BRIDGEWAY BIBLE CHURCH'S BASIC STATEMENT OF FAITH

1. THE SCRIPTURES INSPIRED

The Holy Scriptures, comprised of the Old and New Testaments, are fully and verbally inspired by God and are therefore infallible in the original writings and completely trustworthy in all areas in which they proclaim. Their central salvation message and essential teachings are clear and accessible to all who follow the standard and self-evident rules of literary interpretation. They are therefore the supreme, unmediated, and final authority of faith and practice for every believer (2 Tim. 3:15š17; 1 Pet. 1:23-25; Heb. 4:12, II Peter 1:20,21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31,32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32).

2. THE ONE TRUE GOD AS TRINITY

There is only one eternal, almighty, and perfect God. Within the Being of this one true God exist three eternally distinct and coequal Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three Persons exist as the one true God (Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:1,3, John 4:24; Romans 1:19,20; Ephesians 4:5,6, Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29; Isa. 43:10, 11; Matt. 28:19).

3. GOD AS FATHER

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ (Luke 10:21,22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; I Timothy 1:1,2; 2:5,6; I Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6).

4. JESUS CHRIST AS SON

Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, who took upon Himself human flesh through the miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He who is true God became true man, uniting two natures in one person forever. Christ lived a perfect, sinless life, died on the cross as an atoning, and propitiating sacrifice for our sins, rose bodily from the dead, and ascended into Heaven where He now serves as our High Priest, our only Mediator. He will return bodily and visibly to the earth as King of kings and will judge every human being who has ever lived. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 8:46; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; I Timothy 3:16).

5. HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is the eternal Third Person of the Triune God, the Regenerator and Sanctifier of the redeemed, the Bestower of spiritual fruit and gifts, and the abiding Advocate who empowers believers for godly living and service( John 14:16,17,26; 15:26,27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26).

6. SINFUL MAN

In Adam, human beings were created in the image of God (i.e., they share in a finite way the communicable attributes of God, including personality, spirituality, rationality, and morality). Through the fall of Adam that image of God in humanity has been defiled, although not eradicated. Every human being is radically corrupt and estranged from God. Human beings are condemned by God because of their descent into sin, both through their relationship to Adam and through individual choice. The desperate need of humanity is forgiveness of sins and consequent restoration of fellowship with God; yet humans remain totally unable to atone for, propitiate for, and restore, themselves (Gen. 1:26-31; Gen. 3:17; Rom.. 5:12-21).

7. SALVATION OF MAN

Jesus’ death on the cross provided a penal substitutionary atonement, and propitiation, for the sins of the elect. In salvation we are rescued from God’s wrath by His unmerited grace alone, through faith alone, on account of Christ alone. (Titus 2:11, 3:5-7, Rom.. 10:13-15; Luke 24:47).

8. ETERNAL LIFE

Those who have received the free gift of salvation will live forever in the fellowship and Kingdom of God (heaven). Eternal, conscious punishment apart from the fellowship and Kingdom of God (hell) is the ultimate destiny of unredeemed humanity, Satan, and his entire angelic host (John 3:16; Acts 13:48; Rom. 5:21; Rom. 6:22š23; 2 Thess. 1:9).

9. THE CHURCH

The Christian church, which is called the body and bride of Christ, is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Corporately and individually, its members strive to worship, serve, and glorify God through prayer and praise, diligent study and application of the Scriptures, evangelism, sanctified living, good works, and observance of the rites of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25).

10. CHRISTIAN CONDUCT

A Christian should live for the glory of Jesus Christ and the well-being of his fellow men; he should maintain as a purpose to be blameless before the world in conduct; he should maintain as a purpose to be a faithful steward of his possessions; and he should maintain as a purpose to seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Jesus Christ ( I Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15,23-24; I John 2:3-6; II Corinthians 9:6-9; I Corinthians 4:2; Col. 1:9-10).