What We Believe

"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." - A.W. Tozer

River of Life Christian Church Statement of Faith

I. God
We believe that there is only one true, living, and eternal God and that the Godhead is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

  1. One true and eternal God
    1. Deuteronomy 6:4
    2. Deuteronomy 33:27
    3. Jeremiah 10:10
    4. Matthew 28:19
    5. John 10:30
    6. Romans 8:9-11
    7. 1 Corinthians 8:4-6
    8. 1 Thessalonians 1:9
    9. 1 Timothy 2:5
    10. 1 Timothy 6:17
    11. Hebrews 3:12
    12. Mark 12:29
  2. The Godhead
    1. God as Father
      1. Genesis 1:1
      2. Matthew 6:9
      3. Ephesians 4:6
    2. God as Son
      1. Isaiah 9:6
      2. Matthew 16:16
      3. John 1:1
      4. John 3:14
      5. John 16
      6. John 14:28
      7. Hebrews 1:8
    3. Virgin Birth of Jesus
      1. Matthew 1:18-25
      2. Luke 1:26-38
    4. God as Holy Spirit
      1. John 14:16
      2. John 26
      3. Acts 1:5
      4. Acts 1:8
      5. Acts 2:1-4
      6. Romans 8:16
II. The Bible
We believe that the Holy Scriptures are the Old and New Testaments; the inspired and infallible Word of God and therein is found the only reliable guide of Christian faith and conduct.

  1. The Inspired Revelation
    1. Luke 24:44-46
    2. Romans 16:25-26
    3. 2 Timothy 3:15-17
    4. Hebrews 1:1-2;
    5. 2 Peter 1:20-21
  2. The Infallible Word
    1. Isaiah 40:8
    2. Luke 21:33
    3. John 17:17
    4. Titus 1:2
    5. 1 Peter 1:25
  3. The Reliable Guide
    1. Deuteronomy 6:6-9
    2. Psalms 19:7-10
    3. Plalms 119:105
    4. Psalms 119:140
    5. John 5:39
    6. Acts 17:11-12
    7. Romans 10:14-15
    8. Romans 15:4
    9. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
III. Man
We believe that God created man in His own image to bring Him honor through obedience, and that when man disobeyed; he became a fallen sinful creature, unable to save himself.

We believe that infants are in the covenant of God's grace and that all persons become accountable to God when they reach a state of moral responsibility.
  1. Man’s Origin
    1. Genesis 1:26-27
    2. Genesis 2:7
  2. Man’s Purpose
    1. Genesis 1:28-31
    2. Genesis 2:15-25
    3. Isaiah 43:7
  3. Man’s Sin
    1. Genesis 3:1-24;
    2. Psalms 51:5
    3. Jeremiah 13:23
    4. Romans 1:18-3:23
    5. Romans 5:12-21
    6. Romans 7:1-25
  4. Man’s Accountability
    1. Matthew 19:13-15
    2. Romans 4:15
    3. Romans 5:13
    4. Romans 6:16
    5. Hebrews 11:24-26
IV. Salvation
We believe that Salvation (regeneration, sanctification, justification, and redemption) has been provided for all mankind through the redemptive work (life, death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession) of Jesus Christ, and that this Salvation can be received only through repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

  1. Salvation
    1. Hebrews 5:9
    2. 1 Thessalonians 5:9
    3. 1 Peter 1:9
    4. Hebrews 7:25
  2. Regeneration
    1. John 3:3-8;
    2. John 1:11-13
    3. 1 Peter 1:23
    4. Ephesians 2:1-10
    5. 2 Corinthians 5:17;
    6. 2 Peter 1:4
    7. Titus 3:5
  3. Sanctification
    1. 1 Corinthians 1:30;
    2. Ephesians 5:26;
    3. Hebrews 10:9-10
    4. Hebrews 10:29
    5. 2 Timothy 2:21
    6. Hebrews 13:12
    7. Romans 12:1-2
    8. 1 Peter 1:2
  4. Justification
    1. Romans 3:20-24
    2. Romans 5:1-2
    3. Romans 5:18
    4. Romans 8:30-33
    5. Acts 13:38-39
    6. 1 Corinthians 6:11
    7. 2 Corinthians 5:21
  5. Redemption
    1. Matthew 20:28
    2. Isaiah 53:6
    3. Colossians 1:14
    4. Titus 2:14
    5. 1 Peter 1:18-19
    6. Revelation 5:9
  6. Christ’s Redemptive Work
    1. John 3:16
    2. Romans 5:8
    3. Hebrews 2:9
    4. Revelation 22:17
    5. 2 Peter 3:9
    6. John 14:6
    7. Acts 4:12
    8. Romans 6:23
    9. Ephesians 2:8-9
  7. Life and Death
    1. Romans 5:10
    2. Hebrews 9:12-15
    3. John 10:11
    4. 1 John 3:16
  8. Resurrection
    1. Romans 4:25
    2. 1 Peter 1:3
    3. 1 Corinthians 15:14
    4. 1 Corinthians 15:17
  9. Ascension
    1. Hebrews 4:14-16
    2. Hebrews 6:19-20
    3. Hebrews 9:24
    4. Hebrews 10:11-12
  10. Intercession
    1. Romans 8:34
    2. Hebrews 9:15
    3. Isaiah 53:12
    4. 1 Timothy 2:5
  11. Repentance
    1. Isaiah 55:6-7
    2. Luke 24:47
    3. Luke 13:3-5
    4. Acts 2:38
    5. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
  12. Faith
    1. John 3:16-18
    2. Hebrews 11:1
    3. Hebrews 11:6
    4. 1 Peter 1:5
V. Assurance and Endurance
We believe that those who abide in Christ have the assurance of salvation. We believe that God calls us to endure this earthly life and run the Christian race that is
set before us. We believe that God’s Word teaches us how one should live as a believer providing evidence of one’s belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We believe that God’s Word provides warnings for those who are living outside of God’s Will and should by all means be sure of one’s own relationship with Jesus Christ.

