WHAT WE BELIEVE//STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For
us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man. For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father. With the Father and the Son
He is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
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1. We believe in one God eternally
existing as Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. Deuteronomy 6:4, 5; Matthew 22:37; John 1:18; 3:16; Romans 8:1-17; II Corinthians 13:14; I
Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 11:6
2. God has revealed Himself
through His son Jesus Christ, the
Holy Scriptures (Old and New Testament) and through all creation
Psalm 19; Luke 24:27, 44; John 1:1
-16; 20:31; Romans 1:19, 20; II
Timothy 3:15, 16; Hebrews 1:1, 2;
8:6, 7; I John 1:1-5
3. We believe that in the beginning God created all things by His
Son. He mad man in His divine image, with free will, moral character, and a spiritual nature. Genesis
1:1, 26, 27; Psalm 139:7-12; Matthew 10:29; John 1:3; Romans
8:28; Colossians 1:16, 17; James
5:16
4. We believe that man fell into sin,
bringing depravity and death upon Creation; that as a sinner, man
is self-centered and self-willed, unable to break with
sin. Genesis 1:27, 31; 3:1-19; Matthew 18:1-14; Luke 18:16; Romans
5:12-21; Ephesians 2:1-3; I Timothy
4:10
5. The Holy Scriptures, as originally
given by God, are divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy and constitute the only supreme authority in all matters of faith and
conduct.
6. We believe that Jesus is the only
way to God, who died to redeem us
from our sin and rose from the dead
for our Justification. Luke 19:10; John
1:1; Acts 2:33; Romans 5:11; II Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 2:15; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:14, 15; 4:15; 7:11
7. We believe that salvation is by grace
through faith in Christ, a gift freely given by God to those who repent and believe. John 3:16; 10:27-29; Romans
4; Ephesians 2:8-10; I Peter 1:2; I John
1:8-10; 5:13; Jude 24
8. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts
to individuals; empowers believers to
live a holy life and to witness and work
for the Lord Jesus Christ; and convicts
individuals of righteousness and of
sin. John 16:7-15; Acts 1:8; 2:1-21; I Corinthians 3:16, 17; 6:19; 12:11-13; chapters 12 to 14; Galatians 5:22-24; Ephesians 1:13, 14; 5:30
9. We believe that the church is the
body of Christ. A disciplined people
obedient to the Word of God, and a
fellowship of love, intercession, and
healing. Exodus 2:24; 24:8; Matthew
5:13, 14, 23, 24; 18:15-18; 28:19, 20;
Acts 15; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; 5:11-13;
II Corinthians 2:6-11; 3:2; 12:9; Galatians 3:6-9; 6:1; Ephesians 2:11-22;
4:13; I Timothy 5:20; James 2:14-17;
5:14-16; I Peter 2:9
10. We believe that Christ commissioned the church to go into the entire world, preaching the Gospel, and making disciples of all nations. Amos 5:21-24;
Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 6:56; Romans
1:16; 8:23
11. We believe the local church should
raise up Godly leaders with evident gifting and demonstrated integrity and maturity to direct the affairs of the church. Matthew 23:8; 28:19; Acts 15:6; 20:28; I
Corinthians 5:4, 5; 9:14; Ephesians 4:11,
12; Philippians 1:1; I Timothy 3:1-13; 4:14;
II Timothy 4:12; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews
13:17; I Peter 5:2, 3
12. We believe that those who repent
and believe should be baptized with water as a symbol of baptism with the Spirit, cleansing from sin, and commitment
to Christ. Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:16-
21; 22:16; Romans 6:4-6; I Corinthians
12:13; I Peter 3:21
13. We believe that the church should
observe the communion of the Lord's
Supper as a symbol of his broken body
and shed blood, and of the fellowship of
his church, until his return. Luke 22:19,
20; I Corinthians 5:13; 10:16, 17; 11:24,
26
14. We believe that the Holy Spirit has
given every believer spiritual gifts. The
local church should foster these gifts for
the strengthening of all believers.
1 Corinthians 12.
15. We believe that Christian marriage
is intended by God to be the union of
one man and one woman for life, and
that a Christian shall only marry a Christian. Genesis 1:27, 28; 2:24; Matthew
19:3-9; Mark 10:2-12; II Corinthians 6:14
16. We believe that Christians are not
to be conformed to the world, but
should seek to conform to Christ in
every area of life. Matthew 7:13, 14;
Luke 9:23-26; Romans 12:1, 2; I Corinthians 6:12, 19; II Corinthians 6:14-18;
Galatians 5:22-24; Ephesians 4:20-32;
Colossians 1:13; I Timothy 2:9, 10; 1 Peter 3:3, 4
17. We believe that at death the unsaved enter into everlasting punishment and the saved into conscious bliss with
Christ, who is coming again, and will
raise the dead, sit in judgment, and
bring in God's everlasting kingdom. Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:34, 41; Mark
9:43-48; Luke 16:22,23; John 5:22; l
Corinthians 15:24, 35-58; II Corinthians
5:1-4; Philippians 1:23; I Thessalonians
4:13-5:4; I Peter 1:4; II Peter 3:3-13;
Revelation 15:3; 21:4; 22:3
https://nlachurches.org/statement-of-faith-practice-position
