As a community of faith, Risen Christ Church shares a common confession that the gospel as presented in the Scriptures is true. Here we have compiled a list of ten Core Beliefs that faithfully represent the biblical gospel as held by the historic, orthodox church, and which all members of Risen Christ Church are able to confess as their own. Our unity is not in a common age, race, socio-economic status, political affiliation, or any human creation. Rather, we are united eternally by faith in Christ and in this local church because of our shared belief in these truths.
1. There is one Triune God.
There is only one true and living God who is the Creator of all things. He exists eternally in three Persons—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Key Passages: Deut 6:4–9; Matt 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14
2. The Bible is God’s Word.
The Bible is God’s written revelation of himself to mankind, divinely given through human authors who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is entirely trustworthy and is completely sufficient and authoritative for matters of life and faith.
Key Passages: Isa 55:10–11; 2 Tim 3:14–17; 2 Pet 1:19–21
3. People are created in God’s image.
Human beings were created by God and bear his image. They are the crowning work of his creation, made to live in communion with him. Even in their fallen state, all people are worthy of love, dignity, and respect regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, class, disability, or character.
Key Passages: Gen 1:26–27; 9:6; Acts 17:26–28; James 3:9
4. People are in need of redemption.
Because of humankind’s fall into sin, all human beings are born with a corrupt nature disposed towards sin and unable to please God. Once capable of moral action, all people disobey God willfully. God’s just judgment on sin is both physical and spiritual death, thus creating the need for redemption and reconciliation with God. Because of the corruption of sin, human beings are unable and unwilling to do anything to secure their own salvation.
Key Passages: Jer 17:9; Rom 3:23; 5:12–21; 8:7–8; Eph 2:1–10
5. Jesus is both Lord and Christ.
Jesus is both fully God and fully human. According to the plan and promise of God, he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross as a substitute for mankind, and was raised from the dead. As the risen Lord, he ascended into heaven where he is seated at the Father’s right hand, ruling and reigning, and will one day return.
Key Passages: Acts 2:36; Phil 2:5–11; Col 1:15–20; 2:9; 2 Cor 5:21
6. Jesus is the only way of salvation.
Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ, the one mediator between God and man. No other religion, belief, or person can reconcile God and man. He alone can provide forgiveness and eternal salvation.
Key Passages: John 14:5–7; Acts 4:11–12; 1 Tim 2:5–6
7. Salvation is by grace through faith.
Salvation comes only by being united to Christ through faith in him as a person hears and believes the message of the gospel. When a person repents and trusts in Christ alone, they receive forgiveness for their sins, reconciliation to God, and eternal life. This salvation is instantaneous and accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is wholly of God by grace on the basis of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection—not on the basis of human works.
Key Passages: Rom 4:13–25; Eph 2:4–10
8. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer.
When a person repents and believes in Christ, they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and secured by him in Christ forever. He likewise continues the work of redemption in the life of every believer, forming them into the image of Christ as they submit every area of their lives to Christ’s lordship (e.g., character, family, vocation, ambition, gender, sexuality, habits, relationships, time, possessions, etc.).
Key Passages: John 14:15–21; 16:4b–15; Rom 8:9; 1 Cor 6:18–20; Eph 1:13–14
9. The Church is Christ’s body.
The Holy Spirit immediately joins all people who put their faith in Jesus Christ in one united spiritual body, the church, of which Christ is the head. Christians are meant to follow Christ with and among his people in local churches, which are visible expressions of his invisible, universal body.
Key Passages: Acts 2:42–47; 1 Cor 12:12–31; Eph 1:22–23; 4:1–6
10. Jesus Christ will return.
God will bring the world to its appropriate end in His own time and in His own way. At that time, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth. Christ will judge both the saved and unsaved. Those who belong to Christ will receive a glorified body and dwell forever with the Lord. Those who have not trusted in Christ will receive God’s full just judgment against their sin forever.
Key Passages: Acts 1:11; 1 Cor 15:12–28; 1 Thess 4:13–18; Titus 2:11–14; Rev 20:11–15