Our Beliefs - Christ Church

1. The only true God, the almighty Creator and Sustainer of all things, exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

This means we believe that:

As God created and sustains the universe, He knows what is best for our lives and deserves our worship as the only true God.
There is perfect unity in the Trinity.
God is most clearly seen in the person of Jesus.

(Isaiah 44:6; Revelation 4:11; John 1:1-3; Hebrews 1:3; John 14:9-11; Colossians 1:15-16; John 16:13-15; Matthew 28:19)

2. The Bible, as originally given, is divinely inspired, infallible, and is the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

This means that we believe that:

The Bible was written to reveal God’s character and plan and how we are to live in response.
The 66 books of the Bible cannot be added to or altered, and its teachings will override any human teaching, including any other book which claims to be God’s Word.
We should act in a way which is consistent with what the Bible teaches: doing those things which it describes as right, and not advocating or practising those things which the Bible describes as sinful. This includes things like dishonesty, greed, sexual relationships outside marriage, homosexual relationships, drunkenness and foul language.

(II Timothy 3:14-17; Matthew 5:17-19; Colossians 3:5-17; I Corinthians 6:9-11)

3. All people have value and dignity; they are created in God’s image to live in relationship with their Creator and His creation, but have become alienated from Him and others because of sin and are therefore justly subject to God’s condemnation.

4. Jesus Christ, fully human and fully divine, was born of the virgin Mary. He was perfect and lived in complete obedience to God the Father. Because of God’s love for humanity, Jesus willingly died on the cross as a sacrifice, taking the punishment that we deserved for our sin.

This means we believe that:

Jesus provides the only solution to our sin and alienation from God.
His death was no accident, but was God’s plan to provide the only sufficient sacrifice for sin, once for all, as a substitute for sinful people.
We need to take his death and resurrection seriously, as anyone who ignores it is ignoring God’s offer of rescue.

(Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-14; Colossians 1:15-20; I Peter 3:18)

5. Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead and ascended to heaven, where he reigns at the right hand of God.

This means we believe that:

Jesus was physically raised from the dead in accordance with the accounts of the Bible. This means the resurrection is not myth, exaggeration or fiction.
Jesus Christ is alive today and forevermore, reigning in heaven as Lord and King.
We can know Him today and have a relationship with Him.

(John 20; I Corinthians 15:1-8, 12-58; Acts 1:9; Acts 2: 32-39; Hebrews 7:24-25)

6. It is only by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, that our relationship with God is restored and that we can be justified.

This means we believe that:

No-one can earn their salvation: it is a gift from God that we need to accept by trusting Jesus.
Christians have no reason to boast about what they have done to establish their relationship with God, as He is the source of this.
Jesus is the only way for us to be put right with God. No good works or religious rituals can make us right with Him.

(Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 4:12; John 14:6; John 1:12)

7. The work of the Holy Spirit is necessary for us to repent and have faith in Jesus Christ, bringing us into a right relationship with God.

This means we believe that:

Though our relationship with God needs to be restored, this cannot be achieved through our own efforts.
We need to acknowledge that we haven’t treated God the way He deserves.
A restored relationship involves turning back to God and asking his forgiveness.
Repentance and faith only come as a result of the Holy Spirit’s work in the individual.

(Titus 3:5-7; John 16:5-11; Romans 8: 5-9; I Corinthians 2: 10-15)

8. Christian hope and confidence are based upon God’s promise of eternal life to all who trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This means we believe that:

All Christians can be sure of being raised from the dead to be with God forever.
We can be confident that even our death will not separate us from God’s perfect love.
We have no reason for pride as our confidence does not come from anything we have done.

(John 3:16; I Corinthians 15:12-28; I Peter 1:3-5; I Thessalonians 5:8-11; Romans 8:38-39; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9; I John 5:11-13; Philippians 3:12-14)

9. The Lord Jesus Christ will personally and visibly return and will judge all people.

10. The Holy Spirit is at work in all believers to empower them to live Christlike lives of witness, service and good works in community with other believers as they await the return of Jesus Christ.

This means we believe that:

Christians will not be perfect during this life but will be progressively becoming more like Jesus Christ as a result of the Holy Spirit’s transforming work in their lives.
Christians, empowered by the Holy Spirit, should be committed to prayer and Bible reading, sharing the good news of Jesus, serving others, doing good in the world and meeting regularly with other Christians.

(John 14:16, 26; I Peter 1:2; Ephesians 1:17-19; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 2:10; Hebrews 10:25; Philippians 4:6-7; Romans 8:26; Ephesians 6:17-18)