and written promises when he came in human
form - Jesus. In the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ,
we see most clearly who God is, what he is like and what he demands of us.
God has ensured an accurate record and explanation of the whole story was
recorded through the work of the Holy Spirit, and thus we have the Bible:
Sixty-six books written over at least a 1500 year period but one consistent
message.
Although human authors wrote the
Bible, God ensured that they wrote the very words which he wished to be recorded
as his revelation to man. Because this is so, the Bible is entirely trustworthy
in all its teaching; therefore it is the only sure and complete guide to
knowing and serving God today. Christians and Churches are to live by the
teaching of the Bible. No other book, person, or tradition has such authority.
All that they say must be tested against the teaching of the Bible.
In order to understand the message
of the Bible we depend on the Holy Spirit to help us. He does so as we study
the Bible humbly and reverently, as we benefit from the ministry of those
whom the Holy Spirit has gifted as teachers and preachers in the Church,
and as we seek to obey God's will expressed in the Bible.
Passages for study:
Psalm 19:1-14
Romans 1:18-20
1 Corinthians 2:6-16
2 Timothy 3:10-17
Hebrews 1:1 - 2:4
2 Peter 1:16-21.
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What do we believe about People
and Sin?
We believe that God created man
in his own image, thus giving them a unique position and dignity within the
created universe. All human beings share equally in this dignity. God created
people to know and love him, and to rule over and care for the earth which
he had made.
However, the first man Adam rebelled
against the commands of God. Because of his rebellion, he forfeited the relationship
with God which he had enjoyed, and evil and death began to affect creation.
Since then all people have inherited
at birth a sinful nature and an inbuilt bias towards sin and against God.
This makes them guilty before God and the impact of sin can be seen in the
corruption of every aspect of human life. Worse still, because of sin, all
men and women are without spiritual life and are hostile to God. Every person
is therefore subject to God's righteous anger and judgement and if they are
to be rescued from this require radical intervention.
Passages for study:
Genesis 1:26
- 3:24
Romans 1:18 - 3:20 and 5:12-21
Ephesians 2: 1-3
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What do we believe
about Jesus Christ?
We believe that, before the creation
of the world, God chose and planned that an innumerable number of people
would be saved, that is to be brought to know God, despite their sin.
He did so solely because of his great love and mercy, and not because he
foresaw any merit or faith in anyone.
At the right time in God's plan,
the Father sent his Son into our world to secure the salvation of sinful
human beings. Although sharing equally in the divine nature with the Father,
he became a real man, like us in every way but without sin. By the power
of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary.
He lived a life of perfect obedience to his Father, and died a criminal's
death on a cross, though he himself had done no wrong. As a substitute for
sinners, he took on himself the full weight of God's righteous anger against
sin. On the third day after he was put to death he rose again from the dead,
as foretold by the Scriptures. By his resurrection he broke the power of
death in order to give life to all who entrust their lives to him. He ascended
into heaven, where the Father has given him honour as Lord over all things.
Because of Jesus' work, the Father delights to grant his requests as he intercedes
in heaven on behalf of his people. One day he will return to this earth to
judge every human being (See Section 8).
Passages for study:
God's plan
Galatians 3:19 - 4:7
Ephesians 1:3-14
Jesus' Nature
John 1:1-18
Philippians 2:5-11
Hebrews 2:5-18, 4:14-16
Jesus' Birth
Matthew 1:18-25
Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-21
Jesus'
Life
Acts 2:23-36
Jesus'
Death
Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12
Romans 3:21-31 and 8:1-4
Jesus'
Resurrection
1 Corinthians 15:1-5
Jesus'
Heavenly Ministry
Hebrews 7:11-10:18
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What do we believe about becoming
a Christian?
We believe that God commands each
person to stop rebelling against him and his ways, and to receive the salvation
which he offers. This salvation is entirely a work of God's grace and it
cannot be earned or deserved. Indeed it is only by God's grace that anyone
comes to understand the truth of God's word, welcome it and respond to it
in repentance and faith.
To repent means to see our life
and our sin as God sees them, and express a genuine desire therefore to turn
away from sin and live under God's rule. Faith has been described as holding
an outstretched empty hand to God, for faith recognises that we cannot save
ourselves. All we can do is to receive with gratitude the provision which
God has made for us to be reconciled to him through Jesus Christ, and to
trust him to keep his promises to save all who turn to him.
