"It is easy not to offend anyone when there are no lines drawn in the sand"
What We Believe
Trinity
We affirm the omni, immutable, co-existent God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit comprising of the three distinct persons of the Godhead. The fulness of the Godhead dwelling bodily within the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is God. The Father is God. And, the Holy Spirit is God. However, God is not Jesus. (This statement errors because you limit the Godhead to just one of the three Persons). And, God is not the Father. Nor is God the Holy Spirit. Why do we make a distinction? Because we believe that it is essential to distinguish personhood from nature; thus, those who isolate the Deity of God to just one Person errors in their understanding– failing to consider the other two-persons within the Trinity...One God! Three Persons!
I am a random photo to help google find me...
Incarnation
We are random to....
Sometimes we feel like "Horton hears a who"...Google, We Are Here! We Are Here!
The fully incarnate Son Jesus Christ became a human being and atoned for the sins of the entire world– bodily. The salvific plan of God for humanity entailed God becoming flesh through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ became a human being, and currently remains a human being taking on the entirety of our nature. It is this second Person of the Trinity that permanently serves as our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Whatever properties made Jesus Christ a human being however was not His physical body; otherwise, His intermediate state would be left unexplained. Jesus, upon His death is said to have gone and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison (1 Peter 3:19). Thus, it was during this time that the physical body of Christ was kept within the tomb for three days (not to suffer decay, Acts 2:27) before His resurrection.
Therefore, it can be concluded that Jesus’ humanity did not hinge upon His physical body! Otherwise, His humanity would be likened to a t-shirt that can be taken on and off during this intermediate state, and He in-effect, would have ceased from being our High Priest. In addition, when considering aborted children, or amputees, and or burn victims– we do not think of them as only being 50% human just because of their physical impairment or physical disadvantage. Therefore, Jesus became human, that is to say, He became the same with humanities nature; thus, remaining in a Hypostatic union between God and man. Fully God and fully Human. (Philippians 2).
Death, Burial, and Resurrection
We believe that Jesus (the 2nd Person of the Triune nature of God) became incarnate as Immanuel
(Philippians 2). He was crucified for our sins (John 19-20). He was buried in our place (Rom 6:4). And, He rose on the third day (Mark 16).
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third Person within the Triune nature of God. He is not an active force (even though we love star wars––we do not get our doctrine from Hollywood!) He is a Person and we suggest you get to know him! He is the seal-ment of our salvation, our helper, and our God. Reasons for believing He is a Person: Acts 5:32 says He bears witness. Acts 5 says he can be lied to. The Holy Spirit can like something (Acts 15:28). The Holy Spirit refers to Himself as "I" or "Me" (Acts 13:2). He feels and can be grieved (Isaiah 63:10). The Holy Spirit can speak (Ezekiel 3:24, Acts 8:29). The Holy Spirit has a will (1 Corinth 12:7-11). The Holy Spirit shared in the creation. The Holy Spirit is prayed to (2 Corinth 13:14). Holy Spirit forgives sin (Jeremiah 31:33-34 & Hebrews 10:15-17).
I Exist....
Body of Christ
The Body of Jesus alone atoned for the sins of mankind– not His Spirit and not His Soul. Jesus' physical body was never subjected to decay; whereby, bearing the fullness of humanities sins upon Calvary. Jesus’ resurrection brought about the glory restored referenced in John 17:5, whereby His human nature put on immortality with His glorified body. The members of salvation who received the gift of salvation collectively make up the Spiritual Body of Christ today. We affirm that everyone has been given unique gifts, and that no member is any less valuable than another within the Body of Christ. Scripture says, “And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you” (1 Corinth 12:21).
Virgin Birth
The virgin birth is the means for which made the hypostatic union possible. We affirm the virgin birth for scripture says, “And Mary said to the angel, how can this be, since I am a virgin? And the angel answered and said to her, the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:34-35). Jesus Christ has two natures; a human nature and a Divine.
Bible
We believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. We come to such conclusion first by reasoning inductively from scripture, and then deductively through syllogism. The Bible is the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). And, God cannot err (Num 23:19, Heb 6:18). Therefore, the Bible cannot err. The attack on Inerrancy today is an attack upon God Himself! We affirm that scripture is God breathed or Theopneustos, "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:16-17). We affirm Revelation–"Unveiling/ Disclosure/ Act of God." We affirm Interpretation–"Understanding/ Discovery/ Act of Man." We also affirm Illumination–"Implication/ Application/ Act of God." We affirm the Hebrew Old Testament inclusive of the The Law, The Prophets, and The Writings. We affirm the entire New Testament. We deny the Liberal, Neo-Orthodox, and Neo-Evangelical views of inspiration; rather, we affirm the Evangelical Orthodox view of Inspiration which says, "It is the Word of God, with no errors within the original, and delivered through a supernatural process."
What we mean by inerrancy is, "the Bible (Biblical autographs) are wholly true (true in whole and in part), without error in everything affirmed or implied (not just spiritual or redemptive truth)".
God determines canonicity; man discovers it.
Books receive canonicity from God and recognition from the people of God.
Principles of recognition are grounded in theological prolegomena.
Sinfulness of Man
We affirm the fallenness of humanity via his own volition and freedom of the will. We deny divine determinism, and or, Calvinistic underpinnings that ultimately render God responsible for sin. Mankind is plagued with sin, the sin nature, and utterly dead within his trespasses. However, this is not to mean that mankind has somehow lost his capacity to repent, and or recognize his own fallenness and need for a Savior. An alcoholic may completely lack his ability to bring about his own deliverance; however, the component and ability to recognize his lack of ability is still intact––thus, is fully capable of turning to the Savior. We deny Pelagianism, and or, the ability to save oneself from sin. Romans 3:10 “There is none righteous, not even one”. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Saved by Grace
We deny works-based righteousness. Romans 10:3 says, “For not knowing about God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.” We affirm salvation via grace through faith alone. Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”