Member Affirmation of Faith

At Glory of Christ Fellowship we require all members to affirm the following theological statement. The purpose of this statement is to express the truths that a Christian must not deny, or preferably, would affirm. It is not meant to represent all that a Christian should believe, but rather to lay a general theological foundation upon which this church can unite “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” (Ephesians 4:13-14).

I. THE TRINITY

We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; and that these are the same divine essence and are equal in every divine perfection, but that they have different roles. (Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19-20; Ephesians 4:5-6)

II. GOD THE FATHER

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Luke 10:21-22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; I Timothy 1:1-2; 2:5-6; I Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6)

III. JESUS CHRIST

We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 8:46; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30-31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9-10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; I Timothy 3:16)

IV. THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the Holy Spirit sent into the world by God to glorify the Son of God. We believe that without his work no one would come to faith. We believe that His work in regeneration is not the result of water baptism or any outward ritual. We believe He indwells everyone who trusts in Christ, and helps them make progress in overcoming sin and in becoming more like Jesus Christ in thought, deed, and love for God the Father. (John 14:16-17,26; 15:26-27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26)

V.The Word of God

We believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the infallible Word of God, verbally inspired by God, and without error in the original manuscripts. We believe that God’s intentions, revealed in the Bible, are the supreme and final authority in testing all claims about what is true and what is right. In matters not addressed by the Bible, what is true and right is assessed by criteria consistent with the teachings of Scripture. (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13: 14:37; Mark 13:31; John 8:31-32; 14:26; 16:13-14; 17:17; 20:31; Acts 20:32; Matthew 22:29, 43-44; 24:35; Numbers 23:19; Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 12:6; Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2)

VI. THE HUMAN CONDITION AND SALVATION

We believe that man was created by God in His own image and for his glory; but that man sinned and fell short of God’s glory, and thus incurred physical, spiritual, and eternal separation from God. We believe that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and so are under divine condemnation. We reject justification by works of the law, and we believe that only those who trust Jesus Christ as their Savior, by virtue of His atoning death on the cross, submitting to him as Lord, and embracing Him as supreme Treasure of their lives, are justified, delivered from condemnation, and receive eternal life. We believe that this faith leads to a heartfelt turning from sin. The Christian life involves growth in grace through persevering, Holy Spirit-empowered resolve to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ. (Genesis. 1:26-7; Genesis 3; Genesis 2:17; 3:19; Eccl. 2:11; Matt 13:44; John 1:13; John 3:14-16; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; 17:3; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Phil 3:7-8; I John 1:9; II Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:11; 8:1; I Corinthians 15:1-2: Hebrews 3:12-14; Hebrews 6:11-12; Hebrews 10:39; Romans 3:28)

VII. THE CHURCH

We believe in one holy, universal Church made up of all who trust Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord and Supreme Treasure of their lives. We believe that God calls us to unite with other believers in local churches to help each other to value Christ above all, to praise Him together, to grow in our love and knowledge of Him, to stir each other up to good works, and to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ. We believe that Christians should be baptized and regularly eat the Lord’s Supper together. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 15:36, 41; 16:5; I Corinthians 16:1; Galatians 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4,10-11; Hebrews 10:24-25; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

VIII. THE LAST THINGS

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body and the final judgment of all people, leading to the eternal happiness of the righteous in the Lord’s presence, and the eternal separation of the wicked from the presence of the Lord. (Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Phil. 3:20; I Thessalonians 4:15-8; II Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; I Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 15; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 20:11-15)