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This Statement of Faith is merely a fallible human summary of what The Corner Church believes. Essentially we recognise the fallibility of man and the infallibility of God, and his Word. As stated in the first point, the Bible is the only reliable source and authority on what we believe.
God has revealed and reveals Himself in the Bible. We believe that all Scripture (i.e. the 66 books of the Bible) is given by inspiration of God, is inerrant, infallible, possessing plenary inspiration in the original writings, and has been preserved with full integrity so that its teaching is absolute, final and our sole authority. The Bible is always sufficient for all matters of belief and practice.
References: Deuteronomy 6:1-3, Psalm 19:7-10; 119:11, 89; Isaiah 40:8; Jeremiah 36:1; Matthew 22:29; Luke 24:44-46; John 5:39; 17:17; 20:30-31; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12-13; James 1:22-24; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21, Revelation 1:1-3, 22:16-20.
We believe in One God, the living Creator and Sustainer
of all things. He is merciful and
gracious; slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. He is spirit, unique, omnipotent,
omniscient, omnipresent, and eternally existing in three persons - the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are co-equal, and co-eternal, and are
sovereign in creation, providence and redemption. These three are the one and
only God, the Holy Trinity existing in perfect unity, having the same nature
and perfection.
References: Genesis 1:1, Exodus 34:6-7, Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:3-4, Job 37:22-23, Psalm 145:8-9; Proverbs 3:19-20; 30:3-5, Isaiah 40:28, 42:5-8, 43:3,15, Daniel 4:34-35, Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22; John 4:24, 10:30, Act 4:24, 14:17; Romans 1:19-20; 16:33-36, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Timothy 1:17, 2:3-5
We believe in God the Father who is the beginning of all divine activity, and the fountain and wellspring of all things; He is actively seeking worshippers and drawing them to his Son. He has sent the Son into the world, and He gives us the Holy Spirit. The Father is made known to us by the Son.
References: Matthew 11:27, John 4:21-23; 5:26; 6:32-37, John 14; John 17:1,5-6, 21-25; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:3, 14-15; Galatians 4:4- 6, Ephesians 1:3, 3:14-21, 2 Peter 1:3, 17, 1 John 3:1, 4:9,14.
We believe in God the Son, who became Man, the Lord Jesus Christ:
References: Isaiah 7:14; 52:13 – 53:12; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 11:27; 16:27; 17:5; Matthew 27, Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 24:36-43, John 1:1-18,29; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 13:38,39; 20:28, Romans 1:1-4, 3:23-26; 5:6-11; 8:1-3,34; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20-22; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 2:14,15; 4:14-15; 7:25-27; 9:24, 28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 1:19-21; 2:21-25; 1 John 1:7; 3:2; 4:9-15; Revelation 1:5; 5:9
We
believe in God the Holy Spirit. He is the third Person in the Trinity, the
source, and power of all worship and service that is acceptable to God; without
whose regenerating power the preaching of the cross is foolishness, and without
whom no one can say "Jesus is Lord". He is the anointing, permanently
indwelling every saved person, and his illumination is needed to have spiritual
and growing understanding of the Word of God. He is always present to testify
of Christ and drawing us to Christ and not to his gifts, nor our experiences nor
to ourselves. He convicts, regenerates, indwells, guides, instructs and
empowers the believer for spiritual worship, godly living and service.
References: Genesis 1:1-2; Psalms 139:7; Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 12:28; 28:19-20; Luke 4:1,18-19; 12:12; John 4:23-24, 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 13:2; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 12:3-13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6; Revelation 22:17
We believe that God created Adam and Eve as male and female in his
image and likeness (having rational, moral, relational, and spiritual
capacities) to worship Him, have fellowship with Him and give Him glory. Adam
and Eve, the parents of all, chose to rebel against God and fell out of their innocent
state by an act of disobedience. As a result of their sin, all people became
separated from God, subjected to death, and the whole creation is cursed.
We believe that human life begins
at conception. Every person has inbuilt value, dignity and moral worth, and is
thus distinct from all other life on earth. But the image of God in humankind
is now broken, and the sinful nature is passed on to all their offspring.
We believe that all have sinned and are lost, spiritually
dead, already under condemnation and unable to save themselves or earn the
favour of God. An eternal punishment is the consequence for those who do not
accept salvation: God's provision for their sins.
References: Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7,18-22; Genesis 3; 5:1, 8:21, 9:6; Psalms 8:3-6; 51:5, 139:13-16; Ezekiel 33:11; John 3:36; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-23; 7:14-25; 8:8; 1 Corinthians 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-13
We believe that we are accountable stewards not owners
of God’s creation. God created everything and made humans his stewards to
manage His creation. Since the Fall, the relationship with God is broken, the
earth is broken and we fail in managing His earth.
