What We Believe

The Rock Bible Church is a totally autonomous church. Our beliefs are based solely on the Holy Scripture. We believe that salvation is only possible by the grace of God and through faith in Jesus Christ. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

We believe the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible to be our infallible rule of faith and of practice. In order to make known the divine message of the Bible, we present the following statements of those basic biblical truths which are common to our Christian faith and practice:

Holy Bible

The Bible is God’s Word to all people and is the only authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths and practices. The Word of God was shaped by Jesus, fulfilled in Jesus, and patterned by Jesus. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit and in its original writing, it is inspired, infallible, and inerrant. The authority of the Word of God, which deserves our belief and obedience, does not rely on the testimony of any individual or church; rather, it rests entirely on God, the very source of truth, who is its author.

All the books of the Old and New Testaments are included under the title of Holy Scripture. The canon of the Holy Scripture contains 66 books* which are all given by the inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.

(Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalms 119:11, 89, 85; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39, 16:13-15, 17:17; Romans 14:4, 16:25-26; Hebrews 1:1-2, 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:20-21, 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Proverbs 30:5)

*See the Appendix for the list of 66 books

Trinity

There is one true God, who is living and infinite in both being and perfection, eternally existent in relationship with Himself for all eternity. He exists as one substance in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Although each member of the Trinity serves different functions, they each possess equal power and authority.

(John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11)

• God the Father

God the father, who is most holy in all his works and commands, reigns over all creation with grace, according to His will. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, and all-wise. He is perfectly pure, overflowing with grace, and the ultimate source of all truth. The Almighty God, who keeps His promises has the authority to be the foundation and giver of Salvation.

(Jeremiah 10:10; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4, 6; Romans 1:18, 11:36; Nehemiah 9:32-33; John 5:21-23)

• God the Son, Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was

100% God and 100% man. In God the Fathers eternal purpose, He chose and ordained Jesus, as his only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man. The perfect prophet, priest, and king for all eternity. The Head and Savior of his church, the ruling judge of the world, and who from eternity, redeems, justifies, sanctifies and Glorifies all who are called by His name. He is the only person to have lived a completely sinless life because He is fully God. Born of a virgin, He was also fully human. He died on the cross for all humanity, atoning for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory. He is the only plan for bringing people who are far from God back into a right relationship with God.

(John 1:1,14, 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6; 1 Timothy 2:5)

• Virgin Birth

Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the virgin Mary’s womb.

(Matthew 1:18, 25; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:27-35)

• Resurrection

Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead, on the third day after His death on the cross. Afterward, He was seen by 500 people for 40 days following His resurrection. In addition, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; those that are saved to the resurrection of life and those that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation.

(Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28, 21:4; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:42, 44; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21)

• Jesus’ Blood

The Blood that Jesus Christ shed on the Cross of Calvary is 100% sufficient to cleanse mankind of all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death.

(1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23, 5:9, 6:23; John 1:29)

• God the Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity and is equal in divinity. He inspired men to write the Scriptures and enables people to understand truth through illumination of our hearts and minds. He exalts Christ and convicts individuals of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He calls men to the savior, Jesus Christ, and effects regeneration. He guides Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows spiritual gifts that enable them to serve God through the church. He seals each believer until the final day of redemption, and His presence assures that God will bring believers into the fullness of Christ’s stature. He enlightens and empowers the church in worship, evangelism, and service.

(Genesis 1:2; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18, 3:16; Luke 11:13, 12:12; John 4:24, John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7-14; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:14-16, 8:26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30; 1 Timothy 3:16)

• Jesus Christ Indwells All Believers

The Spirit indwells all true Believers who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to abide in them by His Holy Spirit. They relinquish the authority of their lives over to Him thus making Jesus the Lord of their life as well as Savior. They are then regenerated and sealed for God’s purpose and will to be accomplished on earth. Given at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after His Ascension, to empower the Church to preach the Gospel throughout the whole earth. 

(Psalms 51:11, 139:7; Joel 2:28-32; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8, 2:1-4, 2:38; Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 12:13; Ephesians 4:30; Timothy 3:16; Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5, 2:1-4, 17, 38-39, 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6)

• The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to edify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Bible’s lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of the Bible.

