What We Believe:

 The following information is a very abbreviated statement of our shared beliefs.  It is not meant to be taken as a creed, formal apology or official articles of faith of any kind.  It is only meant to express generally the beliefs that form our understand of what it means to be a “Christian,” the foundation of our faith in God and His Son (Jesus Christ), and our collective and individual responsibilities to God as understood through Scripture (the Bible).  Furthermore, it is not our intent to try to defend or apologize for all people who call themselves “Christians,” for we do not believe that all such people necessarily share our beliefs or vice versa.  Rather, it is our sincere and persistent aim to:

1.)    Accurately interpret the Bible according to its given context, not our pre-determined beliefs or agendas, and to accept conclusions that can only be naturally, intelligently and necessarily proved by an objective study of the Bible as our doctrine.

2.)    Accurately and solemnly represent God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit as They are depicted, quoted and spoken of in Scripture. 

3.)    Openly and yet tactfully provide our conclusions to anyone who asks of them (1 Peter 3:15), with the understanding that God’s Word is the source of our information and authority, not our own finite perspective.  

The Bible and Its Implications:  We believe that the Bible is the revealed Word of God given to men through the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  This does not mean that God literally wrote the words of the Bible, but that He provided the content and authority for what is written there, and has divinely preserved that message for all mankind to read (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  We believe that what has been written has also been substantiated by history, archaeology, geology, credible eyewitness accounts, prophecies (and their genuine fulfillment) and supernatural signs (Hebrews 2:4).  These latter “signs” (or miracles) serve as God’s personal signature to the things recorded, so that we can know that this message is from God and not merely from men (John 3:1-2).  God’s purpose for this is to prove to men once and for all that:

1.)    God exists (Romans 1:18-20).

2.)    He is in authority over us (Hebrews 4:12-13).

3.)    We are responsible for the life He has given to and sustains within us (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

4.)    We are ultimately accountable to Him (2 Corinthians 5:10).

5.)    He cares about us (Luke 12:6-7, 2 Peter 3:9).

6.)    He desires our salvation, which means:  He wants us to voluntarily choose Him as our Savior and thus be rescued from the corruption of this world and our own soul (1 Timothy 2:3-5, 2 Peter 1:2-4, et al.). 

7.)    This “salvation” includes fellowship with Him now, forgiveness of our sins against Him and everlasting life with Him in the hereafter (John 20:30-31, Acts 2:38). 

8.)    This salvation is made possible by the sacrificial offering (atonement) of His Son, Jesus Christ, who serves as the only possible Advocate for men (John 3:16, 1 John 2:1-2). 

 God the Father:  We believe that the God (Jehovah) of Scripture is the only God who actually exists, despite the claims of any other religions or philosophies (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).  We believe that this God of Heaven created the world through His own unlimited power and authority (we believe the Creation account in Genesis 1 is authentic), and therefore transcends this world’s finite perspective, knowledge and self-determined conclusions.  We believe God has supreme and absolute sovereignty over the entire universe, and especially over this world and every person upon it—including you.  This means that all souls originate from God (Hebrews 12:9, the “Father of spirits [of men]”) and ultimately return to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7).  God is perfect, absolutely just and unchallenged in authority.  God does not share His glory or reign with any other so-called god (Deuteronomy 4:35).  He is a God of power and justice; He is also a God of love and compassion; He is a God of both salvation and condemnation.   

God the Son:  We believe that Jesus Christ was a genuine, historical Person who did indeed walk this earth preaching a gospel of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15), performed miracles to substantiate this gospel (Matthew 4:23-24), and provided the only means by which all men can come to God (John 8:23-24).  We believe that Christ has always existed, however, as a divine member of the Godhead (John 1:1-3, 8:58), and lived in glory with God the Father (John 17:4-5).  The Son of God was not a creation of God, but actually is Himself the Creator of all that exists (Hebrews 1:1-2).  His pre-eminence over all the creation is unchallenged and unique (Colossians 1:15-18).  We believe Jesus was the only and yet ideal and infallible answer to man’s otherwise hopeless situation:  man’s sins prevents him from fellowship with God, but Jesus’ atonement (made possible through a perfect life) satisfies God’s justice toward man and cleanses his soul of its sin.  We believe that Jesus most certainly did die according to prophecy and was raised from the dead, just as He Himself said would happen (Matthew 16:21, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).  We believe that Jesus ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9-11) and now serves as King over God’s kingdom (Acts 2:36) and High Priest for God’s people (Hebrews 4:14-16). 

 God the Spirit:  We believe that God’s Holy Spirit (as He is only known to men) is the governing and active force throughout the realm of man and especially the spiritual body of believers.  While His presence and specific activity remains mysterious and invisible, still we believe He has a crucial role in leading people to God and providing direction for such people throughout their walk with Christ (Romans 8:5-9, Galatians 5:16-17).  We believe the Spirit is “given” to believers (in the sense that He grants access to God and provides spiritual blessings; Acts 5:32, Romans 5:5), intercedes for the prayers of believers (Romans 8:26-27), and gives hope to those who follow Him (Romans 15:13).  The Spirit also helps believers to gain a heavenly perspective that cannot be rightly “appraised” by a “natural” or unconverted man (1 Corinthians 2:10-16).  We believe in the indwelling of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), but we do not believe that the Spirit ever compels us to act against our own will. 

