WHAT WE BELIEVE
THESE TRUTHS FORM THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT WE BELIEVE. THEY ARE APPROVED AND AFFIRMED BY THE ELDERS OF COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH AS OUR OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF FAITH.
The Scriptures
The Bible is the Word of God. Every word in the original writings of Scripture was breathed out by God. The Holy Spirit directly inspired the human authors of the Scriptures, using their unique personalities to compose and record God’s revelation to man. As a result, every word in the original writings is without error and relevant to the needs of all people of all times. Furthermore, the Scriptures are accurate in all matters to which they speak: spiritual, historical, and scientific. The sixty-six books in the canon of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible are the foundation of the faith and serve as the food for spiritual growth and practice of CBC.
References: 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Acts 2:42; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Prov. 30:5
God
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit--and that these three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience.
References: Matt. 28:18, Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 1:4-6
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity and is the eternal Son of God who has been co-equal with the Father from all eternity. He is God in the same sense and the same degree as the Father. He is fully man and fully God. Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit, supernaturally apart from a human father, and was born of the virgin Mary. This incarnation was the sovereign, supernatural initiative of God and is beyond all human possibilities or explanations. Jesus Christ was born without a sinful nature and though he was truly tempted, he committed no sin. Due to this sinless life, he could offer himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God on behalf of a sinful creation. The eternal Son of God assumed a true and entire human nature in the incarnation. He became flesh and lived on the earth. He died physically on the cross, was bodily resurrected three days later, and thereafter bodily ascended to heaven. One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.
References: John 1:1, 14, 18; John 5:18; Heb. 1:2-3; 1 John 5:20; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 Cor. 15:1-5; Phil. 2:9-11.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and has been coequal with the Father from all eternity. He is active in the lives of believers and permanently resides within every believer. The Holy Spirit guides, inspires, reveals, and continues the work and ministry of Jesus Christ. He regenerates, indwells, baptizes, and seals all believers in Christ as the point of faith, and empowers those yielded to God. He is a person and not some vague force. He is one with the Father and the Son. His baptism unites all to Christ in one body and He is the source of all power. The Holy Spirit also bestows certain special gifts upon believers within the body of Christ.
References: Matt. 28:19; John 3:3-7; Acts 2:1-4; Titus 3:5; 1 Cor. 6:19; Rom. 8:9; Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor 2:12; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 4:30
Man
Man was created in the image and likeness of God to enjoy God’s fellowship and fulfill God’s will on earth. Adam, at the suggestion of Satan, fell from his sinless state through his disobedience. The consequence for his sin was the loss of spiritual life. This fall plunged all men into a state of sin and spiritual death. As a result of sin, all men are spiritually dead, justly condemned to eternal judgement, and can do nothing to merit salvation. All men are born with a sinful nature and lead a sinful life in thought, word, and deed. From this condition, man can only be saved by grace through faith in God.
References: Gen. 1:27; Rom 2:3, 5; Rom. 3:23; Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1; Eph. 2:8-9
Salvation
Salvation is received by faith alone in Christ. The only means of salvation is belief in Christ’s substitutionary death and resurrection, which satisfied the wrath of God against the sins of the individual. Man’s sin is a violation of the will of God and results in separation from God. Due to this universal death of man through sin, no one can enter the kingdom of God, which makes restoration of the broken relationship between God and man necessary. However, no degree of personal reformation, morality, or good works can help a person take one step toward heaven. Man’s redemption has been accomplished solely by the sacrifice and the blood of Jesus Christ, who died as a substitute for man. His sacrifice is sufficient for salvation; man can do nothing to add to the value of this sacrifice. Salvation is the miraculous transformation of the individual by the Holy Spirit who produces salvation, sealing and guaranteeing for the believer an eternal inheritance that cannot be lost. The new birth of the believer comes only through faith in Jesus Christ. Repentance is a vital part of believing, but it is in no way a separate condition of salvation.
