OAKHOUSE STATEMENTS OF FAITH

There is one God, who exists forever in perfect community as three persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. Each member of the trinity is fully God, deserving of reverence, awe and worship.

(Gen. 1:26-27, Deut. 6:4; Col. 1:15-17; Phil 1:1-2; Acts 5:3; Mat. 28:19)

Man was created good and upright, for God said, “Let us make man in our image and after our likeness.” Man, by voluntary transgression, fell, and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

(Gen. 1:26-31; Gen. 3; Rom. 5:12-21)

Salvation from our sinful condition is a free gift from God to us. It is not something we earn or deserve. It is offered in grace and received by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Those who believe in Jesus Christ and call on His name are made right with God and given new life now and eternal life to come.

(John 3:16; Eph. 2:4-10; 2 Cor 5:17)

Jesus Christ is fully man and fully God, born of the Virgin Mary. He is the perfect reflection of God’s character and glory. Because God so loved the world, Jesus lived a sinless life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. All who believe in Him are declared righteous on the basis of His death. He rose physically from the dead, is alive right now, and will return again to earth to reign forever with those who are His.

(Heb. 1:1-4; Phil. 2: 6-11; Mt. 1:18-25; John 3:16; John 1:14, 8:58,; Acts 1:9-11; Rom. 5:8-10; Col. 1:15-23; Luke 23:32-49; Luke 24; Heb. 1:8; Rev. 1:17-18)

The Bible (all the books of the Old and New Testaments) is the inspired, true, written Word of God. The Bible is at once an historical document, spiritual inspiration, clear instruction for living, and love letter. The Bible is a revelation from God to men, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason. We believe the authors of the Bible were inspired by God and are therefore completely trustworthy. The Bible is the final authority on all matters to which it speaks.

(2 Tim. 3:15-17; 1 Pet. 1:23-25; Heb. 4:12; Mt. 5:17-18; Isaiah 40:8; James 1:23-25; Mt. 7:24).

The church is the holy Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer is an integral part of the church, and their names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The Church is intended to be a beautiful bride on earth, consisting of unity, love, and sacrifice in an effort to showcase to the world that Jesus is our Savior. The Church strives to display love between every tongue, tribe and nation as a foretaste of the eternal community that is still to come.

(I Thess. 2:4; Eph. 2:19-21; 1 Cor. 12; John 13:34; Rev. 5:9-10)