Our statement of faith
"Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus."
2 Timothy 1:13
The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ has a duty to preserve the faith “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) as well as to preach the whole counsel of God (2 Tim 4:1,2).
Throughout history God’s people have fulfilled this imperative by writing creeds, statements of faith, to summarize the most important elements of biblical doctrine.
Among these historic creeds, we subscribe to the ecumenical creeds including the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed (c. AD 381), and the Definition of Chalcedon (c. AD 451).
In addition, our formal doctrinal statements are the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646/7) and the London Baptist Confession (1689).
Although we subscribe robustly to these creeds, the Scriptures themselves are our final and infallible authority for both faith and practice.
Summary Confession
We believe that the Bible, and it alone, is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God.
We believe in one God, eternally existent in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He is omnipotent; that is, He is all-powerful. He is omnipresent; that is, He is present throughout all Creation but not limited by it. He is omniscient; that is, nothing is hidden from His sight. The God we serve is holy, righteous, good, severe, loving, and full of mercy. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Governor of everything that exists.
We believe in the true deity and full humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that He came down from heaven and was born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, worked miracles, died a vicarious death by which He atoned for sin through His shed blood, rose again bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father forever reigning over all. He now intercedes for us, His people, and will return personally in power and glory to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the full deity of the Holy Spirit, acknowledging Him together with the Father and the Son in the works of creation, redemption, and providence.
We believe that because of Adam’s sin, all mankind is dead in sin, is in rebellion against God, and breaks His Law. For the salvation of such lost and sinful people, rebirth by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary.
We believe that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone, and that faith without works is dead.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whom Christians are baptized into the Church, and by whose indwelling we are transformed and empowered to live a godly life.
We believe that the Son of God, from the beginning to the end of the world, gathers, defends, and preserves for Himself, by His Spirit and Word, a Church chosen to everlasting life out of all the nations, in the unity of the true faith; and of this Church we are and forever will be living members. Therefore, God calls us to be joined to a local church belonging to that greater body.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost. Those who have done good will rise to everlasting life, and those who have done evil, to everlasting damnation. And so we who belong to Christ will live forever with Him.
Westminster Confession of Faith
We hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith as an excellent summary of Scripture and Christian doctrine. Because we take confessional subscription seriously, we also confess exceptions. Many of these exceptions are shared with faithful Reformed pastors and theologians.
Comment on Scripture proof texts
The Westminster Assembly included Scripture citations (upon later request) but could not reasonably cite the extensive theological and exegetical works explaining their rationale. Consequently, the connection between citations and confessional statements is not always immediately clear.
Chapter I - Of the Holy Scriptures
Para. 2.
We are unwilling to be dogmatic as to the Pauline authorship of the book of Hebrews.
Para. 8.
We believe that the original languages to be consulted in the matters of controversy are Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic.
Chapter VII - Of God's Covenant with Man
Para 2 (cf. Chp. 19, para. 1, 6).
While we agree with the original intent of the Westminster Divines, we believe the usage of the phrase "covenant of works" is open to misinterpretation by modern Christians. By way of clarification, we deny that any covenant can be kept without faith, and we affirm that good works flow out of faith in God, and not vice versa.
CHAPTER XXI - Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath-Day
Para. 8.
We believe that along with works of piety, necessity, and mercy, the command also calls us to rest physically on the Sabbath (Gen. 2:2-3; Ex. 16:30; 31:15-17).
CHAPTER XXIII - Of the Civil Magistrate
Para. 3.
Delete the last phrase, beginning with "to provide that whatsoever..."
CHAPTER XXIV - Of Marrige and Divorce
Para 4.
Delete the last sentence, which reads, "The man may not marry any of his wife's kindred, nearer in blood than he may of his own: nor the woman of her husband's kindred, nearer in blood than of her own."
CHAPTER XXV - Of the Church
Para. 6.
Though we believe the Pope of Rome to be anti-Christian, we do not believe him necessarily to be the anti-Christ.
CHAPTER XXVII - Of the Sacraments
Para. 4.
We believe that the Lord's Supper should not be administered without the oversight of an elder, lawfully ordained.
CHAPTER XXVIII - Of Baptism
Para. 3.
We believe that the proper modes of baptism include sprinkling, pouring, and immersion.
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