Statement of Faith

New Covenant Fellowship

Statement of Faith

The Scriptures:

The Bible, consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of God. It is true. It is reliable. It was without error in the original manuscripts. It is God’s revelation to mankind and the ultimate authority for the Christian faith and for this church.

John 5:39; II Timothy 3:16-17; I Peter 1:23-25; 2 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 5:18; 1 Pet. 1:20-21

God:

There is one true and living God, the creator of everything. God is infinite in all His attributes. He is transcendent and eternal, yet He is personal. He eternally exists in three persons – The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; II Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6; John 14:10, 26; 15:26; Deut 6:4, John 10:30; Gen 1:1, Eph 4:6, John 1:12,13, 5:19-21, 17:1-5; Is 40: 21-28, 43:8-11; Rom 8:14-16

Jesus:

Jesus Christ is God. He came to the world in the form of a man. Jesus was fully God and fully human. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life. He voluntarily died on the cross to atone for the sins of mankind. He rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God. Jesus is our advocate before God and the only mediator between God and man.

John 1:1-2, 14; 1 Timothy 3:16; Acts 7:37-38; Philippians 2:9-10; Hebrews 7:25; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; John 3:16; Luke 1:30-35; Phil 2:5-8; Col 2:3,9; Mark 10:45; Acts 2:22-24; John 1:29; Rom 3:25-26; Heb. 10:5-14; 1 Pet. 2:24, 3:18; John 20:20; Phil 3:20-21: Heb 1: 3; Rom 8:34; 1 John 2:1; Acts 1:11; Heb. 9:28; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; 2 Thes. 2:7; Matt 24:44; Rev 19:11-21; Rev 21-22

The Holy Spirit:

The Holy Spirit is God. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts men of sin, and draws them to Jesus. He imparts new life in the believer and dwells within the believer forever, empowering and strengthening and guiding the believer to live a life pleasing to God. The Spirit also gives each believer a unique spiritual ability and enables each believer to serve the church and others.

I Corinthians 6:19; John 14:16; 1 Corinthians 12; 1 Cor 13:8, 14:22; John 16:7-15; 12:13; Eph 1:13-14, 4:30; Gal 5:16-17, 22-23: Rom 8:5-13; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Rom 12:3-8

Mankind:

Human beings are the pinnacle of God’s creation because we are created in His image. Yet from the very beginning, we have shown the unswerving tendency to willingly disobey God and sin against him. Because the first man, Adam sinned, all human beings have a sinful nature. Our sin separates us from God who is holy and perfect. We are totally unable to overcome our sinful tendencies or find any favor with God on our own. We are lost and deserve eternal punishment from God. Yet God loves each of us and offers us salvation through the finished work of Jesus Christ.

John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Gen 1:26, 2:6, 17, 3:17-24; Is 59:1-2; Rom 3:9-19,23, 5:6-8; Luke 18:26-27; Eph 2:1-3

Salvation:

Because mankind is fallen and sinful before God, each person is in need of reconciliation with God. God freely offers us this reconciliation on the basis of the atoning work of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We receive God’s  gift of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. Salvation cannot be earned by any human effort or religious ceremony. It is not inherited, nor is it based on race or nationality. Salvation is only received by believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ. A person who puts his trust in the grace of God and receives this salvation is a new creation, born of the Holy Spirit. A believer is privileged to be called a child of God and will enjoy the love and presence of God forever.

John 3:5; Romans 5:6-9; I Peter 1:18-19,23, John 1:12; Romans 1:16; Galatians 3:24, Roman 5:1-2; II Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 8:38,39; Ephesians 1:13; 2:4; Eph 1:7; 13-14; John 1:12-13, 3:1-7, 14-16; 2 Cor 5:17; Rom 1:16, 10:9-10; Eph 2:8-10; Rom 8:14-17, 31-39; John 10:27-29, 14:6; Acts 26:20; 1 Pet 1:3-5

The Afterlife:

Our life on this earth is temporary. There is life after death. Those who in this life respond to Jesus by faith and accept His free gift of salvation will live forever with God in eternal happiness. Those who reject God’s offer of salvation through unbelief will suffer eternal punishment and separation from God.

Luke 16:19-26, 4:42, II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; II Thesselonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15; John 5:24 Matt 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; 2 Cor 5:6; 1 Cor 15:12-58; Luke 23:39-43; 1 Thes 4:13-18; John 3:16; Rev 21-22; Luke 16: 19-31; John 3:18, 36; Rev 20:5, 11-15; 2 Thes 1:5-10; Heb 9:12.

The Church:

The Church consists of the people of God. Every person throughout history who has trusted Jesus as his or her savior is part of the Church. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. It is God’s desire that every believer join in fellowship with other believers in local churches for worship, for mutual edification through the study of God’s Word and to encourage one another in true Christian love. We as a church practice the ordinances of Baptism and keeping the Lord’s Supper. We believe that each local church and the Church as a whole has the God-given mandate to be a witness for Jesus Christ and to disseminate the good news of God’s salvation all across the world.

Matt 16:16-18; John 17:21; Rom 12:5; 4:3-10; Col 3:14-15; John 13:34, 35; Matt 28:19; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor 12:12-27; Eph 1:20-23, 4:1-6, 4:12-16; Col 1:24-29; Matthew 28:10-20; Acts 8:18; Rom 6:3-4; Matt 26:26-29; Acts 10:47-48; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor 11:23-28;

The Future:

Jesus Christ will come again to the earth – personally, bodily, and visibly. We do not know the time, but we are to live as if His coming were imminent. At that time, God’s eternal plan for this earth and its people will be consummated.

I Corinthian 15:51-52; IThessalonian 4::16-17; Revalation 3:10; Matthew 24:29-31; Revelation 20