What We Believe
Statement of Faith Wasaga Christian Church
As a Christian church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, this organization will seek to serve Him and share Him with others. The Wasaga Christian Church believes that the Bible provides the foundation for Christian faith and the Christian life. Therefore, the Members of the Wasaga Christian Church are required to adhere to the following Articles of Faith.
The Triune God:
There is only one living God (Deut. 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:4). He is the source of all life (1 Cor. 8:6; Acts 14:15). He is eternal (Ps. 90:1,2), and He reveals Himself to both men and angels as He exists in His essential being as Spirit (Jn. 4:24). God as the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Gen. 1:1), is completely perfect in all of His attributes. He is omnipotent (Job 42:2; Rev. 19:6), omniscient (1 Kings 8:39; Ps. 139:1-6), omnipresent (1 Kings 8:27; Prov. 15:3), and is able to be both immanent (Rom. 13:1; Eph. 3:19) and transcendent (Col. 1:16,17) to His creation. God is absolutely just, righteous, and holy (Is. 6:3; Ezek. 39:7), and He exercises infinite love, grace, and mercy to all that He has created (Ps. 89:1; Eph. 2:4; 1 Jn. 4:16). God is truth and the source of all truth (Ps. 31:5; Jn. 14:16,17). God is eternally existent in the mystery of the Trinity–the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14)–three coequal eternal persons, all being one in substance, and equal in power and glory (1 Jn. 5:8). Each one has distinctive functions (1 Cor. 12:6).
The Father:
God, the Father, is Father over all mankind (Acts 17:26,29). He is the Father of the nation Israel (Ex. 4:22). He is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (Mt. 3:17), and He is the Father of the believers in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:26). He is the only one who should be addressed by the title, FATHER (Mt. 23:9).
Jesus Christ:
Jesus Christ is wholly divine and wholly human (Heb. 1:2; Phil. 2:5-11; Jn. 20:24-28). Jesus Christ preexisted eternally with the Father (Jn. 1:1), and is the second person of the Trinity (Jn.5:26; Jn. 10:30). Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God (Jn. 1:14; Jn. 3:16), the Father. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Mt. 1:23-25; Lk. 1:34,35). Jesus Christ lived a sinless and perfect life (Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 2:22), free of the sinful nature which all men, since the time of Adam, have possessed (Rom. 5:12-14; 2 Cor.5:21). Though tempted in every way, Jesus Christ did not sin (Heb.2:18; Heb. 4:15).
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross of Calvary was a substitutionary death for the sins of all mankind (Heb.2:9). Jesus Christ died not only because of the hatred of unbelieving men, but also because it was predetermined by the will of God (Acts 2:22,23). Jesus Christ’s death and shed blood ended the Old Testament sacrificial system (Jn. 1:29; Heb. 9:12-14) as the divine means of satisfying the just requirements of God’s law, which demanded sacrifice for sin (Rom. 3:21-26; Heb. 9:22).
Jesus Christ rose from the dead (Mt. 28: Mk. 16; Lk. 24; Jn. 20), in His real body, the same one which was laid in the tomb, but changed in order that it would never be subject to death again (Jn. 6:10; Rev. 1:17,18).
Jesus Christ has ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11; Heb. 4:14). He intercedes with the Father (Rom. 8:34) for His believers as their High Priest and Advocate (Heb. 4:15; Heb. 8:1; 1Jn. 2:1).
Jesus Christ is the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings (1 Tim. 6:15), and the only Saviour of this world (Jn. 14:6, Acts 4:12; Heb. 7:25). He will personally return to this earth to establish His Kingdom (Rev. 11:15).
The Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity (Jn. 14:26). He has been sent from the Father by the Son, to minister to Christ’s believers (Jn. 14:16,17,26; Jn. 15:26). He also brings mankind under the
conviction of sin (Jn. 16:8-11). The Holy Spirit regenerates (Titus 3:5) and indwells (Jn. 14:27) believers in Jesus Christ (Jn. 14:16,17). The Holy Spirit seals each believer for the final day of redemption (Eph. 1:13,14).
The Holy Spirit baptizes and empowers believers, giving them gifts and fruits so that they may serve, walk, and witness boldly for Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 12; Gal. 5:22-25).
The Bible:
The canon of Scripture is limited to the sixty-six writings contained in the Protestant Bible. The Bible itself is divided into thirty-nine Old Testament books and twenty-seven New Testament books. No support can be given to any apocryphal writings or any subsequent writings set forth as divine additions or infallible interpretations of the Old and New Testaments.
The Bible is revelation from God, Himself. In the Bible, God has revealed His will to mankind, both in the history of the Israelites, and in and through the Person of Jesus Christ. The Bible is fully and verbally inspired by God (2 Tim.3:16; 2 Pet.1:20,21), and is infallible in its original manuscripts. The Bible is the only authority for the operation of the church and the earthly life of a Christian (2 Tim. 3:17).
