STATEMENT OF FAITH

Our core beliefs are the key to who we are as Christians. The following doctrines represent the core of orthodox Christian beliefs from a biblical and historical perspective. All covenant members of Apostles Church Brooklyn must affirm these core truths of the Christian faith.

THE TRINITY: We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three divine (co- equal, co-eternal), yet distinct persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:1,3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19,20; Ephesians 4:4-6) 

JESUS CHRIST: We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe he died in the place of all sinners, bearing the wrath of God for all who would believe in him. We believe in his bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for his people, and personal visible return to earth. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Timothy 3:16) 

THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe in the Holy Spirit sent into the world by God to glorify the Son of God. We believe that without his effective call no one would come to faith. We believe that his work in regeneration is not the result of water baptism or any outward ritual. We believe he indwells everyone who trusts in Christ, empowering them with gifts and helping them make progress in overcoming sin and in becoming more like Jesus Christ in thought, deed, and love. (John 14:16,17,26; 15:26,27; John 16:7-14; John 3:3-8; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26) 

THE WORD OF GOD: We believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the infallible Word of God, verbally inspired by God, and without error in the original manuscripts. We believe that God’s intentions, revealed in the Bible, are the supreme and final authority in testing all claims about what is true and what is right. In matters not addressed by the Bible, what is true and right is assessed by criteria consistent with the teachings of Scripture. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13: 14:37; Mark 13:31; John 8:31,32; 14:26; 16:13-14; 17:17; 20:31; Acts 20:32; Matthew 22:29, 43-44; 24:35; Numbers 23:19; Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 12:6; Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2) 

THE HUMAN CONDITION AND SALVATION: We believe that man was created by God in his own image and for his glory; but that man sinned and fell short of God’s glory, and thus incurred physical, spiritual, and eternal separation from God. We believe that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and so are under divine condemnation. We reject justification by works of the law, and we believe that only those who trust Jesus Christ as their Savior, by virtue of his atoning death on the cross, submitting to him as Lord, are justified, delivered from condemnation, and receive eternal life. We believe that this faith leads to a heartfelt turning from sin. The Christian life involves growth in grace through persevering, Holy Spirit-empowered resolve to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ. (Genesis. 1:26-7; Genesis 3; Genesis 2:17; 3:19; Eccl. 2:11; Matt 13:44; John 1:13; John 3:14; 3:16; 5:24; John 5:30; 8:12; 10:26; 17:3; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Phil 3:7-8; I John 1:9; II Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:11; 8:1; I Corinthians 15:1-2: Hebrews 3:12-14; Hebrews 6:11-12; Hebrews 10:39; Rom 3:28) 

THE CHURCH: We believe in one holy, universal Church made up of all who trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives. We believe that God calls us to unite with other believers in local churches to help each other to value Christ above all, to praise him together, to grow in our love and knowledge of him, to stir each other up to good works, and to serve his mission to make Christ known to all peoples. We believe that Christians should be baptized and regularly partake of the Lord’s Supper. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 15:36, 41; 16:5; I Corinthians 16:1; Galatians 1:1-3; Revelations 1:4,10,11; Hebrews 10:24-25; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26) 

THE LAST THINGS: We believe in the personal and visible return of the King Jesus to earth and the establishment of his kingdom. We believe at his return he will finally and fully vanquish Satan. We believe in the resurrection of the body and the final judgment of all people, leading to the eternal happiness of the righteous in the Lord’s presence, the renewal of all things, and the eternal separation of the wicked from the presence of the Lord. (Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Phil. 3:20; I Thessalonians 4:15-18; II Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; I Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 15; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 20:11-15)