What We Believe

There is only one God, the Creator of all that exists. He is perfect in love and justice, infinite in power and knowledge. He alone is worthy to be worshiped. For all eternity the one God has existed as three Persons, each of whom are equal in power and glory: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who became incarnate by being born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. He is fully God and fully human. In his resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven he has been declared Lord of the universe and is worthy to be praised.

God has revealed himself in his creation but especially in his Word, the Bible. The Bible is without error in its original writing, and it will not lead us astray. The preaching, teaching, and reading of God’s word is the primary means by which God’s people come to believe in Jesus and grow in faith.

God created human beings male and female to bear his image, dwell in loving communion with him and each other, and to lead the whole world into the knowledge and praise of God.

Adam and Eve, our first parents, disobeyed God’s good word by eating from the forbidden tree. Through their disobedience, sin has come into the world. Every person is a sinner who has turned away from God by disobeying him and giving their ultimate love and allegiance to other things. The consequence for our sin is eternal death. God is perfect in justice, so he must punish sin.

This is the gospel (good news): that out of his infinite love, and apart from anything good we have done or might have done, God sent his Son Jesus to live the life we were meant to live and die the death we were meant to die. He was crucified in our place for our sins and he rose again to new life in his bodily resurrection. All who trust in Jesus alone for their salvation receive forgiveness for all their new sins and a new identity as God’s adopted child, and are indwelled by the Holy Spirit. 

God gathers his redeemed people into his church. The church is both universal—comprising all believers in Jesus around the world—and local. The local church is a community who has covenanted together to walk with Jesus together and join in his mission to build his kingdom in the world.

The sacraments are signs and seals of God’s covenant of grace with us in Jesus Christ. There are two of them: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism symbolizes and confirms that we are in Christ, enjoy all the benefits of the gospel, and belong to him. The Lord’s Supper, which we celebrate weekly, symbolizes Jesus’ crucified body and shed blood and assures us of his sacrificial love for us. By historic practice, Redeemer practices both infant baptism and believer’s baptism.

One day Jesus will return as Judge of the earth. All people will stand before him for judgment, unbelievers for eternal death and believers for eternal life. The creation itself, which has suffered from sin in the world, will also be redeemed and healed. God’s people will dwell in God’s creation with God in perfect and perpetual joy and service.