Notes for this Sunday

Below is one of the items we will be covering the next two weeks in class.  These are basic truths we hold dear and sign on to as teachers at LBC.

Truths We Hold Dear

It is our desire to have those presenting the Word of God to be in agreement with the church’s position on essential beliefs.  The following represents those beliefs.  (Revised 08/06)  

• About God – God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe.  He has eternally existed  in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  These three are co-equal  and are one God.
• About the Father – He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise.  He reigns with providential care over the universe and flow of human history goes according to His purposes and plan.
• About Jesus – Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  Jesus has eternally existed and became fully man at His incarnation.  Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross.  He bodily arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death.  He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return someday to earth to reign  as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
• About the Holy Spirit – Is the third Person of the Trinity, guiding men into all truth; exalting Christ; convicting of sin, cultivating Christian Character; comforting believers; bestowing spiritual gifts and sealing the believer until the final day of redemption.

• About the Scriptures – The Bible is God’s Word to us.  Human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote it.  It is timeless and is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living.  Because God inspired it, it is the truth without any mixture of error.   
• About Human Beings – People are made in the image of God and are the supreme object of God’s creation.  All of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin”.  This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in our lives.
• About Salvation – Salvation is God’s free gift to us, we must only accept it.  We can never make up for our sins by self-improvement or good works.  Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty.  When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved.  
• About Eternal Security – Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity.  If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot “lose” it.  Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian.  It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us security.
• About Eternity – People are created to exist forever.  We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God in Heaven through forgiveness and salvation.  To be eternally separated from God is Hell.  
• About Baptism by Immersion – Scriptural baptism involves being completely immersed under the water, following the salvation experience.  This is how Jesus was baptized as well as all baptisms in the New Testament.  Baptism has no saving power but is the first act of obedience for a new believer.  It represents the believer’s faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and the believer’s death to sin and self.  It is the beginning of a new life and a new walk with Christ.
• About the Lord’s Supper – The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby believers remember the death of the Lord Jesus Christ and anticipate His second coming.   The bread is symbolic of His body and the juice represents His blood.
• About Tithing – At LBC we believe in giving the tithe – 10% of gross income, which is to be done joyfully, and regularly, according to the scriptures.
• About Evangelism – It is the duty of every born again follower of Jesus Christ and of every church to endeavor to make disciples of all men everywhere.  It is the command of Christ for every believer to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by sharing personal testimony and the “Good News”of Jesus Christ.
• About Church Unity – To live in harmony with other believers is clearly the teaching of the New Testament.  It is the responsibility of each believer to endeavor to live in fellowship with each member of the congregation.  It is further the responsibility of each member to bring all gossiping and backbiting to an end.

I agree with and will teach according to these essential beliefs ________________________            Date________