What We Believe
The Word:
We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and that it holds all the instruction we need for this life. 2 Timothy 3:16-17: Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. We strive to remain as close as possible to the teachings of Christ as they are the words of eternal life. John 6:68: Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
Baptism:
We believe that to follow Christ, you must turn away from your sins (repent), confess Christ as your savior, and be born again through baptism. Acts 2:37-38:
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Christ calls us to be baptized so that we may receive the forgiveness of our sins. Baptism symbolizes being washed in the blood of Christ, dying with him, being buried, and being born again into a new life. Romans 6:3-4: Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. We follow the Bible in order to understand how we should live our lives. Galatians 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Communion:
On the first day of every week, we meet together to worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. During this time we take communion in order to remember the body and the blood of Christ which was sacrificed for our sins. Luke 22:19: And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” I Corinthians 11:26: For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Our Worship:
We believe that God calls us to worship him with our hearts and our voices. As such, we choose to worship without instruments (a cappella) and allow our voices and our hearts to lift up God in our praises. Colossians 3:16: Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
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Becoming a Christian
by Robert Sholl
Before we can respond to God, we must realize our lost spiritual condition:
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Isaiah 59:2 – Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, so that he will not hear.
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1 John 3:4 – Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
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Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
Since we are sinners, we must realize that we cannot earn our salvation:
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Ephesians 2:7-8 – That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
In order to be saved we must respond to God’s offer of grace and mercy. We must believe in God and in Christ Jesus through hearing his gospel:
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Matthew 28:19-20 – Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
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Romans 10:17 – So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
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Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.
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John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
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James 2:20-24 – But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect; and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God. Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.
We must repent:
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Luke 13:3 – I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish.
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Acts 17:30 – The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent:
We must confess the name of Christ before men:
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Matthew 10:32 – Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven.
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Romans 10:9 – Because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:
Be baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins:
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Mark 16:15-16 – And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.
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Acts 2:37-38 – Brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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Galatians 3:26-27 – For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.
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1 Peter 3:20-21 – That aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;
Once inside Christ, live a life of faithful, loving, obedience to Christ:
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Revelation 2:10 – Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.
If you have not obeyed the gospel, why not do so today?
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Acts 22:16 – And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.