Our Affirmation of Faith is a summary of those truths revealed in God’s Word that we believe are essential for the understanding and defense of the Gospel, for instruction in Godly living, for the order of a New Testament church, and for evangelism. While this is not a comprehensive list of our beliefs, the Affirmation represents our core doctrines.
The Bible. We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is true, authoritative, and sufficient.
God. We believe there is one living and true God. He is the creator, sustainer, and ruler of all things. God is infinitely holy and perfect. In the eternal unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
God the Father. We believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and of earth, and of all things visible and invisible. The Father reigns with providential care over all creation and all history, according to the purposes of His grace.
God the Son. We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, by whom all things are made. For the salvation of men, the eternal Son became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and was born of a virgin: fully God and fully man. He lived a perfect life. He was crucified, died, and was buried. He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. He will soon return in glory to judge the living and the dead.
God the Holy Spirit. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son to convict the world and to save all who believe in Jesus Christ. He spoke through the prophets and apostles. He lives within His people today- revealing truth, giving spiritual gifts, and empowering godly lives.
Man. We believe that God created Man (male and female) in his own image, free from sin. Man voluntarily disobeyed God’s command and fell from his original holiness and righteousness. As a consequence, all mankind are now sinners by nature and by choice, are opposed to God and his law, and are under just condemnation. Without a Redeemer, man is without defense or excuse.
Salvation. We believe salvation is the gift of God by grace and is received by man solely through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. God removes our guilt and reconciles us to himself based solely on Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross. No act or merit of man can help the sinner gain salvation. Salvation is freely offered to all by the gospel and it is the immediate duty of each person to receive the gospel in repentance and faith. Nothing prevents the salvation of the sinner but his own inherent depravity and willful rejection of the gospel.
Church. We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all saved persons are members. It is the duty of all believers to associate themselves into local congregations. The local church gathers for worship, teaches the Bible, proclaims the gospel, and encourages growth in righteousness.
The Christian Life. We believe that at the moment of salvation, the Christian begins the process of being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. God transforms the Christian through biblical teaching, Christian fellowship, discipleship, repentance, obedience, prayer, and God-ordained events. The Christian has hope that though he continues to struggle with sin, the transformation into Christ-likeness will continue throughout his life and will be completed when Christ returns in glory. Therefore, a Christian should live for the glory of God and the good of others.
Last Things. We believe in the imminent personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body and the final judgment. Those who trust in Christ will be raised to eternal reward. Those who do not trust in Christ will experience eternal punishment. The imminent return of Christ creates a spirit of anticipation and urgency in all we do.
If you would like to know more about what we believe, you might find our Teaching Statement of Faith helpful. We would also be happy to answer any questions you might have. If you have specific questions about our beliefs or how we are organized as a church, please email us at info@rccsa.org or call us at (210) 201-4733 (Voicemail Only). We’ll answer any and all questions as quickly and accurately as possible.