New Life Community Church
New Life Community Church

Beliefs

We offer solid Biblical teaching on the essential elements of the Christian faith. But, when there are godly people on both sides of a non-essential issue, we offer love rather than rigid teaching.

This “Statement of Faith” contains 19 Biblical teachings.   We believe these 19 teachings summarize what the Bible calls “sound doctrine” (Titus 1:9).   For this reason we call them “essential” — doctrines which are essential to maintaining the life of New Life Community Church.

The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible, God’s written Word.   We believe that it was uniquely, verbally and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, and that it was written without error in the original manuscripts.   It is the supreme and final authority in all matters on which it speaks.

We explicitly affirm our belief in these essential Bible teachings:

  1. THE TRINITY – There is one true God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – each person possesses equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality. Key Scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:4; John 1:1-2; John 8:58; 2 Corinthians 3:17.
  2. JESUS’ DEITY & HUMANITY – Jesus Christ is God, the Living Word, who became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. Hence, He is perfect deity and true humanity united in one person forever. Key Scriptures: Matthew 1:18-25; Romans 1:3-4; John 1:1-4,14,18.
  3. SUBSTITUTE ATONEMENT – He lived a sinless life on earth and voluntarily atoned for the sins of men by dying on the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. Key Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 7:26-28.
  4. JESUS’ BODILY RESURRECTION – He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. Key Scriptures: Acts 2:32; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4,12-20; John 20:24-28.
  5. JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GOD – He ascended bodily into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He, the only mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His own. Key Scriptures: Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:23-25; Romans 8:34.
  6. THE FALL OF MANKIND – Mankind was originally created in the image of God. But they sinned by disobeying God and alienated themselves from their Creator. That historic fall brought all people under divine condemnation. Key Scriptures: Genesis 1:26-3:24; Romans 5:12,15-19; Colossians 1:21; Romans 3:23.
  7. TOTAL INABILITY – Man’s nature is corrupted, and he is, therefore, totally unable to please God without being born again and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Key Scriptures: Ephesians 2:1-3; John 3:1-8; 6:44,65; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 12:3; Acts 16:14; Titus 3:5.
  8. SAVED BY GOD’S GRACE – The Salvation of man is wholly a work of God’s free grace and is not the work, in whole or in part, of human works, goodness or religious ceremony. God imputes His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, and thereby justifies them in His sight.  Key Scriptures: Ephesians 2:4-9; Philippians 2:13; Romans 3:22; 10:3-4
  9. ASSURANCE OF SALVATION – It is the privilege of all who are born again by the Spirit to be assured of their salvation from the very moment in which they trust Christ as their Savior. This assurance is not based on any kind of human merit, but is produced by the witness of the Spirit, who confirms in the believer the testimony of God in His written Word. Key Scriptures: 1 John 5:13; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:15-16.
  10. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to men. He convicts and draws sinners to Christ, imparts new life to them, continually indwells them from the moment of Spiritual birth, and seals them until the day of redemption. His fullness, power, and control are appropriated in the believer’s life by faith. Key Scriptures: John 15:26; 2 Corinthians 3:18; John 16:7-11; Titus 3:5; Acts 2:38; Ephesians 1:13; 3:16-17.
  11. HOLINESS – Every believer is called to live so in the power of the indwelling Spirit that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but will bear fruit to the glory of God. Key Scriptures: Galatians 5:16-24; Luke 6:43-44.
  12. THE CHURCH – Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, which is His body, which is composed of all men, living and dead, who have been joined to Him through saving faith. Key Scriptures: Colossians 1:18.
  13. THE PURPOSE OF GATHERING – God admonishes His people to assemble together regularly for worship, for participation in ordinances, for edification through the Scriptures, and for mutual encouragement. Key Scriptures: Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Psalm 23:25; 26:12; 35:18; 40:9.
  14. THE DEATH OF A CHRISTIAN – At physical death, the believer enters immediately into eternal conscious fellowship with the Lord. Key Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 5:1-8; Luke 16:19-31.
  15. THE DEATH OF AN UNBELIEVER – At physical death, the unbeliever enters immediately into eternal conscious separation from the Lord. Key Scriptures: Luke 16:19-31.
  16. JESUS’ RETURN – Jesus Christ will come again to the earth, personally, visibly and in his resurrection body to establish His Kingdom. At this time, the dead will be resurrected with their bodies, the believer to eternal joy with the Lord, and the unbeliever to condemnation and endless, conscious suffering. Key Scriptures: Matthew 24:30-31; 25:31-46; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 19:11-21:4.
  17. OUR MISSION – The Lord Jesus commanded all believers to proclaim the Good News throughout the whole world and to teach men of every nation. The fulfillment of this Great Commission requires that all selfish ambitions be subordinated to a total commitment to Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. Key Scriptures: Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8.
  18. THE KINGDOM OF EVIL – There exists a personal spirit of Evil, Satan, our adversary, who, with great power, carries on organized opposition to the Kingdom of God, and seeks the demise of man; he will suffer ultimate and total defeat at the hands of Jesus Christ. Key Scriptures: Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 12:17; Ephesians 6:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Job 1:6-2:7; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10.
  19. BIBLICAL MARRIAGE – Marriage is created and defined by God as the sacred, basic family institution for all societies.  Marriage is a covenant between only one man and one woman, who are called to be faithful to each other for life. Key Scriptures: Genesis 1:27-28; Genesis 2:21-25; Malachi 2:14,15; 1 Corinthians 7:2; Hebrews 13:4.