“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” — John 17:17 (NASB)

 

Introduction

This Statement of Faith sets forth the biblical convictions of Faithful to the Word. It is not intended to replace the authority of Holy Scripture, but to faithfully summarize and confess what we believe the Bible teaches concerning God, salvation, the church, and the Christian life. We affirm that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are our final and sufficient authority in all matters of faith and practice.

 

These doctrines are held not merely as abstract theological propositions, but as precious truths revealed by God for His glory and for the good of His people. They shape our worship, inform our ministry, guide our discipleship, and anchor our hope. We confess these truths joyfully, humbly, and with dependence upon God’s grace, recognizing that sound doctrine leads to godly living and faithful witness.

 

Above all, this Statement of Faith seeks to exalt the triune God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ—salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. It is our prayer that God would use this confession to strengthen believers, clarify truth, guard the church, and magnify the name of Christ among the nations.

 

1. The Scriptures (Bibliology)

We believe that the Holy Bible is the written Word of God, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, and that it was authored by men who were divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit. God, in His sovereign providence, employed the personalities, vocabularies, and historical contexts of the human authors, such that the Scriptures are fully God’s Word and fully the words of men, without error in their original writings (cf. 2 Pet. 1:20–21).

 

All Scripture is God-breathed (theopneustos) and therefore inerrant, being wholly true in all that it affirms; infallible, being incapable of deceiving or being deceived; and entirely sufficient for all matters pertaining to faith, doctrine, worship, and godly living (2 Tim. 3:16–17). Because God Himself is truthful and cannot lie, His written revelation is trustworthy, authoritative, and binding upon all people in every age.

 

We affirm that the Bible is God’s self-revelation to humanity, revealing His holy character, righteous law, sovereign purposes, and saving will. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture unfolds the unified and progressive redemptive plan of God, promised in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament, culminating in the person and saving work of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God incarnate (Luke 24:27; John 5:39). Christ is the center, substance, and goal of all Scripture, and apart from Him the Bible cannot be rightly understood.

 

We further affirm that the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments alone constitute the complete and final canon of Scripture. As such, they are the supreme and final authority for the believer’s faith and life, for the doctrine, worship, discipline, and mission of the church, and for all theological truth. No tradition, creed, council, claimed revelation, or human authority may stand alongside Scripture as equal, nor may any contradict its teaching. All doctrinal formulations, confessions, and practices are to be tested and corrected by the written Word of God.

 

While the illumination of the Holy Spirit is necessary for the saving and sanctifying understanding of Scripture, we deny that new revelation continues today. God now speaks finally and sufficiently through His written Word, which is clear in its essential message and powerful to accomplish His redemptive purposes in those who believe (Isa. 55:10–11).

 

Therefore, we joyfully submit to the authority of Scripture, receiving it with humility and faith as our only infallible rule of belief and obedience, trusting that through it God makes us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

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2. God (Theology Proper)

We believe that there is one and only one living and true God, eternally self-existent and independent of all creation. He is infinite in being and perfection, without origin, limitation, or change, and is the sole Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of all things that exist (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:5–7). God alone is worthy of all worship, obedience, love, and trust.

 

God is spirit (John 4:24), and His nature is fully and perfectly expressed in His attributes. He is all-powerful (omnipotent), accomplishing all that He wills without resistance; all-knowing (omniscient), possessing exhaustive and eternal knowledge of Himself, all things actual and possible, past, present, and future; and omnipresent, fully present at all times and in all places, yet distinct from His creation (Ps. 139:7–10). He is holy, infinitely pure and morally perfect, utterly set apart from sin; righteous and just, upholding what is right and judging all wickedness; and loving, graciously and freely showing steadfast love, mercy, and kindness according to His own will (Isa. 6:3; Ps. 89:14; 1 John 4:8).

 

We affirm that this one God eternally exists in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are not parts of God, nor three gods, but each person is fully and truly God, sharing the same divine essence, nature, and attributes. They are equal in deity, glory, and worth, yet personally distinct, eternally coexisting in perfect unity and fellowship (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14). This triune nature of God is not a contradiction, but a divine mystery revealed in Scripture and to be confessed with reverent humility.

 

Within the Godhead, the persons are distinguished not by degree of being, but by eternal relations and roles. The Father is unbegotten, the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son. In the work of redemption, the Father ordains and sends, the Son accomplishes salvation through His incarnation and atoning work, and the Holy Spirit applies redemption to the hearts of God’s people, yet all external works of God are indivisible, being the unified action of the one triune God.

 

We further affirm that God is absolutely sovereign over all creation, history, and human affairs. He upholds all things by the word of His power and governs every event, great and small, according to His eternal purpose, without violating the reality of human responsibility or the integrity of secondary causes. God works all things according to the counsel of His will, such that nothing occurs apart from His decree, and nothing can thwart His purposes (Eph. 1:11; Dan. 4:35).

 

All that God does is ultimately for His own glory, the highest and most fitting end of all things. From creation to providence to redemption and consummation, God displays the fullness of His attributes, that His name might be exalted and His grace praised forever. He is both the beginning and the end of all things, and from Him and through Him and to Him are all things (Rom. 11:36).

