The Bible

God has revealed himself in the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments alone.

The Bible is the inspired Word of God. As such it is, as it was originally given, without any error in any of the facts or teachings it contains.

The Bible is sufficient and our sole authority in all matters of faith and practice. 

God

There is only one God, who exists in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit exist in perfect unity and equality.

God is eternal, infinite and unchangeable in all his attributes, which include his righteousness, justice, wisdom and goodness.

God is the almighty Creator, Redeemer and Judge who sustains and governs all things according to his sovereign will and for his own glory.

God the Father

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ decrees all things by his sovereign will.

In his infinite love he sent the Son into the world that men, women and children might be saved from their sin through him.

The Lord Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man.

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father.

At the start of his ministry he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and ministered by his teaching and actions with perfect authority.

He died on the cross in the place of sinners, taking on himself the punishment which they deserved from God for their sin, redeeming them by his blood.

He physically rose from the dead and ascended into heaven where he is exalted at the right hand of the Father as Lord of all, so that the whole world is under an obligation to worship him.

He continues to minister for all eternity on behalf of all who believe in him by interceding for them in the presence of the Father.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit fully God and is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son.

He has been given to the Church by the ascended Lord Jesus Christ to glorify him and to apply his work of salvation.

He convinces sinners of their sin and guilt, imparts spiritual life, leads sinners to repent of their sin, imparts faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and gives a true understanding of the Scriptures.

He indwells all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, empowering them to overcome their sinful natures, producing in the way that they live their lives, an increased likeness to Christ.

He empowers the Church for worship, service and mission and builds it up by the ministry of the Word.

The Human Race

The human race was created by God in his image. For this reason all men and women have equal dignity and worth.

The purpose for which we were created is to enjoy, love and worship God.

As a result of Adam's sin we are all sinful by nature which renders us guilty before the holy God, and subject to the eternal punishment that God has decreed for all sinners.

Sin controls us so that in effect we are its slaves, it has corrupted every part of our being and we are powerless to overcome it.

Every person needs therefore to be born again, forgiven and reconciled to God in order to know and worship him.

Salvation

God wants all men and women to repent of their sins and turn back to him so that they might be saved from his judgement.

Salvation is not earned by merit but is given as a free gift of God's grace on the basis of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

Salvation is therefore the work of God who in his love calls sinners through the gospel and grants them repentance and faith.

Salvation is received by men and women only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ whose perfect righteousness is credited by God to them and whose death on the cross is applied to them for the forgiveness of their sins.

All who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are adopted into the family of God and receive eternal life.

The Church

The Church is the work of God who has redeemed it by the death of his Son the Lord Jesus Christ to be a people for his own possession for all eternity.

The purpose of the Church is to glorify God, whose wisdom, power and grace are revealed by in its redemption, sanctification and glorification.

The task of the Church is to worship God, which is its calling here on earth and also its activity throughout eternity.

The Church is to pursue unity as a reflection of the unity of the Godhead and as a witness to the unbelieving world.

The Lord has given authority to the Church to carry out all the tasks he has assigned to his people.

The local church is the context in which individual believers grow in grace and serve the Lord.

The Future

The Lord Jesus Christ will physically return to this earth in glory, will be seen by everyone.

At the moment that the Lord Jesus Christ returns all the dead will be raised to life again.

As the righteous Judge the Lord Jesus Christ will divide the whole of the human race into two categories: those who have been forgiven their sin and those who remain guilty before God.

Those who have been forgiven their sin will enter into the rest that God has prepared for them, where they will enjoy the presence of God without any limitation or hindrance for all eternity.

Those who have not been forgiven, but who remain guilty before God, will be condemned to hell where they will be eternally punished for their sins.

God will make a new heaven and a new earth and will be glorified for ever.