STATEMENT OF FAITH¹

The Scriptures

We believe the scriptures consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired Word of God, infallible and without error in the original writings.  The scriptures are the complete revelation of God’s will for the salvation of mankind and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16-17); and 2 Peter 1:20-21).

The Nature of God

We believe in one God, an infinite and perfect Spirit eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1; John 4:24; and Colossians 1:16; 2:9).

God the Father

We believe in God the Father, creator of and sovereign authority over all things, who gave His Son for the redemption of sinners and His Holy Spirit for our sanctification. (Psalms 103:19; Daniel 4:17; John 3:16; John 17 1-6, 15:26; Philippians 2:13; and 2 Thessalonians 2:13).

God the Son

We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man and that God, through Christ, created all things.  Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary and died on a cross for our sins according to the Scripture.  Furthermore, He arose bodily from the dead and ascended into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of the Throne of God.  He is the High Priest and Advocate for all believers and the Head of His Church. (John 1:1-3; Luke 1:35; Acts 1:11; I Corinthians 15:3-4; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 1:15-16 and 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-16; and I John 2:1 and 3:1-3).

God the Holy Spirit

We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is:  to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ:  to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment; to regenerate repentant sinners; to seal them unto the day of redemption; to indwell them permanently and to fill those yielded to Him.

We believe that baptism with the Holy Spirit is an act by which the believer, at the moment of salvation, is placed by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ, and that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to every member of the Body of Christ for the edification of the body in accordance with His will (John 13; 16-17; I Corinthians 12: 9-10; and Ephesians 1;13-14 and 5:18)

Satan

We believe there exists a personal devil, the arch enemy of God and mankind, the accuser of believers, and the author of sin.  He has already been judged and will be eternally punished in the lake of fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14: 12-17; Matthew 4: 2-11; John 16-11; Revelation 12:10 and Revelation 20:10).

The Fall of Mankind

We believe that mankind was created by God in innocence but, by voluntary transgression, fell from this sinless state.  Our first parents by this sin fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and thereby inherited death and separation from their Creator.  Thus, all mankind is born in sin making him incapable of pleasing God, and accordingly, under condemnation and ordained to hell, the place of eternal punishment. (Genesis 1:27; Psalms 51:5; John 3:3; Romans 3: 22-23 and 5:12; and Revelation 20: 11-15)

The Redemption of Mankind

We believe Christ’s return to be an imminent event and a blessed hope to the believer.  The day and hour of His coming are known only to the Father.  (Matthew 24: 35; I Thessalonians 4: 13-18; and Titus 2:13).

    1 ^{Text excerpted from Article III: Statement of Faith ,  “CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH OF THE SAVIOUR OF MYERSVILLE, MARYLAND”, ratified: October, 1994, amended June, 1998.}