Below are some common topics and questions that are generally explained with corresponding scriptures included. If you have any other questions or would like further counsel on these topics, please use our contact page to receive counsel from our Pastor. You may also use our Verse Finder Page for helpful links to view scriptures by topic and read the bible online with www.BibleGateway.com.
The Bible: God’s Word is the Absolute Truth, absolutely!
The Bible is accurate, reliable, authoritative, and without error. It was written over a period of 1500 years by almost 40 different writers. God inspired those writers through His Holy Spirit to perfectly record and compose the scripture, God’s word written down, without error. (Matthew 5:17-18, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:19-21) God’s word is alive and able to pierce the soul and discern our hearts. (Hebrews 4:12) The Bible is the standard by which everything is to be measured. (John 10:35)
Creation: How did we all get here and why does it matter?
Creation is a direct result of the Creator God, not a “natural process”. The full account is in the book of Genesis as it is written. God spoke the world and everything in it into existence (Genesis 1 & 2). The 24 hour day existed from day 1 of Creation (Genesis 1:5). God formed the first man and woman as complete, intelligent, capable humans and we are all their descendants. Man was formed by God from the dust of the ground and woman was formed by God from man’s rib. Adam’s sin resulted in physical and spiritual death for humankind (Genesis 2 &3). There was no death before Adam’s sin, it is a direct result/consequence of sin. Sin and death passed to all since we all are descendants of Adam and Eve. Because the payment for sin is death separated from God in Hell for eternity, humankind was doomed and without hope of being reconciled to God the Father (Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12-21). Jesus, God’s sinless only son, offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for payment of sin for all humankind for anyone who would receive Him (Romans 5:8-9). Without faith in Jesus as Savior, man is condemned to die eternally separated from God (Romans 6:23).
Who is Jesus Christ and Why do I need to know Him?
He is one part of the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. He is the only Son of God. He is co-Creator with God the Father at Creation (Genesis 1:1-2, John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16-17) He is God the Son. He was conceived as a man by the Holy Ghost in the womb of his virgin mother Mary (Matthew 1:18-25) He came as the sinless sacrifice to save his people from their sins. (Luke 1:26-35, Romans 3:24-25). He died, was buried, and rose again the third day. He showed Himself to more than 500 people in the 40 days after His resurrection before His ascension back to the Father in heaven (John 19-21). He is the only Way to the Father (John 14:6) and without Him, you are condemned to eternal separation from God (John 3:18). There is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ and no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
Salvation, a.k.a. being born again: why do I need it, how do I get it and how long does it last?
Scripture tells us all have sinned and need to be saved from the eternal judgment of the righteous God (Romans 3:23, 6:23). Jesus said ye must be born again (John 3:3-8) to see the Kingdom of God. God’s desire is that no one perishes but that all receive eternal life (John 3:16-18). Therefore as God draws through His Spirit (John 6:44), you must call out to Him in humility, confessing that your sin stands between you and God and that your only hope to be spared of God’s judgment is in Jesus Christ’s sinless sacrifice on the cross (Romans 10:9-13); believing by faith that through His death and Resurrection He overcame death and the grave to offer you eternal life with God. He has promised then, to seal you with His Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30) and to re-birth your soul by giving you His Spirit to bear witness of Him in your life (Acts 2:38, Ephesians 5:14-25, Romans 8). Salvation is permanent and cannot be lost (John 5:24, 10:27-30, Hebrews 6:4-6, 10:26).
The Holy Spirit
After Jesus’s ascension back to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit (the Comforter) to empower believers, to give understanding of scripture, and to bring scripture to memory (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7, Acts 1: 4-9). One must be born of water and of the Spirit to see the Kingdom of God (John 3:5-8). Therefore, at salvation, the Holy Spirit permanently indwells every believer who receives Jesus Christ to bring them into the Family of God (John 14:16-17, Romans 8:9-11, 1 Corinthians 12:13). The Spirit indwells born again believers to glorify God by convicting them of sin, empowering them for service, and equipping them with spiritual gifts (Acts 13:1-2, Romans 15:13, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 2 Corinthians 3:6, John 16:7-14).
Baptism: the first act of obedience
Full immersion water baptism is one of the ordinances given to the church by Jesus. It is the first act of obedience after a person receives the saving grace of Jesus. It is an outward testimony of an inner change–the salvation of the soul through the blood of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is a public declaration of a saved person joining the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit and formally initiates a life of discipleship. (Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:1-4, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Colossians 2:12, 1 Peter 3)
The Lord’s Supper, a.k.a. Communion
Also known as communion, the Lord’s supper is one of two ordinances (the other is baptism) given by Jesus to the Church. It is a public memorial of the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection and was instituted on the night before His crucifixion (Luke 22:14-23). We believe scripture teaches closed communion (Luke 22:11-13, Mark 14:12-18). Because the Lord observed the Last Supper with his 12 disciples only and not all Christians in the city, we believe only the membership of the local church body should partake of the Lord’s Supper when it is observed. Also known as communion, the Lord’s supper is one of two ordinances (the other is baptism) given by Jesus to the Church. Communion is a public memorial of the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection and was instituted on the night before His crucifixion (Luke 22:14-23). We believe scripture teaches closed communion (Luke 22:11-13, Mark 14:12-18). Because the Lord observed the Last Supper with his 12 disciples only and not all Christians in the city, we believe that only the membership of the local church body should partake of the Lord’s Supper when it is observed.
Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage
Marriage is a lifelong union and covenant between one man and one woman before God (Genesis 2:24). Marriage is given by God to reflect Christ and the Church (His Bride) (Ephesians 5:22-33). The husband and wife are equal partners with different roles and responsibilities. The husband is called by God to lead the family and love His wife as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:23-29, Colossians 3:19). The wife is called to love and submit to her husband under the Lord (1 Peter 3:1-4, Colossians 3:16-25, Ephesians 5:21-33). God hates divorce and Jesus said remarriage after divorce is adultery (Malachi 2:16, Matthew 5:31-32, 19:1-9, Mark 10:1-12). 1 Timothy 3 states one of the qualifications for Pastor or Deacon is to be “the husband of one wife” therefore divorce disqualifies one from holding those positions in the Church (1 Timothy 3:1-12).
Sexual Immorality: Sex outside marriage, homosexuality, etc.
Sexual immorality (sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, etc.) is sin (Leviticus 18:22, 1 Timothy 1:9-10, Galatians 5:19, 1 Peter 2:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Colossians 3:5, 1 Corinthians 6:9-20, 1 Corinthians 7:2, Hebrews 13:4, Matthew 5:28, Mark 7:20-23) . As with all sin, it should be repented of and will be forgiven (1 John 1:9).
Church Assembly: It’s more than just going to church
The church is told in Hebrews 10:24-27 to not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together but to encourage one another. The corporate assembling of the church body is for worship, teaching, encouragement, support, praying in one accord, accountability to one another and to God and to minister together that God be glorified. The local church body is to be enacting the rules of heaven in their community by being the body of Christ in action (Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42, 2:47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23, 14:27; 15:1- 30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 9:12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:11-22; 3:8-11; 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; I Timothy 2:9-14;1 Timothy 3:1-15; 4:14; Hebrews 3:13;1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2- 3; 21:2-3).