The Holy Spirit
6. We believe that the Holy Spirit,
in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of
its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with
Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells,
illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and
service.
The Church
7. We believe that the true church
comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in
Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of
which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership
should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances,
baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel.
Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in
genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.
Christian Living
8. We believe that God’s justifying
grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God
commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our
faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the
oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s
name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s
commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness
to the gospel in word and deed.
Christ’s Return
9. We believe in the personal,
bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ,
at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed
hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic
mission.
Response and Eternal Destiny
10. We believe that God commands
everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and
receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily
and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal
conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the
Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace.
Amen.