The Bible. We believe the Holy Bible, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God. True in all, it affirms and without error as originally written. The Bible is God’s message to mankind.
God. We believe in the one true and living God, who revealed Himself in the Bible in nature and in man’s conscience as the Creator, Lawgiver, and Judge, existing eternally as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God, who became fully human by miraculous conception and virgin birth, He lived a life of perfect obedience, subservient to the will of the Father, and voluntarily atoned for the sins of men and women by dying on the cross, and rose bodily from the grave. He achieved victory over death and the powers of evil, and ascended into heaven where, as the only Mediator between God and humanity. His Second Coming is the great hope of the church.
The Holy Spirit. We believe that the Person of the Holy Spirit is fully God, who applies the saving work of Jesus Christ to sinful human beings. During this age, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict, regenerate, indwell, guide, instruct, empower, and uniquely believe for Godly living and service, so that the church is built up. We believe that all gifts of the Spirit in the New Testament are available today in the life of the church.
Mankind. We believe that human beings were created in the image of God for His pleasure. God’s desire was to establish a relationship with man, and to allow man to have dominion over the earth. Tempted by satan, man rebelled and sinned against God, and therefore was alienated from Him. As a result, all human beings became guilty before God, subject to sin’s power, inclined toward disobedience to God’s moral law, and unable to please God apart from His saving grace. Because all human beings possess an eternal spirit, we believe that believers will spend eternity in the presence of God (Heaven), while unbelievers, at their choosing, will be eternally separated from God (hell).
Salvation. We believe that salvation is deliverance from alienation, sin, guilt, bondage, and death, as well as restoration to fellowship, righteousness, freedom, and life for all who repent of their sins and who trust in Jesus Christ. Salvation originates and is sustained by God’s sovereign and loving grace, is based on Christ’s saving work, is received by faith alone.
The Church. We believe the Church is called to worship God and to demonstrate His gracious character in the world proclaiming the Gospel, making disciples from all nations, observing baptism and the Lord’s Supper, maintaining the unity and purity of the body, and seeking to apply the truths of Scripture in the needs of people.
End Times. We believe in Christ’s imminent return for His church (rapture) ushering in seven years of worldwide tribulation. At the end of this period Christ will come to restore the nation of Israel, and set up His millennial kingdom. After this He will judge all mankind.
Faith. We believe this statement of faith to be an accurate summary of what Scriptures teach. CLC recognizes that it cannot bind the conscience of individual members in areas where the Bible is silent. Rather, each believer is to be led in those areas by the Lord, to whom he or she is responsible.