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what we believe WHAT WE BELIEVE

What We Believe
HOPE CHAPEL NORTH SHORE is a local body of believers, who are committed to the goal of telling and showing people their value to God, and their need for Him, by our service to them. As sinners saved by God's amazing grace, we profess that there is only "one faith," or one gospel by which men can be saved. Namely, we are saved by grace through faith alone in Christ alone (Eph. 4:5; Eph. 2:8-9; Jn. 14:6). It is our purpose in presenting this doctrinal statement to develop within us a common understanding of the truth of Scripture. The elders of HCNS are committed to study to show ourselves approved of God and to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (2 Tim. 2:15; Jude 3).

SCRIPTURE
WE TEACH the Bible is composed of 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. It is the inspired (God breathed), verbal (every word), inerrant (without error in the original documents), complete revelation of God by which all things are judged. The Bible is our final authority for faith and life (2 Tim. 3:16).

GOD
WE TEACH that there is only one God who exists eternally in three separate and distinct Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He alone is the Creator of all things, the Savior of His people, and is sovereign over His universe (Jn.1:1, 8:24; Eph. 1:11, 4:6; Duet. 6:4; Acts 5:3-4).

JESUS CHRIST
WE TEACH that Jesus Christ is the virgin-born, sinless and only Son of God. He is truly God and truly man, who came into the world to save sinners from hell by His being punished in our place. In triumph, He arose from the dead and is seated at the right hand of God (Mt. 1:23; Heb. 4:15; Jn. 1:18; Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:6-7; Eph. 1:20f).

MAN
WE TEACH that mankind was created by God, in His own image, to love Him--expressed in worship, service and obedience to Him. Mankind rebelled against God and is now totally unable to do any good in the sight of God as man is wholly inclined toward sin. As a depraved sinner, by nature, man is without any ability, whatsoever, to come to saving faith on his own (Rom. 3:10-12, 8:5-8; )n. 6:44; 1 Cor. 2:14).

SALVATION
WE TEACH that salvation is a work of God. It, in the general sense, is the rescuing of a man from eternal destruction (the consequence of his sin) and delivering him to eternal life with God. All men are in need of salvation. WE TEACH that salvation is by grace through faith alone in the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9).

SAVING FAITH
WE TEACH that all who possess true saving faith are eternally secure in Christ and unable to lose their salvation (Jn. 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Rom. 8:35-39; 1 Thess. 5:23-24). WE TEACH that true believers are in a spiritual warfare and due to our remaining corruption may fall into grievous sins. However, those who profess faith but continue to live in sin and disobedience to Christ without repentance, and who fail to progress in any form of sanctification have no assurance of being born again (Tit. 1:16; Heb. 12:14; Jas. 2:14-2 6; 1 Jn. 2:4, 29, 3:9-10).

SANCTIFICATION
WE TEACH that sanctification is a sovereign work of God. It is a process in which God sets apart the believer to live a holy life, according to God's commands and principles, and to do good which God prepared beforehand. In this work of renewal, God uses various means of grace which each believer should diligently pursue: the study of Scripture, prayer, godly fellowship, exercising of their spiritual gifts, the fruit of the Spirit, the Lord's Supper, good works, etc. Although sanctification is imperfect in this life, due to indwelling sin, it will be complete when we see Christ and become as He is (Eph. 2:10; 2 Pet. 1:5-11; 1 Jn. 3:2).

THE LAW OF GOD
WE TEACH that the OT moral law is eternal and has been incorporated into the law of Christ, Moral law has two primary functions: 1) to reveal sin and; 2) to set forth the paths of righteousness which only the redeemed, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are able to obey. The ceremonial and civil laws have expired due to their temporary and typical nature. However, the ceremonial laws are valuable to study in that they point forward to Christ and His church. The civil law also continues to provide principles relevant to the church, and is useful in learning how to apply moral law to civil life (1 Cor. 5:1-13, 7:19, 9:9-10; 2 Cor. 13:1; Rom.3:20, 7:7, 8: 4, 13:8-10; 1 3n.2:3, 29, 3:4; Gal. 5:14, 16).

SPIRITUAL GIFTS
WE TEACH that a believer is to be gifted by the Holy Spirit, and should seek to serve the Lord for "the building up of the body of Christ". We believe that the Holy Spirit still distributes all the spiritual gifts listed in the NT to each individual person as He wills. We also believe in the use of the Scriptural gifts in a biblically proper and orderly manner. (1 Pet.1:15; 1 Cor. 12:4-31, 13:39, 14:40; Eph. 4:12; Gal. 5:24-25).

ONE PEOPLE OF GOD
WE TEACH the unity of God's people throughout the ages. God's people consist of OT saints, NT saints and up to and including present day believers (saints). We believe that Christ inaugurated the New Covenant by His death on the cross. Thus, as believers we are now grafted into the "olive tree", are through faith called the "seed of Abraham", and are circumcised of heart as "true Jews" (Lk. 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25; Heb. 8:7-13; Rom 2:26-29, 11:17; Gal. 3:29).

CHURCH OFFICES
WE TEACH that there are only two church offices: elders and deacons. We affirm that there is only one Head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ. Each local church should have a plurality of elders who function as under-shepherds, pastors and overseers. They should be qualified men, who are able to guard the truth, and lead with a godly example, and a servant's heart. Deacons are also to be qualified men who serve, assist, and promote the various ministries of the church. (Eph. 5:23; Acts 14:23, 20:28-32; 1Pet. 5:1-3; 1Tim. 3:1-13; Tit. 1:5-9; Jn. 13:14-15).

CHURCH ORDINANCES
WE TEACH that the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper are for those who profess faith in Christ. (Acts 16:31-34, 18:8; 1 Cor. 1:23-34).

CHURCH DISCIPLINE
WE TEACH the importance of church discipline for those members of the church who are engaged in unrepentant sin of serious magnitude. This is a very sober issue and we go there only as a loving father would to a very wayward child, out of love, heavy with grief, and hopeful for restoration. (Mt. 18:15-17).

LAST THINGS
WE TEACH the pre-millennial, visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ to receive to Himself the saved-both living and dead. We believe in the millennial reign of Christ. We believe in eternal life in the presence of God for all believers and eternal punishment in a literal hell for Satan, his demons and the unbelieving. (Jn. 14:1-4; Acts 1:11; 1 Thes. 4:15-16)

If you are interested in a more in-depth doctrinal statement please contact our elders at: 575-2650.