Asquith Church of Christ Statement of Faith
God
There is one God who exists eternally as: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is the all-powerful Creator, Saviour and Judge who is accomplishing His purposes in creation and in the Church according to His will and glory. He sees all, knows all and is everywhere. He is absolutely loving and holy.
The Father
God the Father is the source of all that is holy. He is the creator and sustainer of the universe. He initiates redemption, which He accomplishes through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, both fully God and fully man came in human likeness as Saviour of the world. He was conceived of the Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life in perfect submission to the Father. He submitted himself to death on a cross as a sacrifice for the sins of all people, rose bodily, and ascended to heaven where He now sits as The Great High Priest between God and man and is exalted as Lord of all.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit convicts people of their sin and need for Jesus in their lives and gives spiritual life. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation, empowering them to love, serve, witness and obey God. The Spirit gives believers guidance and discernment, equips them with gifts, and transforms them to be increasingly like Christ.
God's Written Word
The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is God's written Word, revealing for all peoples His character and purposes. It is the final authority in all matters relating to belief and behaviour. The Holy Spirit moved the human authors of the Bible so that what they wrote is divinely inspired and fully reliable.
The Human Race
Humanity is the pinnacle of God's creation, made in God’s image. We are all designed for a relationship with God as the object of His redeeming love. All people have sinned. This results in guilt, death, and alienation from God. People are unable to save themselves from sin’s penalty and Satan’s power.
Salvation
Christ, through his sacrificial death and resurrection, bore the punishment due to sinners and conquered death. This is God's salvation for all people of every culture and age, expressing His love and satisfying His justice. This salvation allows reconciliation with God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and secures eternal life with God in Heaven. This is God's gift of grace, which cannot be earned through good works or self-improvement.
The Church
The Church as the body of Christ is made up of all who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour regardless of denominational affiliation. It finds local expression in communities of believers called by God to; worship, pray, fellowship, evangelise and disciple. We do this to reflect God’s character.
In our congregation we believe in celebrating communion weekly and the baptism of believers by immersion in water.
The Spirit World
The holy angels are individually created spirit beings who glorify God, serve Him, and minister to His people. Satan is a spiritual being who was created by God but fell through sin. He, along with other evil spirits, is the enemy of God and humanity, has been defeated by the work of Christ, is subject to God’s authority and faces eternal condemnation.
The Future
The Lord Jesus Christ will visibly return to earth in glory and accomplish the final triumph over evil. God will make everything new. The dead will be raised and judged. Unbelievers will be eternally separated from God; believers will enter into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God, glorifying Him forever.
(Adopted by Church Fellowship at Special Meeting dated 16 March 2008)