Through faith in Christ, believers
are united with him so that, when God looks at them, he sees the perfect
righteousness of Jesus instead of their sin. God declares just (or 'justifies')
those who trust in Christ in this way, pardoning their sin and counting them
righteous. Those who are justified are adopted into God's family.
Baptism is the way in which we
express outwardly our new-found faith. Those who have turned from sin to
God and are trusting Christ to save them are immersed in water in the name
of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In being baptised, we identify
ourselves with Christ in his death and resurrection for us, we are assured
that through Christ our sin has been forgiven, and we commit ourselves to
living God's way. Baptism normally leads to becoming a part of the local
church.
Passages for study:
Jeremiah
31:31-34
Acts 2:37-47 and 16:13-34
Romans 5:1-11 and 6:1-14, 8:5-27
2 Corinthians 4:1-6
Ephesians
2:1-10
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What do we believe about The Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit has been sent from
heaven to glorify Christ. Through the word of God he brings people to meet
Jesus and apply to them what Christ has done for them. It is he who causes
a person to see and feel the reality of their guilt before God. It is he
who imparts spiritual life which is essential to know God.
The Holy Spirit lives within all
believers, bringing an assurance of their right standing before God and new
desire above all else to please God. He opens our eyes to understand the
message of the Bible, enables us to overcome sin, equips us with gifts and
power to serve God and makes us more and more like Jesus Christ as we display
God's family characteristics.
Passages for study:
John 16:5-16
2 Corinthians 5:17
James 1:18
Romans 8:1-17
2 Corinthians 3:17-18
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What do we believe
about The Church?
We believe that the Church is made
up of all true Christians, from every race and every age in history. Christ
is the head of the Church, and exercises authority over it.
According to the New Testament,
Christians in a particular locality are to commit themselves to meeting together
as a local church. A local church should be marked by teaching based on the
message of the Bible, leadership which helps Christians mature spiritually,
self-giving love between Christians who are part of it, and obedience to
the commands of Jesus Christ.
The local church exists to make
known the Christian message to all in its locality and to provide for the
growth of its members through teaching, pastoral care and the exercise of
the spiritual gifts which God has given them.
The church is to meet together
regularly; each member should make it a priority to be present where possible,
not neglecting this without good cause. Such meetings have the building up
of one another as their purpose. This happens as members learn from the Bible,
celebrate the Lord's Supper, have fellowship, and pray together. In this
way they are enabled to live effective Christian lives.
The Lord's Supper was instituted
by Jesus Christ before he died, and local churches should continue to celebrate
it regularly as part of their meeting together until he returns. As Christians
take the bread and wine together, they call to mind Christ's death which
has reconciled them to God. In this way their faith and hope are strengthened
and they affirm their commitment to serve one another and to serve Christ.
The Church is ultimately governed
by Christ, but he does so through calling individuals to lead local churches.
Leaders do not exercise authority on their own account, but as they teach
the Bible. Members of the church are to submit to such leadership and to
support their leaders in whatever way necessary.
Just as Christians within a church
are to love and accept one another, so true Christian churches within a particular
locality are to demonstrate their unity in Christ by their relationships.
True fellowship between churches can only exist where there is a clear visible,
practical unswerving commitment to the true gospel.
Passages for study:
Local
Churches
John 13:34-35
Acts 2:38-47 and 4:32-37
1 Corinthians 11:19 - 14:40
Hebrews 10:19-25
The
Church's Task
Matthew 28:16-20
The Lord's
Supper
Matthew 26:17-30;
1 Corinthians 10:14-22 and 11:17-34
Church
Leadership
Ephesians 4:11-16
1 Timothy 3:1-13
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What do we believe about The Future?
We believe that history is moving
towards the time when all whom God has chosen will have been saved, and Jesus
Christ will return visibly and in person. The dead will be raised, and everyone
who has ever lived will be judged. Those who do not know God will be eternally
separated from the presence of God in Hell, as God's just punishment for
their sin. Those who know God will be welcomed into the presence of God in
Heaven, where they will enjoy eternal and perfect life with Christ. All creation
will be made new, and all evil destroyed, and so God will be honoured for
ever. Christians long for this time; they are to prepare themselves for it
by the way they conduct their daily lives.
Passages for study
Psalm 96:1-12
Matthew 24:1 - 25:46
Acts 1:6-11
Romans 8:18-25
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Revelation 1:4-8, 21:1-22:6
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