Statement of Faith

This statement of faith does not capture every aspect of my beliefs. I hold the Bible as the inspired and flawless Word of God, serving as the supreme authority and foundation for my convictions concerning truth, ethics, and righteous behavior.

My aim is to remain steadfast in embracing these core truths while exploring the profound themes of the Bible—God's creation, humanity's fall, Christ's redemption, and my enduring hope—which form the foundation of a distinctively Christlike worldview and way of life.

God

There is only one living and true God who is intelligent, spiritual, and personal. He is the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of everything, infinite in holiness and perfection. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and His knowledge encompasses all things, past, present, and future, including the decisions of His free creatures. We owe Him our utmost love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes but without division in nature, essence, or being.

Jesus

Christ is God's eternal Son. When He became Jesus Christ on Earth, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to the Virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed God's will and fulfilled His divine plan. He took on human nature, experiencing all its demands and needs, yet He did not sin. He followed God's law completely and, through His death on the cross, He saved humanity from sin. After He rose from the dead with a glorious body, He appeared to His followers as the same person they knew before His death. He went up to heaven and now holds a high position beside God, acting as the one who brings people closer to God. He is both fully God and fully human, bridging the gap between God and humanity. He will return with power and splendor to judge the world and complete His plan of redemption. Additionally, He lives within all believers as their present and active Lord.

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is God's own Spirit, completely divine. He guided ancient holy people to write the Scriptures. He helps people understand the truth by giving them insight. He glorifies Christ, convicts people of sin and righteousness, calls them to follow Christ, and renews their hearts. When someone starts fresh, He includes them as part of the community of Christ. He shapes a person's character to be more like Christ, comforts them, and gives them special abilities to serve God through the church. He confirms that believers belong to God until they are fully redeemed. His presence assures believers that God will make them more like Christ. He gives believers and the church guidance and strength in worship, spreading the news of redemption, and serving others.

The Scriptures

The Bible is God's inspired message to humanity. Composed by human authors under divine influence, it serves as an infallible guide to salvation and a profound revelation of God's character. As the ultimate authority on faith, morals, and spirituality. The Bible provides an unwavering foundation for Christian belief and practice. Its central focus is Jesus Christ, the embodiment of God's love and plan for redemption.

Man

Humans are special because God made them in His own image. He created them as male and female, the best part of His creation. Gender is a gift from God and shows how good His creation is. At first, humans were innocent and had the freedom to choose. But they chose to disobey God, bringing sin into the world. This happened when they listened to Satan instead of following God's rules. Because of this, humans are born with a tendency to sin. As soon as they can make choices, they start doing things that go against God's wishes and are judged for it. Only God's grace can bring humans close to Him and help them do what He created them to do. The value of each person is clear because God made them like Himself and Jesus died for them. So, every person, no matter their background, deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and love.

Salvation

Salvation is the comprehensive restoration of individuals, offered freely to all who embrace Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Through His sacrifice, Jesus secured eternal redemption for believers. Salvation encompasses regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. Essential to this process is personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.

Regeneration, also termed the new birth, is a divine transformation where believers become new creations in Christ. This profound change is instigated by the Holy Spirit convicting of sin, leading to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are intertwined components of grace.

Repentance entails turning away from sin and toward God, while faith involves embracing Jesus Christ and surrendering entirely to Him as Lord and Savior.

Justification is God's gracious and complete forgiveness based on His righteousness, bestowed upon all who repent and believe in Christ. Justification establishes a reconciled relationship with God for the believer.

Sanctification, commencing at regeneration, is the ongoing process by which the believer is consecrated to God's purposes and empowered by the Holy Spirit to mature morally and spiritually. This journey of growth in grace persists throughout the believer's life.

Glorification signifies the ultimate fulfillment of salvation, representing the eternal state of blessedness for the redeemed.

-- Justin Bailey