 

Therefore, we confess with reverence and joy that the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the one true God, infinitely worthy of worship, perfectly faithful to His promises, and glorious in all His works.

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3. God the Father

We believe that God the Father is the first person of the Trinity, who eternally reigns over all things with wise, holy, and providential care. As Creator and Sustainer, He governs the universe He has made, upholding, directing, disposing, and governing all creatures, actions, and events according to His perfect will and for His own glory (Ps. 103:19; Matt. 10:29–31). Nothing in heaven or on earth occurs outside His sovereign oversight, and His providence extends even to the smallest details of life, working all things together for good for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28).

 

We affirm that God is fatherly in His disposition toward all people as His creatures, demonstrating goodness, patience, and kindness even toward the ungrateful and the evil (Matt. 5:45; Acts 17:25). In this sense, He is the benevolent Creator who provides for and sustains all humanity. However, we deny that God is Father to all people in the same redemptive sense. God is Father in truth and covenant only to those who are united to His Son by faith and have been graciously adopted into His family (John 1:12–13; Rom. 8:15).

 

From eternity, the Father purposed redemption and, in the fullness of time, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to save sinners. Out of sheer grace and love, not compelled by anything in fallen humanity, He gave His only begotten Son to accomplish redemption through His obedient life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection (John 3:16; Gal. 4:4–5). The Father’s sending of the Son reveals both His holy justice against sin and His immeasurable love toward those He saves.

 

We further affirm that God the Father calls His people into covenantal relationship with Himself. Throughout redemptive history, He has sovereignly initiated, established, and fulfilled His covenants, progressively revealing His saving purposes and promises. These covenants find their fulfillment and unity in the New Covenant, inaugurated through the blood of Christ, by which God brings a redeemed people into communion with Himself (Jer. 31:31–34; Luke 22:20). Those who are in Christ are no longer strangers, but beloved children, heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ.

 

As Father, God lovingly disciplines His children for their good, conforming them to the image of His Son, and faithfully preserves them to the end (Heb. 12:5–11). He hears their prayers, provides for their needs, and assures them of His steadfast love, such that nothing can separate them from Him (Rom. 8:31–39).

 

Therefore, we confess God the Father as the sovereign Lord of creation, the gracious author of redemption, and the loving Father of all who are adopted by grace through faith in Christ, worthy of trust, obedience, and worship.

 

4. God the Son (Christology)

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, who is fully God and fully man, possessing two distinct natures, divine and human, united in one person without confusion, change, division, or separation. As to His divine nature, He is of the same essence as the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally begotten, uncreated, and equal in power and glory (John 1:1; Col. 2:9). As to His human nature, He assumed true humanity, with a real body and a rational soul, yet without sin (Heb. 2:14–17; 4:15).

 

We affirm that the Son of God was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in fulfillment of the promises of God and according to the Scriptures (Isa. 7:14; Luke 1:35). In the incarnation, the eternal Word took on flesh, entering history in humility, not ceasing to be what He was, but becoming what He was not, in order to redeem His people (John 1:14; Phil. 2:6–8).

 

During His earthly life, Jesus lived in perfect obedience to the Law of God, fulfilling all righteousness on behalf of those He came to save (Matt. 5:17; Rom. 5:19). He lived a sinless life, fully pleasing to the Father in thought, word, and deed. In His teaching and works, He revealed the Father, making known the character, will, and saving purpose of God, such that to see the Son is to see the Father (John 14:9; Heb. 1:1–3).

 

We believe that Jesus Christ willingly suffered and was crucified under Pontius Pilate as a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners. On the cross, He bore the penalty of sin in the place of His people, satisfying divine justice, propitiating God’s righteous wrath, and securing full and final atonement through the shedding of His blood (Isa. 53:4–6; 1 Pet. 2:24). His death was not a mere example, but a definite, effectual sacrifice that actually accomplished redemption for all whom the Father had given Him.

 

We affirm that on the third day, Jesus rose bodily from the grave, victorious over sin, death, and the devil. His resurrection was physical, historical, and glorious, serving as the Father’s public vindication of the Son and the guarantee of the believer’s justification and future resurrection (1 Cor. 15:3–8, 20–23). After appearing to many witnesses, He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, exalted as Lord over all, reigning until all His enemies are placed beneath His feet (Acts 1:9–11; Ps. 110:1). From His exalted position, Christ continues His mediatorial work as Prophet, Priest, and King. He intercedes for His people, governs His church, and advances His kingdom through the proclamation of the gospel and the power of His Word and Spirit (Heb. 7:25; Matt. 28:18–20).

 

We further affirm that Jesus Christ will return bodily, visibly, and gloriously at the end of the age. He will come not in humility, but in power and great glory, to judge the living and the dead, to consummate His kingdom, to raise the righteous and the wicked, and to usher in the final state of the new heavens and the new earth (Matt. 24:30; Acts 17:31). His return is certain, personal, and decisive, and it calls all people everywhere to repentance and faith.

 

Therefore, we confess that Jesus Christ alone is Savior, Lord, and Mediator between God and man, the cornerstone of the church, and the hope of glory for all who trust in Him.

