Christ Church aims to be known primarily for the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the “good news” that proclaims that God saves sinners through the perfect life, substitutionary death, and powerful resurrection of Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit. This message is helpfully summarized in the five “alone” statements that were the rally cry of the Protestant Reformation.
The Priority of the Gospel
The Source of Our Message
Scripture Alone. The Bible is God’s Word of divine authority that reveals Himself and the truth of reality. The Scriptures proclaim our need for salvation and Jesus as the only Savior.
The Content of Our Message
Christ Alone. In the New Testament the content of the message of the gospel is “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” Since He alone is the way of salvation, He is central to the message of the Bible. The goal of all church ministry, therefore, is to have its message sourced in God’s Word and centered on the person and work of Jesus.
Faith Alone. Faith alone is how a sinner comes to receive the salvation that Jesus accomplished. On the cross Christ took our sin and its penalty in our place as a substitute and in exchange He has given us His perfect righteousness. When we receive Christ by faith alone God declares us as righteous in His sight because of Christ’s righteousness and not anything that we have done.
Grace Alone. Since salvation is accomplished by Christ alone and received by faith alone, then we joyfully acknowledge that our salvation is all of grace alone. Salvation was planned by the Father before creation, accomplished in history by the Son, and applied by the Spirit for all who hear and respond with repentance and faith.
To God’s Glory Alone. Since salvation is by grace through faith alone God alone receives all the glory. If there was anything we could claim as our own in our salvation then we would no longer boast in Christ alone. But since Jesus is the author, sustainer, and finisher of our salvation then He alone is to be magnified and treasured in our hearts.
Holding Fast to Sound Doctrine
Christ Church seeks to hold fast to the “faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 1:3) The affirmations below are what the church throughout history has held as orthodox and we are joyfully committed to these core teachings.
The Word of God. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. In matters not addressed by the Bible, what is true and right is assessed by criteria consistent with the teachings of Scripture.
2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31,32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32
The Trinity. We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.
Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:1,3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19,20; Ephesians 4:5,6
God the Father. We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Luke 10:21,22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:1,2 & 2:5,6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6
Jesus Christ. We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.
Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 1:26–38; John 1:1, 20:28; Romans 9:5, 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21–23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6–8 & 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; I Timothy 3:16
The Holy Spirit. We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide.
John 14:16,17,26 & 15:26,27; John 16:9–14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; Galatians 5:22–26
Human Condition and Salvation. We believe that humanity was created by God in his own image and for his glory; but that we sinned and fell short of God’s glory, and thus incurred physical, spiritual, and eternal separation from God. We believe that all humans are born with a sinful nature, and are sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. We reject justification based on any human effort, and we believe that only those who have been born again, and thus trust Jesus Christ as their Savior, by virtue of his atoning death on the cross, submitting to him as Lord, and embracing him as supreme Treasure of their lives, are adopted, delivered from condemnation, and receive eternal life. We believe that this faith leads to a heartfelt turning from sin. The Christian life involves growth in grace through persevering, Spirit-empowered resolve to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ.
Genesis. 1:26–27; Genesis 3; Genesis 2:17; 3:19; Ecclesiastes 2:11; Matthew 13:44; John 1:13; John 3:14; 3:16; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; 17:3; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Philippians 3:7–8; 1 John 1:9; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:11; 8:1; 1 Corinthians 15:1–2; Hebrews 3:12–14; Hebrews 6:11–12; Hebrews 10:39; Romans 3:28
The Church, Baptism, & the Lord’s Supper. We believe in one holy, universal Church made up of all who trust Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord, and supreme Treasure of their lives. We believe that God calls us to unite with other believers in local churches to help each other to value Jesus above all else, to praise him together, to make disciples, to grow in our love and knowledge of him, and to stir each other up to good works. We believe that Christians should be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and regularly share in the Lord’s Supper to remember Jesus until his return.
Ephesians 1:22–23; Acts 15:36, 41; 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:1; Galatians 1:1–3; Matthew 28:18–20; Revelations 1:4, 10, 11; Hebrews 10:24–25; Romans 6:3–4; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26
The Last Things. We believe in the personal, visible, and bodily return of Jesus to earth and the establishment of his kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment of all people, the eternal happiness of the righteous in God’s presence, and the eternal misery of the wicked.
Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20; I Thessalonians 4:15–8; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10; Revelation 20:11–15