DOCTRINAL STATEMENT OF GREEN RIVER AREA DEAF FELLOWSHIP
GOD
We believe there is only one true God (John 17:3), the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20). He created all things (Revelation 4:11) and holds everything together with His powerful command (Hebrews 1:3). He is a God of truth and without sin, He is good and honest (Deuteronomy 32:4) and He shall judge the world (Psalm 9:8).
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, having exactly the same nature, attributes and perfections, and are worthy of exactly the same respect, confidence and obedience (Mark 12:29; John 1:1-4; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 4:3-4).
JESUS CHRIST:
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ is God the Second Person of the Trinity. We believe He reveals God in the flesh. We believe He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We believe Him to be true God and true man (John 1:1, 1:14, 1:18; John 14:8-9; 1 Timothy 3:16).
HOLY SPIRIT:
We believe the Holy Spirit is God the Third Person of the Trinity and that His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:14).
The Holy Spirit regenerates the sinner, baptizing the believer into one body of which Christ is the head. The Holy Spirit indwells, guides, instructs, fills, comforts and empowers the believer for godly living (Mark 13:11; John 14:26; John 16:13; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16). The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of God’s righteousness and of coming judgment (John 16:8-11).
SCRIPTURES:
We believe the Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament are fully inspired by God and free from error in their original writings. We believe the 66 books of the Old Testament and the New Testament are God’s complete and sufficient revelation for mankind (Psalm 119:97-104; Psalm 119:160; Matthew 5:18; John 5:46-47; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15-16).
MAN:
We believe man was created in innocence but because of disobedience to God, fell from his sinless and happy state. Because of that disobedience, all mankind is sinful. All people are sinners not only by inheritance, but by their own choice and therefore are under judgement without defense or excuse. We believe that every man and every woman needs a Saviour (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 3:10-19; Romans 1:18, Romans 1:32; Romans 5:1-2).
SALVATION:
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice. We believe that each person who by faith receives Him as personal Savior is justified on the basis of Jesus Christ’s shed blood on Calvary. Each person who receives Christ as personal Savior is born again of the Holy Spirit. We believe the Holy Spirit baptizes each believing person into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation. (Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 12:13).
RESURRECTION:
We believe in the resurrection of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, His ascension into heaven and His present life for us as High Priest and Advocate (Acts 1:3; Acts 1:9; Hebrews 7:25-26).
THE RETURN OF CHRIST:
We believe in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
HEAVEN & HELL:
We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost. The saved are raised to eternal, conscious bliss in heaven (Matthew 25:34; John 14:2; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Revelation 2:7) the lost are raised to eternal torment in hell in conscious separation from God. (Matthew 8:11; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 13:49-50; Mark 9:47-48; Luke 12:5; Revelation 21:8).
SATAN:
We believe in the existence of Satan as the originator of sin and the arch-enemy of God. As a spirit being, he leads his demonic forces in continual attack upon the people and purposes of God. (1 Peter 5:8)
CHURCH:
Upon accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, a believer becomes part of His body, which is the local church as a commitment member. There is one church universal, made up of all those throughout the world who trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Scriptures command believers to meet together in order to commit themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, baptism and communion, fellowship, servicing others through the development and use of talents and gifts, and outreach to the world in fulfillment of the command of Christ to make disciples of all believers (Ephesians 5:23; Romans 12:1; Acts 2:42-46; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Matthew 28:18-20).
Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the church – under the oversight of elders and other supportive leadership. The church’s members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ (Ephesians 4:16).
MISSIONS:
The ministry of Christ goes beyond the local fellowship, so we commit ourselves to make disciples around the world (Matthew 28:19-20).
