First Christian Church of Effingham
What We Believe
WE BELIEVE IN JESUS
We believe . . . that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16) who was born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38), lived a perfect life (Hebrews 4:15), died a terrible death on a Roman cross for the sins of all mankind (I Peter 2:24), was raised bodily from the dead after three days (I Corinthians 15:4), ascended to heaven (Luke 24:51), and is coming again (Acts 1:11).
WE BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe . . . that the Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit convicts, converts and changes us. He lives within us to comfort, guide, convict and enable us to live in ways that honor God. (Romans 8:11, John 14:16-1 7, 16:7-13; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Galatians 5:22-23) He guides us in our understanding of His Truth John 16:13).
WE BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE CREATED IN GOD'S IMAGE
We believe . . . that People were created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26). We are all sinners (Romans 3:23) by choice and thus condemned by our own sin against God (Romans 6:23). Since we are sinners, we all need a Savior.
WE BELIEVE JESUS IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE
We believe . . . that Jesus is the only way of salvation (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Salvation is obtained through the blood of Christ (I John 1:7) and is available through the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). We believe the New Testament teaches us how we can receive that salvation. We believe that the New Testament Scriptures teach that a person who wants to accept the salvation God offers needs to believe in Jesus as the Son of God (Acts 16:31), repent of his sins (Acts 3:19), confess Jesus to be Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10), and be united with Christ in baptism (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-5). Following his conversion to Christ, an individual needs to live faithfully (Acts 2:42)..