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STATEMENT OF FAITH

Preface: Our Statement of Faith concerns the Person and Work of Jesus Christ (the Gospel) revealed in Scripture. It is the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 2, Eph. 4:5) which distinguishes believers from non-believers. There are many other precious truths taught in the Bible over which godly men have differed in understanding. Therefore, this is not a statement of all that is important to believe but of all that is essential to believe for Christian fellowship and unity (Rom. 15:7).

Statement in concept and in the practice of Christianity as outlined in the Tenets of Christian Theology:

1. We believe the Bible to be the verbally inspired and only infallible Word of God, inerrant in the autographs (II Tim. 3:16, II Peter 1:20-21).

2. We believe God is one being Who eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All of the persons are equal in power and glory (Matt. 28:19, II Cor. 13:14).

3. We believe Jesus Christ is fully God and man (John 1:1, 14), born of a virgin (Matt. 1:18), sinless in His life (Heb. 4:15). He died on the cross as a substitution for sinful men (Heb. 9:15). He rose bodily from the grave (John 20:1-9, 24-31, Acts 2:24) and now reigns with the Father (Acts 2:33, Heb. 10:12). He will return visibly and personally to the earth both in salvation and judgment (Acts 1:11, Heb. 9:28, Matt. 24:35).

4. We believe all humans are sinful by nature (Rom. 3:23, 5:12) and can only be forgiven by repentance and statement of trust in Jesus as Savior (John 3:16), brought about by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5-7).

5. We believe in the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life (Romans 8:1-17).

6. We reject the anti-Christian tenets of secular humanism, including the general theory of evolution, one-world government, government-mandated sex education, government- mandated parenting courses, modern feminist ideology, abortion, and the promotion of homosexuality as an alternative, acceptable lifestyle. (From Article II of the OCHEC By-laws.)