We Believe, Among Other Biblical Truths, The Following

The Bible

The Bible is the Word of God written without error, so it is our only sure source of knowledge about God and His plans, and is our absolute guide for doctrinal teaching and godly living(2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)

God

We worship and serve the only true God who revealed himself in the Bible as three persons sharing one indivisible essence in the mystery of the trinity; God the Father; God the Son: and God the Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19-20)

Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the unique person having two natures – the perfection of both God and man. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life but suffered and died in the place of sinful man, was buried and resurrected, ascended bodily into heaven, and is preparing to return bodily to earth a second time(John 1:1-14; 1-3; Philippians 2:5-11)

Salvation

Salvation is God’s act of forgiving sins, reconciling people to himself, and giving eternal life to those who believes in Jesus. To be saved, a person must admit that she is a sinner, repent, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to pay the penalty for sin, and receive him personally as the only Savior and Lord. As a result, the person is given a new nature and becomes a true born-again Christian. Salvation is not a reward for good works but a free gift of God received by faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10; John 5:11-13)

Government and Society

Christians have a duty to honor and to pray for those in government authority, to pay taxes and to help promote the general welfare of society (Romans 13:1-7)

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is God who is actively at work in the world. He dwells permanently in every Christian, helps us to pray, equips and empowers us to serve God, strengthens and molds us to be more like Christ, and protects us to guarantee eternal life (Acts 5:3-4; Romans 8:14-16,26)

The Church

The church is the universal body of Christ consisting of all born-again Christians made one by the indwelling Holy Spirit. To join a local church like Hope to You Community Church, a person must have undergone baptism by immersion, agree with the covenant of membership, partake of the symbols of Christ in communion, and pledge to help fulfill the church’s mission to make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:18-20; I Corinthians 11:17-34; 12:13)

People

Man is God’s creature who bears his image and was originally sinless, but through the first man Adam, all mankind sinned, become condemned and separated from God, and rendered totally unable to gain God’s favor of forgiveness and eternal life by self-effort (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 5:12-14)

The End Times

Jesus Christ will come again to reign on earth and to reward God’s people with life with him forever in the new heaven and earth and to judge unbelievers with eternal separation from God and suffering in hell (Revelation 20:1-4; 21-6-8)

Angels

Angels are the innumerable and unseen creatures who serve the causes of God and his people. Satan and demons are fallen and doomed angels who, with the help of other evil spirits, promote wickedness and oppose God’s purposes (Isaiah 14:12-17; Hebrews 1:6-14)