Statement of Faith

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A Statement of Faith is a written declaration of the church’s position on matters that pertain to the essentials of Christianity. 

The following statements comprise The Ark’s Statement of Faith:

1. We believe that the Bible is inspired by God in its entirety (Old and New Testament), and is without error in the original manuscripts, a complete and final written revelation from God, and the infallible rule of faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21)
2. We believe that there is only one true God, who is eternal and unchangeable, and eternally existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all and governs all (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, Luke 3:21-22, John 10:30, John 14:16, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Hebrews 13:8, Revelation 1:4-5)
3. We believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah (John 1:36-42), God’s only begotten Son (John 3:16), conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18, Luke 1:35), born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:34-35), totally without sin (2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3:5), God in human flesh (John 1:1,14, Philippians 2:7-8) the One Who died on the cross for our sins (Matthew 27:32-54, Mark 15:21-41, Luke 23:26-46, John 19:16-37, 1 Corinthians 15:3, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 2:9), was buried (Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42), rose again from the dead on the third day (Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-49, John 20), and ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven, where He now intercedes for us who believe in Him. (Mark 16:19, Luke 22:69, Luke 24:50-51, Acts 2:32-33, Acts 7:55-56, Romans 8:34, Colossians 3:1, 1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 12:2)
4. We believe that Jesus Christ is going to return with His saints and all His holy angels to the earth at the end of the tribulation and set up His millennial kingdom on earth (Revelation 20:1-8), and His eternal kingdom ruling and reigning forever and ever. (Revelation 21:1-7, Revelation 22:3-5)
5. We believe that all humanity is lost, born with a sinful nature and sinners by choice, and therefore, are under condemnation, and can only be saved by a personal relationship with and faith in Jesus Christ as our savior and Lord and belief in His death and resurrection, and not by any human merit or performance. (John 3:3,16-19, John 5:24, John 14:6, Romans 3:10, 23, Roman 6:23, Romans 5:8-9,12, Romans 10:9-13, Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:5)
6. We believe in a real/literal devil, called Satan, who, along with all his fallen angels, demons, and evil spirits, are destined to spend eternity in hell, and now seek to deceive the world, defeat genuine believers, and destroy the work of God, but can be resisted by genuine believers, who are protected by God, the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Jesus Christ our Lord. (Genesis 3:1-5, Job 1:6-12, Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 22:31-32, James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8-11, 1 John 4:4, Revelation 20:10)
7. We believe that heaven is a real place where the genuine believers will dwell forever, and that hell is a literal place of torment where unbelievers, who reject Christ as the Savior, will be separated from God and will suffer forever. (John 14:1-3, 2 Corinthians 5:8-10, Revelation 7:15-17, Revelation 20:11-15, Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:5)
8. We believe that the change which takes place in the heart and life at conversion is a very real one and that genuine believers are born again and made new by the Holy Spirit of God, and are in-dwelt, baptized into the body of Christ, the true church, and sealed by the Holy Spirit, and thus, unable to be separated from the love of Jesus Christ. (John 3:1-6,16, Acts 1:4-5, Romans 8:35-39, 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 1:13-14)
9. We believe that all genuine believers need to be daily filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a godly life and to be bold in our witness for the Lord; the Holy Spirit also gives spiritual gifts to genuine believers to build up the Body of Christ and advance the Kingdom of God, so our lives should show spiritual fruit as evidence of a Spirit-filled life (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, John 15:1-8, Acts 1:5,8, Acts 4:8,31, Acts 6:5, Acts 7:55, Acts 11:15-16, Acts 13:52, Romans 8:13-14, Romans 12:5-8, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11,28, 1 Corinthians 14:1-25, Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 4:11-13, 22-5:2, Ephesians 5:15-18)
10. We believe in the spiritual unity of all genuine believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, so it is important to build relationships with other genuine believers, locally and globally, who make up the Body of Christ (Acts 16:5, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Hebrews 10:25)
11. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the Church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion). We believe that baptism is by immersion and is an outward sign of an inward work (Matthew 3:16, Matthew 28:19, Mark 1:9-10, Acts 8:38, Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12) and in the commemoration of the Lord's Supper by the symbolic use of the bread and juice of the vine to remember God’s gift and Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf and to look forward with anticipation to Jesus’ return (I Corinthians 11:24-26)
12. We believe the human race was created as male and female by a direct act of God to fully reveal His image. (Genesis 1:26-28, Genesis 5:1-2, Mark 10:6)
13. We believe marriage is a sacred covenantal union between a man and a woman that limits sexual relations to a monogamous, heterosexual marriage. (Genesis 2:24, Mark 10:6-9, Ephesians 5:31-32)