Man:
Man was originally created through a definite and immediate act of God (Gen.1 and 2). Man is triune having a body, soul, and spirit (1 Thess. 5.23). God created man in His own image and likeness (Gen.1:26,27). Through disobedience (Gen.3) the first man, Adam, sinned and fell from his initial state of moral perfection before God (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:21,22). Adam brought upon himself, and upon the entire human race, the penalties for sin: (1) spiritual separation from God (Isaiah 59:2), and (2) physical death (Gen. 2:17; Gen.3:19; Rom.6:23). Since Adam, every person, except Jesus Christ, has an inherently sinful nature (Ps. 51:5; Rom. 1:18-32 and 7:14,15,18) thus, everyone has incurred guilt before God, and stands under His righteous condemnation (Jn. 3:36; Rom. 5:16-18).
No one is able to save himself from this guilt, or is able to earn his salvation through works. The only way to receive forgiveness of inherited and personal sin is through repentance and belief in Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16; Jn. 14:6).
Repentance and Salvation:
The act of repentance involves the initial recognition on the part of an individual that he is separated from God due to his own state of sinfulness (Rom. 3:23; Rom. 6:23). Since sin is defined as anything not having God’s approval (Rom. 14:23), each person must be willing to change, and must turn from
sin for the act of repentance to begin (Eph. 2:1-10). A repentant individual must realize that only Jesus Christ has the power to forgive his sins (1 Jn. 1:9), restore his relationship to God, and enable him to live a life acceptable to God (Col. 2:6-15; Eph. 4:22-24). Following the act of repentance comes the act of salvation. A repentant individual who makes an oath of faith and allegiance to Jesus Christ, fulfills the requirements for the act of salvation (Rom. 10:9-10). This oath should be given before one or more witnesses (Mt. 10:32).
Creed:
The Wasaga Christian Church acknowledges only one creed, The Apostles’ Creed of the early Christian Church.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Return of Christ:
Each believer is to look forward to the return of Christ. Jesus Christ promised to return to this earth (Jn. 14:3). His return will be sudden and unexpected in nature (1 Thess. 4:16,17; Rev. 1:7; Rev. 22:7; Rev. 22:12). At that time believers who have died will be resurrected, and they will join those who are alive to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the air. There will be time when Jesus Christ will establish His Kingdom on earth, and will be the Absolute ruler over all (Rev. 11:15; Rev. 16:1-7; Rev. 20:4; Lk. 1:32,33). Each believer will live eternally in Heaven with God, and be completely free of sin (1 Thess. 4:17,18; Rev. 21: 1-5, 27). The believer will worship God face to face forever. God will judge the unbelievers (Rev. 20:11-15), and they will be banished from the presence of God into eternal punishment in hell, or the lake of fire, forever (Mt. 25:46; Mk. 9:43-48; Rev. 20:13-15; Rev. 21:8).
Ordinances:
The Wasaga Christian Church recognizes that there are two ordinances commanded in God’s Word:
(1) The first is the Lord’s Supper, celebrated by Christians as a commemoration of the last meal which Jesus had with His disciples before His crucifixion (Mt. 26:26-29; Lk. 14:22-25; Mk. 22:15-19; 1 Cor. 11:23,24);
(2) The second is water baptism by full immersion, following the example of Christ Himself. It is administered by a disciple of Christ to a believer who wishes to identify himself publicly with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Mt. 3:13-17; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:1-8; Mt. 28:19-20).
The Christian Life (Sanctification):
Believing that a Christian’s body is the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16), and that each believer has been ‘bought with a price’ (1 Cor. 6:19,20), namely the blood of Christ shed for each person (1 Peter 1:19), this church encourages an upright and moral Christian lifestyle (Col. 2:6-10; 1Jn. 2:1-6). The Wasaga Christian Church asks its members, and encourages its visitors, to walk in a manner ‘worthy of the calling wherewith we have been called’ (Eph. 4:1), in thought, word, and deed (Eph. 5:3-10).
Statement of Polity
This church advocates abstention from all alcoholic beverages, and will not allow the usage of such at any church function. As well, The Wasaga Christian Church will not allow its name to stand in affiliation with any activity involving the use of alcoholic beverages (1 Cor.3:16; Rev.1:5,6; Lev. 10:8,9; Lk. 1:13-17; Eph. 5:18; 1 Tim. 5:23; 1 Tim. 3:3; Mk. 14:23-25).
The Wasaga Christian Church also believes that there are distinct goals and values which a Christian possesses, and therefore he must guard his relationship with the world and not participate in its sinful practices (Jn. 17:14-16; 2 Cor .6:14-17; 1 Jn. 2:15-17; 1 Thess. 1:1-8; Col. 1-3; Phil. 3:10-21).
The Wasaga Christian Church supports the permanence of marriage, and will perform marriages for heterosexual couples only (Lev. 18:22; Gal. 5:16-21; Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Cor. 6:15-20).