What We Believe

THE BIBLE

Every word in the original writings of the Holy Scriptures is inspired of God, authoritative, and without error. The Bible is the only written revelation of God to man and is infallible. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21; Proverbs 30:5-6)

THE GODHEAD

There is one God, existing eternally in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Exodus 34:6-7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19) God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. (John 4:24,10:30; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:8-12)

JESUS CHRIST

We believe that Jesus Christ is absolute Deity and co-equal with God. He entered the human race miraculously be being born of a virgin. He did not sin and He could not sin. He died as a substitute for all the sins of the human race, was buried, rose bodily from the grave and ascended to the Father's right hand where He now ministers as our Great High Priest. (Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:1,14; Acts 1:9;Romans 1:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:14-15; 7:25; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18)

THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit works in the hearts of people to bring about understanding of the Scriptures and conviction of sin. (John 16.8). For those who repent and trust Christ as their Savior,He indwells and seals that person for eternity, and empowers them to live a holy life. (Matthew 28:19; John 16:8; Romans 8:9-16; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14)

MAN

Adam was created in the image and likeness of God and was an innocent being. He subsequently sinned, and as head of the human race he passed on a sinful nature to all mankind. All men are sinners by nature but also by practice. Apart from God's salvation man is lost eternally. (Genesis 1:27; 9:6; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1)

SATAN

Satan is an angel created by God, but became proud, and rebelled against God. He is a powerful enemy of God, but has suffered a mortal blow at the cross. He still has influence in this world, attempting to deceive and lead people to rebel against God, but can only do what God allows. (Gen 3:15, John 8:44)

SIN

Sin is our disobedience to the revealed will of God. It is also a state, the absence of righteousness, or anything that falls short of the perfect glory of God. God has established that the penalty for sin is death. Even after a person trust's Christ, and is given a new nature that serves God, we still have an old nature until the day we die, so no person can reach sinless perfection in this life.(Isaiah 53:6; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 3:23; James 2:10; I John 1:8; Revelation 20:11-15)

MAN'S RESPONSIBILITY AND ELECTION

God sends His Spirit to all people to convict them of sin, righteousness and judgment, and is not willing that any should perish. John 3:16 is clear that Christ died for the whole world and invites all(whosoever) to trust in Him to have eternal life. Man’s natural state is described in Ephesians 2:1 as being dead in sin. Being dead does not describe an inability to respond to God but rather a separation between man and God due to sin. It take a combination of God’s grace, the Holy Spirit’s work, and the person’s willingness to repent and place their faith in God’s work to bring about salvation from sin. By God’s foreknowledge of who will repent, He has chosen those to be to the praise of His glory and to be set apart for Him with holy lives. In the Scriptures, the word predestination never refers to repentance, indicating that man has free will that affects his destiny.(John 3:16; 5: 15-18; 16:11; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10; Ephesians 1:4; 2:8-10; 1 Timothy 2:4-6; Isaiah 42:11; Romans 3:22; 2 Peter 3:9)

SALVATION

Without the shedding of the precious blood of Christ, there is no remission of sin. Salvation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and entirely apart from law keeping or good works. It is entered into by all those who hear and understand the gospel, repent of their sin, and trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Lord and Savior. (Mark 1:15; John 1:12-13; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Hebrews 9:22, )

ASSURANCE AND SECURITY OF SALVATION

All true believers can know that they are saved on the authority of the Word of God. Those who are in Christ are safe and secure for all eternity. (John 10:28-29; Romans 5:1; 2 Timothy 1:12; 1 John 5:13)

BAPTISM

Baptism by immersion signifies that the believer has died with Christ, has been buried with Him, and has risen to walk in newness of life with Him. There is no salvation to be found in the act of baptism. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 10:47-48)

THE ASSEMBLY

The local assembly is made up of believers in the Lord Jesus who meet together for teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, prayers, and evangelism. Christ is the head of each assembly and He entrusts leadership to the elders, men who are recognized as Christ's undershepherds. (Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 27; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:24-25, 30; Acts 6:3-6; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Hebrews 13:17)

FELLOWSHIP

To be in fellowship at Meadow Ridge Bible Chapel, a person must be born again through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, holy in life, not under discipline by any assembly, and willing to submit to the spiritual oversight, leadership, and care of the elders.

THE LORD'S SUPPER

The Lord's Supper is a meeting at which believers remember the Lord Jesus and show forth His death until He comes again. The bread and cup are partaken to remind us of His suffering in our place. In accordance with the early church, the Lords Supper is celebrated every Sunday. (Luke 22:19-20; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:26)

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Christ gives to each believer, at conversion, by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, some gift or gifts to equip him to serve the Lord and edify other believers. Some gifts were foundational, and the miraculous gifts, such as healing, miracles, tongues, and interpretation of tongues, were gifts given as a sign to the Jews during the transitional period as the church was being established. These foundational and miraculous gifts ceased when their purposes were accomplished. (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; 14:22; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 2:20; 3:5; 4:11-12; Hebrews 2:3-4)

FUTURE EVENTS

God has revealed different dispensations, or periods of time, with corresponding rules governing life and relationship with God. In every dispensation the way of salvation is by faith alone. The present dispensation is the age of grace.The church did not exist prior to this age, and does not take the place of Israel in the prophecies of Scripture. The personal, imminent return of the Lord Jesus to Rapture the Church will be followed in order by the tribulation, Christ's thousand year reign on earth, and the eternal state of punishment for the unsaved and blessing for the saved. (Matthew 24:21; 29, 30; 25:46; Romans 6:14; 1 Corinthians 10:32; Ephesians 3:2-6; Colossians 1:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:4-10; Hebrews 7:18-19; Revelation 10:1-6)