WHAT WE BELIEVE
The Beliefs of New Hope Church are:
1. We believe the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever!
2. The Bible
The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because it was inspired by God, the Bible is truth without any mixture of error and is completely relevant to our daily lives.
(Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalms 119:11, 89, 105; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 3:16)
3. The Trinity
God has existed in relationship with Himself for all eternity. He exists as one substance in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Although each member of the Trinity serves different functions, they each possess equal power and authority.
(Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 1:35; John 5:21-23; 14:10, 16; Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:8-10; James 2:19)
4. The Father
God is great: He is all powerful, all knowing, ever present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, and above all, Holy. It is in Him that we live, move and exist. God is good. He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises.
(Exodus 3:14; Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; Psalm 11:4-6; Malachi 3:6; John 3:16; 4:24; 5:26; 14:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4)
5. The Son
Jesus Christ is completely human but, at the same time, completely God. He is the only plan for bringing people who are far from God back into a right relationship with God. He lived a perfect life, so that He could be a substitution for us in satisfying God’s demands for perfection. He defeated death in His resurrection so that we can have life.
(Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 14:33; 16:16; 28:5-6; Luke 22:70; 24:46-47; John 1:1, 14; 10:30; 11:25-27; 17:1-5; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 8:1-3; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Gal 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15; 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16)
6. The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit’s presence assures us of our relationship with Christ. He guides believers into all truth and exalts Christ. He convicts people of their sin, God’s righteousness, and the coming judgment. He comforts us, gives us spiritual gifts, and makes us more like Christ.
(Genesis 1:2; Psalm 51:11; 139:7 ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Mark 1:10; Luke 1:35; 4:1; 11:13; 12:12; John 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 13:2; Romans 8:9-11, 14-16, 26-27; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:17)
7. Eternity
Man was created to exist forever. He will exist either eternally separated from God by sin or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is Heaven. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence.
(John 3:16, 36; Romans 6:23; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13; Revelation 20:15)
8. Man
Man is made in the image of God and is the supreme object of His creation. Man was created to have fellowship with God but became separated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, man cannot attain a right relationship with God through his own effort. Every human personality is uniquely created, possesses dignity, and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
(Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7, 18-22; 3; Psalms 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6; 6:6; 7:14-25; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22; Ephesians 2; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11)
9. Salvation
The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the only way of salvation through the forgiveness of sin. Salvation occurs when people place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin. Salvation is a gift from God, and it cannot be earned through our own efforts.
(Isaiah 1:18; 53:5-6; 55:7; Matthew 1:21; 27:22-66, 28:1-6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:12; 3:16, 36; 5:24; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 16:30-31; Romans 1:16-18; 3:23-25; 5:8-10; 6; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 9:24-28; Revelation 3:20)
10. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as an experience following salvation, with the scriptural evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance (Acts 2:1-4; 8:14-17; 10:44-46; Galatians 3:14-15).
11. Water Baptism
We believe in water baptism by immersion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as an experience following salvation, in order to fulfill the command of Christ (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:36-39; 19:1-6).
12. The Gifts of the Spirit
The operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as detailed in I Corinthians12:14, and manifested in the Early Church.
13. Communion
We believe and practice Communion or the Lord’s Supper, for believers as seen in (I Corinthians 11:23-32).
14. The Church
The Church is a local community of baptized believers unified through faith in Christ. It is committed to the teachings of Christ and obeying all of His commands, and it seeks to bring the Gospel to the world. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.
(Matthew 16:18-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47; 5:11-14; 13:1-3; 14:23; 16:5; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:10-12; 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18; 3:15; 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 21:2-3)
In reference to the church, we also believe that:
The biblical form of church government is plural eldership – composed of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and/or teachers (Ephesians 4:11-16) – with a senior minister, all of whom must qualify on the basis of I Timothy 3 in spiritual life, character, domestic life, and leading ability.
The Church of Jesus Christ is the last instrument that God is using to extend His kingdom prior to the second coming of Christ (Ephesians 3:10; Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:20-23).
The local church is completely autonomous; that is, it is self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating in its mature state free of any external authority or control.(Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Romans 16:1, 4; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Pet. 5:1-4).
Every believer in Christ must be subject to God’s authority in a specific local church for spiritual protection and long-term fruitfulness (Hebrews 13:17).
The theological framework for understanding all of God’s dealing with mankind is to be found in Divine covenants revealed in Scripture.
We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons (1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27).
We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
15. Human Sexuality
In reference to human sexuality, we believe:
We believe in the sanctity of marriage as established by the Holy Scriptures and that God created marriage and the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2-3; I Corinthians 7:10-11; Ephesians 5:22-33).
God has commanded that sex is to be confined only to two persons of the opposite sex who have entered into the covenant of marriage (Genesis 2:24; Genesis 19:5,13; Genesis 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1: 26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4).
Any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that an individual’s gender is determined by God, and no one should attempt to alter his or her gender by surgery or appearance (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen.18:1-30; Lev.20:13; Rom. 1: 26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9,10; I Timothy 1:8-10; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4). Though New Hope Church welcomes those struggling with homosexuality and other sexual sins, it does not affirm their lifestyles nor will it subscribe to any civil law pertaining to lifestyle choices that is contrary to the religious values espoused and animated by the Christian faith as revealed in the Holy Scriptures [The Bible]. Under no circumstances will New Hope Church allow or perform any ceremonies (i.e. weddings, baptisms, dedications, etc.) involving non-heterosexual couples.