What We Believe

 

The Bible is clear that…

 

 Jesus offers us forgiveness from our sins.  Salvation is given as a free gift through God’s grace. 

 

“the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 6:23

 

Grace is a free gift that is undeserved and unearned.

 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9

 

All have sinned (done things that displease God).

 

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”  Romans 3:23

 

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” 1 John 1:8

 

No one can save himself (no amount of good deeds can save a person).

 

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Mathew 5:48

 

“by works of the law no one will be justified.”  Galatians 2:16

 

Since no one can be perfect and save himself…

 

“God is love.” 1 John 4:8b

 

Because “God is love,” it sounds as if everyone will go to heaven.   This, however, is

not what the Bible teaches.  The Bible also says that God…

 

“will by no means clear the guilty”  Exodus 34:7b

 

This sounds as if no one can enter heaven, and appears to be a problem.  This, however is not a problem because of Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus is fully human and fully God.

 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:1

 

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  John 1:14

 

Jesus suffered and died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay the penalty of our sin

and secure a place for us in heaven.

 

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6

 

Through saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we receive God’s free gift of eternal life.

 

                 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” Acts 16:31

 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life” John 6:47

 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

 

“..yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”  Galatians 2:16

 

Because we are saved through faith, why do we do good deeds?  We do good works

through gratitude for what Jesus has done for us.

 

“..I will show you my faith by my works.” James 2:18

 

“..visit orphans and widows in their affliction..”  James 1:27

 

“..Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’”  Mathew 19:14