statementoffaithprint.html

Tri-County Bible Church ~ Statement of Faith

WE BELIEVE that the Bible, including both the Old and New Testaments, is the verbally inspired Word of God inerrant in its original writing (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

The Bible is the supreme and final authority in all matters about which it speaks (2 Timothy 2:15). The Bible is to be interpreted in a normal and literal way and is understandable because of the ministry of the Holy Spirit (Psalm 119:105; John 14:26).

WE BELIEVE in one God, Creator of all things, sovereign, infinitely perfect and eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19).

We BELIEVE that God, the Son, became true man, without ceasing to be God, in the person of Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:17; John 10:30). We BELIEVE that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary (Matthew 1:18-20, 23). We BELIEVE that Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption when He died for our sins as a substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe in (trust in, rely upon) Him are declared righteous on the basis of His finished work (John 1:29, 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Hebrews 9:26). We BELIEVE that He was buried (1 Corinthians 15:4) and in the literal, physical resurrection of Jesus Christ (Luke 24:39; John 20:27), in His ascension into heaven (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:11) and in His present life there for us. Jesus Christ is now exalted and as our high priest, fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate, on our behalf, with the Father (1 John 2:1, 2).

We BELIEVE that God, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16,17; Acts 5:3-4), is the author of Scripture (2 Peter 1:21; 3:14-16, et al). He is that person of the Trinity Who restrains evil in the world (2 Thessalonians 2:7-14), convicts man of sin and points man to Jesus Christ (John 16:7-11), and regenerates believers, baptizing them, at the moment of conversion (1 Corinthians 12:13). He indwells them permanently (Galatians 5:16-18; Ephesians 3:16), seals them unto the day of redemption (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30) and progressively makes those who yield to his control more like Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18), setting them apart from sin unto God (1 John 3:24), preparing them and empowering them for service (Acts 1:8; Romans 8:14).

We BELIEVE that the Holy Spirit gives special abilities (gifts) to every believer (1 Peter 4:10; Ephesians 4:7; 1 Corinthians 7:7) for the building up of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12,13) and for reaching those who do not yet believe (Matthew 28:18-20).

We BELIEVE that man and woman were created in the image of God, but sinned and became totally depraved and in need of a Redeemer (Genesis 2:16,17; 3:8-24). We BELIEVE all men are sinners by nature and practice (Jeremiah 17:9; Psalm 51:5; Mark 7:21-23; Romans 3:23). We BELIEVE the penalty for sin is spiritual death (Ephesians 2:1), physical death (Hebrews 9:27), and eternal death, that is, everlasting punishment in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).

We BELIEVE that salvation is a work of God*s grace based on the merits of the shed blood of Jesus Christ and not on the good works of humanity (Ephesians 1:7;2:8-10). We BELIEVE that all those who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are cleansed, through His shed blood, of all their sin and given eternal life at the moment they receive Him (Hebrews 9:15-10:18; 1 John 1:12; 5:12). We BELIEVE that every believer is eternally secure ( Philippians 1:6; 1 John 5;11-13).

We BELIEVE that the Church of Jesus Christ is comprised of all believers in this age, and that every believer is placed into this Church at the moment of his conversion by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Church is the body of Jesus Christ over which He is the head (Ephesians 1:20-23).

*WE BELIEVE in the imminent return of Jesus Christ for the Church. At that time all members of the body of Christ, both living and dead, will be caught up to be with him forever, and that the church will be taken out of the world before the Tribulation Period (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:7; Revelation 3:10).

*WE BELIEVE in the visible, glorious, personal, and premillenial return of Jesus Christ with His saints to earth to set up a kingdom in which He shall reign in righteousness and peace after the Tribulation Period (Zechariah 14:4-11 ).

* Furthermore, WE BELIEVE that at this time, the nation of Israel will be restored to favor with God (Daniel 9:27; Romans 11:25-27), and that our Lord will rule upon the earth for 1000 years (Matthew 24: 29-31; Acts 1:6; Revelation 20:3-5) after which the world will be destroyed by fire (2 Peter 3:7,10,12; Revelation 20:9,11) and a new world created in which there will be no more pain, sorrow, or death (Revelation 21:1-4).

*WE BELIEVE in the physical resurrection of the saved unto eternal life and the unsaved unto eternal punishment (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28, 29; Philippians 3:21; 1 John 3:2).

We BELIEVE that Satan is real, a fallen angel, and the author of sin. He is the open and declared enemy of God and man. (Job 1:6, 7; Matthew 4:1-11; John 8:44; Ephesians 2:2,3).

We BELIEVE that every believer, while now possessing a new nature, still possesses a sinful old nature which cannot be eradicated in this life. God has made full provision for believers to control this sinful nature and live holy lives (2 Peter 1:3). All believers are to give attention to becoming spiritually mature and fruitful. They are not to use their liberty in Jesus Christ as an occasion to sin (Romans 12:1, 2; 14:13; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; II Timothy 2:15-17; II John 9-11).

We BELIEVE in baptism by immersion in water as a testimony of the believer*s identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6, 3-4). We BELIEVE in observing the Lord*s Supper as a means of commemorating the death of our Savior, and that only those who have been saved through His atoning blood