Our Faith
Every Church has its Confession of Faith, and ours is no different. Below are our statements of what unifies us as a local church body, our beliefs that we share in fellowship as we gather in worship and build this community in Whitewater.
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The Holy Bible
We believe that the Lord has given us His Word by divinely inspiring more than forty writers across more than 1,500 years to write the Scriptures. It is our authority as the Word of Almighty God.
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For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
—II Peter 1:16
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Creation
We believe the heaven and the earth were created by the hand and majesty of God, spoken into existence by the Lord. He forged man from the wilderness, and placed him in paradise. Woman was formed from man in paradise, both made as His image-bearers and established the first and central human institution of the family. Creation was made for man. Man and woman were given status higher than the animals and were intended to hold dominion over the earth, under God’s authority.
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Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
—Genesis 2:1–3
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The Fall
We believe that, although man and woman were perfect in their creation, they were given free will, a choice of whether to live in worshipful obedience to their Creator and His goodness, or to turn away in pride and establish themselves as gods over their own lives, choosing the boundaries of right and wrong for themselves. This choice can only ever lead to sin, degradation, and destruction, since it rejects all that is good by rejecting God. Adam and Eve did reject the Lord and sinned by eating of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and allowed sin to enter the world. We also believe that Creation and the Fall are essential components to the Gospel, for without a fall from a perfect creation, there would be no need for redemption, and thus no need for a Savior.
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And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
—Genesis 3:6–7
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The Trinity
We believe that there is only one true God, that He is maker of heaven and earth, of all life and all matter and energy, and that He is not a force nor an energy, but a Maker of them. We believe He exists in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and that these three are equal, eternal, and in communion with one another.
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For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
—I John 5:7
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God the Father
We believe that there is one true God, the Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. He is and was and always shall be, eternal, omnipotent, and omniscient, holy, perfect in all things, just and righteous. He loves His creation but abhors sin, and will not tolerate its presence. He is merciful and His grace is sufficient, but He also judges the nations. He is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and Omega, and without Him was not anything made that was made.
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But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
—I Corinthians 8:6
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Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus of Nazareth was and is the only begotten Son of God, was born of virgin Mary through miraculous conception by the Holy Ghost, claimed to be the son of God incarnate for the thirty-three years of His ministry, was tortured and crucified under Pontius Pilate, was buried and resurrected by the Father on the Third Day. He then appeared to His disciples and many other people before returning to His Father, where He sits at His right hand. Jesus was and is the Christ, the Messiah, whose finished work on the cross was and is the propitiation of our sins as He bore our punishment upon Himself.
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That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
—I John 1:1–4
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The Holy Ghost
We believe that the Holy Ghost is the third member of the Trinity, one with God and Jesus Christ, sent to be the comforter after Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father, and He convicts us of our sins, works through us in subtle and miraculous ways, manifests the power of the Father in His church, and unites all born-again followers of Jesus Christ. He is the spiritual movement of His power, the same that came in the Old Testament to give strength to Samson or authority to Elijah, given to all who believers after Pentecost.
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But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you
—John 14:26
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Sin
All Creation was placed beneath Adam’s headship and charge, and thus, when he sinned, all things within his charge were likewise corrupted. Humanity lost the conditions in which we could exist without sinning, and while we do not bear the guilt of Adam’s sin itself, we bear our own, and we each have sinned. We cannot reconcile ourselves with God on our own merit or morality. All are in need of atonement, yet this is not something we can achieve on our own.
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Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
—Galatians 5:19-21
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Salvation
By humbling ourselves, repenting of our sins, and accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we are saved by grace through faith from eternal damnation in hell. This is neither merit nor worthy of boasting, but is a mystery and a miracle. We are thus washed by the blood of the Lamb and are presentable before God and co-heirs with Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven. He is the perfect propitiation for our sins, the final sacrifice, and we will be resurrected with Him on the Last Day, to dwell with Him in a redeemed earth in life everlasting.
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That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
—Romans 10:9
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Heritage
We believe that the Lord works through family lines and heredity, and the Elect are those who are given the truth. Their children are expected to be raised in the faith, baptized in the faith, and walk in the faith, just as children of Israel were circumcised. This is a mystery, and nobody is born guaranteed salvation, but they are inheritors of their father’s covenantal relationship, if they accept it.
