STATEMENT OF FAITH
of
BRIDGE COMMUNITY CHURCH
PREAMBLE
The Word of God commands every Christian believer to conform to God's instruction in both doctrine and practice (Psalm 119:105; Matthew 28:18-20; Galatians 1:6-8; II Timothy 4:1-5). It is the goal of this fellowship of believers to stand for and emphasize the foundational truths of the Bible held in common by evangelical Christians. These truths of the historic Christian faith are expressed in the following:
DOCTRINAL STATEMENT:
1. We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired Word of God -- God-breathed, infallible, and inerrant in the original manuscripts, and providentially preserved in their transmission to us today; and the supreme and final authority for faith and life (Matthew 5:18; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21).
2. We believe in one God, existing eternally in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; co-equal in power and glory, identical in their essential nature, attributes, and perfection (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; II Corinthians 5:19; 13:14; I John 5:7).
3. We believe that Jesus Christ is both true God and true man; that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary; that He died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin; that He was buried, but rose from the dead the third day according to the Scriptures; that He ascended into heaven, where He is seated at God's right hand and intercedes as the believer's Advocate and High Priest; and that His imminent return will be personal, visible and victorious, establishing righteousness and justice in the new heaven and new earth. (Luke 1:35; John 1:1,2,14; Acts 1:9-11; I Corinthians 15:3,4; I Thess. 4:13-18; 5:9; Hebrews 7:25; I Peter 2:24; II Peter 3:13; I John 2:1,2; Rev. 19:11-20:6).
4. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, indwelling and sealing believers unto the day of redemption; that He is the Comforter who teaches and guides believers into all truth; and that the evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit displayed in daily living (John 14:16,17,26; 16:7-15; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 6:19,20; 12:12-14; II Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 1:13,14; 5:18; I John 2:20-27).
5. We believe that Satan is a personal and real being, a murderer, liar and great deceiver, sometimes appearing as an angel of light; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and His people and all mankind, having taken captive at his will the unbelieving and disobedient; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Genesis 3:1,13; Job 1:7,7; Isaiah 14:12,17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; John 8:44; Ephesians 6:11,12; II Timothy 2:25,26; I Peter 5:8,9; Revelation 13:14; 20:10; II Cor. 11:14).
6. We believe that man was created in the image of God, without sin; but that in Adam's disobedience, the whole human race incurred both physical and spiritual death; that all men are born with a sinful nature, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ (Genesis 1:26,27; Jeremiah 17:9,10; John 14:6; Romans 3:10-12,22,23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3,12).
7. We believe that salvation is the gift of God, provided and offered to all mankind, yet received individually by repentance of our sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (John 1:12; Acts 20:21; Romans 5:1; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-10; Colossians 1:13; Titus 3:5; I Peter 1:18,19).
8. We believe that the Church universal is the Body and espoused Bride of Christ, a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons past, present and future; and that the establishment and continuance of local churches -- groups of believers banded together to worship, to comfort and build up its members in the holy faith -- is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 2:42-47; 14:27; 20:28-32; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22,23; 4:11-16; 5:25-27; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11; Hebrews 10:25).
9. We believe that all believers are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ at the time of their salvation; that they are equipped by Him with one or more spiritual gifts for the edification of the Body of Christ unto the glory of God; and that it is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Spirit and sanctified in Christ, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service (Mark 1:4-8; Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11, 12-14; 14:1,12; Ephesians 4:11,12; 5:18-21; I Thessalonians 4:3; I Peter 4:10,11; I Cor. 1:30).
10. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life in Heaven, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment in Hell (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28,29; 11:25,26; Revelation 20:4-6, 12-15).
11. We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and word to these truths of Holy Scripture, heeding Christ's commission to the Church to proclaim the Gospel and the Lordship of Jesus Christ to all mankind (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15,16; Luke 24:46-48; John 13:3; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 4:5; 5:17-20; 10:5; I Peter 1:2; 3:15,16).
The Word of God also directs that all things be done decently and in order in the assembly of Christian brethren (I Corinthians 14:40).
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