What we believe
GOD - THE HOLY TRINITY
There is but one living and true God, the maker and preserver of all things. And in the unity of this Godhead, there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one in eternity, deity, and purpose: everlasting, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness.
Biblical Basis: Genesis 1:1-2; Exodus 3:13-15; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19
THE SON - HIS INCARNATION
God was himself in Jesus Christ to reconcile people to God. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. He joined together the deity of God and the humanity of humankind. Jesus of Nazareth was God in flesh, truly God and truly human. He came to save us. For us, the Son of God suffered, was crucified, died, was buried, and rose on the third day. He poured out His life as a blameless sacrifice for our sin and transgressions. We gratefully acknowledge that He is our Savior, the one perfect mediator between God and us.
Biblical Basis: Matthew 1:21, 20:28, 26:27-28; Luke 1:35, 19:10; John 1:1, 10, 14
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity. Proceeding from the Father and the Son. He is one with them, the eternal Godhead, equal in deity, majesty, and power. He is God effective in Creation, in life, and in the church. The Incarnation and ministry of Jesus Christ were accomplished by the Holy Spirit. He continues to reveal, interpret, and glorify the Son.
Biblical Basis: Matthew 28:19; John 4:24, 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:13-15
THE BIBLE HAS AUTHORITY
The Bible is God’s written Word, uniquely inspired by the Holy Spirit. It bears unerring witness to Jesus Christ, the living Word. As attested by the early church and subsequent councils, it is the trustworthy record of God’s revelation, completely truthful in all it affirms. It has been faithfully preserved and proves itself true in human experience.
Biblical Basis: Deuteronomy 4:2, 28:9; Psalm 19:7-11; John 14:26, 17:17
HUMAN KIND
God created human beings in His own image, innocent, morally free, and responsible to choose between good and evil, right and wrong. By the sin of Adam, humans as the offspring of Adam are corrupted in their very nature so that from birth they are inclined to sin. They are unable, by their own strength and work, to restore themselves in right relationship with God and to merit eternal salvation. God, the Omnipotent, provides all the resources of the Trinity to make it possible for humans to respond to His grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. By God’s grace and help, people are enabled to do good works with a free will.
Biblical Basis: Genesis 1:27; Psalm 51:5, 130:3; Romans 5:17-19; Ephesians 2:8-10
SALVATION
Christ’s sacrifice - Christ offered, once and for all, the one perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. No other satisfaction for sin is necessary; none other can atone.
Biblical Basis: Luke 24:46-48; John 3:16; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:8-11
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
A new life and a right relationship with God are made possible through the redemptive acts of God in Jesus Christ. God, by His Spirit, acts to impart new life and put people into a relationship with Himself as they repent and their faith responds to His grace. Justification, regeneration, adoption, sanctification, and restoration speak significantly to entrance into and continuance in the new life.
Biblical Basis: John 1:12-13, 3:3-8; Acts 13:38-39; Romans 8:15-17; Ephesians 2:8-9
THE CHURCH
The church is created by God. It is the people of God. Christ Jesus is its Lord and Head. The Holy Spirit is its life and power. It is both divine and human, heavenly and earthly, ideal and imperfect. It is an organism, not an unchanging institution. It exists to fulfill the purposes of God in Christ.
Biblical Basis: Matthew 16:15-18, 18:17; Acts 2:41-47, 9:31, 12:5, 14:23-26
THE HOLY SACRAMENTS
Water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the sacraments of the church commanded by Christ. They are means of grace through faith, tokens of our profession of Christian faith, and signs of God’s gracious ministry toward us. By them, He works within us to quicken, strengthen, and confirm our faith.
Biblical Basis: Matthew 26:26-29, 28:19; Acts 22:16; Romans 4:11; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:23-26; Galatians 3:27
Note that while we do receive Communion at Wallenpaupack Church, we do not celebrate the Lord's Supper every Sunday.
THE RETURN OF CHRIST
The return of Christ is certain and may occur at any moment, although it is not given us to know the hour. At His return, He will fulfill all prophecies concerning His final triumph over all evil. The believer’s response is joyous expectation, watchfulness, readiness, and diligence.
Biblical Basis: Matthew 24:1-51, 26:64; Mark 13:26-27
FINAL DESTINY
Our eternal destiny is determined by God’s grace and our response, not by arbitrary decrees of God. For those who trust Him and obediently follow Jesus as Savior and Lord, there is a heaven of eternal glory and the blessedness of Christ’s presence. But for the finally impenitent there is a hell of eternal suffering and of separation from God.
