Calvary Bible Church - Mount Joy, PA

WHAT WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE TEACHES

We believe the Bible teaches that

It is God's Word.

God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one God.

Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human at the same time.

Jesus' death on the cross was the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

All those who by faith receive Christ's righteousness in exchange for their unrighteousness are born again.

Jesus' body was resurrected from the grave and that He is now ruling in Heaven.

Jesus is coming again as Savior and Judge.

We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, revealed by the Holy Spirit, and is, therefore, inerrant, infallible, and the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice. The Holy Spirit is the infallible interpreter of the Bible. (Psalm l9:7-ll; II Timothy 3:l6; II Peter l:20-2l; Luke 24:25-28; John l6:l2-26)

We believe in the Triune Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; One God eternally existing, manifesting Himself in three personages. (Genesis l:l; John 4:24; John l0:30; Acts 5:29-32; II Corinthians 3:l4; Matthew l3:l6-17; Hebrews 9:l4)

We believe in the deity of Christ, His virgin birth, and that He is the only begotten of the Father, true God and true man for whom and by whom all things were created. (John l:l-l4; John l4:9; Isaiah 7:l4; Matthew l:l8-25; II John 7)

We believe in the substitutionary atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, that by the grace of God He tasted death for every man. We believe through His death on the cross, a complete and perfect sacrifice was made for sin. (Hebrews 2:9; John 6:44-69; John 3:1-18; Romans 3:25)

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He ascended bodily into heaven, and is now at the right hand of God as our mediator, priest, and advocate. (Acts 2:32-33; I Timothy 2:5; Acts 3:l2-l6; Hebrews 9:24; I Corinthians l5:l2-28)

We believe in the imminent, personal return in the air of the Lord Jesus Christ for His blood-bought children (I Thessalonians 4:l3-l8) and that the Church will not pass through the Great Tribulation of Revelation 6-19. (Luke 2l:36; I Thessalonians 5:9, Revelation 3:10) At this momentous event, the resurrection of the saints will occur (I Thessalonians 4:l6) to be followed by the judgment Seat of Christ (Revelation 22:12; I Corinthians 3:ll-l5), the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation l9:6-l0) and the return of the Church with Christ to put down earthly rebellion and reign with Him during the Millennium. (Revelation l9:11-20:l5)

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Person who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit regenerates, indwells, enlightens, and empowers the saved. (John l6:7-ll; I Corinthians 3:l6)

We believe in the personality of Satan who "...deceiveth the whole world and in whose lap the world lieth." He is the god of this age. (Revelation l2:9-l0; Matthew 4:2-ll; Isaiah l4:l2-l7; John 8:44; I John 5:l9)

We believe in the total depravity and lost condition of man by nature. (Romans 3:9-20, 23; Romans 5:l2-l4)

We believe that through the shed blood of Christ, all who by faith in that sacrifice believe and trust in Christ are born again into the Family of God. They are God's children, joint heirs with Christ, and shall never perish. (John 1:12; 3:l6; 5:24; Romans l0:9-l0), being eternally secure in the hands of the Son and the Father (John 10:27-30).

We believe that all who are saved are called to a life of separation from all worldly and sinful practices (James 4:4; Romans 12:2; I John 2:l6; II Corinthians 6:l4; and I Thessalonians 4:7) and will show their faith by their works (James 2:14-26).

We believe that the obligation of the saved is to proclaim by life and word the Gospel to the whole world, to Jew and Gentile alike; for all are equally under sin. (Matthew 28:l8-20; Romans 3:9; Romans l0:l2)

We believe that those who are born again possess two natures and that they may be victorious over the old through the power of the new. We believe the eradication of the old nature is unscriptural. (Romans 6:l3; Romans 8:l2-l3; Galatians 5:l6-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:l0; I Peter l:l4-l6 and I John 3:5-9)

We believe that the saved of this dispensation are members of the Body of Christ, which is His Church. (I Corinthians l2:l2-l3)

We believe that the gifts of evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the Church today. (Ephesians 4:7-l2) Sign gifts, including tongues, passed gradually as the canon of Scripture was completed and the authority of the Bible generally recognized. But God, being sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts, hears the prayer of faith and answers according to His own will for the sick and afflicted. (James 5:l3-l5)

We believe that communion is one of the two ordinances of the Church. We believe that the celebration of the Lord's Supper is for saved people only. This ordinance was given by God and instituted by Christ as a memorial to the sufferings of Christ. Its practice bears continual witness until the Lord's return. (I Corinthians ll:23-26) No believer should partake in the fellowship of this communion until he has examined himself and put away by confession to his Lord anything that would mar or hinder his fellowship. (I Corinthians ll:27-34)

We believe that baptism is one of the two ordinances of the Church. We believe that Christian baptism is in obedience to Christ's command, is a witness to a salvation possessed, and is not a means of securing salvation. Therefore, only those who are born again through faith in Jesus Christ shall be considered for baptism. (John 3:l6; Acts 8:36-37; Acts l3:29-33)

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just (saved) and unjust (unsaved), the everlasting blessedness of the just in Heaven and the everlasting punishment of the unjust in Hell. (II Thessalonians l:8-l0; Luke l6:23; John 28:29; Revelation 2l:4)