WHAT WE BELIEVE

CORE BELIEFS

The following are the core beliefs of New Life based on the foundational truths taught in the Bible. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, supernaturally inspired, and inerrant in the original manuscripts.  All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.

New Life Community Church Doctrinal Statement of Faith

The Bible

We believe that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is verbally inspired by God, without error in the original writings, and is the supreme and final authority for every aspect of faith and life (Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:21).

The Godhead

We believe there is one God, Creator of all things, and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each is a Person distinct from the others, but inseparable, coequal, coeternal, unlimited and unchanging in power, presence, and knowledge. All are worthy of the same worship and obedience.

(Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; Rom. 11:33-36; 1 Cor. 8:6; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; Col. 1:16-17; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 1:8-10).

The Person of Christ

We believe in the full humanity and full deity of our Lord Jesus Christ; His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His substitutionary death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal return in power and glory (Luke 1: 35; Rom. 1:3-4; 1 Cor. 15:1-8; Phil. 2:6-11).

The Person of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, coequal with the Father and the Son. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts unbelievers of their sin and condemnation before God and regenerates the hearts of believing sinners. He baptizes the believer into the Body of Christ. He also seals, indwells, enlightens, equips for service, and empowers the believer to live a godly life. (John 16:7-8; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:10-12; 1 Cor. 6:19; 1 Cor. 12:13; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 5:16-26; Eph. 1:13-14; Eph. 4:4-6; Tit. 3:5).

Humanity

We believe that God created the first man and woman in His own spiritual image and likeness. They disobeyed God, died spiritually, and became subject to physical death. As their descendants, we are all sinners both by nature and by choice and are totally unable of ourselves to do anything pleasing to God.

(Gen. 1:26-27; Isa. 64:6-7; John 15:5; Rom. 3:9-23; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 8:5-8; Eph. 2:1-3; Tit. 3:5).

Salvation

We believe that God justifies ungodly sinners solely by His grace upon the grounds of the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ and His Resurrection. This complete salvation is given as the free gift of God through faith, apart from our works. Only those who trust in Jesus Christ are born of the Spirit and become children of God.

(John 1:11-13; John 3:16; Rom. 3:24-28; Rom. 10:9-13; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:7; Eph. 2:8-9).

Eternal Security

We believe that all believers are eternally saved through Christ and are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.

(John 10:28-29; Rom. 8:1; Rom. 8:28-39; Eph. 1:13-14; Eph. 4:30; Col. 3:1-4; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 1 John 5:11-13).

The Church

We believe that all in this age who are saved by faith in Jesus Christ are united together in the one true Church, the Body of Christ, of which He is the Head.

(1 Cor. 12:13, 27; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18).

Spiritual Gifts

We believe that God has given believers spiritual gifts with which to serve the Lord for the building up of the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; Eph. 4:7-16). Some of the spiritual gifts that operated in the Church were temporary in nature and were intended for its infancy, including the official offices of apostle and prophet. Other gifts, such as miraculous powers, the gift of healing, tongues and the interpretation of tongues, revelations and visions ceased (Rom. 11:11-36; 1 Cor. 1:22; 1 Cor. 13:8-13; 2 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 2:20; Phil. 2:25-26; 1 Tim. 5:23; 2 Tim. 4:20). We do believe that God is sovereign and able to operate in miraculous ways as He desires (Eph. 3:20).

The Believer's Walk

We believe that, as a result of Christ’s victory over sin and the indwelling Holy Spirit, all of the saved may and should experience deliverance from the power of sin in their daily lives. This comes through constant submission to the Holy Spirit and obedience to God’s Word. Since sinless perfection is not a possibility in this life, we must consciously work in harmony with the Holy Spirit. (Ps. 119:9-11; Rom. 6:6-14 ; 1 Cor. 10:12-13 ; 2 Cor. 2:14 ; 1 Cor.10:2-5; Gal. 5:16-25 ; Phil. 2:12-13).

Resurrection

We believe in the physical resurrection of the dead. Jesus Christ was resurrected bodily, and therefore everyone will have a bodily resurrection. The saved will be raised to eternal glory and the unsaved to eternal punishment. (Luke 24:39-43; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; 1 Cor. 15:12-24; Phil. 3:21; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 20:4-6 , Rev. 11-15).

The Return of Christ

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ will personally come to take His Church to heaven, commonly referred to as “the Rapture of the Church.” All members of the Body of Christ, both living and dead, will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. This event is imminent and will take place prior to the Tribulation that will come upon the earth. (1 Cor. 15:51-53; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13-14 ) After the seven-year Tribulation period, Jesus Christ will return in power to establish His Kingdom upon the earth.

(Jer. 30:7; Dan. 9:20-27; Zech. 14:4; Zech. 14:9; Matt. 24:15-41; Rev. 19:11-16; Rev. 20:1-4)

The State of the Dead

We believe that immediately after death all people exist in a state of consciousness that will last forever. The believer of this age passes directly into the presence of Christ in Heaven. All the unsaved dead enter a state of conscious eternal suffering without any hope of salvation. (Luke 16:23-28; John 3:36; 2 Cor. 5:6-8; Phil. 1:23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Heb. 9:27; Rev. 14:11; Rev. 20:10-15).

MARRIAGE

We believe marriage and family are institutions by the Lord God Himself from the very beginning of human history and these are sacred institutions. Marriage is between one man and one woman. Any other definition of marriage is contrary to the clear teachings of the Holy Bible and hence against the expressed will of God. 

(Genesis 2:22-25; Matthew 19:4-5; 1 Corinthians 7:2-16; Ephesians 5:23-32)

GENDER

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male and female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. Gender identity is determined by the biological sex and not by one’s self-perception – a perception which is often influenced by fallen human nature in ways contrary to God’s design. (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 139:13-14; Romans 1:19-25; Ephesians 4:17-18)