 About Us - What We Believe Reformation Theology  Alexandria Bible Church (ABC) adheres to the historic Christian faith handed down by the Apostles in the Bible and reaffirmed during the reformation. We believe that the three “solas,” Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, and Sola Fide, have relevance to our growing in Christ as individuals and as a church body. These three principles underlie our core beliefs and church mission. We believe that the Bible alone (sola Scriptura) is the only source of guidance for Christian faith and practice (2 Tim 3:15-17). This leads us to emphasize weekly expository Bible preaching, Bible-centered Sunday School, Bible studies, and home groups. We seek wisdom from God’s Word and not from human tradition or secular philosophies. We believe that man is saved totally by the gracious and sovereign acts of God through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Salvation does not depend upon any merit in man (Eph 2: 2-7). We therefore emphasize the importance of proclaiming the Gospel of Christ to reveal what God has done for His people through grace alone (sola gratia) and to lead unbelievers to repentance and faith (Phil 1:27). We believe that faith is a gracious gift of God and that faith alone (sola fide) is essential for salvation (Gal 2:16). Good works don’t bring about salvation but are the result of faith (Eph 2:8-10). Faith is also the foundation of our hope and confidence (Heb 11:1). Therefore we encourage each other to live in accordance with God’s Word, obeying His commands to love one another and to participate in the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19). At Alexandria Bible Church, Scripture alone is our sufficient guide, and we believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone. We welcome anyone to join us who desires to grow in the Christian faith and fellowship with other believers. Statement Of Faith We believe that the Bible, in the original languages, is the verbally inspired and infallible Word of God, and that it is our completely sufficient and necessary rule of faith and practice. The Bible is clear in its message and absolute in truth. We believe that Scripture is about the Lord Jesus Christ and that it cannot be understood properly unless it leads to Him. Psalm 19:7-11, Luke 24:27, II Timothy 3:14-16, 2 Peter 1:2-4 We believe that there is one God, the creator of all things, self-existent, and perfect in all His attributes. God exists as a triune being. There are three eternal, co-equal, self-existent, divine persons in the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and these three are one God. Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19, II Corinthians 13:14 We believe in the full humanity and deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; being the eternal Son of God, He became man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and lived a sinless life. Matthew 1:18-25, John 1:1, 1:14, 20:28-29, Hebrews 1:8 We believe that all people are sinners, corrupt in all parts of their being, mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical. As a result of sin, people are enemies of God, guilty before Him, and deserving of His eternal judgment. We believe that Jesus Christ, God's Son, established peace between God and those who believe in Christ. He did this by providing forgiveness and salvation through His shed blood as a substitutionary death on the cross and His bodily resurrection from the dead. Romans 3:10-12, Romans 3:22-25, Romans 5:1 The person who believes in Christ is declared by God to be righteous based on the perfect obedience of Christ to the Law of God. All of the rewards of Christ's perfect righteousness belong to him. The essential and sole condition of receiving the righteousness of Christ is faith in Christ as the person's own righteousness. As it is written, "then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." Only those who are thus declared righteous are adopted by God and granted all of the rights and privileges of being true children of God. Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3-5, 4:22-25, Romans 8:14-17, I Corinthians 1:30 The child of God is united to Christ forever. All that Christ has and all that Christ does belongs to him, and nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." John 10:28, Romans 8:39, Ephesians 2:8-9 We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion." As our high priest, He continues His intercessory work on behalf of His people. Acts 1:9-11, Ephesians 1:20, 21, Hebrews 4:14, 7:25 We believe in angels, that they are created beings and, as such, are not to be worshiped. Satan is a fallen angel who opposes God and His people. He is the accuser of God's people, a liar, and our adversary who seeks to destroy us. He is the author of the Fall and will be eternally punished. Satan is limited in his activities by God's sovereign power. Genesis 3:1-19, Job 1:12, John 8:44, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 12:10, 20:109 We believe that the Church is revealed as the body of Christ, the household of God, built upon the apostles and prophets, with Christ being the chief foundation. Everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ is a member of the Body of Christ. All believers are baptized, indwelled, and sealed by the Holy Spirit, who is "given as a pledge of our inheritance." The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to all believers to equip them to serve one another and to build God's church in this world. The church is to carry out the Great Commission and practice the Lord's Supper and water baptism. Matthew 28:18-20, I Corinthians 6:19-20, 11:23-29, I Corinthians 12:12-13 Ephesians 1:13-14 We believe in the glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ; in the bodily resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust; and in the eternal, conscious punishment of the lost and the eternal joy of the saved. The children of God will be fully conformed to the image of Christ, living forever in His presence where there is no more death or sin, living to the praise and glory of God alone. John 14:1-3, Acts 1:11, I Corinthians 15:12-24, Revelation 20:11-15, 22:11-14 |
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