Zeal church statement of faith
The Bible - We believe that the Bible is the ultimate authority and final standard of faith for all believers in Jesus Christ and for His Church. The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are inspired by God and without error in their original writings. God uses His Word to reveal to us His character, teach us to obey His commands, and lead us to trust in His promises. As we hear, believe, and obey the Bible, it equips us to conform more into the image of Jesus for the glory of God. (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16; James 1:22-25)
God - We believe there is only one true God, eternally existing in relationship within Himself which manifests in three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. This is known as the Trinity. Each person thinks, feels, speaks, acts, and relates. The triune God is the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of all things. All three persons share the same divine nature and attributes, which means they are all equally worthy of worship, honor, and praise. God is holy, unlimited, unchanging, and He is love. He is the center of the universe and the main character in all of history - past, present, and future. (Genesis 1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Romans 11:33-36)
Father - We believe in God the Father who planned redemption, directed it, and sent the Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 6:9-10; 23:9; John 3:16; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6)
Son (Jesus) - We believe in God the Son, named Jesus, who entered into humanity, both fully God and fully man. He is the Word of God made flesh. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a perfect life, died a sinner’s death in our place, drank the full cup of God’s wrath on the cross, physically rose again from the grave in victory, ascended to the right hand of the Father, is currently interceding on behalf of those who trust in Him, and will return for final judgement and consummation of His kingdom. He perfectly obeyed the will of the Father and ushers in redemption for His people. (Matthew 1:23-25; John 1:1-5; 1:14; Acts 2:22-36; Romans 3:21-26)
Holy Spirit - We believe in God the Holy Spirit who was sent by the Father and Son to illuminate truth, regenerate hearts, convict the world, and give new life to those who are in Christ. He unites believers in faith and dwells in those who trust in Jesus. Holy Spirit has come to point to Jesus, seal, teach, counsel, and empower all believers for serving the kingdom of God, and bring to completion the plan of redemption. (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7; Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 4:30; Titus 3:4-7)
Creation - We believe that all things were created by God and for God who is the perfect Creator of everything. He did so by speaking the universe into existence from nothing. God’s creative work is the overflow of the love from within Himself in the Trinity. Creation, by God’s design, was good. God upholds the world and universe together by His power. (Genesis 1:1-25; Psalm 24:1; Colossians 1:16-17)
Humanity - We believe that God created humanity in His own image. This means that all humans have intrinsic dignity, value, and worth. The main purpose of humanity is to bring glory to God by enjoying Him and making His name known throughout the world. Males and females are created equally in value and essence and are distinct by divine design. We believe that human life begins at conception and that an unborn baby is an image-bearer of God. We believe that God created marriage to be solely between one man and one woman, which is the only God-ordained context for sexual relations. We highly value life and godly marriage as part of His divine creation. (Genesis 1:27-30; 2:18-25; Psalm 139:13-16)
Sin - We believe that sin was introduced into the story in the beginning when humanity believed God couldn’t be trusted. Sin is putting anything above God, as well as acting in ways that go against His design and desire as laid out in His Word. Sin has damaged everything and leaves the world in desperate need for salvation. This depravity extends to all of creation including the mind, will, body, and affections of mankind. All humans are sinners by nature and choice. This means that, apart from Christ, we are separated from God, children of wrath, and deserving of death. (Genesis 3; Romans 3:9-20; Ephesians 2:1-3)
Salvation - We believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Through the sacrificial life, death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus, payment was made once and for all who put their faith in His finished work. Through faith we can now have forgiveness of sin, right standing with God, and intimate relationship with Him as children of God. This happens by a sovereign act of God to give us a new birth, which makes us new creations in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit then dwells within us and empowers us to love God, serve Him, and walk in obedience to Him. All of salvation is a divine work of God that lasts all of eternity and cannot be lost. (John 10:28-30; Romans 5:1-11; 8:29-30; 38-39; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:3-14; 2:4-10; Hebrews 10:19-25)
The Church - We believe that the church is the spiritual body of Jesus, made up of individual followers of Him. As the church, we are sent into the world to make the glory of God known. Jesus is the Head of the church and has the final authority in every area of life. The ultimate mission of the church is to bring God glory by fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. This happens through worship, prayer, teaching of God’s Word, fellowship, exercising spiritual gifts, practicing the God-ordained ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion), and proclaiming the Gospel with our lips and our lives. The church has two folds: local and universal. As members of the universal church, we partner with other local churches around the world to see the Kingdom of God advance here on Earth as it is in Heaven. (Matthew 16:18; 22:34-40; 28:18-20; Acts 2:36-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Ephesians 1:22-23)