Biblical Basis: Mark 9:42-48; John 14:3; Hebrews 2:1-3
There is but one living and true God, the maker and preserver of all things. And in the unity of this Godhead, there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one in eternity, deity, and purpose: everlasting, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness.
Biblical Basis: Genesis 1:1-2; Exodus 3:13-15; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19
THE SON - HIS INCARNATION
God was himself in Jesus Christ to reconcile people to God. Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. He joined together the deity of God and the humanity of humankind. Jesus of Nazareth was God in flesh, truly God and truly human. He came to save us. For us, the Son of God suffered, was crucified, died, was buried, and rose on the third day. He poured out His life as a blameless sacrifice for our sin and transgressions. We gratefully acknowledge that He is our Savior, the one perfect mediator between God and us.
Biblical Basis: Matthew 1:21, 20:28, 26:27-28; Luke 1:35, 19:10; John 1:1, 10, 14
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity. Proceeding from the Father and the Son. He is one with them, the eternal Godhead, equal in deity, majesty, and power. He is God effective in Creation, in life, and in the church. The Incarnation and ministry of Jesus Christ were accomplished by the Holy Spirit. He continues to reveal, interpret, and glorify the Son.
Biblical Basis: Matthew 28:19; John 4:24, 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:13-15
THE BIBLE HAS AUTHORITY
The Bible is God’s written Word, uniquely inspired by the Holy Spirit. It bears unerring witness to Jesus Christ, the living Word. As attested by the early church and subsequent councils, it is the trustworthy record of God’s revelation, completely truthful in all it affirms. It has been faithfully preserved and proves itself true in human experience.
Biblical Basis: Deuteronomy 4:2, 28:9; Psalm 19:7-11; John 14:26, 17:17
HUMAN KIND
God created human beings in His own image, innocent, morally free, and responsible to choose between good and evil, right and wrong. By the sin of Adam, humans as the offspring of Adam are corrupted in their very nature so that from birth they are inclined to sin. They are unable, by their own strength and work, to restore themselves in right relationship with God and to merit eternal salvation. God, the Omnipotent, provides all the resources of the Trinity to make it possible for humans to respond to His grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. By God’s grace and help, people are enabled to do good works with a free will.
Biblical Basis: Genesis 1:27; Psalm 51:5, 130:3; Romans 5:17-19; Ephesians 2:8-10
SALVATION
Christ’s sacrifice - Christ offered, once and for all, the one perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. No other satisfaction for sin is necessary; none other can atone.
Biblical Basis: Luke 24:46-48; John 3:16; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:8-11
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
A new life and a right relationship with God are made possible through the redemptive acts of God in Jesus Christ. God, by His Spirit, acts to impart new life and put people into a relationship with Himself as they repent and their faith responds to His grace. Justification, regeneration, adoption, sanctification, and restoration speak significantly to entrance into and continuance in the new life.
Biblical Basis: John 1:12-13, 3:3-8; Acts 13:38-39; Romans 8:15-17; Ephesians 2:8-9
THE CHURCH
The church is created by God. It is the people of God. Christ Jesus is its Lord and Head. The Holy Spirit is its life and power. It is both divine and human, heavenly and earthly, ideal and imperfect. It is an organism, not an unchanging institution. It exists to fulfill the purposes of God in Christ.
Biblical Basis: Matthew 16:15-18, 18:17; Acts 2:41-47, 9:31, 12:5, 14:23-26
THE HOLY SACRAMENTS
Water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the sacraments of the church commanded by Christ. They are means of grace through faith, tokens of our profession of Christian faith, and signs of God’s gracious ministry toward us. By them, He works within us to quicken, strengthen, and confirm our faith.
Biblical Basis: Matthew 26:26-29, 28:19; Acts 22:16; Romans 4:11; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:23-26; Galatians 3:27
Note that while we do receive Communion at Wallenpaupack Church, we do not celebrate the Lord's Supper every Sunday.
THE RETURN OF CHRIST
The return of Christ is certain and may occur at any moment, although it is not given us to know the hour. At His return, He will fulfill all prophecies concerning His final triumph over all evil. The believer’s response is joyous expectation, watchfulness, readiness, and diligence.
Biblical Basis: Matthew 24:1-51, 26:64; Mark 13:26-27
FINAL DESTINY
Our eternal destiny is determined by God’s grace and our response, not by arbitrary decrees of God. For those who trust Him and obediently follow Jesus as Savior and Lord, there is a heaven of eternal glory and the blessedness of Christ’s presence. But for the finally impenitent there is a hell of eternal suffering and of separation from God.
Biblical Basis: Mark 9:42-48; John 14:3; Hebrews 2:1-3