WHAT WE BELIEVE
The following are the core beliefs of Bethany Community Church based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.
There is only one living and true God. The true God is the creator, preserver, and ruler of the universe; infinite in love, and holiness to whom we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. He is revealed to us as Father (Yahweh), Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes but without division of nature, essence, or being. Yahweh orders and directs all things according to His own purpose, pleasure, and grace. He graciously involves Himself in the affairs of human beings, hearing and responding to our prayers.
Jesus Christ, being both fully God and fully man, was present at creation and through Him all things were created. He surrendered none of His deity during His earthly life. Jesus lived a sinless life and gave up His life as a propitiation for our sins. He died on the cross, was physically resurrected from the dead, and ascended to the presence of the Father.
The Holy Spirit was present at creation and is the promised comforter who empowers the believer. We believe that the Holy Spirit bears fruit in the life of a disciple of Jesus and gives spiritual gifts to the body of Christ.
(Deut. 6:4; Isaiah 40:28; Jer. 10:10-13; Mark 12:29; John 1:1-14, John 4:24; John 17:3; 1 Cor. 8:6; John 16:4-15, Acts 1; Romans 3:24-26; 1 Cor. 12; 2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 5:22; 1 John 5:7; Rev. 4:11)
Human beings were created by God in his image and likeness, as recorded in Genesis. However, Adam and Eve, having been tempted by Satan, disobeyed the command of God and fell from the original state of holiness and righteousness. Therefore, we were separated from God, inherited a corrupt nature, in bondage to sin, under condemnation and subject to judgment and wrath; a state that is only overcome through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
(Gen. 1:27; Gen 2:7, Gen. 3:1-24; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 3:23; Rom. 5:12-19; 1 Cor. 15:21-22)
The scriptures, the Old and New Testaments in their original languages, were written by men divinely inspired by God. God is the author of the scriptures, with salvation as their intended end, and they are true without error. The scriptures reveal God’s active participation in His creation and the principles by which God redeems and judges us and therefore are the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tested.
(Ps. 138:2; Matt. 4:4; John 17:17; John 20:30-31; Rom. 2:12,16; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus provides the only way of salvation and redeems and reconciles us back into right relationship with the Father. Our salvation is wholly of grace, through faith in Jesus. All who place their trust in Jesus as Lord are regenerated by, sealed by, and filled with the Holy Spirit, becoming children and joint heirs of the Father. Those who place their faith in Jesus are therefore justified by grace through the redemption that is in Jesus. Salvation is freely offered to all who trust in Jesus and results in lives that are voluntarily submitted to the will of God, subject to the Word of God, and empowered by the Spirit of God. God alone knows, secures, and preserves the salvation of those who sincerely trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior.
(Isa. 53:8-9; Isa. 55:1-2; Jer. 32:40; Jer. 33:8; Matt. 20:28; John 1:14; John 3:14-18, 36; John 5:18; John 6:39; John 8:24, 31; John 10:28-29; Acts 2:38; Rom. 1-16; Rom. 3:24; Rom. 6:23; Romans 8:16; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; 1 Cor. 16:22; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 2 Cor. 5:21; ; 2 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 1:13; Eph. 2:4-8; Eph. 4:30; Phil. 2:7; 2 Thess. 1:8; 1 Tim. 2:5; 2 Tim. 2:13; Titus 2:14; Heb. 8:6; 1 Pet. 2:22; 1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:19; 1 John 5:10-12; Rev. 22:17)
All who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit belong to the universal church of Jesus Christ, which represents His presence on earth. We are directed to associate with a local Christian church. A local church is a gathering of disciples of Jesus who are associated by covenant (mutual agreement) in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, who love and obey Jesus and his Word and exercise the spiritual gifts, rights, and privileges that come with following him. The scriptural offices within the local church are pastors, elders, and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Acts of the Apostles, and Paul’s epistles to Timothy and Titus. Other roles were also given to function within the church, by Christ, to equip the people for the works of service; including apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers.
(Acts 2:41-47; Acts 6; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1:5-16; Hebrews 10:23-25)
Jesus Christ was resurrected bodily on the third day after His crucifixion, death, and burial. He visibly appeared to many, teaching over a period of time, before ascending to the right hand of the throne of God; He alone is our merciful and faithful high priest providing us access to God and resurrection to eternal life. This same Jesus who was taken up into heaven shall return in like manner. We believe that this return is in God’s timing, and unknown to us.
(Matt. 28:6-7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24; John 10:17-18; John 20;19-29; Acts 1; Acts 24:3-9; Romans 6:4; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:4-6)
Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his divine nature and holiness. Sanctification is a progressive life-long process that begins with regeneration and is carried on in the life of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
(Pro. 4:18; Matt. 26:41; Luke 22:40, 46; John 17:17; 2 Cor. 10:6; 2 Cor. 7:1; 2 Cor. 13:5; Gal. 6:4; Eph. 1:4; Eph. 2:10; Eph. 5:25-27; Phil. 3:12-16; 2:3-18; 1 Thess. 4:3-4; 5:23-24)
Marriage is established, designed, and defined by God, as a covenantal union between one man and one woman for as long as both live. It is within the union of marriage that human sexuality is meant to be expressed.
(Gen. 2:23-25, Matthew 19:1-9, Mark 10:1-12, Hebrews 13:4)
Baptism is an essential first step after salvation for a believer who seeks to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Baptism is the outward expression of our new identity as disciples of Jesus. Baptism by immersion in water symbolizes our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior and our own death to sin and resurrection to a new life.
Communion is the intentional remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus for us, as instructed by Jesus. It is through this sacrament that disciples of Jesus take time to commemorate, through the use of bread and fruit of the vine, the sacrificial love of God for His people. We believe the bread and drink are symbolic of, but do not actually become the body and blood of Jesus.
(Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38-41; Acts 8:12-16; Acts 10:48; Acts 18:8; Acts 19:3-5; Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 11:23-30; Gal. 2:20)