(Hebrews 2:4; Romans 1:11, 12 :4-8; Ephesians 4:16; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6-7; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; 1 Peter 4:10)

Salvation

Salvation is the redemption of the whole person and is freely available to everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Through His own blood, He has secured eternal redemption for the believer. Therefore, we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ: His life, death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts. Ultimately, Salvation is encompassed by regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. 

(Romans 10:9-10; John 3:3, 6:44; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians

2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22)

• Regeneration

Regeneration, or ‘Born again’, is the work of God’s grace that transforms believers into new creations through Jesus Christ by giving new life. This is the inward change brought about by God the Spirit, who convicts individuals of their sin. In response, the sinner turns to God in repentance and places their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The whole man has then been given a new spirit, new life and a new understanding in Christ. 

(John 6:44, 65; Matthew 19:28; Titus 3:5; Colossians 2)

Repentance

Repentance is the acknowledgement of sin and a commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation.

(Isaiah 55:7; Psalms 32:5-6; Acts 17:30-31; Matthew 26:75)

Justification

Justification is God’s gracious and complete pardoning of all sinners who repent and place their faith in Christ, based on His righteousness alone. It rebuilds the relationship of peace and favor between the believer and God.

(Romans 4:5-8, 10:13-17; John 14:6, 17:3; Ephesians 2:12–13)

Sanctification

The true believer, who has been justified and has been given a new spirit, has also been set apart for God’s purposes. Sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. It is through the active ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life. 

(1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3; Romans 8:29, 12:1-2; Hebrews 2:11)

Glorification

Glorification is the final completion of Salvation and the eternally abiding state of the believer.

(Romans 8:30; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:20-21)

The Church

The invisible Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the Church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The visible Church is a local community of baptized believers unified through the fellowship of faith in Christ. It is committed to the teachings of the Word and obeying all His commands, and it seeks to bring the Gospel to the world. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying God. The local church is the primary way God matures his people and saves the sinner. A true church is marked by faithful preaching of the Word, observing the sacraments and proper use of church discipline. By gathering regularly, the church is to worship God through singing, sacrificial giving, and serving one another without partiality.

(Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; John 17:11, 20-23)

Sacraments

The sacraments are a means of grace and have been ordained by Jesus Christ and recorded in the Word of God. These observances are to remind the believer of the power of the gospel, the promises of God to his people and clearly separate the church from the world until His return.

• Water Baptism

Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized by immersion in water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In this the believer proclaims his faith in Christ who was crucified, buried, and resurrected. This signifies the believer’s death to sin, the burial of their old life, and the renewal of life in Christ Jesus. Baptism is an act of obedience in response to saving faith and of itself does not save. 

(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38, 10:47-48; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Romans 6:1-4; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13)

• The Lord’s Supper

A unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and wine (the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. The church’s observance of this sacrament preserves unity through fellowship with Christ and fellowship with other true believers and is to be practiced with faith and sober self-examination.

(Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-32)

Eschatology

According to God’s timing and in God’s own way, He will bring this world to an end, creating the new heavens and new earth. Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures.

(Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8;

Revelation 1:7)

Heaven

Heaven is the eternal dwelling place for all believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

(Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34; John 17:24; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 11:16; 1 Peter 1:4)

Hell

After living one life on earth, the unbelievers will be judged by God and sent to Hell where they will be eternally tormented with the Devil and the Fallen Angels.

(Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8)

Sacred Institutions

• Marriage

We believe marriage is defined in the Bible as a covenant, a sacred bond between one man and one woman, instituted by and publicly entered into before God.

(Matthew 19:4-6, 44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6)

• Family

We believe family is a foundational institution, designed by God and is used as

a crucial role in both society and the church. The union of a husband and wife is established to reflect God’s love and covenant relationship. The roles and responsibilities of each member of the family have been outlined in scripture although each family unit may differ from one to another. Those with children are instructed by God to teach their children about God’s commandments, foster a loving and disciplined environment and model a Christ-centered life.

(Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:22-33; Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Galatians 6:10)