We exist to testify to the gospel of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God.
Our prayer is for the Gospel to come not in word only, but in power through the Holy Spirit with full conviction in order to produce imitators of the Lord who are full of joy in the Holy Spirit and who are examples to all believers here at Bethel Bible Church and in every place (I Thess. 1). So that “[believers] may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that [we] may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph 3:18-19).
Bethel Bible Church Statement of Faith
The Word of God
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority for everyone in all matters of faith and conduct. It is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, training in righteousness, and equipping for every good work. We believe that the Word of God has everything pertaining to life and godliness and is the authority by which we teach and counsel.
II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20,21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31,32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32
The Godhead
We believe in one holy and eternal God that exists in three distinct persons (the Trinity): Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who are one in essence, all knowing and equal in power and perfection. They execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.
Genesis 1:1, 26; John 1:1, 3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19, 20; Ephesians 4:5, 6
God the Father
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, eternal, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. He is the covenant God who cannot lie, the King over all the earth, He reigns over the nations, and sits on His holy throne in heaven.
Psalm 47; Luke 10:21,22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; I Timothy 1:1,2; 2:5,6; I Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6
Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. He is the Passover Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world. He existed in the form of God but emptied Himself, being made in the likeness of man. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His physical death on the cross, which satisfied the punishment for sin. Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven where God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the Name which is above every name. He is seated there at the right hand of the throne of God where He makes perpetual intercession for His people, and will return to earth in power and glory. Christ is the head to the body of believers and husband to the church, His bride.
Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 8:46; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Philippians 2:6-11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; I Timothy 3:16; Ephesians 1:22; 5:23
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. At salvation, the Holy Spirit regenerates, baptizes, indwells, sanctifies, distributes gifts, instructs, empowers, and seals. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide.
John 14:16,17,26; 15:26,27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 12:7, 11, 13; John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13; Titus 3:5; Galatians 5:22-26
State of Man
We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature, enslaved to sin as well as sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. Unregenerate man is fundamentally evil to the core of his being. There is no part of man that is left untouched by sin. We believe that those who repent, forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become new creatures, delivered from condemnation, slavery of sin, and receive eternal life in heaven. Those who do not trust Jesus Christ as Savior do not receive forgiveness and remain hopelessly dead in their sin, suffering eternal punishment in Hell and forever seperated from God.
Genesis 1:26; 5:2; Genesis 3; Genesis 2:17; 3:19; Eccl. 2:11; John 3:14; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; Romans 9:22; II Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 19:3,20; 20:10;14,15; 21:18; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Proverbs 28:13; I John 1:9; John 3:16; John 1:13; II Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God’s grace, through the atoning blood (death) of Christ, given to all who put their trust in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. Salvation is the act of God redeeming and reconciling certain individuals to Himself and is not the the basis of merit or works. All who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are forgiven and saved from their sins and made righteous before God and are born into the family of God so that they bring glory to Him by their lives. They are sealed in Him with a Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of their inheritance as God’s own posession.
John 1:12, 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7, 13-15, 2:8-9; Romans 3:24, 8:15, 23; Gal 4:4-7; Ephesians 1:7;2:8-10; Col 1:14; Hebrews 9:15; I Peter 1:18-19
The Church
We believe the true chuch, called in scripture the Body of Christ, is a spiritual organism of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. Every person who has trusted Jesus Christ for salvation is a part of the church. The local church, as established in scripture, is made up of redeemed individuals who have joined together for worship, instruction, fellowship, and service. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
Acts 2:42; 13:1-2 I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:22
Christian Conduct
We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being of his fellow men; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions; and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.
I Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15,23-24; I John 2:3-6; II Corinthians 9:6-9; I Corinthians 4:2; Col. 1:9-10
The Last Things
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked.
Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Phil. 3:20; I Thessalonians 4:15; II Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; I Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 15; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 20:4-6,11-15
