A CREED

SECTION ONE: The Creator

We believe that God is one, and that beside him there is no other.

We believe that God created all things, visible and invisible.

We believe that God has chosen to reveal himself to humanity.

We believe that God is love.

We believe that God is "our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth," "not willing that any should perish."

We believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, the express image of his person, and that in him dwelt the fullness of the godhead bodily.

We believe that Jesus is the Word which was in the beginning with God and which was God, the Word made flesh, the living Word, and that he IS the truth about God.

We believe that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself: that Christ died for our sins, rose from the dead, and is seated in Heaven at the right hand of the Father.

We believe that Jesus Christ is preparing a place for us who put our trust in him, that he will return to receive us to himself, and that where he is we will be also.

We believe that God reveals himself today, and is present today, as the Holy Spirit, of whom Jesus said: "You know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you."

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of the promise Jesus made when he said: "I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you."

We believe that the Holy Spirit has been sent to bear witness with our spirits that we are the children of God, to help us in our infirmities, and to guide us into all truth.

We believe that there are varieties of gifts given through the Holy Spirit, manifestations of the Spirit for the common good.

SECTION TWO: The Creation

We believe that there is an Enemy, the father of lies, a murderer from the beginning, who was perfect in all his ways until evil was found in him.

We believe that God's will is not done on earth as it is in Heaven, and that "the whole world is under the control of the evil one," whom Jesus called "the prince of this world."

We believe that God in Christ defeated this Enemy, and that, though we do not yet see all things put under his feet, Christ's triumph will be seen at the end of time.

We believe that man and woman were created by God, in his image, and that God was pleased with his work, pronouncing it "very good."

We believe that Adam and Eve, tempted by the Enemy, fell from that original condition with which God was pleased, and that through separation from God we all became estranged, lost, enslaved, blind, and dead in trespasses and sins.

We believe that we have been loved, rescued, forgiven, born again, found, saved, cleansed, set free, healed, redeemed, raised from the dead, and adopted into the family of God, all through faith in the finished work of God in Christ, and that those who neglect this great salvation will perish.

We believe that the Church is the company of these born again people, commanded to make disciples by word and deed, showing God's love and power in action as well as in what we say.

We believe that in serving our neighbor we serve the Lord Christ, and that in neglecting our neighbor we neglect the Lord Christ.

We believe that the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit and collected by the church under the guidance of the Spirit, is the absolutely reliable and authoritative Word of God.

We believe that sacraments are outward signs of inward realities.

We believe that now we know in part, that complete knowledge is beyond the powers of our minds to formulate or even comprehend, with the result that all doctrinal statements are incomplete and distorted by the limitations of our humanity; and we therefore call people to a personal relationship with the living God rather than to any confession, denomination, or creed.

For a more detailed discussion of theology, take a look at the "Whatever" page, where a book is under construction.

And feel free to e-mail the pastor with questions:

donaldgreybarnhouse@verizon.net