 

5. God the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology)

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, fully and eternally God, equal in essence, glory, and majesty with the Father and the Son. He is not an impersonal force or influence, but a divine person who thinks, wills, speaks, and acts according to His own divine purpose (Acts 5:3–4; 1 Cor. 2:10–11). The Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son, sharing fully in the one divine essence, and is to be worshiped and glorified together with them.

 

We affirm that the Holy Spirit is the divine agent of revelation and inspiration, having superintended the human authors of Scripture so that the Word of God was written without error and with full authority (2 Pet. 1:21). Though His work of inspiration is complete, His work of illumination continues, enabling believers to understand, receive, and obey the truth of Scripture, not by granting new revelation, but by applying the once-for-all revealed Word to the heart and mind (1 Cor. 2:12–14).

 

In His saving work, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8–11). He sovereignly regenerates sinners, granting new life to those who were spiritually dead, effectually calling them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:5–8; Titus 3:5). Regeneration is entirely an act of God’s grace, not produced by human will or effort, but by the life-giving power of the Spirit.

 

We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells all believers at the moment of conversion, permanently uniting them to Christ and sealing them for the day of redemption (Rom. 8:9; Eph. 1:13–14). Through His indwelling presence, the Spirit assures believers of their adoption as children of God, empowers them for obedience, and enables them to cry out, “Abba! Father!” (Rom. 8:15–16).

 

The Holy Spirit also sanctifies believers, progressively conforming them to the image of Christ. He works within God’s people to put sin to death and to produce the fruit of godliness, leading them in holiness of life through the Word of God (Gal. 5:16–25; John 17:17). This sanctifying work is lifelong, imperfect in this age, yet certain in its completion.

 

We affirm that the Holy Spirit equips the Church with spiritual gifts for the edification of the body and the faithful fulfillment of its mission (1 Cor. 12:4–7; Eph. 4:11–16). These gifts are to be exercised in love, order, and submission to the authority of Scripture, for the building up of Christ’s church and the glory of God.

 

However, we also affirm that the miraculous sign gifts, including tongues, prophecy, and healing, were temporary in nature and served a foundational role in the apostolic era. These gifts authenticated the apostles and prophets as God’s authorized messengers and confirmed the revelation that would become the New Testament Scriptures (Heb. 2:3–4; Eph. 2:20). With the closing of the apostolic age and the completion of the New Testament canon, these sign gifts ceased, having fulfilled their intended purpose.

 

We deny that new revelatory or miraculous sign gifts continue today in the church. Instead, we affirm that the Holy Spirit now works powerfully and sufficiently through the ordinary means of grace: the faithful preaching and reading of the Word, prayer, the sacraments, and life within the local church. Through these means, the Spirit strengthens faith, nurtures holiness, preserves believers, and builds up the body of Christ.

 

Therefore, we joyfully confess our dependence upon the Holy Spirit, not for new revelation, but for the faithful application of God’s Word; not for spectacular signs, but for lasting spiritual fruit; trusting that He continues to work mightily through the means God Himself has ordained.

 

6. Man and Sin (Anthropology & Hamartiology)

We believe that God created man in a unique and exalted manner, male and female, in His own image and likeness, for the purpose of displaying His glory and exercising righteous dominion over creation (Gen. 1:26–27; Ps. 8:4–6). Humanity was created good, upright, and without sin, endowed with rationality, moral responsibility, and the capacity for fellowship with God. As image-bearers, men and women possess equal dignity and worth before God, though distinct in their created roles and complementary design.

 

We affirm that the first man, Adam, was appointed by God as the federal head and representative of the human race. In a state of original righteousness, Adam was placed under a covenant of obedience, with the command to trust and obey the word of the Lord. When Adam willfully transgressed God’s command, he fell from his original state of innocence into sin and death (Gen. 3:1–7; Rom. 5:12).

 

As a result of Adam’s fall, sin entered the world, and through sin, death spread to all mankind. We affirm that Adam’s guilt was imputed to all his descendants, such that all people are now conceived in sin and born with a corrupt nature, inclined toward evil and opposed to God (Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:18–19). This condition, commonly referred to as original sin, affects every aspect of human nature—mind, will, affections, and body, rendering man spiritually dead and morally unable to respond to God apart from grace.

 

We believe that all humanity is therefore under the just wrath and condemnation of God, not only because of inherited guilt, but also because of personal transgressions flowing from a sinful nature (Eph. 2:1–3; Rom. 3:9–18). Sin is not merely a deficiency or weakness, but active rebellion against a holy God, deserving righteous judgment.

 

We further affirm that fallen man is utterly incapable of saving himself or contributing in any way to his own salvation. Apart from divine grace, man neither seeks God nor desires Him, and is wholly unable to please God or submit to His law (Rom. 8:7–8; 1 Cor. 2:14). Any attempt at self-righteousness, moral reform, or religious effort apart from Christ is insufficient and condemned, for salvation is not by human will or effort, but by the mercy of God (John 1:12-13).

