What We Believe
Joining In • Sermon • Submitted
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1 - We believe the Bible is the only revelation of God
1 - We believe the Bible is the only revelation of God
It’s worth saying about us as a church, that we do really believe.
We don’t just have an understanding of ‘some kind of God’ - but we’re not sure who He is - or worse we make him up to be whatever we think is best.
We truly believe there is a creator God.
And we truly believe there is only 1 God -
not many gods, and not many paths to the same God.
The problem with those sort of ideas about God - which is very common -
is we end up creating God to be who we think he is in our heads - not who God truly is.
We don’t even do that with people!
So if I were to tell you I had a sister - you might have some thoughts as to what she might be like - (you’d probably base your perceptions on what you know of me -
(Bad sense of humour, rather funny looking)
but you can’t actually know her unless you spend time with her or I explain at length to you who she is.)
A person cannot be made to be whatever we like - and nor can God.
God is God - and we can only know him if He has revealed himself to us.
And that is why we are very firmly a bible believing and bible teaching church.
for the Bible itself claims to be the revelation of God to us- his created people:
So, Romans 16, the apostle Paul writes:
Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
There is lots of good stuff in that pragraph, but the section I want us to see for now,
is that the teachings of the apostles about Jesus (the Gospel) which we call the NT,
and the prophetic writings, the OT - are the revelation and truth about God.
2 - We believe the Gospel as revealed in the Bible
2 - We believe the Gospel as revealed in the Bible
The gospel simply means good news. And the bible uses that word to explain the Good News about Jesus who makes it possible for us to not only know God - but have a perfect relationship with him.
For there to be good news of salvation, it also means there must be bad news for those who don’t trust in or find the Gospel of Jesus!
This 3 minute video explains the overview of the Gospel from the Bible
Watch
It’s entirely possible you haven’t really had the chance to think seriously,
or respond to the Gospel yet - in which case you are in the right place.
The church exists to help spread this good news - so please catch me afterwards if you’d like to think more about the gospel of salvation.
We will also be running a Christianity Explored Course after this joining in course
which looks much more into the good news of Jesus - so that might be something you should consider attending if you’re a little unsure about this.
3 - We believe all of the Bible
3 - We believe all of the Bible
Thirdly, it’s worth saying we believe all of the bible and we believe it is all of benefit to us.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
So our priority as a church family is to know and teach and spread the truth of the bible
- for it is all we and the world needs to find salvation through Jesus,
and to follow and love God in response to his free gift of salvation.
It also means we trust God’s word to be better for us than what our culture claims to be good for us.
It is our ultimate authroity,
and so at times we will teach values that are opposed to the culture we live in.
For example - we would value life in the womb as more precious than the legal guidlines on abortion - but we will love and care and forgive those found in difficult circumstances.
We believe marriage is for one man and one woman, but we welcome and love anyone whatever their sexual situations and walk with them to see how glorious God’s ways are - even if they are very difficult in some situations.
But following the word of God as revealed in the bible is far far more than occasionally being contentious!
It is a great joy to be able to know God more deeply and live His ways - trusting they are infinitely better ways that we could ever manage on our own.
Primarily because they glorify God, and becasue his ways are preparing us for a perfect eternity with him.
As a church family we encourage each other in fellowship and unity and life by learning from the Bible.
We believe God in his great mercy has chosen to spread his fame through his church, his weak and flawed people -
yet we work together under Jesus, to grow in faith and spread the good news.
So that’s a very brief overview of What we believe
- I’ve focused on our high view of the Bible - becasue that is then the basis for everything else.
A summary of our general beliefs are included in your handout and can be found on the website - so I’d encourage you to read that through this week and come back or email me with any questions.
Statement of Faith
Statement of Faith