The Bible

We believe the Bible was inspired by God, written by men and is completely free from error as originally given. As such, it will remain to the end of the world the supreme standard and final authority and can be relied upon fully in all matters of faith and conduct today. 

 

The True God

We believe that there is only one living and true God. He is the eternal, infinite Creator and supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is merciful, just, and loving, and governs all things according to His sovereign will for His glory. He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and is worthy of all possible honour, confidence, and love. 

 

The Trinity

We believe that there is only one God, who exists eternally as three distinct persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; each is fully God and equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. 

 

The Nature of Humans

We believe that all humans are created in the image of God, male and female. As such all humans are equal in value and worth, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, age or beliefs. We believe that through the voluntary sin of the first humans Adam and Eve, all humans are born of their same nature. As a result, all humans are sinful by nature, and sin not by constraint but by choice; being by nature utterly void of the holiness required by God and completely inclined to evil. Therefore the human race is unable to turn to God and is under just condemnation to eternal punishment, without defence or excuse. 

 

The Way of Salvation

We believe that the salvation of sinners is only by the grace of God through the work of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. He is fully God and fully man, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. He taught the way of God’s kingdom, worked miracles, suffered, died, buried and rose from the dead. In His death He made full atonement for our sins and became our sacrificial substitute, forgiving our sins, absorbing the wrath of God and adopting us into the family of God.

 

Justification

We believe that justification is the blessing in which those who believe in Christ are declared righteous. It includes the pardon of sin, and the promise of eternal life on the basis of Christ’s righteousness. It is given freely by God, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the work of Christ. This brings us into peace and favour with God, and secures every other blessing needed for time and eternity.

 

The Freeness of Salvation

We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel, and that it is the immediate duty of all to respond to the gospel with repentance and faith. There is nothing that prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel, which results in condemnation.

 

Regeneration

We believe that salvation requires regeneration, or being born again. Regeneration is when God renews the heart of a person with a disposition towards Him by the power of the Holy Spirit in a manner beyond our comprehension. Regeneration is connected with the hearing of the gospel and divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel. Its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, and faith, and newness of life.

 

Repentance and faith

We believe that repentance and faith is the right and continued response to the gospel, brought about in our souls by the Holy Spirit in regeneration. Repentance is marked by both a deep conviction of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, which results in turning to God with sincere remorse, confession and supplication for mercy. Faith is marked by a joyful receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King, and rely on Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Saviour.

 

Sovereign Grace

We believe that it was the eternal purpose of God, which He graciously planned before creation, to choose people to be regenerated and saved, not on account of any foreseen merit in them, but only because of His sovereign good pleasure. This is perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, and is a most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy and unchangeable. It utterly excludes boasting and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of his free mercy. It is the foundation of Christian assurance.

 

Sanctification

We believe that sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of His holiness. It is a progressive work that is begun in regeneration and is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

 

The Perseverance of Saints

We believe that the clearest sign of true faith in Jesus is that his people will persevere until the end. We believe that God providentially watches over the welfare of His children, and they are kept by the power of God through faith in Jesus until they are glorified in his presence on The Last Day.

 

The Continuing Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the gift of grace to God’s people in the present age is the continuing work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s work in the individual is both for the purpose of empowering personal holiness, as well as the giving of gifts for the purposes of building up the church. The Holy Spirit gives gifts as He sees fit, according to His good pleasure, so as to exalt Christ and make the truth of the gospel clear. 

 

The Church

We believe that the invisible church is the communion of God’s people drawn from every tribe, language, people, and nation throughout all the ages. It is made visible in local churches of those who have been saved by grace, for His glory. It is governed by the word of God, which teaches that its offices are Elders and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined most clearly in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus. 

The mission of the church is to make the gospel clear and seek the extension of God’s kingdom through its governance, fellowship and evangelism. Within its community both men and women are to work together for the shared mission. The Bible makes clear that in church leadership, as in marriage, the roles of men and women are not interchangeable. In particular, eldership is only for biblically qualified men. We are committed to expressing the differences within relationships of mutual dependence.

 

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe that Christian baptism is the full immersion in water of a believer, into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This sign, commanded by the Lord Jesus, is to display our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, and to illustrate our own death to sin and resurrection to a new life in faith and obedience to Jesus. 

The Lord’s Supper is the meal all believers share together as a visible sign of the unity we have with God through Jesus, and by his Spirit to one another. The elements used are bread and wine which represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This meal reminds us what Jesus has done for us, and of his promise to return one day to save us.

 

Civil Government

We believe that civil government is God’s gift to humanity, for the good order of society, and that our leaders are to be prayed for, conscientiously honoured and obeyed, so long as their laws don’t contradict those of God’s own Word or character. We obey our secular leaders through our obedience to our King Jesus, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the King over all earthly rulers. 

 

The World to Come

We believe God has set a day in the future where He will consummate His kingdom by judging the world in righteousness through His Son Jesus, and that day is approaching. On that day Jesus will descend from heaven, and raise the dead from the grave to stand before his throne for judgement. On that day a final separation will take place – the wicked will be sent to hell, and the righteous will receive the Kingdom of their Father in heaven. All things will be made new, and those who have been appointed to eternal life, having believed in Jesus will find eternal rest.