We believe in the Gospel
The gospel is not new but is as old as the world itself. The word “gospel” means “good news”, and the story of the Bible is good
news indeed! The first three chapters of the Bible teach us that God made man perfect and upright but man fell into sin and rebellion against God. The rest of the Bible is the unfolding of the “good news” that God reconciled sinful man to Himself through the death of Jesus Christ, His own Son. To say that we believe in the gospel is to say that we believe in the Bible, that we believe what it says about God, about us, and about how God reconciled us to Himself. Our beliefs are not new; they have always been the beliefs of God’s people. That is why we gladly affirm the historic statements of faith such as...
news indeed! The first three chapters of the Bible teach us that God made man perfect and upright but man fell into sin and rebellion against God. The rest of the Bible is the unfolding of the “good news” that God reconciled sinful man to Himself through the death of Jesus Christ, His own Son. To say that we believe in the gospel is to say that we believe in the Bible, that we believe what it says about God, about us, and about how God reconciled us to Himself. Our beliefs are not new; they have always been the beliefs of God’s people. That is why we gladly affirm the historic statements of faith such as...
The Apostle's Creed
I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
The third day he rose again from the dead:
He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
I believe in the Holy Ghost:
I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
The forgiveness of sins:
The resurrection of the body:
And the life everlasting.
Amen.
And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
The third day he rose again from the dead:
He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
I believe in the Holy Ghost:
I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
The forgiveness of sins:
The resurrection of the body:
And the life everlasting.
Amen.
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds;
God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures;
and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead;
whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father [and the Son];
who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds;
God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures;
and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead;
whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father [and the Son];
who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
We further affirm the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Catechisms, more information on those can be found here.
We believe in the Bible
That is why we gladly affirm the following summary* of what the Bible teaches:
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We believe the Bible is the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the revelation of God’s truth and is infallible and authoritative in all matters of faith and practice.
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We believe in the Holy Trinity. There is one God, who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe that all are sinners and totally unable to save themselves from God’s displeasure, except by His mercy. |
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We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who through His perfect life and sacrificial death atoned for the sins of all who will trust in Him, alone, for salvation. |
We believe that God is gracious and faithful to His people not simply as individuals but as families in successive generations according to His Covenant promises. |
We believe that salvation is by God alone as He sovereignly chooses those He will save. We believe His choice is based on His grace, not on any human individual merit, or foreseen faith.
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We believe that all aspects of our lives are to be lived to the glory of God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. |
We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells God’s people and gives them the strength and wisdom to trust Christ and follow Him. |
We believe that Jesus will return, bodily and visibly, to judge all mankind and to receive His people to Himself. |
*Statements taken from the website of the Presbyterian Church in America
We believe in the Church
We also believe that this gospel is intended to be lived out in a community of people who believe the same thing; that the best way to learn this gospel is in a community of people who wrestle with us through the pains and questions of life; that the best way to make this gospel known is through a community of people who live out our beliefs together. We believe that this community of people is the church and we are one part of it.
That is why we are glad to be a part of Western Carolina Presbytery within the Presbyterian Church in America.
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That is why we are especially glad to be a part of the work of the church in our own neighborhood via RUF at WCU, MTW at Cherokee, and ministry in various ways by our members.
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