Our Beliefs and
Statement of Faith:
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
The Bible, consisting of all the books of the Old Testament (39) and New Testament (27), is the Word of God, a supernaturally given revelation from God Himself, concerning Himself, His being, nature, character, will and purposes; and concerning man, his nature, need and duty and destiny. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are without error or misstatement in their moral and spiritual teaching and record of historical facts. They are without error or defect of any kind in the autographs. (2 Tim. 3:15-17; Psalm 19:1-3; Prov. 22:19-21; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:29, 31; Rom. 1:19-21; 2:14-15; 15:4; Eph. 2:20; Heb. 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:19-20)
We believe that there is but one God, the Creator, Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself all perfections, and being infinite in them all.
To Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. This God is the self-same God that revealed Himself to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and other Men of God as revealed by the Bible. (Gen. 1:1; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; Deut. 6:4; Jer. 10:10; Isa. 48:12; Deut. 5:7; Ex. 3:14; Heb. 11:6; John 5:26; 1 Tim. 1:17; John 1:14-18; John 15:26; Gal. 4:6; Matt. 28:19)
We believe that eternal God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes but without division of nature, essence, or being.(Exod. 3:14; Matt. 28:19; John 1:14, 18; 14:11; 15:26; 1 Cor. 8:6; 2 Cor. 13:14; Gal. 4:6; 1 John 5:7; Isaiah 44:6-8; 45:5; Genesis 1:26-27; 3:22; Luke 9:35; 2 Cor. 13:14)
We believe Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the Son of God, Diety Himself.
We believe in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory. The Lord Jesus, before His incarnation, existed in the exact form of God, and of His own choice, laid aside His divine glory and took upon Himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. He is a divine person possessed of all the attributes of deity and should be worshipped as God by angels and men. (Colossians 2:9; Luke 1:26-37; Luke 23-24; John 2:19; 1 Corinthians 15; John 1:1; Philippians 2:5-11)
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life, to perform good works that are necessary evidence of their genuine faith in Christ.
The Holy Spirit is a person distinct from the Father and the Son, and possesses all of the divine attributes. He is God. He regenerates, baptizes into the body of Christ, indwells every believer, guides and empowers believers, and gives gifts to all believers to be used in ministry so that the church fulfills its mission on earth. (Ephesian 3:14-19, 4:1-16; Romans 8:26; 1 Cor. 2:10-11, 6:11,19, 12:4-13; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 3:16-18)
We believe that God from eternity decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and all events; yet so as not to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures. (Job 38:1-11; Ps. 135:6; Isa. 46:10-11; Matt. 10:29-31; Eph. 1:11; Heb. 1:1-3; Deut. 32)
We believe that God originally created man in His own image and free from sin.
Man was created in a state of holiness under the law of his Maker, but, through the temptation of Satan, he transgressed the command of God and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity inherit a nature corrupt and in bondage to sin, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors. All men, apart from spiritual regeneration, are lost, darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, hardened in heart, morally and spiritually dead through their trespasses and sins. They cannot see nor enter the Kingdom of God until they are born again of the Holy Spirit. (Gen. 1:27; Gen. 2:7; John 1:23; Gen. 3:4-7; Gen. 3:22-24; Rom. 5:12,14,19, 21; Rom. 7:23-25; Rom. 11:18,22,32-33; Col. 1:21; John 6:28-29; 8:44; 15:5; Philippians 1:29; Romans 3:10-12; 8:7; John 1:13; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:8-9; Exodus 20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-6; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2; 3:4, Isaiah 53:4-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 19:30)
We believe that Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners.
It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility. (Rom. 8:30; 11:7; Eph. 1:10; Acts 26:18; Eph. 1:17-19; 2 Tim. 1:9; Psalm 110:3; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:5; John 6:44-45,65; Rom. 10:12-15.)
We believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man.
Through Him comes man’s salvation from his sins. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the Law and suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest, and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe.
Regeneration is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit, who quickens the dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone.
Repentance is an evangelical grace, wherein a person being, by the Holy Spirit, made sensible of the manifold evil of his sin, humbles himself for it, with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrence, with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God so as to please Him in all things.
Saving faith is the belief, on God’s authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness.
Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners who believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not for anything wrought in them or done by them; but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith.
Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified, by God’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in cordial obedience to all Christ’s commands.
(Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29; 3:3-21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22; 3:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5)
We believe in the perseverance of the saints.
Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may fall, through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the Church and temporal judgments on themselves, yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
( John 10:28-29; 2 Tim. 2:19; 1 John 2:19; 1 Cor. 11:32; Rom. 8:30; 9:11,16; Rom. 5:9-10; Matt. 26:70-75.)
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
All those who persistently reject Jesus Christ in this present life shall be raised from the dead, judged according to their deeds, and punished for their moral crimes and rebellion against God. Throughout eternity they will exist in a state of conscious isolation from God, in endless torment and anguish. (Matthew 8:12; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:14-15; 21:8)
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Church consists of the host of the regenerate, wherever they may be found. It is the body and bride of Christ, which Christ loves and for which He has given Himself. (Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 21:2; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Colossians 1:18; Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 12:12-14).
We believe that Jesus Christ instituted the Ordinances of His Church.
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of his giving himself up to God to live in newness of life.
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and the fruit of the vine. It is to be observed by his churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice but is designed to commemorate his death, to confirm the faith and other graces of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge, and renewal of their communion with him and of their church fellowship. (Matt. 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; Acts 20;7; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 10:16,21; 11:2, 23-29; Col. 2:12)
We believe in Religious Liberty.
God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. Church and state should be separate. The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be favored by the state more than others. Civil government being ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God. Civil authority proceeds from the moral authority. Thus, our first obligation is to obey Scripture and God Himself, over any other authority. The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work. The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of its ends. The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power. (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:17; 1 Tim. 2:1-2; Gal. 3:9-14; John 7:38-39; James 4:12; Gal. 5:13; 2 Peter 2:18-21; 1 Cor. 3:5; Rom. 6:1-2; Matt. 22:21; Mark 12:17.)
We believe that there is a personal devil, a being of great cunning who can exert vast power only so far as God allows him to do so.
He shall ultimately be judged and condemned, tormented day and night forever. (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Matthew 25:41)
We believe that Biblical marriage consists only of a faithful, heterosexual union between one genetic male and one genetic female, and biblical marriage is the only legitimate and acceptable context for a sexual relationship. (Genesis 2:22-24; Matthew 19:4-6; Hebrews 13:4-7)
We believe that man was created in the image of God, after his likeness, and therefore has transcendent, intrinsic worth.
The unjustified destruction of any human being from conception to natural death (e.g., through abortion, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, doctor-assisted suicide, etc.) is wrong. (Genesis 1:27; Exodus 21:22-24; Jer. 1:5)
Our Fealty is to Jesus Christ of Nazareth alone and to no other man/ organization. The scripture is pre-eminent amidst our assembly and we encourage the regular in-person worship together. No entity shall abridge this command.
Resolution on a Biblical Stance on Human Sexuality and Marriage
WHEREAS, God created two complementary and distinct sexes, male and female, and embedded their differences in the very biology of the human race (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:6);
and
WHEREAS, The separation of one’s gender identity from the physical reality of biological birth sex rejects God’s perfect intent in creation, and undermines the ultimate purpose of humanity, which is to bring honor and glory to God (Isaiah 43:7);
and
WHEREAS, God in His divine wisdom established marriage as the union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:18-24; Matthew 19:4-6; Hebrews 13:4);
and
WHEREAS, The biblical definition of marriage as “the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime,” and further, “It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race”;
and
WHEREAS, The cultural pressures of modern society have begun to sway persons even within the Body of Christ from holding fast to these biblical teachings regarding human sexuality and marriage;
and
WHEREAS, The church is called to proclaim with conviction the biblical truths regarding human sexuality and marriage;
and
WHERAS, any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God;
and
WHEREAS, The Bible commands Christians to love all of their neighbors, which includes those with whom we may disagree; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED,
That the members of Lifechurch 2:42 affirm God’s good design that gender identity is determined by biological sex and not by one’s self-perception; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That Lifechurch 2:42 affirm the biblical definition of marriage as being exclusively between one man and one woman, and the biblical truths regarding God’s purpose for marriage, being ultimately for benefit of mankind, especially as it relates to procreation and the establishment of strong families under the Lordship of Christ; and finally be it
RESOLVED,
That members of Lifechurch 2:42 commit to pray for our neighbors who identify themselves as homosexual and transgender, to minister to them with Christ’s love, and, as they repent, to help them grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.