Baptism - We believe that baptism is an outward symbol of an inward reality. It’s an act of obedience in response to what God has already done in the heart of a believer. It doesn’t give you faith, but happens as a result of faith. It is reserved only for those who have saving faith in Jesus Christ. It symbolizes that we have died with Jesus to sin, rose with Jesus to life, and have been washed clean by His blood. We believe in baptism by immersion after a confession of faith in Jesus. Therefore, we encourage every follower of Jesus to be baptized as an act of obedience to Him. (Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:1-11)
Lord’s Supper (Communion) - We believe that the Lord’s Supper is to be done often and in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice. It symbolizes the breaking of Jesus’ body and the shedding of His blood on our behalf. It is to be done from a place of faith and self-examination as we proclaim the atoning death of Jesus until He comes again. (Luke 22:14-23; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29)
Spiritual Gifts - We believe that spiritual gifts are sovereignly given by God to believers for the building up and edification of the church and the Kingdom of God. The same gifts on display by the power of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament are still for believers today. Every believer has at least one spiritual gift. All gifts are needed for the church to function the way God has intended. We encourage the discovery and exercise of all believer’s gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Ephesians 4:1-16)
Worship - We believe that we were made for the worship of God. It is the proper position and appropriate response to the person, character, and works of God. We believe that worship is the active expression of our awe, reverence, and adoration for God. We worship as a response to who He is, what He has done, and who He has made us to be - His children. In other words, it is a celebration of His worthiness. True worship is done in spirit and in truth and therefore is an honest outpouring of our hearts before our Father. It is ultimately a lifestyle (time, treasures, and talents) of sacrifice that serves and displays our love for Jesus our King. (Nehemiah 9:5-6; Psalms 100:1-3; John 4:21-24; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 1:3-10; Hebrews 12:28-29)
Prayer - We believe that prayer is how we communicate with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God supernaturally intercedes on behalf of our prayers as believers and makes it possible to approach Him with confidence. Prayer is how we have a conversation with Him. It requires both talking and listening to Him. We are called to pray in accordance with the will of God and He will hear us. Prayer demonstrates our dependence on God and our love for Him. Jesus teaches us how to pray by giving us the Lord’s Prayer. In this, we learn that prayer consists of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. Prayer is vital to our spiritual lives because God moves in response to our prayers. (Matthew 6:5-15; Philippians 4:4-7; James 5:16)
Resurrection & Final Judgement - We believe that Jesus has physically risen from the dead and is alive in victory over sin, death, hell, and Satan. He is seated at the right hand of the Father ruling and reigning over all things. Upon His second coming, there will be a bodily resurrection for all people. There will be a final judgement of the just and the unjust. Satan, his demons, and all who are not in Christ will be separated from the presence of God in eternal punishment. Those in Christ will live with, reign with, and worship Him for all of eternity in the new heaven and the new earth! (Daniel 12:2; John 5:25-29; 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:7-21:8)
Heaven & Hell - We believe that both Heaven and Hell are real destinations. All people will spend the rest of eternity in one of these two places. What we do with the person and work of Jesus determines our destination. Hell is an awful place of suffering and torment for Satan, his demons, and all those who do not put their trust in Jesus. Hell exists because God is holy and just and as a result, must punish sin. It is His final display of wrath and punishment for the sins of those who do not repent and trust in Jesus. Heaven is the glorious dwelling place of God and all those who put their trust in Him. It is a place of perfection in which God will make all things new. (Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:47-49; John 14:1-3; Revelation 21:3-5)
The Gospel - The Gospel is the Good News of God’s plan to save humanity back to Himself through Jesus!
God & His Image (Psalm 99:9-100:5 & Genesis 1:26-28)
God is holy, the eternal creator who determines the purpose of all things. He exists as one God in three persons (Father, Son, Spirit) in perfect unity. He has made humanity (male & female) in His image with intrinsic value and worth to reflect His glory to all creation.
Open Fellowship (Genesis 2:7-9; 18-25)
We were made to be in intimate relationship with God, which leads to ultimate joy and fulfillment. We were also made to be in fellowship with each other to better reflect God’s image together. This open fellowship breeds freedom.
Sin Introduced (Genesis 3; Romans 3:10-20)
Sin was introduced into the story when humanity believed God couldn’t be trusted. Sin is putting anything above God, as well as acting in ways that go against his design and desire as laid out in His word. We inherited sin from Adam, we are prone to choose it, and it infects the world we live in.
Penalty & Price (Leviticus 17:11-14, Romans 6:23a)
The penalty of sin is that it eternally separates us from God. We are now in opposition to Him and are deserving of His wrath. Death enters in as a result of sin and it is also the price that must be paid. On our own, the penalty and price of sin leave us hopeless, helpless, and in desperate need of rescue.
Enter Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-6; 12-14; 20-22; Romans 6:23b)
God pursues us with His love by sending His son Jesus, the perfect God Man, from heaven to earth to live a sinless life, die on a cross for our sins, rise again from the grave defeating sin and death once and for all, and ascend back to the Father to intercede on our behalf.
Life Everlasting (Romans 10:9; Acts 2:37-39)
Because of Jesus, we can now have right standing with God once again. We can have this by putting our full trust in what Jesus did on the cross, by turning away from our sins and turning towards Him in surrender. We can now walk in confidence by the power of the Holy Spirit within us to obey God and bring Him glory. We can now have the intimate relationship with God we were made for that lasts forever!