 

Therefore, the fallen condition of man leaves him entirely dependent upon God’s sovereign and gracious intervention. Only by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit and the redeeming work of Jesus Christ can sinners be rescued from spiritual death and reconciled to God. This doctrine humbles the sinner, silences boasting, and prepares the way for the glory of the gospel of grace alone.

 

7. Salvation (Soteriology)

We believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and to the glory of God alone. Salvation is not the result of human merit, effort, or cooperation, but is entirely the work of God, accomplished according to His eternal purpose and applied by His sovereign power (Eph. 2:8–9; Titus 3:5). From beginning to end, salvation belongs to the Lord.

 

We affirm that before the foundation of the world, God graciously and sovereignly elected a people for Himself in Christ, not on the basis of foreseen faith or works, but according to the kind intention of His will (Eph. 1:4–5; Rom. 9:11–16). In time, God effectually calls those whom He has chosen through the proclamation of the gospel, drawing them by His Spirit from spiritual death to life (Rom. 8:30; John 6:37).

 

In regeneration, the Holy Spirit sovereignly imparts new life to the sinner, enabling repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Faith itself is not a meritorious work, but a gracious gift of God, by which the sinner rests wholly upon Christ alone for salvation (Phil. 1:29). Through faith, believers are united to Christ and partake of all the benefits of His saving work.

 

We believe that Jesus Christ died as a substitutionary sacrifice for His people, bearing their sins in His body on the cross and fully satisfying the righteous judgment of God (Isa. 53:5–6; 1 Pet. 2:24). His atoning death was definite and effectual, securing redemption for all whom the Father had given Him. In justification, God declares sinners righteous, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by imputing to them the perfect righteousness of Christ, received by faith alone (Rom. 4:5–8; 2 Cor. 5:21). Justification is a once-for-all legal act of God, grounded entirely in Christ’s finished work.

 

Those whom God justifies, He also sanctifies. Sanctification is the gracious and ongoing work of God by which believers are progressively conformed to the image of Christ through the indwelling Spirit and the means of grace (1 Thess. 4:3; Rom. 8:13). While sanctification involves the active obedience of the believer, it remains wholly dependent upon divine grace and never serves as the basis of justification.

 

We affirm that all whom God has elected, called, regenerated, and justified will certainly be preserved by His power and will persevere in faith until the end. This perseverance of the saints is not grounded in human resolve, but in God’s faithful commitment to complete the work He has begun (John 10:28–29; Phil. 1:6). True saving faith will inevitably produce spiritual fruit, a transformed life, and a growing pursuit of holiness, not as the cause of salvation, but as its necessary evidence (James 2:17; Heb. 12:14).

 

We further affirm the certainty of final glorification, when believers will be fully and forever freed from sin, raised bodily, and conformed perfectly to the likeness of Christ (Rom. 8:30; 1 John 3:2). This golden chain of redemption: foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification, cannot be broken, for it rests upon God’s eternal purpose and unchanging promise.

 

We joyfully confess Reformed soteriology, often summarized in the doctrines of grace, as a faithful expression of biblical teaching concerning God’s sovereign mercy in salvation. At the same time, we affirm a universal and sincere gospel call to all people everywhere. The gospel is to be freely proclaimed to every creature, commanding all people to repent and believe, with the assurance that all who come to Christ will never be cast out (Matt. 28:19; John 6:37).

 

Therefore, salvation magnifies the grace of God, humbles the sinner, exalts Christ alone, and produces a people zealous for good works, saved not by works, but saved unto works, prepared beforehand by God for His glory.

 

8. God’s Purpose of Grace

We believe that election is the gracious and eternal purpose of God, according to which He sovereignly chooses in Christ those whom He will save, out of the fallen human race, for the praise of His glorious grace (Eph. 1:4–6). This choice was made before the foundation of the world, not on the basis of foreseen faith, works, or merit, but solely according to the free and loving counsel of God’s will (Rom. 9:11–16; 2 Tim. 1:9).

 

We affirm that election is effectual and comprehensive, encompassing the entire work of salvation. Those whom God has elected, He also regenerates by His Spirit, granting new life; justifies through faith in the righteousness of Christ; sanctifies by the ongoing work of the Spirit; and will most certainly glorify in the age to come (Rom. 8:28–30). Election is not merely a plan or possibility of salvation, but the sure and sovereign accomplishment of it.

 

We further affirm that God’s electing grace is fully consistent with human responsibility. God’s sovereign choice does not nullify the moral accountability of sinners, nor does it render human decisions meaningless. All people are commanded to repent and believe the gospel, and all who refuse Christ do so willingly and are justly condemned for their unbelief (John 3:18–19; Acts 17:30). God’s sovereignty and human responsibility are not competing truths, but complementary realities taught plainly in Scripture.

 

We affirm that election in no way diminishes the free and sincere proclamation of the gospel to all nations and all people. On the contrary, election provides confidence and hope in evangelism, for God has ordained not only the end, salvation, but also the means, namely the preaching of the gospel through which He effectually calls His chosen ones (Rom. 10:14–17; Acts 18:9–10). The gospel is to be offered indiscriminately, with the genuine promise that all who repent and believe in Jesus Christ will be saved.

