Salvation

We believe that salvation is only gained through faith in Jesus Christ.  We are saved by His death, burial, and resurrection. We believe that salvation is God’s gift to you.  Salvation is not a result of our good works, noble aspirations, attempts at self-improvement, or of any human effort of any kind. It is only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness that you can be saved from the penalty of sin that all are born into. We believe that a continued walk in grace is to be the emphasis of a believer’s lifestyle after salvation.  This process is sanctification.

We believe in a heart righteousness and purity and walking after the Spirit and not after our flesh in a lifestyle that demonstrates the character, standards and convictions of Jesus Christ.  As followers of Christ, we are not to be conformed to this world, but are to be dedicated to the renewing of our minds.  Salvation changes both our lives and our lifestyle.  It is through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a godly life

Psalm 51:5Psalm 51:55 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. | Jude 24Jude 2424 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, | Galatians 5:16-25 | Isaiah 1:18Isaiah 1:1818 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool., 53:5-6Isaiah 53:5-65 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all., 55:7Isaiah 55:77 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Matthew 1:21Matthew 1:2121 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”, 27:22-66, 28:1-6Matthew 28:1-628 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. | Luke 1:68-69Luke 1:68-6968 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,, 2:28-32Luke 2:28-3228 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” | John 14:6John 14:66 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me., 1:12John 1:1212 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Romans 4:1-5Romans 4:1-54 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,, 12:1-2Romans 12:1-212 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. | Acts 16:31Acts 16:3131 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” | Romans 5:1Romans 5:15 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. | 10:9-10Romans 10:9-109 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. | Galatians 2:16Galatians 2:1616 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified., 3:8Galatians 3:88 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”

Ephesians 2:8-9Ephesians 2:8-98 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. | Titus 3:5Titus 3:55 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, | Hebrews 9:22Hebrews 9:2222 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins., 6:7-12Hebrews 6:7-127 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. 9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. | Revelation 3:20Revelation 3:2020 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

The Church

We believe that the church is the body of Christ.  We believe that the church is a local community of baptized believers unified through faith in Christ Jesus, but that it is also much more than that as well.  The church is not just a building or a routine gathering of people; it is a body living in relationship and harmony under the direction of Jesus Christ.  As such, the church is to be committed to the teachings of Christ and obeying all of His commands.  The church also seeks to bring the Gospel to the world around us. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers that comprises the church.

We believe that the Church works together in love and unity, working diligently and faithfully towards the ultimate intent of glorifying Christ in all that we do.  We consider the fellowship of the saints together in the private homes of the members to be an essential expression of the life of faith of the church.

Matthew 16:18-19Matthew 16:18-1918 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”, 8:15-20Matthew 8:15-2015 He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. 16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.” The Cost of Following Jesus 18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” | John 17:11John 17:1111 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one., 17:20-23John 17:20-2320 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Acts 2:41-47, 5:11-14Acts 5:11-1411 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. 12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,, 13:1-3Acts 13:1-313 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off., 14:23Acts 14:2323 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed., 16:5Acts 16:55 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily., 18:8Acts 18:88 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized., 20:28Acts 20:2828 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

1 Corinthians 7:171 Corinthians 7:1717 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches., 9:13-141 Corinthians 9:13-1413 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel., 9:121 Corinthians 9:1212 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. | Ephesians 1:22Ephesians 1:2222 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,, 2:13-22Ephesians 2:13-2213 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit., 3:10-12Ephesians 3:10-1210 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him., 5:22-32Ephesians 5:22-3222 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

Hebrews 12:23Hebrews 12:2323 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, | 1 John 1:6-71 John 1:6-76 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 Corinthians 6:151 Corinthians 6:1515 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! | 2 Corinthians 1:112 Corinthians 1:1111 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Romans 16:5Romans 16:55 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia., 16:10-11Romans 16:10-1110 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. | 2 Timothy 1:162 Timothy 1:1616 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains,, 2 Timothy 4:192 Timothy 4:1919 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Philippians 4:22Philippians 4:2222 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.

1 Peter 4:171 Peter 4:1717 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? | 1 Corinthians 6:1-81 Corinthians 6:1-86 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers! | Ephesians 4:3-6Ephesians 4:3-63 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.