基督教华府忠道堂

Scriptures

We believe the Scriptures – the 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament – are God’s authoritative written revelation to mankind. They are God’s Word. They are the verbal and plenary inspiration of God, so that the original texts of the Scriptures are absolutely infallible and inerrant. The Scriptures are the supreme and final authority for believers. 

God

We believe there is one God in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; one in nature, attributes, and glory. These three are one God, infinite, eternal, unchangeable, all wise, all powerful, all knowing, holy, just, loving, gracious, good, and true. He is everywhere present, yet not part of His creation.

God the Father

We believe that the Father is God. He begins and ends all things according to His own purpose and grace. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, and the spiritual Father of believers. He expresses Himself in relationships with those whom He chooses, binding Himself to them by His eternal promises. He is loving, long-suffering, and not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God the Son

We believe that Jesus Christ is God. He is fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, died as the only sufficient sacrifice for our sins, and was buried; he descended into hell. On the third day He was resurrected bodily, appeared to the apostles and other witnesses, ascended to heaven, was glorified. He sits on the right hand of God the Father, and intercedes for believers. And He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

God the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is God. He convicts people of sin and restrains the extent of sin in the world. He opens the hearts and minds of people to turn from sin, believe in the Son, and be born again.

At the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit comes to live within every believer forever. He fills believers with His power, enables them to live in obedience to the will of God, teaches them, and gives them His gifts “to each one individually just as He wills,” to serve the church.

The Holy Spirit provides gifts to believers to serve the body of Christ and to reach the world with the gospel. Spiritual gifts should be used in a proper and orderly manner, in love, and without causing division. Spiritual gifts are not an indication of spiritual maturity and they should not be used for self-promotion. 

We believe that God continues to demonstrate His miraculous power and ability to heal; but the gifts and miracles today no longer serve as signs of apostles or for the establishment of the church, because the Scriptures are complete. 

Angels

We believe that God created angels as spiritual beings to glorify and serve Him. Angels also act as God’s messengers and minister to believers. Although powerful, they are never to be worshipped. Satan, an angel of high rank, led many angels in a rebellion against God, bringing judgment against himself and his followers. Satan tempted Adam and Eve into rebellion against God and continues, with other fallen angels (demons), to deceive and tempt all of mankind and actively oppose the purposes of God. By His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus Christ defeated Satan and his demons; they will be thrown into the lake of fire forever at the last judgment.

Sin

We believe that God created Adam and Eve, the first humans, without sin and in perfect fellowship with Him. They chose to sin by disobeying God and incurred His judgment. Their sin separated them from Him and brought suffering and death upon themselves, their descendants, and the whole creation. Mankind’s continued unbridled wickedness brought further judgment, which destroyed the earth in a world-wide flood. After the flood, mankind’s continued rebellion at Babel brought God’s judgment in confusing their language and scattering them over the face of the earth. We inherit Adam’s sin nature, are spiritually dead, and are sinners ourselves. Consequently, none of us are able by our efforts to reconcile ourselves to God.

Future

We believe that Jesus Christ will physically return in the air to take the church out of the world to be with Him forever. Scripture tells us to be ready always for His coming. At that moment, the dead in Christ and living believers will be given their eternal bodies. Jesus Christ will then bring a seven-year period of wrath upon the earth known as the tribulation. At the end of this period of judgment, He will return bodily with the church to set up a kingdom to rule in righteousness the entire earth for a thousand years.

Salvation

We believe that we are given salvation from sin and its penalty as a free gift from God through faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone, unaided by human effort. The death of Christ is full payment for our sins and satisfies the just requirement of God. Made alive by God, we are no longer slaves to sin, but are children of God, disciples set apart to a life of spiritual growth, ministry, love, and good works. We have forgiveness for every sin and rest secure in the reality of eternal life. 

Family

We believe that God created and blessed the family as the foundation of society. Marriage unites one man and one woman in a lifetime commitment to each other. Marriage provides for intimate companionship, pure sexual expression, procreation, and reflects the relationship of Christ and the church. A husband is commanded to love his wife as Christ loved the church. A wife is commanded to submit to her husband as the church submits to Christ.

Children are a gift from God and are fully human from conception. Parents are to train their children by modeling a godly life, teaching them the Scriptures, disciplining them in love, and providing them a resource of wisdom and counsel. Parents are to care for the needs of their children. Children are to obey their parents with respect and honor, caring for them in the time of their dependency and old age. 

Church

We believe that Christ established the church and is the Head of the church. The church comprises believers from its beginning at Pentecost until the return of Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the church carries out Christ’s work in the world. The purpose of the church is to worship, praise, and glorify God by proclaiming the gospel of Christ Jesus to the entire world; by teaching His Word; by seeking Him through earnest prayer; by equipping the saints to walk, serve, and fellowship in the power of the Holy Spirit; and by keeping the ordinances. 

We believe that the Lord gave two ordinances to the church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is for believers and is a public testimony of faith in Christ in obedience to His command. Baptism identifies the believer with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. 

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration and proclamation of His death until He comes, and should be always preceded by solemn self-examination. We believe that whereas the elements of Communion are representative of the flesh and blood of Christ, the Lord’s Supper is nevertheless an actual communion with the risen Christ who is present in a unique way, fellowshipping with His people.