FOREST PARK COMMUNITY CHURCH

• We believe that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” (2 Timothy 3:16). We understand this to mean that the whole Bible is inspired in that holy men of God “were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21) to write the very words of Scripture.
• We believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of Scripture as it appeared in the original manuscripts.
• We believe that the whole Bible in the originals is therefore without error. We believe that all the Scriptures center around the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work, in His first and second coming, and hence that no portion, even of the Old Testament, is properly read, or understood, until it leads to Him.
• We also believe that all Scripture was designed for our practical instruction. (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11; 2 Tim. 3:16)

 

The Triune God

• We believe there is only one true, living, sovereign, holy, and eternally existent God. (John 4:23-24; John 17:3)
• We believe God is infinitely perfect and He exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each possesses all the attributes of deity and personality. The triune God is the creator and sustainer of all things, the source of all truth, and is worthy of worship, confidence, and obedience. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Genesis 1:31)
• We believe in the historicity of the entire narrative of Genesis, including God’s creation of the material universe in six literal days, a literal Adam and Eve as the parents of all mankind, a literal fall, and a universal flood. (Exodus 20:9-11; Romans 5:12; 2 Peter 2:5)
• We believe God created the world out of nothing and continues to sustain creation and to work throughout history to fulfill His plan to reach the hearts of men and redeem (save by buying back) them from sin. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 8:6)

 

God the Father

• God, as Father, reigns over His entire universe with providential care.
• He is all-powerful, all loving, all knowing and all wise.
• He is fatherly in attitude toward all men but is Father, indeed, to those who have become children of God through Jesus Christ, Who will deliver them into the Father’s hands. (Gen. 1:1; 1 Chron. 29:10; Jer. 10:10, Matt. 6:9; Acts 1:7; Rom. 8:14, 15; 1 Cor. 8:6; 1 Cor. 15:24; Eph.4:6)

 

God the Son

• We believe, by the miracle of the virgin birth—that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God.
• We believe that He became man without ceasing to be God, to reveal God and to redeem mankind from sin. This redemption, He accomplished by voluntarily giving Himself as a sinless, substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, thereby satisfying God’s righteous judgment against sin.
• We believe that after sustaining the accomplishment of that redemption/justification by His bodily resurrection from the grave, He ascended to the right hand of His Father. Now, as the only mediator between God and man, he continually intercedes for His church.
• We believe that He shall come again to earth, personally and visibly, to end history and begin the eternal plan of God. (Colossians 1:15; Philippians 2:5-8; Matthew 1:18-25; 1 Peter 2:24-25; Luke 24; Hebrews 4:14-16; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 11:15-17; 20:2-6; 11-15)

 

God the Holy Spirit

• We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity. He brings light to mind of sinners and awakens in them recognition of their need of a savior.
• We believe He convicts the world of sin and regenerates the believing sinner, baptizing him into the Church (which is the Body of Christ). When they accept Christ as lord and savior (salvation) he permanently indwells every believer to become their source of assurance, strength and wisdom, seals them unto the day of final redemption and gives each believer spiritual gifts for the benefit of the church.
• We believe that the Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Scripture. His power and control are accessed by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christ-like character and to bring glory to the Father (John 16; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 1:3-6).
• Every believer is called to live so in the power of the indwelling Spirit that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but will bear fruit to the glory of God. (John 3:3-8, 14:16, 17, 16:7-11; 1Cor. 12:7-11, 13; Eph. 4:30, 5:18)

 

Angels

• We believe that God created sinless, spiritual beings called angels to worship and serve Him. (Colossians 1:16; Isaiah 6:3; Hebrews 1:14)
• We believe that Satan and some of the angels became full of pride and were judged by God and that Satan now rules these fallen angels called demons. (1 Timothy 3:6; Matthew 25:41; Ephesians 6:11-12; 2 Corinthians 4:4)

 

Satan

• We believe Satan is a person, a fallen angel, the author of the fall of man, and the god of this age. However, we also believe that he is the Christian’s defeated enemy. His destiny is eternal punishment. (Job 1:6-12; Mark 8:32)

 

