I. The Scriptures
The Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is God’s written revelation of Himself to humanity. It was written by men divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit, without error in the original manuscripts, and faithfully preserved to the present day. It is the true, infallible, complete, sufficient, and only rule of faith, life, and practice for every believer. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
2 Peter 1:19-21, 2 Peter 3:16, Deuteronomy 4:1-2, Revelation 22:18-19, 1 Corinthians 2:12-16, 2 Timothy 3:15-17, Isaiah 40:8, Proverbs 30:5, Matthew 5:18, Psalm 19:7-10, Deuteronomy 17:19, Romans 15:4, Hebrews 4:12, Luke 24:27, Luke 24:44-46, John 5:39
II. God
There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of all things. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. God reveals Himself as eternally existing in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are equal in every divine perfection, and they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.
Deuteronomy 4:35-39, Isaiah 45:5-7, John 4:24, Genesis 1:1, Isaiah 48:17, Psalm 138:7, Hebrews 1:1-3, Psalm 103:19, Isaiah 6:3, 1 Chronicles 29:10-13, Romans 11:33-36, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Deuteronomy 10:12-13, Luke 3:21-22, Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 4:4-6, Hebrews 1:1-3, Acts 5:3-4, Genesis 1:1-2, John 1:1-3, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mathew 10:29-30, Colossians 1:15-20, Psalm 104:30
A. God the Father
God the Father is the first person of the Trinity, from whom all things are created and for whom all things exist. He has decreed for His own glory and good pleasure all things that come to pass. He lovingly sustains and cares for all His creation. He impartially judges according to each one’s deeds. Yet He has also graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own. In love, He sent God the Son into the world to carry out His salvation plan. He saves from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ and adopts them as His children. He hears and answers prayers. He sends the Holy Spirit to help His children.
1 Corinthians 8:6, Isaiah 46:8-11, Mathew 5:44-45, Mathew 6:26, 1 Peter 1:17, Ephesians 1:4-6, John 3:16, John 1:12, Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5, John 16:23-24, John 14:16
B. God the Son
God the Son, Jesus Christ, is fully God. He took on an additional fully human nature when He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and obeyed the will of God, identifying Himself completely with humanity yet without sin. By His life of perfect obedience and in His substitutionary death on the cross, He made provision for the redemption of humanity from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father. He is the one mediator, the Great High Priest, bringing reconciliation between God and humanity. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission.
Colossians 1:15-17, John 1:1-3, John 10:30, Philippians 2:5-8, Luke 1:35, John 6:38, Hebrews 2:14-18, Hebrews 4:15, Romans 8:1-4, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18, Luke 24:38-39, 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, Ephesians 1:20-23, Philippians 2:9-11, 1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 8:1, Romans 5:8-11, Matthew 16:27
C. God the Holy Spirit
God the Holy Spirit is co-equal in divinity and personhood with the Father and the Son. He convicts humanity of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He inspired the authors of the Scriptures and teaches believers to understand truth.
He enables believers to respond in faith to the gospel message. He cultivates Christian character and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God in His church. He dwells in all believers and His presence is the guarantee of their eternal inheritance in Christ.
2 Corinthians 13:14, John 16:7-14, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 1 John 2:20, 1 John 2:27, 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, John 3:5-7, Titus 3:5, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, Romans 8:9-17, Ephesians 1:13-14
III. Humanity
Humanity was created by God in His image and to bring Him glory. By voluntary transgression they fell from that holy, joyful state and fellowship with God was broken. Thus, all people are corrupt by nature, enslaved to sin, and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. Consequently, all humanity is destined to die and face God’s appropriate judgment for their sins, which is eternal separation from God and condemnation to Hell.
Genesis 1:26-27, Isaiah 43:7, Genesis 3, Ephesians 2:1-3, Romans 3:23, Psalm 14:1-3, Romans 3:9-18, Romans 6:16, Romans 8:7-8, Romans 6:23, John 6:44, John 6:65, Hebrews 9:27, John 5:26-30, Matthew 25:41, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10, Revelation 20:15
IV. Salvation
Salvation from God’s wrath, the just punishment for sin, is offered freely and only to those who trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. On the cross He became their substitute, both paying the penalty for their sin and crediting His righteousness to them. The salvation of man is wholly a work of God’s free grace and is not the work, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness or religious ceremony. The Holy Spirit enables them to respond in faith and repentance. They become new creatures, are continually conformed into the image of Christ, and receive eternal life and a relationship with God. At death, they go immediately to be with the Lord.
Ephesians 2:1-3, Leviticus 5:17, Romans 6:23, Acts 4:12, Romans 8:1-4, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Timothy 1:9-10, John 3:5-8, John 1:12-13, Acts 16:14, Acts 2:38, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 8:29, 1 John 5:11, Luke 23:43, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:21-23
V. The Church
The Church of Christ is the living, worldwide, spiritual body composed of all regenerate persons. Christ is the head of the Church. A local church congregation is a community of believers in Jesus Christ in a specific place. The church gathers to worship, to fellowship, and to observe the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s supper. They also minister to one another in love and unity and the use of spiritual gifts. God has laid upon the church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. The Bible is the final authority for the church in all matters of faith
and practice. Ephesians 2:11-3:6, Ephesians 1:22, Acts 14:23, Romans 16:5, Colossians 4:15, Acts 2:41-47, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26,
1 Corinthians 12:4-7, Matthew 28:18-20, 1 Thessalonians 2:13
VI. Last Things
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness and reign eternally as King. Those who have not trusted in Christ as their Savior will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The saved in Jesus will have resurrected and glorified bodies, will receive their reward, and will dwell forever with the Lord.
Acts 1:6-7, Acts 1:9-11, Matthew 25:23, Matthew 25:31-46, 1 Corinthians 15:12-58, Revelation 11:15, Revelation 20:11-15, Revelation 21:1-4