Teaching Archive
Teaching Archive
Statement of Faith
Trinity Church identifies with the worldwide church and its more than 2000 years of following Christ. We are in one mind on the essentials as spelled out in the historic declarations of faith throughout the years, like the Nicene Creed written in the third century AD, and practice grace and love in issues which often just divide us.
CONCERNING THE BIBLE WE BELIEVE
The Bible is the divinely inspired written revelation of God, superintended by the Holy Spirit, which came through the agency of man, preserving both a divine and human origin. It is inerrant in the original manuscripts and singularly authoritative on matters of faith and practice. (II Tim 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21; Matt 5:18-19).
CONCERNING GOD WE BELIEVE
There is one God, who is the living God, Creator, and the sustainer of all things. God eternally exists in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each are equal in divine nature and perfect in every way. (Gen. 1:1, Col. 1:15-17, Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; I Cor. 8:6, John 10:30; Acts 5:3-4).
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1. GOD THE FATHER
The Father is the first member of the Trinity. He is Spirit and is personally knowable. He has revealed Himself through His Word, nature, man’s conscience, the prophets, and His Son. While some of His attributes are comprehended (e.g. His love, justice, and compassion), other attributes are incomprehensible (e.g. His eternality, omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience). The Father has purposed all events in history according to His eternal plan. (I Chron. 29:11; Psa. 103:19, 145:8-9, John 4:24; Rom. 1:20; 2:15; Eph. 1:11-12).
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2. GOD THE SON
Jesus Christ is the second member of the Trinity and the perfect image of the invisible God. He is the Father’s uniquely begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin. When He was born on the earth, He became fully man while continuing to be fully God. He lived a perfect life and died on the cross as our substitute to pay the penalty for the sins of the world. He was buried and bodily rose from the dead on the third day. He ascended back into heaven where He currently is interceding for us as our high priest. Just as Jesus ascended, He will return to establish His glorious kingdom (Col. 1:15-20; Phil. 2:5-8; Matt. 1:18-25; I Pet. 2:24; Heb. 4:14-15; John 1:1,14,18, Matt, 24:30).
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3. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity. He has come forth from the Father and the Son throughout history to encourage His people and convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Since Pentecost, He baptizes and seals, regenerates, sanctifies, gifts, and empowers Christians and is our abiding helper, guide, teacher, and source of power to help us live godly Christian lives. The Holy Spirit transforms us more and more into the likeness of Jesus. (John 3:8; 14:16; 15:26; 16:7-15; Eph. 4:30; 5:18, 1 Cor. 12:7-11, Titus 3:3-7).
CONCERNING MANKIND WE BELIEVE
Mankind was created by God in the image of God, both male and female, reflecting God’s likeness. Adam, representative of the human race, fell into sin, suffered spiritual death and greatly marred the image of God in mankind. All mankind has subsequently inherited a sin nature and the consequences of sin. (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:10-18, 23; 5:12-14; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-2).
CONCERNING SIN AND SALVATION WE BELIEVE
God's justice demands that sin be atoned through the shedding of blood. Because of mankind’s guilty state, we are incapable of atoning for our sin. God’s love prompted Him to send Jesus to the earth to die for the sins of the world, offering us forgiveness and salvation solely through faith in Jesus as a free gift. Because our redemption is based on the grace of God and the work of Christ on our behalf, we and all true believers everywhere once saved will be kept saved forever. Salvation results in a new life - the life of the Spirit. Its proper evidence is the fruit of the Holy Spirit leading to an increase of righteous living and good works. (Lev. 17:11, Ro. 3:23, John 3:16; 5:24; 10:28-29; 14:6; Eph. 2:8-10; Acts 4:12; 16:31, Heb. 7:25, 1 John 5:13, Gal. 5:22-25).
CONCERNING THE CHURCH WE BELIEVE
All true believers in Jesus Christ have been chosen by God to be members of His family, are baptized by the Spirit, and are joined together into one body, a royal priesthood - the universal Church, whose head is Jesus. Its mission is to make disciples and preach the good news of the gospel of Christ to all nations. The local church is a body of believers who associate together for work, worship, and fellowship. The ordinances symbolizing this spiritual union are believers’ water baptism (symbolizing our death to sin and resurrection to a new life) and the Lord’s Supper (commemorating Christ’s atoning death for all believers). (Acts 2:41-47; Col. 1:18; Matt. 28:19-20; Eph. 1:3-6; I Cor. 12:12-13).
CONCERNING ANGELS WE BELIEVE
Angels originally were created by God as sinless beings. Angels are ministering spirits, serving God and His purposes. However, some rebelled against God and are now fallen. The leader of these fallen angels is Satan, who is the enemy and accuser of man. (Col. 1:16; Jude 6; Rev. 12:9; Eph. 6:11-12; II Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:14).
CONCERNING LAST THINGS WE BELIEVE
We believe that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent. This return will be a personal, bodily return of the Lord. At the end of days, unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity, while believers will enter into the new heaven and new earth and dwell with God in His presence for all eternity. (Isa. 11:9; Matt. 24:15–25:46; Acts 1:11, 15:16–17; Rom. 8:19–23; 11:25–27; 1 Thess. 4:14-17; II Tim. 3:1–5; Rev. 20:1–6, 11-15).
FIRST COUNCIL OF NICAEA IN 325 A.D.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible.
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, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and 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 [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who 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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*catholic, lower case “c”, means the church is universal. It does not refer to the large “C” Catholic Church
