HOPE CHRISTIAN
CHURCH
What We Believe
In essential beliefs, we have unity. "There is one Body and one Spirit...there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all..." - Ephesians 4:4-6
In non-essential beliefs, we have liberty. "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters...who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls...so then each of us will give an account of himself to God...so whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God." - Romans 14:1, 4, 12 & 22
In our beliefs, we show love. "...If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains - but have no love, I amount to nothing at all." - 1 Corinthians 13:2
The essentials we believe:
I. We believe in one God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:2; Matthew 5:16 & 45; Matthew 6:1, 4, 8, 9; John 1:1; John 4:24; John 14:9; John 14:16-20; James 1:17; 2 Peter 1:21)
a. We believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of all things visible and invisible. (Genesis 1:1; Acts 17:24-28; Hebrews 11:3)
b. We believe in Jesus Christ, God's one and only Son, our one and only Savior, (John 1:14; John 3:16; 1 John 4:9; 2 Peter 3:18),
1. Who was born both fully human and fully divine, conceived of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and lived a sinless life, (Matthew 1:18, Matthew 21:11; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:14; John 19:19; Romans 5:15-17; Colossians 2:9; 1 John 1:1), 2. Who suffered and was crucified, (Luke 23:1-46), 3. Who died and was buried, and who rose again bodily from the dead on the third day, (Luke 23:44-24:8; John 20:24-29; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8), 4. Who ascended into Heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father, (Luke 22:69; Acts 1:1-9; Colossians 3:1), 5. And who will return to Earth to judge both the living and the dead.(Matthew 24:36-42; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10-11; Acts 10:39-42; 1 Peter 4:5).
c. We believe in the Holy Spirit,
1. Who is a personal and active part of the triune God, (John 16:5-15; Acts 1:7-8; Romans 8:26-27), 2. And who indwells every Christian. (1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Timothy 1:14).
II. We believe in the Bible, God's Holy Word.
a. We believe God inspired the original writings of the Scriptures, and therefore, the Bible is completely trustworthy in all its parts. (John 14:26; John 16:12-15; Acts 1:16; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-16; 2 Peter 1:20-21) b. We accept the Bible as the final authority for all matters of faith and practice. (Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18; Matthew 24:35; Romans 15:4; Hebrews 4:12)
III. We believe that people created by God willfully sin against God and are consequently lost and without hope apart from Jesus Christ. (Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23)
IV. We believe that salvation - the forgiveness of sins - cannot be earned but is given to us by God's grace only through the blood of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 26:28; Romans 5:1-11; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-10; Hebrews 10:19-22; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 1:7)
V. We believe that we must respond to God in faith, (Ephesians 2:8-9),
a. Believing and confessing the truth about Jesus, (Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9-10), b. Turning away (repenting) from sin, (Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Acts 17:30), c. Trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord, (Romans 10:11-13; Philippians 2:11), d. Being baptized (immersed) into Christ, (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-4), e. Following Christ in trust and obedience. (Romans 6:11-23; Romans 12:1-2)
VI. We believe in the church of Jesus Christ, consisting of all Christians everywhere. (Matthew 16:13-18; Acts 2:14-47; Ephesians 1:22-23)
VII. We believe in the church's mission: making disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey all of Jesus' commands. (Matthew 28:18-20)
VIII. We believe that those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity with Him. (John 3:16; John 6:39-40: John 11:25-26)