References: Acts 4:12; Ects 12:38-39; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Rom. 4:4-5; Rom. 5:1; John 3:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Acts 16:31; Eph. 1:4-14; Rom. 8:29-30
Sanctification
Sanctification is the continuing work of life change in the life of the believer whereby God, over time, conforms a person’s heart and mind to be more like Jesus’ and less like the person was before salvation. Every believer is promised positional, progressive, and ultimate sanctification. Positional sanctification, based on the death of Christ, occurs at conversion when the believer is set apart in the family of God. Through the continuing work of the Holy Spirit, the believer undergoes a progressive transformation of character. Ultimate sanctification will only occur when the believer sees Jesus and becomes like him.
References: Heb. 10:10, 14; John 17:15-17; Phil. 1:6; Eph. 5:26-27; 1 Thess. 4:3-4; Rom. 12:2; 1 Pet. 1:15-16
The Church
The church is composed of all believers. It is the body and bride of Christ, formed by the baptism of the Holy Spirit and existing in two aspects: universal and local. The universal church is an elect company of believers, baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body. Its mission is to witness to its Head, Jesus Christ, to make disciples of all nations and reveal the manifold wisdom of God to all creation. The local church is a group of believers voluntarily joined together in love to worship God with praise and thanksgiving. It also glorifies Jesus Christ by submitting to Scripture, pursuing God, engaging the world, living in community with one another, and serving each other through the exercise of spiritual gifts. In these ways, Christians within the local church help to build one another up in unity and maturity until the universal church is brought, in full, to heaven.
References: Matt. 26:19; John 4:24; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 3:10; Eph. 4:12-13, 5:24-30; 1 Cor. 12:4-13, 27.
Marriage & Sexuality
The Bible teaches that marriage was designed by God to be the union of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union. Though various cultures and customs have evolving definitions of marriage, it is God alone who has ultimate authority to describe the marital relationship. Furthermore, sexual intimacy is only properly exercised and pursued within the confines of this martial relationship.
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of the Church as the local body of Christ, and to prove a biblical role model to the Church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the Church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers should abide by and agree to this Statement on Marriage and Sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly.
We believe that God offers redemption and restoration through the Gospel to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking Mercy and Forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Furthermore, there is a difference between temptation and unrepentant sin. Members, employees, volunteers and attendees of CBC who are wrestling with all manner of sexual temptation will find a Church ready to point them to Christ and provide love, care and direction.
The Church’s Statement on Marriage and Sexuality does not provide grounds for bigotry, bullying or hate. We believe every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with the scriptures.
References: Matt. 26:19; John 4:24; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 3:10; Eph. 4:12-13, 5:24-30; 1 Cor. 12:4-13, 27.
Church Leadership
The local church is to be led by a biblically designated leadership team called elders who serve under the supreme headship of Jesus Christ. Elders have His authority in directing the local church. Each elder must meet the qualifications laid out in Scripture.
References: 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9, 1 Pet. 5:1-5; Heb. 13:7
Ordinances
Water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances that Jesus Christ gave to His Church to be publicly observed after His death and resurrection. Baptism is a one-time act of obedience and is an outward testimony of a person’s belief in Jesus Christ. Baptism is a symbol of unity among believers that signifies a spiritual identification with Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. Only people who profess a personal faith in Jesus Christ may be baptized. Immersion is the ideal means set for in Scripture and is the model that CBC practices. The Lord’s Supper is to be celebrated regularly as a memorial in remembrance of Christ’s death on the cross, and in expectation of His return. The elements of the Lord’s Supper represent the body and blood of Christ and are available to all believers who have confessed their sins to God.
References: Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; Acts 9:18, 10:47; 1 Cor. 11:23-26
The Last Things
The consummation of all things includes the visible, personal, and glorious return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the translation of those alive in Christ, the judgment of the just and the unjust, and the fulfillment of Christ’s kingdom in the new heavens and new earth. In the consummation Satan, his hosts, and all those outside of Christ will finally be separated from the benevolent presence of God, enduring eternal punishment. As for the righteous, they will live and reign in glorious bodies with Christ forever to serve Him and give Him unending praise and glory. Then the eager expectation of creation will be fulfilled and the whole earth shall proclaim the glory of God who makes all things new.