The Gospel is Great News!
We are first and foremost a gospel people. As gospel proclaimers, we want everyone to know we live to share and show the transforming power of the gospel. The apostle Paul reminds us of what the gospel is below...
"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ESV)
The good news "that Christ died for our sins" is the heartbeat of everything we are and do!
We are defined by the word "gospel" in our beliefs, our doctrine, and our practice.
In our beliefs, we declare the "Statement of Faith" as adopted by the National Association of Evangelicals. In our doctrine, we defend the "Five Solas" of the Reformation as reaffirmed by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. In our practice, we define "Biblical Marriage" as the union between one man and one woman according to the words of Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul.
Gospel Beliefs | Statement of Faith
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
As adopted by the National Association of Evangelicals.
Gospel Doctrine | Five Solas
Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
We reaffirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured.
Solus Christus (Christ Alone)
We reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father.
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
We reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from God's wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life.
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
We reaffirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification, Christ's righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God's perfect justice.
Soli Deo Gloria (God's Glory Alone)
We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that we must glorify him always. We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God, and for his glory alone.
As declared by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals.
Gospel Practice | Biblical Marriage
In addition to these beliefs and doctrines, we practice biblical marriage which is the union between one man and one woman as defined by Jesus Christ.
"He answered, 'Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh"? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.'" (Matthew 19:4-6 ESV)
The Apostle Paul illuminates these words of Jesus with the following statement.
"This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church." (Ephesians 5:32 ESV)
Marriage is a great mystery that illustrates the gospel (Ephesians 5:25-32). Jesus is the bridegroom, and the church is his bride (John 3:29; Revelation 19:7-9). Therefore, our definition of marriage is directly linked to and depicted in the gospel.
"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word." (Ephesians 5:25-26 ESV)
All Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible.
We hereby affirm and corporately agree without reservation that we are defined by the word "gospel" in our beliefs, our doctrine, and our practice.
We gladly commit to upholding the gospel as a church. As a matter of conscience, we commit to never diverge from our gospel beliefs, gospel doctrine, or gospel practice (as defined above.)
If you have any questions about our beliefs, doctrine, or practice and would like to discuss it with our lead pastor, please feel free to email him at scott@4thecity.church.