A. The Bible
We believe every word of the Bible is inspired by God and is without error in the original texts and that it is absolutely trustworthy in all that it teaches (2Tim 3:16-17; John 17:17). The Bible is the only divinely intended authority for the faith and practice of Christians. Accordingly, true Christian theology must be based solely upon Scripture (2Pet 1:20-21; Matt 5:18; 2Pet 1:3).
B. The Nature of God
We believe that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deut. 6:4; 2Cor. 13:14).
1. God the Father
We believe that God is a personal and perfect Spirit Who is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being and attributes. He is omnipresent (Psa. 139:7-12), omniscient (Psa. 147:5), and omnipotent (Job 42:2; Matt. 19:26). As the Creator, God is Father over all creation (Mal. 2:10; 1Cor. 8:6; Heb. 12:9).
2. Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is God and has always been God, but He is also perfectly man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus Christ possesses all the attributes of God: self-existence, eternal life, all knowing, all powerful, existing everywhere, holiness, truth, love, and righteousness. We believe that Jesus Christ died a physical death on the cross and physically rose from the dead (John 1:1; 4:6; 5:18; Col. 1:13-17; Heb. 1:3; 1:10).
3. The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is real, has individual personality, has the attributes of God, and is God (Luke 1:35-37; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:10-11). The Holy Spirit convicts people of their sins and affirms their moral goodness. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit is the agent of rebirth in Christians, making them part of the Body of Christ, the Church (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1Cor. 12:12-14; Eph. 1:13-14).
C. Man
We believe that God created man, male and female, after His own image in righteousness and holiness, with dominion over the creatures. God created both the material and the immaterial constitution of man without the intervention of another object or cause (Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7, 21-23; 5:1-2; 6:6-7; Mark 10:6-7; 1Cor. 11:8, 9; 1Tim. 2:13). However, man has fallen from his holy state through the sin of Adam and Eve. Adam’s original sin affected him and all his descendants because of the solidarity of the human race.
D. Salvation
We believe salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Eph. 2:8-10; John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 1Pet. 1:18-19).
E. The Church
1. Universal Church
We believe that the universal church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27; 1Cor. 12:12-14; 2Cor. 11:2).
2. Local Church
We believe that the local church is an assembly of professed believers in one locality (Matt. 18:17; Acts 8:1, 3; 11:22, 26; 12:1, 5; 14:23, 27).
F. Angels
We believe that angels were created in righteousness by a direct act of God’s will (Psa. 148:2, 5; Ezek. 28:14-15; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26), but some fell from righteousness. Angels are personal finite spirits (Heb. 1:7, 14 cf. Psa. 104:4) with great abilities, but are not all knowing, all-powerful, nor present in all places at all times.
G. Satan and the Demons
We believe that Satan is a fallen angel, the author of sin, and the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10). The demons are evil angels that chose to follow Satan and are confirmed in evil (Matt. 8:29; Luke 8:28, 31; Heb. 2:16 cf. Matt. 25:41).
H. The Return of Jesus Christ
We believe in the “Blessed Hope,” the imminent, personal, bodily, visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Earth (1Thes. 4:13-18; Rev. 19:11-16).
I. The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and eternal punishment (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28–29, 11:25–26; Rom. 8:10-11; 2 Cor. 4:14; Dan. 12:2; Rev. 20:5–6, 12-15).
The Ordinances of the Church
1. Communion
Village Bible Church regularly celebrates Communion (i.e. the Lord’s Supper) in obedience to Christ’s command, “… do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24-25), and with the desire to enter into “… a participation in the blood of Christ” and the “body of Christ” (1 Cor. 10:16). While our Communion Service is open to all those who profess Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord, we encourage participants to not take the ordinance of Communion lightly, but to partake with a clear conscience.
2. Baptism
a. The Scriptural Basis for the Observance of Baptism
The baptism of the believer after conversion is taught in Scripture both by commandment and by example (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:41, 8:36-38). Therefore, water baptism administered after one has received the Savior shall be encouraged of each member of this church. Baptism is not a prerequisite for church membership, nor is it essential for salvation.
b. The Significance of Baptism
Baptism is an outward sign to the world that a believer is a follower of Jesus Christ. Baptism is a symbol of Christ’s death and bodily resurrection from the dead. The believer has died to self and is now a new person living for Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit.
c. The Mode of Baptism
The preferred mode of baptism at Village Bible Church is immersion following confession of Christ as Savior.