Our Beliefs

We believe in the entire Bible, comprising the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, and that it was breathed by God and written by people. As such it comprises the Word of God. As originally given, the Bible is true in its entirety and is always sufficient for all matters of belief and practice. It is the supreme authority by which all human conduct, creeds, opinions and beliefs should be tested.

We believe in only one living and true God who sovereignly governs all things for his own glory. He is an infinite, eternal, intelligent being who is unchangeable in his love, wisdom, holiness and justice. In the unity of God there are three distinct persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three persons are equal in being but have distinct roles in the great work of God in salvation.

We believe in Jesus Christ, as he is truly revealed in the Bible, and that he is the Son of God. He was fully God from eternity. Through the incarnation he became fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a perfect, righteous and sinless life in obedience to his Father, as recorded in the Gospels of the New Testament. He was physically put to death by crucifixion and his body was buried. On the third day he was physically raised from the dead. He ascended into Heaven and is now seated in glory at the right hand of his Father where he intercedes for his people.

We believe the entire universe was created perfect by God for his glory, through Jesus Christ, and that it and everything in it is sustained by Him. He is completely sovereign over his creation, so that nothing may take place which he has not permitted.

We believe God created humankind, male and female, in his likeness and loves each person he has made. Humankind was originally created righteous with the capacity to worship God and to enjoy a relationship in fellowship with Him.

Through deliberate disobedience humankind fell from that state and became subject to the just judgement of God. Because of this disobedience the nature of all people is corrupted and subject to sin, positively inclined to do evil, and incapable of regaining or attaining righteousness by their own efforts. They live under the just condemnation of God, hostile towards Him and alienated from Him. After death they face certain judgement and stand to be rightly and fairly condemned for eternity.

We believe God has intervened in history to save people from sin and judgement, so that they might be restored to true righteousness and reconciled to enjoy eternal fellowship with him. They are saved wholly by God through grace. Such salvation is made possible only through the work of the Son of God who mediates for us. By means of his death upon the cross, Jesus Christ made a full atonement for our sins.

Through his death, Jesus willingly stood in our place as a substitute and representative, bearing sin for us, thereby taking upon himself the just judgement of God which we deserve. He obediently offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins to take and turn away the wrath of God against us once and for all time, thereby showing us God’s love.

Because of his death and resurrection, people may receive the forgiveness of their sins, freedom from condemnation, and a new spiritual life that will continue for eternity.

We believe salvation is made possible through the work of Jesus Christ mediating for us. His work is effective to save only those people who repent of their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ by submitting to him as their Lord and Master.

Salvation is given freely to those who exercise genuine repentance and true faith in Jesus Christ. It is not earned by performing good or righteous works. Adherence to any other belief cannot lead to salvation.

We believe in order to receive salvation people must be born again, which is spiritual regeneration by the work of the Holy Spirit of God. Without such regeneration, they remain under the condemnation and power of sin, are spiritually dead and incapable of exercising genuine repentance and faith. The Holy Spirit alone is able to convict and convince people of their sinful state, the fact that they face the certain prospect of the everlasting judgement of God, and therefore of their need of salvation.

The Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven to glorify Christ and apply his work of salvation. He alone enables people to understand the work of Jesus Christ on their behalf, and take hold of it for themselves. Likewise, a true understanding of the Bible can come only from the Holy Spirit. He alone brings people to rebirth and new spiritual life, enabling them to place voluntary faith in Jesus Christ. Such faith is itself a gift of God.

We believe a person who exercises genuine repentance and true faith in Jesus Christ is thereby justified before God in accordance with his promise. Justification involves receiving from God a sure and certain pardon of all sin, whether past, present or future, and the crediting to the believer of the perfect righteousness of Christ. A justified person is as acceptable to God as Jesus Christ himself, and is adopted into the family of God as a child and heir.

We believe when a person is regenerated and justified by genuine repentance and true faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit enters them and makes his dwelling in them. All such believers are made holy and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, whose presence in their life brings assurance of salvation, confidence of adoption into the family of God, and guarantees that they will receive eternal life in the age to come.

We believe those who are regenerated, justified, made holy and indwelt by the presence of the Holy Spirit are subject to the transforming work of God. While such persons will never be entirely free from sin before being raised to new resurrection life in the age to come, in this present life they will experience a progressive growth in righteousness and godliness. By the presence and power of the Holy Spirit believers will increasingly put to death sinful desires and their lives will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit as they become increasingly Christ-like in character. Whilst salvation is not earned by performing good or righteous acts, it is always shown by godly behaviour and performing good works pleasing to God.

We believe the Universal Church is the spiritual body of all people from every generation who have exercised genuine repentance and true faith in Jesus Christ and are in Christ having been adopted into the family of God, The Universal Church is a world-wide body, and its members are united in fellowship with one another irrespective of race or nationality. The Universal Church is known to God alone and remains invisible to man.
Jesus Christ is the head of the Universal Church, and it is the body through which he accomplishes the world-wide proclamation of the gospel message. The Holy Spirit bestows gifts upon members of the Universal Church, empowering its members for worship, service and mission which enable it to grow to maturity in Christ.

We believe at a future time unknown to any but God himself, Jesus Christ will visibly return from heaven to bring this world, and this current age, to an end. He will return in person and in great power to gather all his people to himself. The dead shall be raised and all people shall be judged by him. A solemn separation will then take place. Those who are regenerated and justified shall dwell in eternal joy in the presence of God, reigning with Christ in his kingdom. Those who are not regenerate and justified shall be eternally condemned and cut off from the presence of God in Hell. God will make all things new and will be glorified forever.