SECTION 2. THEOLOGY (The Doctrine of God): We believe there is one, and only one, living and true God and His divine nature is undivided and indivisible.  There exist three eternal distinctions in the divine essence, known respectively as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  He is self-existent, self-sufficient, eternal, infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, wise, immutable, sovereign, incomprehensible, inscrutable, holy, righteous and just, true, faithful, good, gracious, merciful, and loving.

SECTION 3. PATEROLOGY (The Doctrine of the Father): The Father is the first person of the Trinity and is the source of all that God is and does. To Him the Son and Spirit are submissive in order, office, and a operation. He is the designer of creation, the speaker of revelation, the author of redemption, and the sovereign of history. The Father is equal in essential nature with the Son and the Spirit.

SECTION 4. CHRISTOLOGY (The Doctrine of Christ): We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal, pre-existent Son of God.  He appeared and ministered in the Old Testament.  He became flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth and was born of the virgin Mary by miraculous conception and virgin birth.  He is fully God and fully man; perfect deity and humanity.  He lived a sinless human life, perfect by fulfilling the divine law, and then offered Himself a sacrifice for the sins of every person.  He died on the cross, shedding His blood, in full substitution and atonement for the sins of all men everywhere.  He was buried, and on the third day He arose bodily from the dead, alive forevermore.  He later ascended bodily into heaven where at the right hand of the Father, He now intercedes for those who believe on Him.

SECTION 5. PNEUMATOLOGY (The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit): We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son.  The Holy Spirit actively ministered in the Old Testament through creation, revelation and in a special selective manner with men.  The Holy Spirit was active in all aspects of Christ’s life, from His birth to His death and resurrection.  The Holy Spirit today has a prime ministry in salvation as He convicts, regenerates, indwells, baptizes (this spiritual baptism occurs at salvation and is not a subsequent or second work of grace), and seals the new believers.  The Holy Spirit gifts, controls, teaches, guides, assures and prays for believers.

SECTION 6. ANGELOLOGY (The Doctrine of Angels, Demons and Satan): We believe in the existence of specially created beings called angels.  These spirit beings are generally invisible and from a human standpoint they are innumerable.  They possess separate personalities and bear the image of God.  They are basically superior to man, yet inferior to God.  There are holy, elect angels and unholy, fallen angels (demons).  The elect angels minister in behalf of God to believers, the nations of the world, and to unbelievers.  They also had significant ministry to Christ.  The fallen angels were persuaded to do so by the fallen cherub, Satan.  Satan now uses his gifts and abilities to attempt to oppose God at every level and by every possible means.  The fallen angels or demons assist Satan in his scheme.  Eventually, Satan and all his demons will be cast into the lake of fire.

SECTION 7. ECCLESIOLOGY (The Doctrine of the Church): We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ needs to be understood in two senses, namely universal and local.  In the universal sense the church consists of all those during this age who have been born of God’s Spirit and have therefore been spiritually baptized into the body of Christ.  In the local sense, a church is a called-out living assembly of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith, organized by New Testament principles, assembling regularly together, led by qualified pastors who are supported by qualified deacons, under the discipline of God’s Word and the headship of Christ, observing the ordinances (baptism by immersion and the Lord’s table), with the purpose of expressing praise and glory to God by evangelizing the lost and equipping the saved.

SECTION 8. ANTHROPOLOGY (The Doctrine of Man): We believe that man came into being through a special creative act of God.  Man is the crowning part of God’s creation, in that he was created in God’s image and was given dominion over the earth.  Man is basically a three-part unity of body, soul and spirit.  He fell from his original state of holy innocence and probation through willful disobedience.  As a result, God’s image was marred, death was introduced to the world and the sin nature has been passed down through his posterity.  All men currently fit into the two categories of redeemed and unredeemed.

SECTION 9. HAMARTIOLOGY (The Doctrine of Sin): We believe that sin is a deification of self, a dethronement of God, a failure to obey God’s law and/or a violation of God’s law.  It entered the universe when Lucifer attempted to revolt against God.  It entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden.  All men have inherited the sin nature from Adam and all are totally depraved (every part of our being is affected by sin) prior to salvation.  Sin has tragic results upon others.  The basis of ultimate and complete victory over sin is found in the death and resurrection of Christ.

SECTION 10. SOTERIOLOGY (The Doctrine of Salvation): We believe that because of sin and its results, all of mankind needs salvation.  This salvation was provided potentially for all of mankind through the death of Christ on the cross.  It has past, present, and future implications.  All three members of the Trinity are involved in salvation.  A saved person has been converted and justified as God has declared him to be righteous.  The sinless Christ is his substitute, whereby reconciliation is made with God in behalf of man.  Christ’s death fully satisfied God’s righteous wrath against sin, whereby man can be redeemed from the slavery of sin and the curse of law.  The saved man is made alive or regenerated by God at the point of salvation and is then indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He receives the privileges of an adopted son.  All this is possible through the atoning death of Christ.  This atonement is sufficient, applicable, and available to all.  Its benefits are for all who exercise “repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” This glorious salvation is secure as it is based in the very character, promises, power, and deeds of the Godhead.

SECTION 11. ESCHATOLOGY (The Doctrine of the Last Things): We believe that spiritually Israel will one-day return to the Lord and become a fully restored nation.  Politically, Israel will spend most of her history prior to the Millennium under the sway of Gentile rulers.  We believe in the pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church, in which all believers of the Church Age will be caught up by Christ to meet Him in the air.  They will then be judged and rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ.  The Church also makes up the Bride of Christ, who will be wed to Him after the Rapture at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  After the Rapture, those left on the earth will undergo the Seven Years of the Great Tribulation.  This period will culminate in the wars of Armageddon and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  Unlike the Rapture, this is a coming battle for judgment.  After that Christ will establish the Millennium.  After 1000 years Satan will be loosed and will lead a revolt with the unbelieving children of the Millennium.  This will result in the Great White Throne Judgment of all unsaved people.  After this time the eternal new heaven and new earth will begin.

NewLife Community Church Biblical Distinctives

BIBLE: The Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. No decree of men or of any council of churches can supersede the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16, 17).

ACCOUNTIBILITY: The local church is an independent body accountable only to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. No religious hierarchy outside the local church may dictate a church’s beliefs or practices (Col. 1:18).

PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS: Every believer today is a priest of God and may enter into His presence directly through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. No human mediator is needed between God and Man (I Peter 2:5-9)

ORDINANCES: The local church should practice two ordinances - baptism by immersion in water and the Lord’s Supper, or communion (Matthew 28:19,20, I Corinthians 11:23-32).

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM: Every individual has the liberty and responsibility to believe as his own conscience dictates, within the framework of the Word of God. No one is forced to assent to any belief against his will. However, this doctrine does not grant a license to sin or to continually oppose the practices of the church (Romans 14:5-12).

MEMBERSHIP: Local church membership is restricted to individuals who give believable testimony of a personal faith in Christ and have publicly identified themselves with Him in believer’s baptism by immersion (Acts 2:41-47, Ephesians 2:8,9).

CHURCH LEADERSHIP: Only two biblically mandated (but not exclusive) offices exist in the church: pastor and elder. These two offices exist within the local church, not as a hierarchy outside of or over the local church (I Timothy 3:1,13).

SEPERATION OF CHURCH/STATE: God established both the church and the civil government, and He gave each its own distinct sphere of operation. Neither should control the other (Matthew 22:15-22).