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Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
—Acts 16:29–31
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Second Coming
Jesus Christ is reigning on the right hand of the Father spiritually, and earthly through His Church. Christians are tasked with being a part of Christ’s work in building His Kingdom, and are to not only spread the Gospel to every nation through missions and proselytizing, but also through raising families in the faith. Following the building of His Kingdom, Jesus Christ will return in glorified flesh and stand in judgment over the quick and the dead, over the entire world. On that day, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord, but in that day every man and woman will face either eternity with Him in a redeemed earth if they accepted Him as Lord and Savior, or damnation in rejection of His offer of grace.
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For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
—I Corinthians 15:21–28
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The Resurrection
We believe that, just as Jesus Christ was resurrected in glorified flesh, so shall we be resurrected with Him. This is the blessed hope of our everlasting life, not as ghosts or spirits but in new and perfected flesh, where every tear shall be wiped away and every pain erased. This is the event of the Last Day, when Christ returns to hand His Kingdom to the Father.
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But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
—Romans 8:11
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Sanctity of Life
We believe that all life was created by God, deliberately and intentionally, not the result of cosmic accident. We believe human life is made in God’s image, and as such has infinite value at any stage of life, from the moment of conception to the final breath released, and no man, woman, or child’s value stems from productivity or usefulness to society. Every soul is a reflection of his Maker, and his life should be regarded as precious in the sight of the father.
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Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations
—Jeremiah 1:5
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Male & Female
We believe there are two human sexes: male and female. This is objectively observable and Biblically defined. There is no distinction between sex and gender, and never will be.
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But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
—Mark 10:6
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Marriage
We believe that the Lord created marriage as the foundational human institution, comprised of one man and one woman in a permanent, monogamous, sexual relationship. Marriage is an earthly image of Christ and the Church, and of the harmonious union of the Trinity. It is the foundation of all human societies and of the church. Men are commanded to love their wives and to sacrifice for her, while wives are commanded to respect and submit to their husbands. This is an image of the Gospel. As wives submit to the headship of their husbands, husbands submit to the headship of Christ. Such creates happy marriages and godly homes.
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And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
—Matthew 19:4–6
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Sex
We believe that sex was created by God both as a tool of procreation and as a joyous union between husband and wife, a right and moral pleasure when shared in the context of marriage, and only in this context. All forms of sex outside the union of marriage are unacceptable and sinful in the eyes of God, can be forgiven under His grace for the believer, but are not to be embraced, accepted as practices, nor continued under false doctrines of grace-as-license-to-sin. Sex is not to be desacralized or trivialized, but is a sacred component of the marriage union.
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Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
—Hebrews 13:4​
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Baptism
We believe in the sacrament of Baptism, and believe that it is a mark of covenantal citizenship and inheritance, not merely a symbol, but also not guaranteed salvation. It is the substance of its shadow: circumcision. It marks the Elect, and thus we believe both Believer's Baptism and in child baptism the same as child circumcision was once ordained. The expectation is that they will accept the inheritance of the faith of their fathers, though it is not guaranteed. The Lord knows His sheep, and has since before Creation. Children were circumcised in the Old Testament as inductees into the covenant of God, and we believe baptism is not very different. A small child absolutely can and does have faith, same as they accept that they are a boy or girl, and do not need to wait until later years to “choose for themselves.”
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Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
—Acts 2:38
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Communion
We believe in the sacrament of communion. Like baptism, it is a mystery. Christ is spiritually present when we partake of this gift, and we are commanded to take communion together when we gather for service. It is done in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice for us, His body broken and blood shed on our behalf. There could be no substitution for sin without the shedding of His precious blood. It does not save us, but it is not to be taken lightly. We are to approach communion with a clear conscious among the brethren of believers or not partake.
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For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
—I Corinthians 11:26
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The Church
We believe the Church is the singular Bride of Christ that He said He would build. It exists globally as one brethren, and locally as a gathered body of believers. Unity should be broad among the global church and specific among local, meaning focused on confession of what a local body believes the Bible says and means.
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