 

We believe that the doctrine of election is the foundation of Christian assurance. Because salvation rests upon God’s eternal purpose rather than human will or performance, believers may be confident that nothing can separate them from the love of God in Christ (Rom. 8:33–39). Election assures the believer that God’s grace precedes, sustains, and secures their salvation from beginning to end.

 

At the same time, we affirm that election is a doctrine meant to produce humility, gratitude, and holiness, not pride or speculation. It excludes all boasting, magnifies the mercy of God, and leads believers to worship, obedience, and compassionate proclamation of the gospel to others (1 Cor. 1:26–31; Col. 3:12). Properly understood, election fuels reverent awe and joyful submission to God’s sovereign grace.

 

Therefore, we confess election as a biblical and precious truth, revealed not to divide the church, but to comfort the saints, strengthen faith, and exalt the God who saves sinners by grace alone.

 

9. The Church (Ecclesiology)

We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ, the redeemed people of God called out from the world and united to Jesus Christ by grace through faith (1 Cor. 12:12–13; Eph. 1:22–23). The universal church consists of all true believers from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and made members of Christ’s body. Christ alone is the head of the Church, its supreme authority, and its chief Shepherd (Col. 1:18; 1 Pet. 5:4).

 

We affirm that the universal church is visibly expressed through local churches, which are autonomous congregations of baptized believers who voluntarily covenant together under the authority of Scripture. Each local church is called to gather regularly for worship, the preaching of the Word, prayer, fellowship, and the observance of the ordinances, seeking to glorify God and build one another up in love (Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:24–25).

 

We believe that the local church is to be governed by the Word of God and led by qualified elders, also referred to as pastor-elders or overseers, who are called to shepherd, teach, and oversee the congregation with humility and faithfulness (1 Tim. 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9). These elders are accountable to Christ and are to lead not by coercion, but by example, exercising spiritual oversight for the good of the flock. We affirm an elder-led, congregationally accountable model of church polity, wherein the congregation affirms leadership, doctrine, discipline, and major decisions under the guidance of its elders.

 

We further affirm the biblical office of deacon, whose role is to serve the church by attending to practical needs, thereby supporting the ministry of the Word and prayer and promoting unity within the body (Acts 6:1–6; 1 Tim. 3:8–13). Deacons serve with Christlike humility, assisting the elders in caring for the congregation.

 

We recognize that in smaller or developing congregations, a pastor-led model may be appropriate and prudent, particularly where a plurality of elders has not yet been established. In such cases, the pastor is to lead with the goal of equipping the church toward biblical maturity, accountability, and, where possible, the eventual development of additional qualified elders.

 

We affirm that the church has been entrusted with a sacred and ongoing responsibility. Chief among its duties are the faithful preaching of the gospel, the administration of the ordinances as instituted by Christ, the discipleship and spiritual formation of its members, and the defense and proclamation of the truth once for all delivered to the saints (Matt. 28:18–20; 1 Tim. 3:15). The church is also called to exercise loving church discipline, preserving the purity of the body and seeking the restoration of those who stray (Matt. 18:15–17).

 

Therefore, we confess that the church is not a human institution or mere association, but a divine creation, purchased with the blood of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, ordered by the Word, and commissioned to bear faithful witness to the gospel until Christ returns.

 

10. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Sacraments)

We affirm that the Lord Jesus Christ has instituted two ordinances for His church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These ordinances are visible signs appointed by Christ to be observed by His people until His return. They do not convey saving grace in and of themselves, but serve as means by which God strengthens faith, testifies to gospel realities, and orders the life of the church according to His Word (Matt. 28:19–20; 1 Cor. 11:23–26).

 

Baptism

We believe that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, administered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism is an ordinance for those who have personally repented of sin and placed their faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38; 8:36–38). The mode of baptism is immersion, which best reflects the biblical pattern and the spiritual reality it signifies.

 

Baptism symbolically portrays the believer’s union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, signifying the washing away of sins, the death of the old self, and the beginning of new life in Christ (Rom. 6:3–4; Col. 2:12). It is a public profession of faith, a visible declaration of allegiance to Christ, and an act of obedience to His command.

 

We affirm that baptism does not regenerate the sinner, impart saving grace, or secure forgiveness of sins. Rather, it is an outward sign of an inward reality already accomplished by grace through faith. Baptism is therefore a prerequisite to church membership, marking the believer’s formal identification with Christ and His visible body, the local church.

 

The Lord’s Supper

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is an ordinance instituted by Christ as a memorial of His atoning death, to be observed regularly by the church until He comes again (Luke 22:19–20; 1 Cor. 11:26). In the Supper, baptized believers partake of bread and the cup as visible symbols representing the body and blood of Christ, given for sinners.

 

We affirm that the Lord’s Supper is to be observed by believers who are walking in repentance and faith, in fellowship with the local church. It is a communal act of worship, expressing both union with Christ and communion with one another in the body (1 Cor. 10:16–17).

 

We deny that the elements of the Supper are transformed into the literal body and blood of Christ, or that the ordinance itself conveys saving grace. Rather, the Lord’s Supper is a means of spiritual nourishment, strengthening faith as believers remember Christ’s sacrifice, proclaim His death, examine their hearts, and renew their hope in His return. Christ is present spiritually with His people by faith, not physically in the elements.

