In essential beliefs we have unity
“There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:4-6 (NIV)
In non-essential beliefs we have freedom
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters…Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand…So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God…So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.” Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22 (NIV)
In all our beliefs we show love
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 (NIV)
ESSENTIAL BELIEFS
These “Essential Beliefs” of Community Bible Chapel are summary statements regarding the basics of evangelical Christian faith and are in harmony with the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC) Statement of Faith.
About God
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. (Genesis 1:1, 26, 27; Psalm 90:2; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
About Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus was both fully God and fully human, was born of a virgin and lived a perfect, sinless human life. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return someday to reign as King of Kings
and Lord of Lords. (Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 8:58, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13)
About the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a divine person, co-equal with the Father and the Son. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with the power for living, enables understanding of Biblical truth and guides them in righteous living. He provides every Christian with spiritual gifts for service. As Christians, we seek to live under His
control daily. (2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13, 5:18; Galatians 5:25)
About the Bible
The Bible is God’s Word to us. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error. (2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119:105, 160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)
About People
People are the supreme object of God’s creation, originally created in the image and likeness of God. Humanity fell through disobedience, incurring both physical and spiritual death. All people are sinners by nature and sinners by choice and this separates them from the life of God. Only through the atoning work of Jesus Christ can anyone be saved and restored to relationship with God. (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; 51:1-8; Isaiah 53:6, 59:1-2; Romans 3:23; 5:12)
About The Family
God has planned the family as the first institution of the world. It is made up of persons joined to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption.
Marriage is the joining of one man and one woman with the promise of being faithful to one another for a lifetime. Marriage is God’s special gift. Marriage shows the union between Christ and His church. Marriage gives the man and the woman the way for intimate friendship. Marriage is the way of sexual expression according to the main beliefs in the Bible. Marriage is the way for increasing of the human race. The husband and wife are of the same worth before God. Both are created in God’s likeness. The marriage relationship shows the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given duty to provide for, to protect, and to guide his family. A wife is to submit herself with kindness to the servant leadership of her husband. A wife submits just as the church willingly submits to the leadership of Christ. She is made in the likeness of God.
Her husband is also made in the likeness of God. This makes the wife and husband equals. She has the God-given duty respect her husband. She is to serve as his helper in running the household and supporting the next generation. Children, from the moment of creation, are a blessing and inheritance from the Lord. Parents are to show to their children God’s example for marriage.
Parents are to teach their children spiritual and right values. Parents are to guide their children to make choices based on truths in the Bible. Parents are to guide their children by living a life faithful to God. Parents are to guide their children with loving discipline. Children are to respect and obey their parents.
Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 51:5; 78:1-8; 127; 128; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.
About Salvation
Salvation is by grace through faith. It is God’s free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn in repentance from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26, Romans 5:1)
About Eternity
People were created to exist forever in eternity. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation through Christ. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. (John 3:16; 17:3; Romans 6:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:15)
About Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Jesus instructed His disciples to remember His death and resurrection. He gave the Church two visible symbols (called “ordinances”) as reminders. These two ordinances are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. While we respect all acts of spiritual obedience, the Bible teaches that Baptism is to be done by immersion, following salvation, as a one-time act of obedience and identification with Jesus Christ as Lord. The Lord’s Supper is an ongoing
symbol remembering our Lord’s death, burial, resurrection and promised return. Each individual must decide his or her own participation in these ordinances. Regardless, we do not regard anyone’s participation in these practices as a means of salvation. (Matthew 28:18-20, 26:26-29; I Corinthians 11:23-32, Colossians 2:12)
About The Church
The Church consists of all those who have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Christ is the Head the Church, whose members have been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations. The local church is an autonomous, local body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for teaching of the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship and the proclamation of the Gospel, and for observance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The local church is governed by the principles found in Scripture. (Matthew 16:18; Acts
2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:25)
IN SUMMARY
The cornerstone of our belief and faith is Jesus Christ. Through Him, we have the free gift of salvation, an eternal relationship with God, and an example of how to live our lives and love God and each other. He is central to everything that we believe and everything that we do. God wants us to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, keeping ourselves constantly in subjection to Christ, we must allow God’s Holy Spirit to live through us in a daily “walk” of faith. All of us need to make sure that He is the
center of our lives in every way.