Our beliefs

 

We believe

The Bible

We believe the Bible is:
(a) The inspired and authoritative Word of God, without error and completely trustworthy
(b) The only rule for what we are to believe and how we are to live

God

We believe that God is:
(a) Eternal, almighty, all-wise, unchanging, infinite, sovereign and beyond our understanding.
(b) Eternally Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the blessed Holy Trinity, three divine ‘persons’ sharing one divine ‘essence’.

Sin

We believe that all people are guilty of sin and face God’s wrath because everyone:
(a) Inherits a sinful nature from Adam.
(b) Fails in thought, word and deed to measure up to God’s standard of holiness.
(c) Is affected by sin in every part of what we are – our minds, wills and desires.

Salvation

We believe that salvation is by God’s free grace alone:
(a) That Jesus saves all who repent and believe in Him.
(b) That the death of Jesus was a sacrifice for sin.
(c) That Jesus died as a substitute for His people .
(d) That the resurrection was proof that God accepted the death of Jesus as the ransom-price for those whom he died.

The New Birth

We believe that the new birth (regeneration):
(a) Is an act of grace and the Holy Spirit’s work in us.
(b) Transforms us and always is followed by faith, adoption, justification, sanctification and glorification in heaven.

The Local Church

We believe that each local church is
(a) A community of baptised believers united in Christ.
(b) Equipped by the Holy Spirit to fulfil their calling and service.
(c) To maintain the order and discipline of God’s Word.
It is a privilege and duty of members to make every effort to support and encourage each other in worship, prayer, service and gospel outreach.

Baptism

We believe that baptism is
(a) A seal God gives of His grace in the lives of those who believe.
(b) A Christian duty and privilege for all believers.
(c) A public confession of faith.
(d) To be administered to believers by the biblical pattern of total immersion.

Communion

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is
(a) A gift of Christ to His church.
(b) For those who believe and have been baptised.
(c) A means of grace to strengthen the faith of baptised believers.
(d) Regularly to be observed in remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ – all that He is and all that He has done and will do for us.

The Return of the Lord Jesus Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will return in person to this earth, that He will establish new heavens and a new earth – and because no one can know the time of His return we always are to be ready.

Life after Death

We believe that death is not the end but that after death there will be judgement. ‘Purgatory’ and re-incarnation are ideas that contradict the Word of God. We believe that Heaven and Hell last forever – that Hell is a place of unending suffering and punishment and exclusion from God’s presence and Heaven a place of unending Joy and glory with the Lord Jesus Christ.

These statements reflect the summaries of Christian faith set out in “Things Most Surely Believed Among Us 1689” and “We Believe – Baptist Affirmation of Faith 1966”.