Beliefs

Statement of Faith

God

We believe there is one living and true God who eternally exists in three Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three, though one God, are distinct and possess the same nature, attributes and glory

(Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28: 19; John 1:1, 14; 10:30; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

Jesus Christ

We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ and His eternal existence with God, His Father. We believe He is the Manifestation of God in Human form. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived on earth without sin, died sacrificially on the cross for our sins, rose bodily from the dead and ascended to heaven.

(Matthew 1:20-21; Mark 16:19; John 1: 1, 14; 14:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15: 2-5; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 1: 1-3; 1 Peter 2:21-22)

Holy Spirit

We believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit. We believe He lives within each of us who accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, to guide, instruct, comfort and empower us to godly living.

(John 14: 16-18; Roman 8: 9-17; Ephesians 1:13-15; Ephesians 4 4-6)

The Bible

We believe the Bible in its entirety is inspired by God, without error in its original manuscripts and is God’s complete and sufficient revelation of authority for all matters of doctrine and practice.

(Deuteronomy 4:2; John 5:17-18; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1: 20-21)

Humanity

We believe men and women are created by God, but through the sin of Adam and our own choice, we are all sinners, are liable to eternal judgment and are unable to save ourselves.

(Genesis 1:26; 2:17; Psalms 51:5; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2: 1-3; Revelation 20:11-15)

Salvation

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice given for us entirely through God’s grace. We believe each of us who repents of our sins, and puts our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, is forgiven and eternally secure as a child of God. We believe the Holy Spirit baptizes each of us who believe into the body of Christ at the moment of our salvation, and there is no second baptism of the Holy Spirit.

(John 5:24; 10:27-30; Acts 1:5; Roman 3:24-25; 1 Corinthians 12: 12-13; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 1:3-5)

The Church

We believe all of those who accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord become part of His body, the universal church, of which Jesus is Head. Oakridge Bible Chapel is a local expression of the universal church. As a local church, we are commanded by Scripture to gather and devote ourselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word of God, observance of ordinances, and fellowship with one another. We are also called to serve each other using the spiritual gifts and talents God has given us, and to reach out to our community and to the world, in fulfillment of the scriptural command to make disciples of all nations.

Ordinances

We believe Scripture instructs the local church to meet regularly for communion, and to baptize Christians by immersion upon public confession of their faith. We do not believe Scripture teaches the local church to follow any other specific ordinances.

(Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 2:42-47; 8:36-40; Romans 12:1-21; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24; 12:1-31; Ephesians 4: 1 Timothy 3)

Return of Christ

We believe in the personal, imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ for His church, and the bodily resurrection of both those who are saved and those who are not. We believe those who are saved will spend eternity with God, and those who are not saved will spend eternity separated from God.

(John 14:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15: 35-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 19: 11-20:6)