We at Washington Avenue Bible Church endeavor to base our statement of faith solely on God's Word (The Bible).

We believe that God loved all the people who ever lived so much that He, in the person of The Lord Jesus Christ, came to earth to pay the price for their sin. Because mankind has sinned (could not meet the standards of holiness) Jesus lived a sinless life here on earth and voluntarily paid for our sin by being crucified.

Three days later He was resurrected from the grave and now is seated on the right hand of the Father in Heaven.

Based on His finished work, He offers forgiveness and eternal life to all those who will confess their sin, and receive Him as their savior.

1. The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation of men and the divine and final authority for Christian faith and life.
   
   All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. II Timothy 3:16, 17; II Peter 2:19-21



2. In one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
   
   For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16 Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14



3. That Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross, a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest and Advocate.
   
   The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." Luke 1:35 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. I Corinthians 15:3, 4; I John 2:1, John 1:1, 2



4. That the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and, during this age, to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, and indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living and service.
   
   "When the counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father; he will testify about me." John 15:26; John 16:7-15



5. That man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is, therefore, lost, and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained.
   
   Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. Romans 5:12 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again." John 3:3; Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 2:3; II Corinthians 12:13



6. That the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only grounds for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit and, thus become children of God.
   
   For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not of works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8, 9; Hebrews 9:22, Romans 5:1; II Peter 2:24



7. That water baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation.
   
   For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. I Corinthians 11:26 Those who accepted His message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:41, 42; I Corinthians 11:23-26; Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 8:38, 39



8. That the true Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the Body of Christ of which He is the Head.
   
   For we are all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were given the one Spirit to drink. I Corinthians 12:13 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5; Ephesians 4:1-6; Romans 6:3-5; John 5:24



9. That only those who are, thus, members of the true Church shall be eligible for membership in the local church.
   
   Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:47; I Corinthians 1:2



10. That Jesus Christ is the Lord and the head of the Church and that every local church has the right, under Christ, to decide and govern its own affairs.
    
    And God placed all things under his feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church. Ephesians 1:22 If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. I Timothy 3:15; Colossians 1; I Timothy 3:11



11. In the personal pre millennial and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and that this "Blessed Hope" has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer.
    
    We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. I Thessalonians 4:14-16; Acts 1:11; John 3:1-3



12. In the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and the joy of the Lord: of the unbeliever to judgement and everlasting conscious punishment in the Lake of Fire.
    
    For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. I Corinthians 5:10 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Luke 16:23, 24



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