What The Bible Says

What the Bible says about:

One True God –

• • • • Deuteronomy 6:4
      • Isaiah 43:10

God who has revealed Himself as God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit –

• • • • Matthew 28:19
      • Luke 3:22
      • 2 Corinthians 13:14

God the Father Almighty –

• • • • Isaiah 46:8-11
      • Daniel 4:25, 34–35

God the Creator of all things, visible and invisible –

• • • • Genesis 1:1
      • Acts 17:24-28
      • Hebrews 11:3

Jesus Christ –

• • • • God’s one and only Son
        • • 1 John 4:9
      • Our one and only Savior
        • • 2 Peter 3:18
      • Has always existed as God
        • • John 1:1-3
          • Revelation 1:8
      • Conceived of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary
        • • Matthew 1:18, 23
      • Born both fully human and fully God
        • • John 1:14, 18
          • Colossians 2:9
      • Though sinless, He suffered and was crucified
        • • 1 Peter 2:21-24
      • He died, was buried, and was raised on the third day
        • • 1 Corinthians 15:3–4
      • Ascended into Heaven, seated at the Right hand of God
        • • Acts 1:9-11
          • Colossians 3:1
      • Will return to judge the living and the dead
        • • Acts 17:30–31
          • 1 Peter 4:5

The Holy Spirit –

• • • • Sent from God to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement to come
        • • Acts 1:7–8
          • John 14:16–17, 16:5-11
      • Dwells in Christians
        • • Romans 8:9-11
          • 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19
      • Intercedes for Christians
        • • Romans 8:26-27
      • Helps us remember and protect the Truth of God’s Word
        • • John 14:25–26
          • 2 Timothy 1:14

The Bible –

• • • • Written by men, but inspired by the Holy Spirit
        • • 1 Thessalonians 2:13
          • 2 Peter 1:20–21
      • It is infallible
        • • Isaiah 40:8
          • Matthew 24:35
          • Hebrews 4:12–13
      • Final authority for all matters of faith and practice
        • • Romans 15:4
          • 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Man’s Condition –

• • • • People created by God willfully sin against God
        • • Genesis 3
          • Romans 3:23; 5:12
      • All are lost and without hope apart from Jesus Christ
        • • Acts 4:12

God’s Solution – Ephesians 1:7 says “In Him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”  In Acts Chapter 2, we see what people who heard the first Gospel sermon did to be forgiven of their sins through the blood of Christ.

• • • • They heard the Gospel (Death-Burial-Resurrection of Jesus Christ)
        • • Acts 2:22-36
      • They believed the Gospel (when they heard they had crucified the Messiah, they were cut to the heart)
        • • Acts 2:36–37
      • They confessed their belief (what shall we do?)
        • • Acts 2:37
      • They repented (they turned from their sin)
        • • Acts 2:38
      • They were baptized (immersed in water) for the forgiveness of their sins in the name of Jesus Christ
        • • Acts 2:38
      • In baptism, they received the Holy Spirit, who enabled them to continue to devote themselves to the apostles teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
        • • Acts 2:38-46
      • The Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.  Thus the church was born.
        • • Acts 2:47
      • Hebrews 9:22 reminds us that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.  In baptism, God connects us with the death of Christ, where He shed His blood for our forgiveness.
        • • Romans 6:3–4
          • Ephesians 1:7
          • Colossians 2:12

The Church

• • • • Consists of all people everywhere who respond to the Gospel in the same way the 3,000 people did on the day of Pentecost in Acts Chapter 2, as the Lord continues to add to His church day by day those who are being saved.
      • With the assistance of evangelists (the preacher), the pastors (the elders) are to guard and shepherd each local congregation.
        • • Ephesians 4:11–12
          • Titus 1:5
          • Acts 20:28

The End of the Age

• • • • Second coming of Christ and the resurrection of the dead
        • • Acts 1:9-11
          • 1 Corinthians 15:50-58
          • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
      • Christ’s return and His judgement of the living and the dead are imminent
        • • Hebrews 9:27
          • 2 Corinthians 5:10
      • Heaven and Hell are realities that mark our final destination
        • • Matthew 25:31-46
          • Revelation 20:11-22:5

Communion –

• • • • The early church’s practice of celebrating the Lord’s supper weekly as a proclamation of the death, burial, resurrection, and continuing presence of Christ
        • • Acts 2:42
          • Acts 20:7
          • 1 Corinthians 11:24-30

Stewardship –

• • • • Acts 2:44-45 says “And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.”
      • For the Christian, the practice of tithing is an essential habit of a fruitful life and ministry
        • • 1 Corinthians 9:1-14
          • Malachi 3:10

Marriage –

• • • • Marriage is only the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.
        • • Genesis 1:26-28
          • Genesis 2:15-25
          • Matthew 5:31–32
          • Matthew 19:3-9
          • Mark 10:6-12
          • Romans 1:18-32
      • It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church
        • • Ephesians 5:21-33
      • Marriage provides for the man and the woman the framework for intimate companionship, the channel for sexual expression according to biblical standards.
        • • 1 Corinthians 7:1-16
          • Titus 2:3-5
          • Hebrews 13:4
          • 1 Peter 3:1-7
      • The means for procreation of the human race in the creation of families
        • • Ephesians 6:1-4
          • Colossians 3:20–21
          • 2 Timothy 1:5
          • 1 Timothy 5:8

Caution:  God’s Word can be mishandled –

• • • • Galatians 1:7-8 says “… there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the Gospel of Christ.  But even through we are, or an angel from Heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.”
      • 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of Truth.
      • 1 Timothy 4:16 says, “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”

Doctrines and practices to avoid –

• • • • Since we strive to be a New Testament Church, with God’s help, we will follow his pattern for the New Testament Church as closely as possible.  With this commitment to being a church patterned after the New Testament, there will be no teaching or practice of:
        • The health and wealth (prosperity) gospel
        • Anything implying salvation before baptism into Christ, such as the “Sinner’s Prayer”
        • The doctrine of eternal security (once saved, always saved)
        • The promotion of political agendas or issues
        • The charismatic practice of speaking in tongues, etc. (The sign gifts were for the founding of the first century church and the creation of the New Testament scriptures, and not God’s way of gifting the church today.  Mark 16:14-20; 1 Corinthians 12 and 13; Ephesians 4:11-16)