What the saints at Hope Bible Chapel believe
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The Bible
1. The Bible is the infallible Word of God, thus, every word is God breathed. The original autographs are without flaw and complete. It contains all that man needs in order to know God and to walk with Him. (2 Peter 1:21; Psalms 19:7; 2 Timothy 3:16; All refs.) 2. The Bible reveals and thus glorifies God. (John 5:39; Luke 24:27; Isaiah 6:1-3, 40:3-5; John 1:18, 14; All refs.) 3. The Bible is given for man's blessing and is so when genuinely believed and obeyed. (Psalms 19:7-11, 119:9; Proverbs 29:18; Jeremiah 15:16; All refs.) |
God
1. There is one God. He is manifest in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:19; All refs.) 2. God is infinite and perfect in love, holiness, wisdom, knowledge and power. (1 John 4:7-16; Revelation 4:8; Romans 11:33-34; Job 42:2; Psalms 115:3; All refs.) 3. God, through His Son, is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all contained therein. He is outside and above His creation being both eternal and infinite. He is the Ruler, Sustainer and Judge of His creation. (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3; Exodus 15:18; Col 1:17; Hebrews 1:2, 8-10; 1 Timothy 6:15; Acts 17:30-31; All refs.) |
The Lord Jesus Christ
1. Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, the Creator of all things, who became the Son of Man; being conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He is the Living Word of God and the focus of the written Word. (John 1:1, 3; Hebrews 1:2, 10; Colossians 2:9; John 1:34; Luke 1:27, 31, 34-35, 24:25-27; John 5:39; All refs) 2. He lived a perfect life, then offered Himself as a sacrifice to God for man's sin. He was accepted by God, Who then raised Him from the dead. He is now seated at the right hand of God in heaven. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15, 1:10-12; Romans 4:25; Acts 2:23; Eph 1:20; All refs.) 3. He is awaiting His Father's appointed time to return: first in the clouds above the earth to receive His bride, then to the earth to judge and reign. (Acts 1:7, 11; Matthew 24:36; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Titus 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; Revelation 19:11-16; 1 Corinthians 15:23-25; All refs.) |
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Man
1. Man was created by God in His image. (Genesis 1:26-27, 5:1, 9:6; 1 Corinthians 11:7; James 3:9; All refs.) 2. Man fell because of his disobedience to the express command of God, thus, he brought the promised sentence of death upon himself and all of his descendents. (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:11-12; Romans 5:12; All refs.) 3. Because he has corrupted himself, man is incapable of making himself acceptable to a holy God. (Ecclesiastes 7:29; Romans 3:10-11; Psalms 143:2; Isaiah 64:6; John 3:3; Romans 3:20; All refs.) |
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The Church
1. All born again believers make up the universal church. (The saints who meet at Hope Bible Chapel are a local church, a part of the universal church.) (Ephesians 4:4, 1 Corinthians 12:12-20; All refs.) 2. The Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the church. (Ephesians 1:22, 5:23, Colossians 1:18; All refs.) 3. All believers are members of the body of Christ, the church, aka, the assembly. (Acts 2:47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; All refs.) 4. The Holy Spirit represents Christ in the assembly. (John 14:16, 26) 5. The church of God is holy and is to be maintained as such. (This is a primary responsibility of the elders.) (1 Corinthians 3:17; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 5:1-8, 2 Corinthians 2:1-11; All refs.) 6. Gifts are given to each believer for the building up of the assembly. (Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31; All refs.) 7. All believers are priests of God. (1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 1:6; All refs.) |
Observances
1. Though unrelated to obtaining salvation, a believer should be baptised in water in obedience to the Lord's command as a testimony to his identification with the Lord Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 18:8; All refs.) 2. Though also unrelated to obtaining salvation, a believer should partake of the Lord's supper in obedience to His command. Though the Lord does not command that it be done on each Lord's day, this is the Scriptural pattern which the saint desires to follow when possible. (Luke 22:14-20; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29; All refs.) |
We, the believers at Hope Bible Chapel believe these truths to be among many truths that God teaches in His Word. We have no creed.
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