THE TRINITY: Three Faces of God
There is one God who is eternal and holy. He exists as three distinct, but equal, Divine Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Spirit (Holy Spirit). God's unmistakable presence is evident in the wonders of nature and the inner voice of our conscience.
God, the Father
God created the heavens and Earth and is ruler over all creation. Every life and every circumstance is under His power. He is omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (all present - He exists everywhere simultaneously) and omniscient (all knowing).
God, the Son
God came to the Earth in the form of a man, Jesus. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and served as the ultimate sacrifice for the past, present, and future sins of the world when He died a gruesome death on the cross. Just as prophesy foretold, Jesus later rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven. Jesus promised to return to Earth someday in the same manner He departed.
God, the Spirit
The Holy Spirit, the gift of God's presence, dwells within those who are in relationship with God. He guides us into wisdom, convicts us of sin, empowers us spiritually, and ministers to us with peace.
THE BIBLE: God's Holy Scriptures
Many writers wrote the Bible as they were prompted and inspired by God. These Scriptures comprise sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament and reveal God's plan for our lives. The Bible was uniquely, verbally and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and was written without error in the original writings. It is the final authority in all matters on which it speaks.
SIN: Our Disobedience towards God
Sin is any behavior that displeases God and contradicts His law. It may be a thought, word, or act. Sin made its debut into the world when the first human beings, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. Our sin separates us from God, inhibits us from experiencing God's full blessing, and, apart from God's forgiveness, dooms us to eternal anguish.
ATONEMENT: The Payment for Sin
Jesus' death on the cross paid the full price for the consequences of our sin. If we accept His suffering and death on the cross as payment for our sins, and ask for forgiveness, we receive God's gift of eternal life. Neither commitment to good deeds nor practice of religious rituals grants us salvation. Our trust in Christ is what alone determines our destiny. No person is too bad to be forgiven from sin and welcomed into God's Kingdom as a child of God.
GRACE: A Free Gift
Humans possess the ability to choose between right and wrong, but we are not able to follow God and live in complete obedience on our own power. Justification is an act of God, undeserved by us, by which He grants full pardon of all guilt and release from the penalty for our sins. God's grace allows us to live lives that are pleasing to Him.
REPENTANCE: Confession of Sin
We must confess our sinful nature to God to receive His forgiveness. This confession must be a sincere change of heart and desire for spiritual transformation. Our obedience to God is necessary for a changed life to follow.
JESUS' RETURN: The Second Coming
As predicted in the Bible and spoken by Jesus, He will return to raise up all believers, judge the world and establish His glorious kingdom.
SPIRIT WORLD: The Unseen Realm
There is an invisible dimension inhabited by spiritual beings who battle for control of our lives. Angels are God's servants who actively serve and mediate on our behalf. The Bible indicates that these spirit beings do not always remain invisible. Some people see angels and interact with them. Angels often function as messengers and protectors. Once a powerful angel, Satan rebelled against God and now works vigorously against God to destroy us through deception, lies, and temptation. Jesus defeated Satan's power by His death and resurrection. In the meantime, Satan operates as a powerful, yet defeated, adversary who will ultimately be sentenced to an eternity of severe punishment.
BAPTISM: A Statement of Faith
Baptism is a public profession of our faith. A person who is baptized is immersed in water momentarily to symbolize the death of his or her sinful nature and the end of the old way of life. He or she is then raised up to symbolize the beginning of a new life in a relationship with Jesus.
COMMUNION: The Last Supper
Communion is a symbolic act reminiscent of The Last Supper, in which Jesus took the Passover bread and wine and presented it to His disciples before His betrayal and death. Jesus offered the bread as a symbol of His body, which would be broken for them. He gave the cup of wine as a representation of His blood, which would be shed on their behalf. To commemorate this event, we share bread and wine (grape juice) in remembrance of Him.
HEALING: God's Divine Touch
God has the power to heal us whether we need a divine touch on our physical body, mental state, emotional wellbeing, or spiritual intervention. Prayer is our direct communication line to God we can ask Him for anything and believe that He will grant us our requests, according to His will and plan for our lives.