 Salvation In God Through Christ:  We believe that Jesus has fulfilled the entire Law of Moses by having kept it flawlessly (Matthew 5:17).  This allowed Him to supersede that Law with a “better ministry” and a better covenant, that is, a superior means by which to approach and worship God (Hebrews 8:1-13).  This means and covenant is called the gospel, which literally means, “good news.”  The life which He gave upon the cross of His death provides life to all those who appeal to it per the gospel; His blood provides for forgiveness of one’s sins and (thus) a “clear conscience” to God (Hebrews 9:13-14, Ephesians 1:7, Revelation 5:9).  We believe there is absolutely no other recourse for a person’s salvation, all man-made religions of the world notwithstanding.  Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).  This is a non-negotiable, all-encompassing, absolute statement.  Therefore, we believe that Christ considers any religion—however numerous its followers or however passionately these followers defend it—that contradicts even this most basic tenet of the Christian faith, is illegitimate and therefore unacknowledged by God.   

 The Church of Christ:  We believe that Jesus is the head of His church (Colossians 1:18).  Jesus provided the groundwork for the church’s existence through His atoning work on the cross, His resurrection from the dead and His ascension to the right hand of God (Acts 2:33).  Jesus built His church (Matthew 16:18) and He has absolute authority over it.  While  the “church” and “kingdom” are sometimes referred to as one in the same, the Bible speaks of them as two different things.  “Kingdom” generally refers to Christ’s universal authority—thus, His rule and reign over all things—which God the Father has given Him for the purpose of redeeming men’s souls.  “Church” always refers specifically to those believers who have consented to this authority [see above, “Salvation in God Through Christ”] and have therefore become heirs to future glory (Ephesians 1:13-14).  While it is true that these two terms (kingdom and church) may overlap in discussions concerning salvation (such as in Colossians 1:12-14), they are not interchangeable.  All people will eventually answer to Christ’s kingship; however, not all people have voluntarily submitted to this.  Even Christ’s enemies are under His authority—that is, they cannot escape from answering to Him in due time (1 Corinthians 15:21-25, Philippians 2:9-11).  Those who compose His church, however, already have answered to Him—favorably, in love (not in fear or in the expectation of judgment). 

 The Bible uses the word “church” in two different ways.  First, it may refer to the entire spiritual body of believers, both living and dead, who compose the “body” of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23).  Second, it may refer to a local gathering (congregation) of believers who regularly meet, work and worship together (as 1 Corinthians 1:2, Philippians 1:1 [by implication], Philemon 1:2, etc.).   The church of Christ at Kent, for example, is not “the” church of Christ, but is “a” (local) church of Christ.  That is, we are certainly not the entirety of believers.  We are simply a group of believers designated by a specific area, meeting in a specific building.  We derive the name “church of Christ” from Romans 16:16; however, the apostles also use other names that would be equally acceptable for us.

 Local churches (like ours) are not equal in every way to the spiritual or universal body of Christ.  While we share some distinctive features—Christ is Lord of both, we believe the same gospel, we pray to the same God, etc.—the two are not interchangeable.  Local churches are established by men, not Christ; however, the doctrine in which we believe is established by Christ, not men.  Local churches are self-governed by men for their local work:  we have elders, deacons, ministers and teachers, all who serve to achieve a common goal (the advancement of the cause of Christ among men, including ourselves).  Those who have specific roles or responsibilities (such as elders or deacons) are appointed by men, not Christ; however, they must meet the criteria which Christ has provided in His Word, not by the arbitrary decisions of men (Galatians 1:10, 1 Timothy 3:1-16, Titus 1:5-9).  Local churches are composed of living men and women, not all of whom are necessarily sincere or even legitimate Christians (by Christ’s omniscient knowledge); the spiritual body of Christ contains the souls of both the physically living and dead, and will grant citizenship to no unbeliever. 

 We believe the (universal) church of Christ is impartial toward a person’s physical gender, features, language, color of skin or race.  God is equitable in both His judgment and salvation (Romans 2:9-11); no person, regardless of his physical status, will be denied entrance into Christ’s church provided he accepts a believer’s responsibility, whatever this requires (Romans 10:11-13).  What this means is that all people can be saved through Christ.  However, it does not mean that all people can be “saved” just by using Christ’s name.  Christ’s name ideally refers to His authority (as in Acts 4:32).  One cannot call upon His name for salvation and at the same time fail to submit entirely to His authority.  Thus, it is impossible for people of “different faiths,” “various religions,” man-made denominations or self-determined “worship” to all unite together under one Name which instead demands a singular, unified, non-negotiable response of all men everywhere. 

 Therefore, we believe what Scripture teaches concerning God, Jesus Christ, His Spirit and Christ’s church, namely, that all believers everywhere are

 ...to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

In sum, we believe that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory [holiness] of God” (Romans 3:23) and therefore need a divinely-appointed Savior who will save us.  We believe that all those who are saved and remain faithful “until death” will be in heaven with God for all eternity.  Likewise, we believe (and Jesus taught) that all those who disobey God and reject the only means for reconciliation with Him (John 14:6) will be separated from Him forever in a wretched existence known as hell (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10).  We believe that even those who have once vowed to live according to the Name of Christ and yet have chosen to return to the world instead will face an awful judgment in the life to come if they do not repent (Hebrews 10:26-30, 2 Peter 2:20-22).  Yet we believe that if a person seeks God and draws near to Him, however sinful that person might have been, God will deliver him from condemnation (Romans 8:1-3, 1 Timothy 1:12-17).  This is certainly what God wants, and this is certainly what we desire as well. 

 To contact us, please e-mail:  info@churchofchristkent.com

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