Faith Statement
The ARC’s Statement of Faith speaks to three key themes central to the organization’s beliefs and Christian teachings: God, Revelation, and the duty of the Christian community.
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God: We believe there is only one God who exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is distinct from the other, yet each share in the same one essence: God. God is love. He is holy, merciful, just, and true. God is perfect in wisdom, and whatever he does is praiseworthy. God is the ultimate standard of good and possesses all qualities that are desirable. We believe in Jesus Christ, our Savior and full revelation of God. In our sinful and totally depraved state, God sent his Son, conceived by a virgin mother through the power of the Spirit of God, to rescue us from certain perdition. Thus, without an earthly father, Jesus combined both the human nature and the divine nature in one perfect inseparable union. Jesus, by his death on the cross, removed the consequences of sin from us and reconciled us to God. The resurrected Christ reigns eternally in power and majesty. Christ also invites those who believe in him into his everlasting kingdom. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third co-equal person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit equips and empowers those who accept the salvation God offers through the life and work of Jesus Christ. The Spirit speaks, convicts, comforts, teaches, bears witness and intercedes for us. The Spirit gives gifts to the saints to enable them to worship and serve God. The Holy Spirit can be grieved, lied to, and blasphemed. He knows all things and can do all things. God’s Spirit empowers, indwells, sanctifies, and seals us for God’s eternal purposes. The Holy Spirit helps us to live according to God’s moral standards.
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How We Know God: We believe that God reveals himself to us through creation and the Scriptures. We see God in everything he has made. Nothing exists that was not created by God. The Bible and the Holy Spirit guide us to Christ. The Bible in its entirety contains the words of God, written by human writers as the Holy Spirit instructed them. The Bible can be trusted as the perfect guide for faith and Christian living. Every book in the canonical Bible is necessary for knowing God and his will, especially on issues that pertaining to our salvation and righteous living. The Bible is the final authority on knowing the will of God for humanity and creation.
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How We Serve God: We believe the church is the community of those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and are committed to serve God in faithful obedience to biblical teachings. Members of the church gather to adore God and respond to the love of God as revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Believers also meet regularly to nurture and encourage one another in faith. They rejoice with those who rejoice and morn with those who morn. The Holy Spirit enables Christians to grow towards perfection as they meet to share their common love for God through worship and Christian fellowship. God has also charged the church with the responsibility of sharing that love with those who have not yet experienced the grace of salvation found only in Christ Jesus.