 

Therefore, we joyfully observe both baptism and the Lord’s Supper as Christ-appointed ordinances, simple, solemn, and gospel-rich practices that instruct the church, strengthen believers, and bear witness to the saving work of Christ until He returns in glory.

 

11. The Lord’s Day

We believe that the true and final Sabbath rest is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who alone provides rest for weary sinners through His completed work of redemption. Under the Old Covenant, the Sabbath functioned as a sign pointing forward to God’s promised rest; in Christ, that promise has been fully realized. He invites all who labor and are heavy-laden to come to Him and find rest for their souls, a rest grounded not in human effort, but in His perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice (Matt. 11:28–30; Heb. 4:9–10).

 

We affirm that believers are no longer bound to the Old Covenant Sabbath law as a ceremonial requirement. The Sabbath command, as part of the Mosaic Covenant, has been fulfilled in Christ and is no longer imposed upon the conscience of the believer as a legal obligation (Col. 2:16–17; Rom. 14:5). Our standing before God is not determined by the observance of days, but by union with Christ through faith alone.

 

Nevertheless, we affirm the enduring wisdom and goodness of regular, gathered worship, and we joyfully recognize the first day of the week, Sunday, as the Lord’s Day, in light of the bodily resurrection of Christ on that day (Matt. 28:1; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). From the earliest days of the church, believers gathered on the first day of the week to worship the risen Lord, marking the beginning of the new creation inaugurated by His resurrection.

 

We believe that gathering on the Lord’s Day is not an act of legal compliance, but a grace-filled privilege. On this day, the church assembles for corporate worship, the preaching of the Word, prayer, discipleship, and fellowship, seeking to be nourished by God’s truth and strengthened in faith (Heb. 10:24–25). Setting apart the Lord’s Day reflects a glad and willing devotion to Christ and a desire to order our lives around the means of grace He has ordained.

 

We further affirm that the Lord’s Day serves as a weekly reminder of the finished work of Christ and a foretaste of the eternal rest that awaits the people of God. As believers gather to worship, they look back in gratitude to the cross and resurrection, and forward in hope to the consummation of God’s redemptive purposes, when faith will give way to sight and rest will be complete (Rev. 14:13).

 

Therefore, though we reject Sabbath-keeping as a binding Old Covenant ordinance, we joyfully and intentionally set apart the Lord’s Day as a time to delight in Christ, to be shaped by His Word, to encourage one another, and to live in anticipation of the everlasting rest secured for us by our risen Savior.

 

12. Evangelism and Missions

We believe that evangelism and missions flow from the very heart of God and are rooted in the redemptive mission of Jesus Christ, who came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10, NASB). The mission of the church does not originate in human compassion or strategy, but in the eternal purpose of God to glorify Himself by redeeming a people from every tribe, tongue, and nation.

 

As those redeemed by Christ, we are commanded and commissioned to proclaim the gospel to all peoples. The risen Lord, possessing all authority in heaven and on earth, has entrusted His church with the Great Commission: to make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that He has commanded (Matt. 28:18–20). This commission is not a suggestion reserved for a select few, but the joyful obligation and sacred privilege of the entire church in every generation.

 

We affirm that the gospel, the good news of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, must be faithfully proclaimed to all people everywhere, without distinction or partiality. The offer of the gospel is universal, sincere, and urgent, calling all people to repentance and faith in Christ. At the same time, we joyfully confess a Reformed understanding of God’s sovereign election, recognizing that God has ordained the preaching of the Word as the appointed means by which He effectually calls His elect unto salvation (Rom. 10:14–17; 2 Tim. 2:10). Far from hindering evangelism, this truth strengthens confidence and perseverance in gospel labor, knowing that God will surely save His people through the message of Christ.

 

We believe that evangelism is both the personal and corporate witness of believers to the saving power of Christ, carried out through faithful proclamation and Christlike conduct. Every Christian is called to be an ambassador for Christ, bearing witness to the gospel with clarity, humility, and love, giving an account for the hope that is within them with gentleness and respect (2 Cor. 5:20; 1 Pet. 3:15). In all evangelistic efforts, we rely not on human persuasion, but on the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, grant repentance, and bring about the new birth.

 

We further affirm that missions is the church’s intentional effort to cross cultural, linguistic, and geographic boundaries for the sake of Christ’s name. Missions involves the planting of healthy local churches, the making and maturing of disciples, and the extension of Christ’s kingdom to the ends of the earth. Faithful missions seeks not merely converts, but enduring, indigenous, gospel-preaching churches that are biblically ordered, self-sustaining, and led by qualified elders.

 

We believe that missions is not the task of a few specialists alone, but the calling of the whole church. God calls some to go, others to send, all to pray, and many to support, financially, relationally, and spiritually, the advance of the gospel both locally and globally. The church is responsible to train, examine, and send biblically faithful missionaries, ensuring doctrinal soundness, moral integrity, and commitment to the authority and sufficiency of Scripture.