  1. Assurance
    1. Hebrews 5:9
    2. 1 Peter 1:5
    3. Revelation 3:3-5
  2. Endurance
    1. Matthew 10:22
    2. Revelation 2:10-22 (v. 7)
    3. Matthew 24:13
    4. 1 John 2:19
    5. Hebrews 3:6
  3. Warnings
    1. John 15:6
    2. 2 Timothy 2:12
    3. Matthew 10:33
    4. Luke 12:9
    5. Galatians 5:4
VI. Christian Duties
We believe that Christians should live faithfully by serving in and through the local church, praying diligently, witnessing earnestly, practicing tolerance, showing loving kindness, giving as God prospers, and conducting themselves in such a way as to bring glory to God.

  1. Faithful Service
    1. 1 Chronicles 16:11
    2. Psalms 101:6
    3. Matthew 28:18-20
    4. John 15:7-14
    5. Romans 12:14
    6. 1 Corinthians 13 - 2 Corinthians 8:9
    7. Ephesians 4:6
    8. Hebrews 12:1
  2. Prayer
    1. 2 Chronicles 7:14
    2. Daniel 6:10
    3. Matthew 6:1-13
    4. Matthew 26:41
    5. Luke 18:1
    6. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
  3. Witnessing
    1. Matthew 28:19-20
    2. Acts 1:8
  4. Tolerance
    1. Matthew 18:15-17
    2. Luke 10:27
    3. Galatians 5:22-23
    4. 2 Peter 1:5-9
  5. Loving Kindness
    1. John 13:35
    2. 1 John 3:11
    3. 1 John 4:7
    4. 1 John 4:11-12
  6. Financial Stewardship
    1. Matthew 23:23
    2. 1 Corinthians 16:2
    3. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
VII. The Church
We believe that the Church Universal is the Body of Christ, the fellowship of all believers, and that its members have been called out from the world to come under the dominion and authority of Christ, its Head. We believe that a local
church is a fellowship of Christians, a part of the Body of Christ, voluntarily banded together for worship, nurture, and service.

  1. The Church Universal
    1. Matthew 16:18
    2. John 10:10
    3. 1 Corinthians 3:16
    4. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14
    5. 1 Corinthians 12:27
    6. Ephesians 1:22-23
    7. Colossians 1:18
    8. Colossians 1:24
    9. Hebrews 12:23
  2. The Local Church
    1. Matthew 18:17
    2. Acts 2:38-47
    3. Acts 11:19-30
    4. Revelation 1:4
    5. Revelation 3:22
      1. Worship and Service
        1. Romans 12:1
        2. 1 Corinthians 14:12
        3. 1 Corinthians 14:23-25
        4. Hebrews 10:25
        5. James 1:26-27
      2. Nurture
        1. Ephesians 4
        2. 2 Peter 1:2-8
        3. 2 Peter 3:18
VIII. The Ordinances
We believe that baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances instituted by Christ to be observed by Christians only. We also believe that the Biblical mode of baptism is immersion and that participation in the Lord's Supper should be open to all Christians.

  1. Baptism
    1. Instituted
      1. Matthew 3:13-15
      2. Matthew 28:19
    2. Subjects
      1. Acts 2:41
      2. Acts 8:12
      3. Acts 8:37-38
      4. Acts 10:47-48
      5. Acts 16:30-33
      6. Acts 19:5
    3. Biblical Mode
      1. Romans 6:3-5
      2. Colossians 2:12
    4. Purpose
      1. Matthew 3:14
      2. 1 Peter 3:21
  2. Communion
    1. Instituted
      1. Matthew 26:26-29
      2. Mark 14:22-25
      3. Luke 22:19-20
      4. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25
    2. Subjects
      1. 1 Corinthians 11:27-29
    3. Purpose
      1. ​1 Corinthians 11:26
IX. The Lord's Day
We believe in the sanctity of the Lord's Day, the first day of the week, and that this day ought to be observed by worshipping God, witnessing for Christ, and ministering to the needs of humanity. We believe that secular work on Sunday should be limited to cases of necessity or mercy.

  1. Sanctity
    1. Exodus 20:8
    2. Isaiah 58:13-14
  2. Observance
    1. Mark 2:27-28
    2. Luke 4:16
    3. Luke 16:1-6
    4. Acts 20:7
    5. 1 Corinthians 16:2
    6. Revelation 1:10
X. Last Things
We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ, and in the bodily resurrection of the dead. We believe that God will judge all mankind by Jesus Christ; that He will reward the righteous with eternal life in heaven, and that He will banish the unrighteous to everlasting punishment in hell.

  1. Return
    1. Matthew 24:25
    2. Luke 12:40
    3. John 14:3
    4. Acts 1:11
    5. 1 John 3:2
    6. Revelation 1:7
  2. Resurrection
    1. John 5:25
    2. John 5:28-29
    3. John 6:40
    4. John 11:24-25
    5. Romans 8:11
    6. 1 Corinthians 15
    7. Philippians 3:21
    8. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
    9. Revelation 20:4-6
  3. Judgment and Reward
    1. Matthew 25:21
    2. Mark 9:43-48
    3. John 5:27
    4. Acts 17:31
    5. Romans 2:16
    6. Romans 14:12
    7. 2 Corinthians 5:1
    8. 2 Corinthians 5:10
    9. Revelation 2:7
    10. Revelation 14:13
    11. Revelation 20:10-15
    12. Revelation 22:12

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