I. THE WORD OF GOD
I believe the Bible to be the verbally inspired Word of God and the supreme and final authority in doctrine and practice. Though Scriptural truth is spiritually discerned, it is not subjective or a matter of personal opinion. Ultimately, its reliability rests on the promises of God that it is powerful, will endure, and will accomplish what God pleases.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21; John 17:17 1 Corinthians 2:13, 14 Isaiah 40:8, Matthew 5:18; Hebrews 4:12 John 8:31,32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32
II. THE TRINITY
I believe in one God eternally existing in three equal persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who have the same nature and attributes, but who are distinct in office and activity. God is immutable, eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, and too holy to look upon sin. Yet, He does not wish that any should perish. He is the Lord of history, declaring the end from the beginning and working all things according to the counsel of His will.
Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14 Genesis 1:1,26; Psalm 102:26, 27; Malachi 3:6 John 1:1,3; Matthew 28:19; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 57:15 John 4:24; Psalm 115:3 Psalm 139:7-12 Habakkuk 1:13 Romans 1:19,20; Isaiah 46:10 2 Peter 3:9 Ephesians 4:5,6 Ephesians 1:11
III. GOD THE FATHER
I believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. I believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Luke 10:21,22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:1,2 & 2:5,6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6
IV. JESUS CHRIST
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. I believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. I believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth.
Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 1:26–38; John 1:1, 20:28; Romans 9:5, 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21–23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6–8 & 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; I Timothy 3:16
V. THE HOLY SPIRIT
I believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. I believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide.
John 14:16,17,26 & 15:26,27; John 16:9–14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; Galatians 5:22–26
VI. Creation & Fall
I believe all things in heaven and earth were created by God and exist by His power. We believe that Satan was created as a perfect being until iniquity was found in him and that Satan is the origin of sin. We believe that God created mankind, male and female, in His image and that gender is an unchangeable attribute given to each person by God.
Accordingly, we also believe that marriage is a divine institution defined once-and-for-all in Scripture. God created marriage to be a life-long commitment between one man and one woman, and Scripture prohibits all forms of sex outside of that marriage relationship.
We believe that man was created innocent, but that he was led into sin by Satan, and so death was spread to all men because all sinned. Satan is still the god of this world, who with great power, is waging war against the saints while blinding the lost and deceiving the nations, but his doom is sure. Because of the fall, natural man is dead in trespasses and sin, and incapable of understanding, and it is impossible for him to come to Christ unless the Father draws him .
Genesis 1:1; Psalm 8:3, 19 Job 26:7; Isaiah 45:12; John 1:3, 10; Colossians 1:16-17 Ezekiel 28:12-15 Genesis 1:27 Genesis 2:18, Matthew 19:4-9 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Hebrews 13:4 Genesis 2:17, Romans 5:12, 15, 19 2 Corinthians 4:4 1 Peter 5:8 Ephesians 6:11, 12 Ephesians 4:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4 Revelation 20:10 Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:10 Ephesians 2:1; Romans 3:11 John 6:44
VII. REGENERATION
I believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. I believe that those who repent and forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become new creatures, delivered from condemnation and receive eternal life.
Genesis 1:26, 5:2; Genesis 2:17, 3:19; Ecclesiastes 2:11; John 3:14, 5:24; John 5:30, 7:13, 8:12, 10:26; Romans 9:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 19:3,20, 20:10,14, 15, 21:18; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19, 5:19; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9; John 3:16, John 1:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1
I believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. I believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal and intense happiness of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked.
Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10; Revelation 20:4–6,11–15
(This Statement of Faith was pieced together from The North Church and Grace Bible Church)
The Palest Ink 