GOD
There is one God who exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is the almighty Creator, Saviour and Judge who governs all things according to his sovereign will and is accomplishing his purposes in creation and in the Church to his glory.
THE FATHER
God the Father is the source of all that is good. He initiates creation and redemption which he accomplishes through his Son and the Holy Spirit.
GOD’S WRITTEN WORD
The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is God’s written Word, free from error in the originals, revealing for all peoples his character and purposes. It is the final authority in all matters relating to belief and behaviour. The Holy Spirit moved the human authors of the Bible so that what they wrote is inspired, fully reliable and without error in all it affirms.
THE HUMAN RACE
Humanity is the climax of God’s earthly creation, bearing his image, designed for relationship with him, and being the object of his redeeming love. All people have sinned. This results in guilt, death and alienation from God as well as the defacing of every aspect of human nature. People are unable to save themselves from sin’s penalty and power and from Satan’s dominion.
JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ, both fully God and fully man, entered history as Saviour of the world. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived an exemplary, sinless life in perfect submission to the Father and in loving relationships with others. He died on a cross, rose bodily and ascended to heaven where he is advocate for his people and is exalted as Lord of all.
SALVATION
Christ’s sacrificial death, in which he bore the punishment due to sinners, is the only and all-sufficient basis of God’s provision of salvation for all people of every culture and age, expressing his love and satisfying his justice. By God’s grace the repentant sinner, through believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and trusting alone in him as Saviour, is put right with God, adopted by the Father into his family and receives eternal life.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit makes the work of Christ effective to sinners, giving spiritual life and placing them into the Church. He indwells all believers, empowers them to love, serve, witness, and obey God, equips them with gifts and transforms them to be increasingly like Christ.
THE CHURCH
The universal Church is made up of all who have been born of the Spirit. It finds local expression in communities of believers called by God to worship, fellowship, proclaim the Gospel and make disciples among all peoples, reflect God’s character, engage in works of compassion, contend for truth and justice, and celebrate baptism and communion.
THE FUTURE
The Lord Jesus Christ will visibly return to the earth in glory and accomplish the final triumph over evil. God will make everything new. The dead will be raised and judged. Unbelievers will suffer eternal punishment in separation from God; believers will enter into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God, glorifying him forever.