We believe that God is the source of all blessings, earthly and
spiritual; all that we have and are, we owe to Him. We therefore have a duty to
serve Him by his guidance and as his co-workers with our time, talents, and
material possessions; and we recognize all these as entrusted to us to use for
the glory of God and for helping others.
References: Leviticus 27:30-32; Deuteronomy 8:17,18; Malachi 3:8-12; Matthew 6:1-4,19-21; 19:21; 23:23; 25:14-29; Luke 12:16-34,42-44; 16:1-13; Acts 2:44-47; 5:1-11; 17:24-25; 20:33-35; Romans 6:6-22; 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; 6:19-20; 9:13-14; 12; 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Philippians 4:10-19; 1 Peter 5:1-4.
We believe that the term "marriage"
has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman
in
a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture, marriage originates from the creation of the first
human couple – Adam and Eve.
We
believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a
woman who are married to each other. Sexual immorality is any form of sexual
intimacy outside of a marriage between a man and a woman and this is sinful and
offensive to God.
Marriage displays the nature
of God in the sacrificial love Christ has for his bride the Church: “Christ
loved the Church and gave Himself for her.” We are called to this love
relationship in our lives.
References: Genesis 1:27-28; Genesis 2:18-25; Isaiah 54:5, Maleachi 2:13-16, Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:5-12, 1 Corinthians 7:1-5; Ephesians 3:8-11, Ephesians 5:25-33, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Peter 3:7; Revelation 21:9-11, Psalm 51, John 4:16-18
We believe that all who repent of their sins and trust the personal call of God in the gospel are saved by grace alone. Trusting in Jesus Christ as their Saviour they become children of God. They pass out of spiritual death and into everlasting life, justified by faith alone, accepted by the Father, loved as Christ is loved and united to Him by the Holy Spirit.
References: Luke 24:47; John 1:10-13, 5:24; Acts 2:37-40; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; Romans 1:16-17; 2:4; 3:23-25; 5:8-10; 6:23; 8: 28-39; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians1:3,4; 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; Ephesians 2:8-22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:14,15; 5:8-9; 1 Peter 1:20-23; 1 John 5:1,2
We believe that Jesus Christ calls us to discipleship, to take up our cross and follow Him. Through the gift of God's saving grace, we are empowered to be disciples of Jesus, filled with his Spirit, following his teachings and his path through suffering to new life. As we are faithful to his way, we become conformed to Christ and separated from the evil in the world.
References: Matthew 16:24,24; 28:19-20; John 15:1-16; Acts 11:26; 13:52; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 6:14-7:1; Philippians 3:8-10; 4:8,9; Hebrews 13:20,21; 1 Peter 2: 1-12; 2 Peter 1:3-8.
We believe that the souls of those who
have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, at death immediately pass
into His presence. They remain with Him in conscious happiness until the
resurrection of the body at His coming, when soul and body reunited shall be
with Him forever in glory.
References: Job 19:26,27; Psalm 49:15; 73:23-26; 84; Matthew 22:32; 25:21,23; Luke 16:20-22; 23:43; John 14:1-4; 17:24; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21-23; 1 Thessalonians 4: 17,18; Revelation 7:14-17.
We believe in the personal existence of
the Devil or Satan, who is a fallen angel and the enemy of God and of all His
children. The eternal fire (Hell) is reserved for the future punishment of the
Devil.
References: Job 1:6; Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-17; Matthew 13:39; 25:41; John 8:44; Hebrews 2:14,15; 1 Luke 22:31,32; John 3:8; Revelation 12:7-9; 20:2,10.
We believe in one, holy, universal Church,
born when the Holy Spirit was sent at Pentecost. All who repent of their sins
and confess Jesus as Lord and Saviour are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and
form the living Body of Christ, of which He is the head and of which we are all
members.
We believe that He has given the Church
responsibilities in obedience to Him and his Word.
References: Job 1:6; Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-17; Matthew 13:39; 25:41; John 8:44; Hebrews 2:14,15; 1 Luke 22:31,32; John 3:8; Revelation 12:7-9; 20:2,10.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ
instituted two ordinances: baptism and the Lord's Supper. Both ordinances are symbolic and in remembrance of God’s love, the death of our Redeemer, his resurrection, the
new life of the believer, and in anticipation of his second coming.
References: Matthew 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 8:12-16; 8:35-39; 10:47,48; 16:15, 30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16-21; 11:23-29; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21.