Orlando Church of Christ
STATEMENT OF BELIEF
The Orlando Church has as its sole authority the Word of God. We are committed to the proposition that Scripture, not man-made traditions, must be our only source of spiritual truth. We believe that every question about God, about the way we should live our lives, and about spiritual matters can be answered by looking to the Bible. We further believe that we can only find a relationship with God our Creator by actively studying and obeying the Scriptures. For those who would like to know more about what we believe, we have provided the following brief outline:
About God
There is one God, who is known to men in three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is eternal, having no beginning and no end. God is omnipresent, filling the Universe. God is immutable, perfect and unchanging. God is omnipotent: no one can thwart his will. God is omniscient, knowing everything. God is totally pure, having in himself no sin. God is love.
About Jesus
Jesus is the one and only Son of God. He is co-equal with God, sharing the nature of God. He became flesh and lived for a time among men. He was born of a virgin, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit. He lived a sinless life, was crucified, and was physically raised from the dead on the third day after his burial. He is the head of the church and sits at the right hand of the throne of God.
About the Bible
The Bible, Genesis through Revelation, is the divinely inspired Word of God. God, through the Holy Spirit, spoke through men and made possible a flawless transmission of his Word to mankind.
About Sin
All men and women inherit a sinful nature from the first man, Adam, although each person is only liable before God for their own sins. Children, though sinners, are not accountable for their sin, being unable to understand the consequences of their actions.
About Forgiveness
Because all have sinned, all are in need of forgiveness. Forgiveness is only possible because Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead. The death and resurrection of Jesus accomplished at least three things: First, it provided atonement for our sins through the substitution of Jesus’ sinless life for our sinful one. Second, it provided a general rescue or ransom for sinners. Third, it conquered the grip of death. Through faith in Jesus’ sacrifice, forgiveness is available to everyone.
About Faith
True faith, or faith that results in salvation, is faith that is accompanied by active obedience to God. Mere belief in the facts of the death and resurrection of Jesus is not enough. As James said so succinctly, "even the demons believe, and shudder."
About Repentance
Repentance is a natural outgrowth of genuine faith. It involves turning away from sin and turning towards righteousness.
About Discipleship
Discipleship is the commitment of one’s entire being to the principles of obedience to and imitation of Jesus. It involves the pursuit of: a) a personal relationship with God built on prayer and Bible study; b) the mutual encouragement of other disciples accomplished through individual relationships and corporate worship; c) the maintenance of personal righteousness through confession and repentance; d) the fulfillment of Jesus’ mission on earth, the spread of the gospel to all nations.
About Baptism
Baptism is a full immersion in water by someone mature enough to understand sin and its consequences. Faith, repentance and the decision to be a disciple must be present before someone is ready for baptism. When a qualified person is baptized, they are sharing in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. At the time of their baptism they receive the forgiveness of sins and the indwelling Holy Spirit as a seal and guarantee of their salvation.
About Salvation
Salvation is the gift of God to men through faith in his Son Jesus Christ. No amount of good works can merit salvation because no one is good in the eyes of God. "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Salvation is the free gift of God, obtainable only through faith in the blood of his Son, Jesus Christ.
About the Church
The church is the body of Christ. Just as Christ can only have one body, he has only one church. The church is composed of men and women who have become disciples of Jesus and have been baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. We consider ourselves to be “non-denominational” in the sense that, although we are associated with sister churches, each church is a self-governing entity.
About the Poor
It is the obligation and privilege of every disciple to be compassionate towards the poor and needy. Following the example of the early church, we meet the needs of our poorer members (Acts 4:34). Each disciple should be personally involved also in helping the poor in our communities.
Made for Each Other 2012 Marriage Retreat
