BELIEFS
OUR BELIEFS
What We Believe
These are the basic doctrines of the Christian faith that we believe to be core elements of correct Biblical teaching. In addition to this statement of faith, we affirm the historic Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds.
THE BIBLE
We believe the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts. It is our final authority for all matters of Christian faith and life. It is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises. Its central theme is to reveal to us God’s saving purposes in Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Psalm 19:7-9, Joshua 1:8, Luke 24:27
THE TRINITY
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity, while executing distinct but complementary roles in redemptive history, shares the same essence, attributes, and perfections, and is equally worthy of worship, honor, and praise.
Genesis 1:1-2, John 1:1-3, Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 45:4, Matthew 28:19
THE FATHER
We believe that God the Father is the sovereign ruler of all creation. He is holy, just, and loving, governing all things according to His perfect wisdom and will. He adopts as His children those who trust in Christ, loving and caring for them as a perfect Father.
Psalm 103:19, John 3:16, Romans 8:15
THE SON
We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, took on human flesh, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and died as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. His death on the cross was the sole and complete payment for sins, fully satisfying God’s righteous wrath, for each person that turns from sin in repentance and places their faith in Him. He was buried, rose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now interceding for His people.
Matthew 1:18, John 1:14, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 8:34
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus. He convicts the world of sin and regenerates sinners, granting them faith and repentance. He sanctifies, seals, fills, guides, instructs, comforts, equips and indwells believers. He imparts spiritual gifts to believers and empowers them for Christ-like living and service.
John 3:5-6, Titus 3:5, John 14:26, Romans 8:9, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11
HUMANITY
We believe that God created humanity in His own image, male and female, for His glory and to enjoy relationship with Him. Through Adam’s disobedience, but in the sovereign plan of God, all people became sinners by nature and choice, spiritually dead, and utterly incapable of reconciling themselves to God apart from His grace.
Genesis 1:26-27, Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:23, Ephesians 2:1-3
SALVATION
Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. It is wholly the work of God’s sovereign grace, accomplished through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and applied by the Holy Spirit. It involves God’s gracious election, Christ’s atoning work, the Spirit’s regenerating power, the sinner’s repentance and faith, and results in justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification.
Ephesians 2:8-9, John 1:12-13, Romans 5:1, Romans 8:29-30, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Acts 17:30-31
THE CHURCH
We believe that there is one holy, universal church composed of all true believers through history. Upon placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, the believer is made part of the body of Christ, of which Jesus is the Head. God calls believers to gather together regularly in local churches to glorify Him through prayer, worship, Bible preaching, loving community, the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and the mission of making disciples. We believe that local churches are to be led by a local plurality of elders who are chosen from among the qualified men and appointed to teach, equip and lovingly shepherd God’s people. We believe the primary focus and priority of the call to make disciples of all nations is to be centered on efforts that establish, strengthen and reproduce biblically-based, gospel preaching, disciple-making churches which will in turn plant churches for future generations and God’s glory.
Ephesians 4:4-6, Colossians 1:18, Acts 2:42, Hebrews 10:24-25, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Peter 5:1-2, Matthew 28:19-20
THE LAST THINGS
We believe that Jesus Christ will return visibly, bodily, and in glory to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. The unrighteous will suffer eternal, conscious punishment apart from God. The righteous will inherit eternal life and joy in the new heavens and the new earth, in the presence of God, forever.
Matthew 25:31-32, 1 Corinthians 15:52, Hebrews 9:27-28, Matthew 25:46, Revelation 21:1-4
BAPTISM & THE LORD'S SUPPER
We believe that Christ instituted two ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is a public declaration of the believer’s salvation in Christ, identifying in His death, burial, and resurrection and symbolized by immersion in water. The Lord’s Supper is an ongoing observance in which believers remember and proclaim the death of Jesus through partaking of the bread and the cup which symbolize Christ’s body broken and blood shed for us.
Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
MARRIAGE, SEXUALITY & GENDER
We believe that marriage is a sacred, lifelong covenant instituted by God to be shared between one man and one woman, ultimately intended to reflect Christ’s relationship of love, faithfulness, and unity with His church. Sexual intimacy is a gift from God that is to be expressed only within the covenant of a biblical marriage. God designed gender, recognized through our biological sex at birth, as an essential and unchangeable part of our identity as humans. We believe these truths reflect God’s good design for humanity. At the same time we are committed to supporting and walking alongside those who earnestly desire to follow Christ while wrestling with sexual sin—encouraging them to remain faithful to Christ, supported by the love and accountability of His church.
Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:31-32, Hebrews 13:4, Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139:13-14
DISTINCTIVE DOCTRINES
The following beliefs distinguish Vida Springs Church from other churches who would affirm the basic Christian doctrines outlined above. In addition to these distinctive doctrines, we affirm the doctrinal positions outlined in the Nashville Statement and the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.
COMPLEMENTARIANISM
We believe that men and women are both created in the image of God and equal in essence, dignity, value, and worth. Within God’s good design, He has ordained distinct and complementary roles for men and women in marriage and the church. These different but complementary roles do not imply inequality but reflect God’s wise and beautiful design for human flourishing.
As it relates to marriage, the husband is called to loving, humble servant-leadership modeled after Christ’s sacrificial love for His Church. The wife is called to respectful, willing submission to her husband, as the Church submits to Christ.
In the church, while both men and women may lead and serve in a variety of meaningful and important ways, only qualified men may be called to the office of elder.
Genesis 1:27, Ephesians 5:22-33, 1 Timothy 3:1-7
CONTINUATIONISM
We believe that all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit continue to be given to the Church today according to the sovereign will of the Spirit. We encourage disciples in the pursuit, discovery, development, and exercise of spiritual gifts. These gifts are to be exercised in a manner that is orderly, edifying, and subject to the final authority of Scripture.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 1 Corinthians 14:1, 40, 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IN SALVATION
We believe that before the foundation of the world, God, in His sovereign grace, chose in Christ those whom He would save—not because of foreseen faith or merit, but according to His own good purpose and will. All people, left to themselves, are spiritually dead in sin and unable to come to God apart from His regenerating work. Those whom God elects are effectually called, given the gifts of faith and repentance, justified by grace, and kept by His power until the day of glory. Salvation, from beginning to end, is wholly the work of the Lord.
At the same time, God commands all people everywhere to repent and believe the gospel, and all who do are truly saved. The gospel is to be preached freely and sincerely to all people, and all are genuinely invited to come to Christ. Though the mystery of God’s sovereign election and human responsibility is beyond our full comprehension, Scripture clearly affirms both. This truth should lead us to humble gratitude, confident assurance, and urgent evangelism.
Ephesians 1:4-6, Ephesians 2:1, 4-5, Romans 8:29-30, John 6:37, Romans 10:13-17
BELIEVER'S BAPTISM
We believe baptism is an ordinance given by the Lord Jesus Christ to be received only by those who have personally repented of sin and trusted Him for salvation. Baptism is a public declaration of faith and a picture of our union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. It symbolizes the washing away of sin and the new life given by the Holy Spirit. Though baptism itself does not save, it is a command of Christ and an act of obedience for every believer, and we practice it by full immersion in water.
Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:3-4, Matthew 3:16, Acts 8:38