The Lord Our God, the Lord is One.

There is One God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and One Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we exist, and One Holy Spirit, who gives us life.

Human beings were created by God in his image, crowning us with honor and glory to rule over the world in his name. But humanity has failed in its created purpose. We have rebelled against God, broken his law, turned upon one another, and become corrupt and wicked.

The One True God revealed himself to ancient Israel by his own personal name, Yahweh. He chose Abraham, through whose descendants he would restore the world, Moses, through whom he redeemed Israel from slavery in Egypt, and David, to head up a royal line of kings to lead God’s people. But after centuries of disobedience and injustice by the Israelites he handed them over to be dominated by a series of pagan empires, awaiting the end of God’s judgment.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, is the Divine Son of God, the Word and Wisdom of God, who has become human. He was a Jew living among the Jews and announced to them the Kingdom of God and the end of God’s judgment through his teachings and miracles of healing and deliverance. The significance of Jesus’ crucifixion is that he “died for our sins”, which is to be understood through biblical imagery such as redemption (the price paid to free a slave), atoning sacrifice (a life presented as a gift to make amends for offenses caused), purification (the cleansing of that which contaminates), substitution (one person for another), reconciliation (restored relationship) and victory (defeat of the enemy). Jesus’ resurrection is the vindication of his life and ministry, his enthronement as the legitimate ruler of the world, the inauguration of the New Creation, and the beginning of the end of the evil empires of the world and the powers of darkness behind them. Jesus ascended to heaven from where he is currently ruling over the world, gathering up all things to himself in anticipation of his return to the world.

The Gospel is the announcement that Jesus is Lord, the legitimate ruler of heaven and earth. The Gospel is the story of Jesus, his birth, ministry, death and resurrection as told in the four gospels. The Gospel is the fulfillment through Jesus of God’s ancient promise to restore the world, put everything in order, and make right every injustice.

The Salvation of lost and sinful humans is through the death and resurrection of the Jesus, who are forgiven of their sins, justified by faith in Jesus apart from works of the law, and made new by the Holy Spirit. Salvation means freedom from the power of sin and death, and the restoration of dignity to humans and the recovery of their original purpose as God’s agents to rule the world.

The Church is the Bride of Christ, comprised of all those who have faith in Jesus and are united by the Spirit into the Body of Christ. Together we worship Jesus, bowing the knee at His name and confessing with our tongues that He is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father.

The Holy Spirit by indwelling believers enables us to live a holy life, have victory over sin, exercise spiritual gifts, bear the fruit of the Spirit, and witness and work for Jesus.

God requires of each of us that we do justice, love kindness, and walk circumspectly with him. I am to love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my life, and with all my mind, and I am to love my fellow human beings as myself. In this way I will be obeying the entire law of God.

The Final Judgment and the Resurrection will result in the summing up of all things in Jesus Christ, when all things will be made new, and everything restored. Those who through faith in Jesus are saved will be resurrected to enjoy the life of the age to come in God’s eternal kingdom, but those who are condemned in the final judgment will have only shame, regret and suffering.

The Bible is God’s word, inspired by God, relevant, trustworthy, authoritative, and reveals things we can’t otherwise know about the past and the future, the heavenly realm and the realm of the dead. It is also the product of human reflection and experience, the passing on of witness to God’s work on behalf of, and his presence with, his people. It is the is the Church’s treasury of spiritual riches, and the source book for our response to God with hearts full of love and gratitude.