 

We also affirm that the mission of the church includes acts of mercy and justice, reflecting the compassion and goodness of God toward a broken world. However, we insist that such works must never replace or overshadow the church’s central task: the proclamation of Christ crucified and risen, which alone is the power of God unto salvation (1 Cor. 1:18–24). Good works adorn the gospel, but they cannot substitute for it.

 

Ultimately, we believe that evangelism and missions exist because worship does not. The goal of all gospel labor is the glory of God among the nations, that Christ would be exalted, His name treasured, and His praise multiplied throughout the earth. We labor and witness in hope, longing for the day when the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14).

 

Until Christ returns, we are called to be His witnesses, empowered by the Holy Spirit, faithful to the Word, and steadfast in hope, bearing fruit among the nations and hastening the day of His coming (Acts 1:8; Matt. 24:14).

 

As the psalmist exhorts us: “Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all the peoples” (Ps. 96:3).

 

13. The Christian Life (Sanctification)

We believe that sanctification is the lifelong and gracious work of God by which believers, having been justified by faith alone in Christ alone, are progressively conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:4; 2 Cor. 3:18). Sanctification is the necessary evidence and outworking of genuine salvation, flowing from union with Christ and accomplished by the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The God who justifies also sanctifies, and He is faithful to complete the work He has begun (Phil. 1:6).

 

We affirm that sanctification is both positional and progressive. By virtue of union with Christ, every believer is already set apart unto God, declared holy in Christ, and transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (1 Cor. 1:2; Col. 1:13). This definitive sanctification establishes the believer’s new identity in Christ and provides the foundation for a life of holiness.

 

At the same time, sanctification is progressive, unfolding throughout the believer’s earthly life. Believers are called to grow in grace and godliness, actively putting to death the deeds of the flesh and walking in newness of life through obedience to God’s Word (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:1–17). This growth does not arise from human strength or moral resolve alone, but from the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, who works in and through the ordinary means of grace appointed by God: the Word of God faithfully preached and read, prayer, the ordinances, and fellowship within the local church.

 

We believe that the Christian life is a life of joyful obedience, shaped by ongoing repentance and faith, sustained by spiritual disciplines, and marked by sacrificial love for God and neighbor. It is a life of both conflict and victory, a continual warfare against the remaining corruption of the flesh, the temptations of the world, and the schemes of the devil, yet one characterized by real growth, renewed affections, and increasing conformity to Christ through the Spirit’s work (Gal. 5:16–25).

 

We affirm that God, in His wise and fatherly providence, uses trials, suffering, discipline, and the encouragement of fellow believers to refine His people and to produce the peaceful fruit of righteousness (James 1:2–4; Heb. 12:10–11). Through these means, believers are trained to depend more fully upon Christ and to set their hope firmly on the grace to be revealed at His coming.

 

We confess that sanctification is never perfected in this life, yet it is the certain and inevitable path for all who truly belong to Christ. While believers continue to struggle with sin, they do not remain enslaved to it. Sanctification is not the basis of our acceptance with God, but it is the necessary fruit and evidence of saving faith (Eph. 2:10; Titus 2:11–14). Where there is no growth in holiness, there is no warrant for assurance of salvation.

 

We therefore reject both legalism, which seeks to establish righteousness through human rules and performance, and antinomianism, which denies the ongoing moral authority of God’s law and the call to holiness. The Christian life is one of grace-fueled effort, grounded in the finished work of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and directed by the Word of God, as believers strive to walk worthy of the calling they have received (Eph. 4:1).

 

With hearts set on things above, we fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, awaiting the day when sanctification will give way to glorification and we shall be made perfectly like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (Heb. 12:2; 1 John 3:2–3).

 

14. Last Things (Eschatology)

We confess with joyful and steadfast hope that Jesus Christ will personally, visibly, and bodily return in glory at the end of the age, just as He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:11). His return will not be secret, symbolic, or merely spiritual, but a real and climactic event in redemptive history, the consummation of God’s eternal purposes. On that great and final day, every eye will see Him, and every knee will bow in acknowledgment of His sovereign lordship, to the glory of God the Father (Rev. 1:7; Phil. 2:10–11).

 

We affirm that the return of Christ marks the decisive conclusion of this present age and the public vindication of God’s righteousness. At His coming, Christ will fully and finally establish His reign, defeat all His enemies, and openly reveal Himself as the righteous Judge of all the earth. This event will bring to completion all the promises of God, vindicating His people, silencing every accusation, and displaying the triumph of His grace and justice.

 

For believers, the return of Christ is not a cause for fear or dread, but the object of eager expectation and joyful longing. We await “the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13), knowing that His coming brings with it the consummation of our salvation. What has been begun in justification and sanctification will be completed in glorification, when faith gives way to sight and hope to full possession.

 

We believe that at Christ’s appearing, the dead will be raised, the resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous, by the power of God. Those who belong to Christ will be raised unto everlasting life, while those who remain in unbelief will be raised unto everlasting judgment (John 5:28–29; Dan. 12:2). This resurrection will be bodily, real, and universal, demonstrating God’s final victory over death.