Man

• We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he disobeyed God and thereby incurred spiritual death, which is separation from God, and also physical death as a consequence; and that all the Adamic race are sinners by nature and practice (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 5:12-19; 7:15-21)

 

Sin

• We believe Adam, the first man, sinned by disobedience. This act resulted in the fall of all Therefore, all people have sinned and lost their ability to live for the glory of God. Mankind’s fall has incurred both physical and spiritual death on all until there is forgiveness and salvation by the grace of God. (Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 3:10-23; 5:12-21; 6:23)

 

Salvation

• We believe salvation is God’s free gift.
• Salvation is neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any human virtue, work, ceremony, or effort. We receive God’s gift only through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• In Jesus Christ, all true believers have—as a present possession—eternal life, perfect righteousness, and sonship in God’s family. Christians also enjoy every spiritual resource needed for life and godliness, and have the divine guarantee that they shall never perish. God has delivered Christians from all condemnation, and we have eternal security in Christ. (John 1:12; Acts 16:30-33; Rom. 10:9,10; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:7, 2:8-10)

 

The Eternal State

• We believe the souls of those who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation immediately pass into His presence at death. There they remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of our bodies at Christ’s coming for His Church. Then, with our souls reunited with our glorified bodies, we will live with Him forever in glory. We believe God will punish unbelievers with everlasting separation from His presence, His glory, and His power. (John 3:16; 2:25; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15)

 

The Resurrection

• We believe that the Scriptures clearly teach that Jesus rose from the dead.
• He now exists in His glorified body at God’s right hand.
• There will be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked.
• The bodies of the righteous will conform to the glorious spiritual body of Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

 

The Church

• We believe the result of salvation through Jesus Christ is that all believers become members of his body, the church. There is one true, worldwide church made up of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Scripture commands believers to gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer, preaching and teaching the word, to baptism and communion as the ordinances (sacraments) established by Jesus Christ, fellowship, service to the body, and outreach to the world. Church is where God’s people meet regularly in obedience to these purposes. Under the loving care of Pastors, and other supportive leadership, its members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:41; 15:13-17; Ephesians 1:3-6; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:6-8; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)
• We believe the Church is an elect company of believers baptized by the Holy Spirit in to one body; its mission is to witness concerning its head, Jesus Christ, preaching the Gospel among all nations. (Ephesians 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 1:8)

 

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

• Jesus instructed His followers to remember His death and resurrection. He gave the Church two visible symbols (called “ordinances”) as reminders. These two ordinances are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism by immersion is a one-time act of obedience and identification with Jesus as Lord. It serves as an outward sign of conscious confession of repentance and faith.
• The Lord’s Supper is an ongoing symbol remembering our Lord’s death, burial, resurrection, and promised return. Each person must decide whether or not to be baptized or to participate in the Lord’s Supper. Regardless, we do not regard anyone’s participation in these practices as a means of salvation. (Matthew 28:18-20; Matthew 26: 26-29; Acts 2:41; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32)

 

The Great Commission

• Until the return of Christ, it is the Christian’s duty and privilege to seek the fulfillment of Christ’s Great Commission and to minister in His name to a needy world.
• We are to be instruments of Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit ministers’ redemption and reconciliation in the world. (Matthew 25:31-46; 28:18-20)

 

The Christian Walk

• We believe God calls us – with a holy calling– to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. God wants us to live in the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit, so we will not fulfill the lusts of our physical bodies.
• We believe the fallen, Adamic nature of the flesh cannot be eradicated in this life. Therefore, keeping ourselves constantly in subjection to Christ, we must allow God’s Holy Spirit to live through us in a daily “walk” of faith. (Rom. 6:11-13; 8:2, 4, 12, 13; Gal. 5:16-23; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 2:1-10; 1 Pet. 1:14-16; 1 John 1:4-7: 3:5-9)

 

Marriage

• We believe that marriage is between a man and a woman only. (Gen 1:27, Gen. 2:22-24)
• Therefore, we do not acknowledge, a same sex union as marriage, nor will we ever perform or condone same sex weddings.

 

The Christian Home

• In addition to these important beliefs, we also believe God has given the parents the responsibility to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 22:6)
• We believe a consistent and whole education will occur when home and Church, work closely together and are in agreement on the basic Biblical principles of life.