Because our world is so diverse in beliefs and values, the “Walking with Jesus” provides these clarifying statements which we trust will help unify us around what we believe to be God’s essential truths.
We celebrate God’s design of humanity with minds to think, hearts to feel emotion, and the ability to make decisions and live our lives according to that which we believe. We are grateful God has designed us to know Him, live in relationship with Him and be led in life by His Holy Spirit according to His truth.
The Bible
We believe God’s truth is expressed to us uniquely through the Bible, which His Holy Spirit led men to write under His direction (Is. 45:19; 2 Peter 1:20,21). As God’s word to us, the Bible is without error in its original manuscripts and when applied to our lives by the Holy Spirit of God will guide us to know God and live God honoring lives. (2 Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 4:12; John 16:13)
God
We believe the Bible portrays God as the unique, eternal, holy, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent Being who is creator and sustainer of all including life (Is. 40:25-31; 44:6,24; 45:18; Col. 1:16,17). The miracle of the trinity, that God is one God yet three persons: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, (Matt. 3:16,17; John 14:16,17) is amazing and vital to the dynamic of God’s relationship to humanity.
Mankind
We believe the Bible explains that humanity is designed by God and each person is a unique creation of God, deeply loved and highly valued, but each person is born with a sin nature which separates them from Holy God. (Gen. 1:27; 2:21-3:12; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 3:23; 5:12). Our sin nature is unchangeable and without God’s intervention to save us, each person will die in their sin and spend eternity separated from Holy God. (Rom. 6:23;John 3:16-19)
God Designed Plan
We believe the Bible explains a God designed plan for deliverance from our sin condemnation. Jesus Christ’s incarnation and sinless life, enabled Him to become our propitiation (He took God’s wrath for our sin upon Himself in His death) (1 John 2:2& 4:9,10). God the Father forgives anyone who repents of their sin and trusts in Jesus’ death as their ransom (Eph. 1:7; 2:3-5) and then Jesus reconciles repentant, forgiven sinners into relationship with Holy God (Col. 1:21,22). God the Holy Spirit births a new spiritual nature in the God forgiven sinner (John 3:3-7) and they become a ‘new creation in Christ ‘ (2 Cor. 5:17-19) in whom the Holy Spirit of God resides to lead and guide them in their new never ending relationship with God (John 14:16,17,27; 16:13;). Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace applied by Him in the life of a repentant sinner. Salvation by God’s grace through our faith in Christ Jesus alone. (Eph. 2:8,9)
Lord Jesus Christ
We believe Jesus Christ is God the Son, who has existed eternally as fully God (Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:3; John 8:58) and came to live on earth via a miraculous virgin birth (Luke 1:26-38). This unique union enabled Jesus to be fully God and fully man, without sin (Heb. 4:14,15; John 10:30). Following His death and resurrection, Jesus ascended back to heaven where He intercedes and reigns at the right hand of God the Father. (Acts 1:9; Heb. 1:3; John 16:28; 17:4,5; Rom. 8:34).
Return of Christ
We believe Jesus Christ will soon return (Acts 1:11) to gather up those living at that moment and who have trusted in God’s sin deliverance plan (1 Thess. 4:13-18). In the same instant all those who similarly trusted God’s deliverance plan but have died, will experience a bodily resurrection (1 Cor. 15:42-53) and with ‘heavenly bodies’ all these people will be gathered into God’s presence.
The Church
We believe the Bible proclaims all authentic ‘born again‘ (John 3:3-7) followers of Jesus Christ are to be considered members of the global “church” which Jesus described in Matthew 16:18 when He said “…on this rock, I will build My church.” The rock Jesus spoke of was Person and true Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:3,4; Col. 1:18-20).
The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit of God has been actively at work in God’s interaction with humanity from the beginning (Gen. 1:2). He frequently anointed or empowered Old Testament people at specific times (Judges 6:34; 1 Samuel 10:10; 16:13). He guided all human authors of Scripture (2 Peter 1:21). The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin (John 16:8), births a new spiritual nature in the repentant sinner (John 3:3-7); seals our salvation as permanent (Ephes. 1:13,14); gifts every ‘new creation in Christ’ with spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-7); guides us in our praying and intercedes for us (Rom. 8:26,27); and guides the mind of a Christ follower (Rom. 8:5-11; 1 Cor. 2:10-14).
After Death
We believe the Bible is clear, God has created every person with a human soul which will live forever. Death is simply “departure” from this earthly life to immortal life. The Bible portrays only two immortal destinations for human beings after death…heaven with God or Hell apart from God. Both are real physical places. Satan and his demons and all persons who have not trusted in God’s deliverance plan by trusting fully in Jesus Christ and accepting God’s grace redemption by faith, remain condemned in their sin and will spend eternity in the place of never-ending torment, hell. (John 3:16,17,36; Rev. 20:10-15) All persons redeemed by their faith in the Person and Gospel of Jesus Christ will spend the rest of eternity in God’s presence, heaven (John 5:24; 2 Timothy 4:7,8; Rev. 4,5).
Gospel
We believe the Bible portrays the “Gospel” as the centerpiece of Evangelical Christianity. “The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…for in the Gospel a righteousness is revealed from God…that is by faith…” (Rom. 1:16,17) “By grace are you saved through faith. Not of yourselves, it is a gift from God, not of works so that no one can boast. (Eph. 2:8,9)”By this gospel you are saved…that Christ died for our sins, according the Scriptures, that He was buried…raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures…” (1 Cor. 15:1-5)