A Brief Statement of Faith

by Jason Minter 

                I believe in one God who exits eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three persons are the same in substance and equal in power and glory. The triune God is the only true God and he alone deserves our worship. 

God created everything that exists out of nothing and is completely sovereign over all creation. God created human beings in his own image to be in relationship with him, to be stewards of creation, and to obey his will. God made human beings male and female to complement one another in a one- flesh union. This union establishes the only normative and acceptable pattern of marriage and sexual relations for men and women. 

Although everything that God created was good, human beings were disobedient to God’s commands resulting in a broken relationship with their Creator, corruption of the human nature, and the entrance of sin, evil, and death into creation. All human beings are separated from God and are consequently deserving of death, the wrath of God, and eternal punishment. 

Jesus Christ was both fully God and fully man, one person in two natures. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was born of a virgin, Mary. He lived a sinless life and was unjustly crucified. After being dead for three days he rose bodily from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father where he reigns and rules as Lord of creation. 

On the cross, Jesus experienced the wrath of God and bore the sin of those who would believe in him. By his death and resurrection Jesus satisfied the wrath of God, cancelled the penalty of sin, and reconciled to God all those that believe in him. Salvation is granted as a gift of God’s grace to everyone who has faith in Christ. All who believe in Christ are justified, reconciled to God, and have eternal life with him. Jesus Christ is the only Savior. Therefore, only those who believe in Christ will be saved from their sins.  

Salvation is applied to the life of the believer by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit convinces us of our sinfulness, brings us to faith in Christ, continually sanctifies us and sends us into the world as witnesses to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 The church is the body of Christ which is made up of believers who have been called out of the world to faith and discipleship in Christ. The church is distinguished by its faithful proclamation of God’s word, the faithful administration of the sacraments, a commitment to church discipline, and its mission to take the gospel to the world.

The sacraments are a visible sign by which God offers his promise of grace in Christ. These outward signs seal and confirm the covenant promises. They are a means of grace that proclaim the promises of God. The efficiency of the sacraments is not found in the elements themselves but can only be found in God. The sacraments are not salvific but point to the salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. Christ has ordained two sacraments for the edification of the church and for the glory of God: baptism and the Lord’s Supper.     

Scripture is fully inspired and it alone constitutes God’s written word. Scripture is utterly inerrant and infallible in everything that it teaches and Scripture alone is authoritative as a rule of faith for the church. The witness of the Holy Spirit never contradicts God’s written word. 

Christ will return to create a new heaven and earth and to judge the living and the dead. Those who have trusted in Christ will be raised to everlasting life while those who have rejected Christ will suffer eternal punishment and separation from God in hell. On the last day the church will be presented spotless before God through the triumph of Christ. In the meantime, believers are called to live in eager expectation knowing that Christ will return at any time.