 

We affirm that Christ will then execute the final judgment, before which all people will stand and give an account of their lives (2 Cor. 5:10). Every secret will be disclosed, every deed weighed, and every claim to autonomy silenced before the holy tribunal of God. Yet for those who are in Christ, this judgment holds no terror, for “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). The judgment their sins deserved has already been borne by the Lamb who was slain, and His righteousness stands forever in their place.

 

We further affirm that the final judgment will usher in the eternal state, described in Scripture as the new heavens and the new earth, wherein righteousness dwells (2 Pet. 3:13). In this renewed creation, the curse will be fully removed: sin, sorrow, pain, and death will be no more. God Himself will dwell with His redeemed people, wiping away every tear from their eyes, and they will see His face and reign with Him forever in unbroken communion, joy, and peace (Rev. 21:3–4; 22:3–5).

 

We confess that this blessed hope gives meaning and direction to history. The world is not spiraling aimlessly, nor is evil destined to prevail. History is moving inexorably toward the day when Christ reigns visibly, fully, and forever, and when God’s glory fills all things. This hope strengthens the church for faithful witness, sustains believers in suffering, purifies our lives, and anchors our confidence in the faithfulness of God.

 

Therefore, we live and labor in light of Christ’s return, watchful, steadfast, and hopeful, praying with the church of all ages: “Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20, NASB).

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15. Marriage, Family, and Human Sexuality

We believe that God, in His infinite wisdom and goodness, created humanity in His own image, distinctly as male and female, according to His sovereign and purposeful design (Gen. 1:26–27). These two sexes are equal in dignity and worth, yet distinct and complementary, together reflecting the glory of God in a way neither can alone. Biological sex is not accidental, arbitrary, or fluid, but a divine ordinance rooted in creation, established by God for human flourishing and His own glory.

 

We affirm that gender is not a social construct, nor a subjective identity to be defined by personal feeling or cultural consensus. Rather, it is a God-given reality, inseparably connected to one’s biological sex and grounded in God’s creative intent. We therefore reject all attempts to redefine, obscure, or deny the goodness and clarity of God’s design for human identity, including ideologies and practices that treat sex and gender as interchangeable or self-determined. Such distortions arise from humanity’s fall into sin and lead not to freedom, but to further brokenness.

 

We believe that marriage is a sacred covenant instituted by God, defined in Scripture as the lifelong, exclusive union between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24). Marriage is ordained for companionship, the bearing and raising of children, and the proper expression of sexual intimacy. Above all, it is designed to reflect the covenantal relationship between Christ and His Church, displaying love, faithfulness, and sacrificial commitment (Eph. 5:22–33).

 

We affirm that sexual intimacy is a good and holy gift of God, to be enjoyed only within the covenant of marriage between a husband and wife. Any sexual activity outside this covenant, including fornication, adultery, homosexual behavior, and practices associated with gender reassignment, is contrary to the will of God as revealed in Scripture and destructive to human flourishing (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:26–27; 1 Cor. 6:9–11). Such sins, like all sin, are serious offenses against a holy God and reflect humanity’s rebellion against His created order.

 

At the same time, we affirm the power of the gospel to save, forgive, and transform sinners. Scripture testifies that those who once walked in such sins can be washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor. 6:11). No sin places a person beyond the reach of Christ’s redeeming grace.

 

We uphold the biblical family as the foundational institution of human society, ordained by God for the good ordering of life and the transmission of faith. Parents are entrusted with the sacred responsibility of nurturing, protecting, and instructing their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Deut. 6:6–7; Eph. 6:4). Children are a blessing from the Lord, not a burden, and parenting is a stewardship to be exercised with love, patience, truth, and gospel-centered discipline (Ps. 127:3; Prov. 22:6).

 

In all matters of human identity and morality, we affirm that every human being is made in the image of God and therefore possesses inherent dignity, worth, and value, regardless of age, ability, sex, ethnicity, or past sin. We categorically reject hatred, mockery, abuse, or unjust treatment of any person. As followers of Christ, we are committed to speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), holding forth God’s unchanging standards while extending compassion, patience, and hope to all.

 

We call all people to repentance and faith in Christ alone, trusting that He is sufficient to forgive sin, heal brokenness, restore identity, and grant new life. True freedom, wholeness, and hope are found not in self-definition, but in joyful submission to God’s good design and saving grace revealed in Jesus Christ.

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Conclusion

We joyfully confess these doctrines as faithful expressions of the teaching of Scripture and as a trustworthy guide for the life and mission of Faithful to the Word. While this Statement does not exhaust all that may be said about God and His works, it reflects the core convictions that govern our ministry, shape our proclamation, and define our fellowship.

 

We hold these truths with humility and gratitude, knowing that we see and understand only because God has graciously revealed Himself in His Word and through His Son. We remain committed to contending for the faith once for all delivered to the saints, while extending grace, patience, and love to all who seek the truth.

 

With confidence in God’s sovereign purposes and hope in the return of Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to live, teach, and minister in a manner worthy of the gospel. Until the day when faith becomes sight and Christ is all in all, we resolve to be faithful to the Word, steadfast in truth, rich in grace, and devoted to the glory of God.

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