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We
believe in:
1.
GOD There
is one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons: the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God is unchangeable in his holiness,
justice, wisdom and love. He is the almighty Creator, Saviour and Judge
who sustains and governs all things according to his sovereign will for
his own glory.
All men and women, being created in the image of God, have inherent and equal dignity and worth. Their greatest purpose is to obey, worship and love God. As a result of the fall of our first parents, every aspect of human nature has been corrupted and all men and women are without spiritual life, guilty sinners and hostile to God. Every person is therefore under the just condemnation of God and needs to be born again, forgiven and reconciled to God in order to know and please him 4
THE
LORD JESUS CHRIST The
Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy
Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life in obedience to the
Father. He taught with authority and all his words are true. On the cross
he died in the place of sinners, bearing God's punishment for their sin,
redeeming them by his blood. He rose from the dead and in his resurrection
body ascended into heaven where he is exalted as Lord of all. He
intercedes for his people in the presence of the Father. Salvation
is entirely a work of God's grace and cannot be earned or deserved. It has
been accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ and is offered to all in the
gospel. God in his love forgives sinners whom he calls, granting them
repentance and faith. All who believe in Christ are justified by faith
alone, adopted into the family of God and receive eternal life. 6.
THE HOLY SPIRIT The
Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven to glorify Christ and to apply his
work of salvation. He convicts sinners, imparts spiritual life and gives a
true understanding of the Scriptures. He indwells all believers, brings
assurance of salvation and produces increasing likeness to Christ. He
builds up the church and empowers its members for worship, service and
mission. The
universal church is the body of which Christ is the head and to which all
who are saved belong. It is made visible in local churches, which are
congregations of believers who are committed to each other for the worship
of God, the preaching of the Word, the administering of baptism and the
Lord's Supper, for pastoral care and discipline, and for evangelism. The
unity of the body of Christ is expressed within and between churches by
mutual love, care and encouragement. True fellowship between churches
exists only where they are faithful to the gospel. The
Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead and judge
the world in righteousness. The wicked will be sent to eternal punishment
and the righteous will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy in
fellowship with God. God will make all things new and will be glorified
forever. We adhere to the 1689 Baptist Confession
of Faith.
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