OUR BELIEFS
OUR BELIEFS
We are a church committed to the Bible!
We know that can mean many things to many different people, so we think it's important to define what we understand Scripture to teach. We summarize our commitment to the teaching of Scripture as clearly as we can by being a confessional church. ‘Confessional’ means that we are not making things up as we go. We have a clearly articulated theology drawn from Scripture and applicable for Christian living that has stood the test of time.
We are a church committed to the Bible!
We know that can mean many things to many different people, so we think it's important to define what we understand Scripture to teach. We summarize our commitment to the teaching of Scripture as clearly as we can by being a confessional church. ‘Confessional’ means that we are not making things up as we go. We have a clearly articulated theology drawn from Scripture and applicable for Christian living that has stood the test of time.
Reformed Theology
As members of the universal church, we assent to the historic creeds of the Christian faith (Apostle's Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed) along with the Chalcedonian Definition. And as a church belonging to the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), our leaders pledge agreement in good faith to the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
The Westminster "Standards," as they are collectively known, were written in the 1640's over a period of several years by pastors, theologians, and Bible scholars who worked to clearly articulate what the church confessed to be true.
These "confessions" that define our theology are not Scripture and do not replace God's Word, but we think they are an accurate summary of the Bible's most important teachings.
As a member of the PCA, we are not autonomous but recognize that churches need accountability and partnership with other Bible-believing churches. As presbyterians, we find this accountability and partnership at both the regional level (Pittsburgh Presbytery) and national level (General Assembly).
Reformed Theology
As members of the universal church, we assent to the historic creeds of the Christian faith (Apostle's Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed) along with the Chalcedonian Definition. And as a church belonging to the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), our leaders pledge agreement in good faith to the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
The Westminster "Standards," as they are collectively known, were written in the 1640's over a period of several years by pastors, theologians, and Bible scholars who worked to clearly articulate what the church confessed to be true.
These "confessions" that define our theology are not Scripture and do not replace God's Word, but we think they are an accurate summary of the Bible's most important teachings.
As a member of the PCA, we are not autonomous but recognize that churches need accountability and partnership with other Bible-believing churches. As presbyterians, we find this accountability and partnership at both the regional level (Pittsburgh Presbytery) and national level (General Assembly).
Summary of What We Believe
Humanity's Purpose
Our primary purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever (Genesis 1:27; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
The Bible
The only authority for knowing, glorifying and enjoying God is the Bible, consisting only of the Old and New Testaments, which is the inspired and inerrant Word of God (Psalms 19:7-8; 2 Timothy 3:16).
The Trinity
There is only one God, eternally existing in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, who are equally loved, honored, worshipped and obeyed (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19).
The Fall
All people since the Fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve, are born sinners, separated from God, naturally objects of His wrath, and unable to save themselves (Psalms 51:5; Romans 3:9-23).
Predestination
God, in His mercy, did not leave mankind in this condition of sin and misery. Instead, out of His infinite love and grace, God the Father, before time began, chose a people that He predestined to save from their sins and to give eternal life by the Covenant of Grace through Christ. This choice was made out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in any of the elect, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes for their selection (Genesis 15, 17:1-7; Romans 3:20-21, 4:1-25, 8:3, 9:11, 13,16,18; Galatians 3:15-23; Ephesians 1:4-7, 2:8-10).
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, who is the eternal and perfect Son of God and who became a complete human being at His virgin birth, is the only Savior of God's people. The benefits of the salvation accomplished by Christ are infinite in value, but focused in purpose and effect entirely upon those chosen by the Father (Luke 1:27, 31, 35; John 1:1-4, 14, 6:63-65, 10:26, 14:6, 17:9; Acts 4:12; Romans 8:28-30; 1 Timothy 2:5).
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit gives their hearts the ability to spiritually and savingly understand the things of God. He does this by taking away their heart of stone, and giving to them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by His almighty power, giving them new desires and longings for that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace (Ezekiel 36:26; John 6:37, 44-45, 15:26; Romans 8:30; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; Titus 3:5).
Salvation
God's people are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. God's people, having been saved by grace through this faith, continue by the grace of God to exhibit holiness, good works, and service to the glory of God as necessary evidence of the reality of that saving faith in Christ (Philippians 2:12-13, Ephesians 2:8-10).
Perseverance Of The Saints
The Holy Spirit empowers a Christian to neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but to persevere in faith in Christ until the end of life, where at death, their soul is made perfect and passes immediately into the presence of God (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:30; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:6-7).
Baptism
Baptism is properly administered to those who trust in Jesus Christ, and to their children, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39, Acts 16).
Return Of Christ
Jesus Christ will return to earth, visibly and bodily, to judge both the living and the dead (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
The Great Commission
The Church's mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ by proclaiming the Good News of eternal life in Jesus Christ, which is to be proclaimed to the entire world before Jesus Christ returns to establish His eternal Kingdom in the New Heavens and the New Earth (Matthew 24:14, 28:18-20; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8).
Summary of Our Beliefs
Humanity's Purpose
Our primary purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever (Genesis 1:27; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
The Bible
The only authority for knowing, glorifying and enjoying God is the Bible, consisting only of the Old and New Testaments, which is the inspired and inerrant Word of God (Psalms 19:7-8; 2 Timothy 3:16).
The Trinity
There is only one God, eternally existing in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, who are equally loved, honored, worshipped and obeyed (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19).
The Fall
All people since the Fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve, are born sinners, separated from God, naturally objects of His wrath, and unable to save themselves (Psalms 51:5; Romans 3:9-23).
Predestination
God, in His mercy, did not leave mankind in this condition of sin and misery. Instead, out of His infinite love and grace, God the Father, before time began, chose a people that He predestined to save from their sins and to give eternal life by the Covenant of Grace through Christ. This choice was made out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in any of the elect, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes for their selection (Genesis 15, 17:1-7; Romans 3:20-21, 4:1-25, 8:3, 9:11, 13,16,18; Galatians 3:15-23; Ephesians 1:4-7, 2:8-10).
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, who is the eternal and perfect Son of God and who became a complete human being at His virgin birth, is the only Savior of God's people. The benefits of the salvation accomplished by Christ are infinite in value, but focused in purpose and effect entirely upon those chosen by the Father (Luke 1:27, 31, 35; John 1:1-4, 14, 6:63-65, 10:26, 14:6, 17:9; Acts 4:12; Romans 8:28-30; 1 Timothy 2:5).
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit gives their hearts the ability to spiritually and savingly understand the things of God. He does this by taking away their heart of stone, and giving to them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by His almighty power, giving them new desires and longings for that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace (Ezekiel 36:26; John 6:37, 44-45, 15:26; Romans 8:30; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; Titus 3:5).
Salvation
God's people are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. God's people, having been saved by grace through this faith, continue by the grace of God to exhibit holiness, good works, and service to the glory of God as necessary evidence of the reality of that saving faith in Christ (Philippians 2:12-13, Ephesians 2:8-10).
Perseverance Of The Saints
The Holy Spirit empowers a Christian to neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but to persevere in faith in Christ until the end of life, where at death, their soul is made perfect and passes immediately into the presence of God (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:30; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:6-7).
Baptism
Baptism is properly administered to those who trust in Jesus Christ, and to their children, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39, Acts 16).
Return Of Christ
Jesus Christ will return to earth, visibly and bodily, to judge both the living and the dead (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
The Great Commission
The Church's mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ by proclaiming the Good News of eternal life in Jesus Christ, which is to be proclaimed to the entire world before Jesus Christ returns to establish His eternal Kingdom in the New Heavens and the New Earth (Matthew 24:14, 28:18-20; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8).