Our Beliefs
STATEMENT OF FAITH
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith and life. (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:20-21)
We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal rules of life, which define man’s responsibilities in the world. (Gen. 1:28; I Cor. 9:17; II Cor. 3:9-18; Gal. 3:13-25; Eph. 1:10, 3:2-10; Col. 1:24-25, 27; Rev. 20:2-6)
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are equal and are one God. (Gen. 1; John 1; Col. 1; Heb. 1)
God the Father orders and disposes of all things according to His own purpose and grace, and continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events for His own glory.
Jesus Christ is God’s one and only Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. Jesus lived a sinless life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the earth after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven, and will return again someday to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Isa. 9:6; Matt. 1:22-23; John 1:1-5; Rom. 1:3-4; I Cor. 15:3-4; I Tim. 6:14-15; Titus. 2:13; Heb. 4:14-15)
The Holy Spirit is very present in the world, and makes men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He dwells in every Christian from the moment of salvation, and provides Christians with understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in following God’s will. (I Cor. 14:39-40). (John 14:16-17, 16:7-13; Acts 1:8)
People are made in the image of God to be like Him in character, to fellowship with Him, and to worship Him. Man was tempted by Satan in the garden, and by failing to obey God's word, fell into sin. Because of this, all men have been born in sin since that time. Every person has a nature of rebellion and disobedience toward God which the Bible calls sin. Sin separates us from God, and man of himself is unable to remedy his sinful state. We need to be delivered from sin. (Gen. 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isa. 53:6; 59:1-2; Rom. 3:23; 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3)
Salvation is God’s free gift, but each person must receive it individually by repenting from sin and turning to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Christ paid for our trespasses when His own blood was shed on Calvary's cross for the forgiveness of our sins. We cannot remedy our sins by doing good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offering of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. Eternal life with God begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. (John 1:12; 14:6; Rom. 5:1; 6:23; Gal. 3:26; Eph. 2:8-9) All the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; I Cor. 1:4-8; I Pet. 1:4-5)
We believe that the souls of redeemed men are, at the moment of death, absent from the body and present with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; II Cor. 5:8, Phil. 1:23; 3:21; I Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6). We recognize Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances for our Church in this age. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; I Cor. 11:23-26) We believe that Satan is a fallen being, the author of sin and the cause of the fall of man. He is the enemy of God and man, who one day will be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10)
We believe that God has given the Church a Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. As ambassadors of Christ, we must use all available means to share the good news of the Gospel of Christ. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; II Cor. 5:20)
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of what God has entrusted to him, is called to support the local church with their skills, and financially; and that God has established the tithe, (ten percent of our income) as a basis for giving. Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; I Cor. 16:2; II Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6, Eph. 4:28; I Tim. 5:17-18; I John 3:17)
The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe.
In conclusion, we desire as part of the Pleasantdale Community Church to be an extension of the Lord Jesus Christ and to be His ambassadors to our world.
