Summary of Our Beliefs
At Berean, we are convinced that what we believe about God deeply affects how we live. Below are the essential matters about which we agree as members of Berean. If you have more questions, please let us know.
The following is a brief summary of our beliefs. For a more detailed statement of faith, please see the next section.
The following is a brief summary of our beliefs. For a more detailed statement of faith, please see the next section.
- We believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, that it is the final authority for faith and life.
- We believe in the Trinity, that God eternally exists in three equal but distinct persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, that He was born of a virgin, died on the cross as a substitutionary payment for the sins of all mankind, was physically resurrected from the dead, and ascended into Heaven where He is exalted at God’s right hand.
- We believe that salvation is the free gift of God brought to man by grace, and received by personal trust alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.
- We believe that once a person is saved, he or she is kept secure forever by God’s power.
- We believe in the future, physical, visible, personal, and glorious return of Jesus Christ.
- We believe that it is the privilege of believers to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind, both at home and abroad.
Our Statement of Faith
HOLY SCRIPTURES
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, in the original languages, to be the verbal, plenary, inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed. (Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27,44; 11 Timothy 3:16-17; 11 Peter 1:20-21)
THE GODHEAD (TRINITY)
We believe in one True God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; 11 Corinthians 13:14; I Peter 1:2)
THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men.
(Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14, 18; 3:16-18; Acts 4:10-12; Romans 4:25; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 1:1-3)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as the vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice by means of His shed blood on the cross; and that our justification is made sure by His literal physical resurrection from the dead.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate.
(Acts 1:9-1 1; Romans 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24, 10:12; 1 John 2:1-2)
(Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14, 18; 3:16-18; Acts 4:10-12; Romans 4:25; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 1:1-3)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as the vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice by means of His shed blood on the cross; and that our justification is made sure by His literal physical resurrection from the dead.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate.
(Acts 1:9-1 1; Romans 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24, 10:12; 1 John 2:1-2)
THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person who ministers to mankind in these ways:
- The unbeliever is convicted of the sin of unbelief, of righteousness, and of judgment. (John 16:8-11)
- At the moment of salvation, the unbeliever is permanently regenerated, baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ, indwelt and sealed unto the day of redemption. (John 3:3-7; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:13-14; 6:19; 12:12-14; 11 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13)
- He is the Divine Teacher who guides all believers into all truth. (John 14:26; 16:13; I John 2:20, 27)
- The believer is commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), but the Spirit is grieved or quenched by sin in the life (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19). Control (filling) by the Holy Spirit is restored by confession of sin (I John 1:9; 1 Corinthians 11:31), the result is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
- Spiritual gifts are bestowed by the Holy Spirit on every believer.(Romans 12:6-8)
HUMANITY
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but in Adam’s sin mankind fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and man is totally depraved, and of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 14; Romans 1:18-32; 2:14-16; 3:9-19, 22-23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12)
SALVATION
We believe that salvation is the free gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. (John 1:12; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19)
We believe that all believers are kept secure forever, that is, that the believer’s salvation cannot be lost under any condition. (John 6:37 40;10:27-30; Romans 8:1-2, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5; I John 5:10-11)
We believe that all believers are kept secure forever, that is, that the believer’s salvation cannot be lost under any condition. (John 6:37 40;10:27-30; Romans 8:1-2, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5; I John 5:10-11)
THE ETERNAL STATE
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all mankind, the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13)
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious state they await the first resurrection, when soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; 11 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6)
We believe that those who deny Christ remain dead in their sin and are under God’s perfect wrath, resulting in eternal suffering apart from God forever. (Matthew 25:41-46; Luke 16:9-26; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:11-15)
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious state they await the first resurrection, when soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; 11 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6)
We believe that those who deny Christ remain dead in their sin and are under God’s perfect wrath, resulting in eternal suffering apart from God forever. (Matthew 25:41-46; Luke 16:9-26; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:11-15)
THE CHURCH
We believe that the Universal Church is the spiritual body composed of all born-again persons and that it is the body and espoused bride of Christ. The Universal Church began on the day of Pentecost and is formed by the present ministry of the Spirit in baptizing all members into one body. (Acts 2; I Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27)
We believe that the establishment and continuance of local assemblies is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures and is made up of born-again persons. (Acts 2:42; 14:27; 20:17; 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
We believe membership in a local assembly has no part in salvation. (John 1:12; 3:16)
We believe that the establishment and continuance of local assemblies is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures and is made up of born-again persons. (Acts 2:42; 14:27; 20:17; 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
We believe membership in a local assembly has no part in salvation. (John 1:12; 3:16)
ORDINANCES
We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the only ordinances of the Church and that they are a Scriptural means of testimony for the Church in this age. We believe the Lord Jesus Christ instituted for the Church the ordinance of baptism and served the first Lord’s Supper. (Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 8:36-38; 10:47-48; 16:30-34; 18:8; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
THE CONSUMMATION OF ALL THINGS
The consummation of all things includes the future, physical, visible, personal and glorious return of Jesus Christ to rule and to reign on the earth, the resurrection of the dead and the translation of those alive in Christ, the judgment of the just and the unjust, and the fulfillment of Christ’s kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth. In the consummation, Satan with his hosts and all those outside Christ are finally separated from the benevolent presence of God, enduring eternal punishment, but the righteous, in glorious bodies, shall live and reign with Him forever, serving Him and giving Him unending praise and glory. Then shall the eager expectation of creation be fulfilled, and the whole earth shall proclaim the glory of God Who makes all things new. (John 6:37-40; Romans 8:1; Romans 9:22-24; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 20:4-6; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:1-8)