Who We Are

God is called by many different names because of the different dimensions of his personality, but God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4). God is super-dimensional and eternally self-existent (John8:54-59). God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. He is the creator of heaven and earth (Genesis1&2). While God is one, he has revealed himself in three persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity, the eternal Son of God. The scripture declares his virgin birth (Matthew 1:18-23); his sinless life (Hebrews 7:26 & 1 Peter 2:22 & 1 John 3:4-5); his miracles (Acts 2:22 & Matthew 10:7-38); his substitutionary death on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21 & 1 Peter 2:24 & 1 Corinthians 15:40); his bodily resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:1-6 & 1 Corinthians 15:4); his exaltation to the right hand of God (Acts 1:9,11 & Philippians 2:9-11). He will return one day and judge the earth.

The Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. The nine fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) are the by-product of a spirit-filled life and evidence of spiritual maturity. The Spirit also gives each believer spiritual gifts that are used to build up the body of Christ, the church (1 Corinthians 12). These gifts must be exercised in an orderly way (1 Corinthians14:26-33) and in the context of love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).

Man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). However, by a voluntary act of the will, Adam and Eve disobeyed God which expelled them from the garden of Eden, physical death began, and man died spiritually. Man’s sin separated him from God (Gen. 3:6; 3:23; 2:17; Romans 5:12-19). The only means of salvation is Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12 & John 14:6). He died on the cross the penalty of our sins (1 Peter 2:24). He offers pardon to each of us for our sins (Hebrews 9:26) and wants us to become children of God (John 1:12). The evidence of salvation is two-fold. The internal evidence is the direct witness of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16). The external evidence is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and we are transformed into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Baptism in Water
The scripture teaches that all who repent and believe in Christ are to be baptized by immersion (Matthew 28:19). Baptism is a public profession of faith in Christ. It is symbolic of his life, death, and resurrection of Christ. It is a declaration to the world that we are dead to sin and have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

Communion
The Lord’s table consists of two elements: the bread and the cup. Those elements are symbolic of the body and blood of Christ. Communion is a memorial of Christ’s sufferings on the cross and thecelebration of our salvation. It is an opportunity for a believer to examine himself and experience forgiveness.