Hope Now Bible Church
What We Believe
“Teach what accords with sound doctrine...” Titus 2:1
STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Bible
The Bible is the complete written Word of God, consisting of sixty-six books in the Old
and New Testaments and was originally given by God through verbal/plenary inspiration
in all parts and is therefore wholly without error (II Tim. 3:16-17, II Pet. 1:19-21).
The Trinity of God
The one true God exists eternally as three persons--the Father, the Son and the Holy
Spirit (Mark 12:29-30, Matt. 28:19, II Cor. 13:14, Titus 3:4-7).
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is God manifested in the flesh by virgin birth. He lived a sinless life, died for
our sins, bodily arose from the dead, ascended into heaven, is presently preparing a
place for us as our high priest and is coming again (John 1:1, 14:29; Matt. 1:18-23; Heb.
4:15; I Pet. 3:18; I Cor. 15:3-19).
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. He convicts the world of sin,
righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). At salvation, the Holy Spirit causes spiritual
rebirth, empowers, indwells, seals, bestows gifts, and baptizes the believer into the
Body of Christ (Rom. 8:9; I Cor. 2:12, 3:16, 12:11, 13). He continues to sanctify, guide,
teach and fill the believer who walks in obedience to the Word (Acts 5:3-4; John 3:5;
Rom. 8:9; Eph. 4:30; I Cor. 6:11, 19; Rom. 8:14; John 14:16-17; Eph. 5:18-21).
Man
Man was supernaturally created in the image of God on the 6th 24-hour day of the
creation week and is not a product of evolution. Man chose to sin and disobey God,
resulting in spiritual death and all mankind is now sinful by nature and practice, unable
to save himself from his sins (Gen. 1:26-28, 2:7, 3:1-24; Rom. 3:23, 5:12; Eph. 2:3).
Salvation
Eternal life is received as the gift of God through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Rom. 6:23, Eph. 2:8-9,John 14:6, I Pet. 1:18-21, John 3:16).
The Church
All believers from Pentecost to the Rapture of the Church are members of the Body of
Christ with Christ as the Head. This is manifest on earth in local churches where
believers should assemble for teaching, fellowship, prayer and equipping for ministry
(I Cor. 1:2; Col. 1:18, 24, 3:11; Heb. 10:25; Eph. 4:11-18; Gal. 6:10).
Ordinances
The observance of the biblical church practices of:
1. Baptism by triune immersion in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:18-20).
2. Threefold communion service consisting of the washing of the saints feet (John
13:1-17, I Tim. 5:10), the Lord's Supper (Matt. 26:26-20; Mark 14:17-18; Luke
22:14; John 13:1-2; I Cor. 11:20-34; Jude 12), and the bread and cup (Matt.
27:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:19-20, I Cor. 11:23-26).
Angels
God created all angels. Some followed the angel Satan in his prideful rebellion against
God and became demonic adversaries of God and His people. These angels are limited
by God's omnipotence and await final incarceration in the Lake of Fire. Other angels
remained faithful to God and are God's ministering spirits to His people (Gen. 1:1,
Ex.10:11,Ps.33:6,Rev.12:3-4,Matt.12:23-27,Job2:1-2, Rev. 20:10, Matt. 25:41, Heb. 1:13-
14).
Second Coming
The personal, visible, and imminent return of Christ to remove His Church from the
earth (I Thess. 4:16-17; I Thess. 1:10, Rev. 3:10). After the Tribulation Jesus Christ will
descend to establish his Millennial Kingdom upon the earth (Rev. 20:1-6).
Future Life
All believers shall live eternally with God in a “New Heaven and Earth.” Upon physical
death, they go immediately to be with Christ in their spirit and await the resurrection of
their body at Christ's coming. All unbelievers, upon physical death, go immediately to
Hades and await the bodily resurrection at the Great White Throne Judgment. At that
time, they will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternal punishment (Matt. 25:46; John
3:16, 5:24, 10:27-29; II Cor. 5:8; I Thess. 4:13-18; Jude 23-24; Luke 16:19-31; Rev. 20:11-15).
The Christian Life
Every believer is to live a life of righteousness and good works, be separated unto God
from worldliness, maintain a godly home, settle differences with believers in the church,
avoid carnality, exhibit the fruit and fullness of the Spirit, fulfill the Great Commission in
making disciples of all nations, and devote themselves to prayer and Bible study (Phil.
4:6; I Thess. 5:17-18; Eph. 6:18; II Tim. 2:15, 3:16-17; Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 2:8-10, 5:22, 6:4;
I Cor. 6:1-8; Gal. 5:16-23; Eph. 5:18-20; I Pet. 4:10-11; Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).
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