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What We Believe

 

In common with other evangelical believers we hold fast to the founding principle of the 16th century Protestant Reformation that Holy Scripture, the Bible, is to be our sole authority for both faith and conduct.

To summarise the entire teaching of the Bible on this web site would be impossible but others have in the past made great efforts to produce a short outline of the major teachings of historic Christianity, to which we hold firmly. Here first is a short summary, and then a longer one, but again we must stress that ultimate authority rests with the Holy Scriptures and not with any summary statement of faith, however helpful these may be.

  • God is the originator of the entire universe, and our maker;

  • The Bible is God’s Word to mankind;

  • Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God; he was born at Bethlehem and lived a perfect life

  • He died for our sins on the cross outside Jerusalem, voluntarily taking punishment from God that we deserved;

  • God raised him back to life from the grave, and he is alive today in heaven;

  • God loves us and promises eternal life to those who seek his forgiveness by faith in Jesus Christ;

  • We can never deserve God’s mercy; forgiveness is his gracious free gift for us to accept in faith;

  • One day we will all stand before God and answer for our lives and our attitude to his Son.

A useful longer summary in a more formal style is the Basis of Faith published by the UK Evangelical Alliance, a body serving more than 1.5 million evangelical Christians in many different denominations as well as in independent churches like ourselves.

 

Our Statement of Faith

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In common with other evangelical Christians we believe that the Bible is to be our sole authority for both faith and conduct.

The following is a summary of major Christian doctrines to which we hold firmly (Jude 3). This is where we stand collectively as a church. Ultimate authority, however, rests with the Holy Scriptures themselves.

  1. There is one God, eternally existing in in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - the Holy Trinity - equal in nature yet distinct in their roles.

  2. God is the creator of the entire universe. He is our Maker. He is holy, a God of righteousness, justice, truth and love.

  3. The Bible, both the Old and New testaments, is God's Word to mankind, revealing His law, His love and His grace. It is our authoritative source of moral and spiritual guidance for all aspects of life, as individuals and in marriage, family, church and community.

  4. We are sinners without exception deserving His righteous and eternal judgement. Despite this God loves us and has provided a way of salvation.

  5. Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He was born of the virgin Mary, truly human and truly divine. He lived a perfect life. He died for our sins on the cross outside Jerusalem, voluntarily taking from God the punishment that we deserved

  6. God raised Jesus bodily back to life from the grave. He ascended into heaven and is alive today as the one mediator between God and mankind, the only Saviour. His resurrection is the guarantee of our future resurrection.

  7. Out of His free grace God promises eternal life to all who seek His forgiveness by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Believers are justified before God, eternally secure, by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, not by good works.

  8. Once we have accepted God's forgiveness as His free gift, He calls us to honour Him through lives of holiness and love in obedience to His word.

  9. Before his crucifixion the Lord Jesus Christ instructed his disciples to remember Him in the bread and wine of communion. After his resurrection he commanded them to spread His Word, saying that those who believed should be baptised.

  10. On Christ's ascension into heaven the Holy Spirit came down to earth. He calls us to repentance, points us to Christ, gives us new life through the new birth, and gives us strength for discipleship, Christian witness and all aspects of daily life.

  11. Whilst we become Christians by individual acts of faith God then calls us to live and serve Him in fellowship together with other believers in `a local church

  12. Christ promised that He will return, and as His people we should live in expectancy. He will keep His promise, though we cannot know when. His people will be caught up to be with Him, with rewards for service. Human history will reach its culmination in divine judgment. The dead will be raised and following the final judgement day God will make a new heaven and a new earth "in which dwells righteousness".

There are many other topics on which Christians disagree and we respect that. With God's help and prayerful cooperation, we seek to glorify God by our unity in diversity, standing together on the foundational truths of salvation and Christian living.

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