Statement of Faith
2nd Chance Farm
God, (The Trinity)
We believe that the God of the Bible is the one true God. He is one but consists of three persons: The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit. God the Father is invisible and “no man at any time has seen or will see Him.” He is the one who loved the world and sent His only son to die for sinful mankind. He is the one determined to see His will accomplished. His will is His glory and His glory is for His Son to have the preeminence of all things, to be believed in, obeyed, exalted and glorified. The Son, Jesus Christ is the only begotten of the Father. He is the Savior of the world, the preeminent one, the head of the church, sinless, our advocate, friend, wonderful counselor, mighty God, prince of peace, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, the image of the Father, the one who died on a cross was buried and raised from the dead, who ascended to heaven and is now seated at the right hand of the father, who is coming again to judge the world because of sin. The Holy Spirit is God. He is a person. He was sent at the day of Pentecost to indwell every believer forever, as a guarantee of the salvation that is to come. He is the comforter and counselor and the one who convicts the world of sin. He has the power to change people and He is the one who draws men and women to Christ. He is the one that empowers the believer to remember the word of Christ and works to conform them into the image of Christ.
Isaiah 9:6; Matt. 28:16-20; John 10:30-33; Colossians 1; 2:9
The Holy Scriptures
We believe the 66 books of the Holy Bible are God’s words to mankind. We believe it is inerrant in its entirety. We believe it is inspired and holds everything man needs for all things that pertain to life and godliness. No other text exists in the universe that holds the authority, words and revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe our lives must be lived in accordance with the Scriptures.
Psalm 18:30; Psalm 119; Proverbs 3:5-6; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21
The Nature of Man
We believe mankind’s nature is not good. Original sin is innate in every human being. No man or woman is good. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is only one man that has lived yet without sin. That man is Jesus Christ. We believe that there is nothing we can do about this sinful state of man on our own efforts.
Genesis 3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10; 23
God’s Judgment and eternal punishment
We believe everyone must stand before God in judgment to give an account for the things done in the body, whether good or bad. We believe God’s judgment is perfect and good. Because man has sinned we will all stand before God guilty of breaking his law; everyone. We are condemned already, deserving physical and spiritual death. When one dies they give an account to God and those who are declared guilty will be cast away from God’s presence into a place of eternal punishment called the Lake of Fire. This is a place where God’s wrath will be poured out onto all of unbelieving mankind and all the heavenly beings that have rebelled against God.
Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matt. 25:31-46; John 3; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Peter 4:17; Hebrews 9:27; Jude 1:6; Rev. 20
The Gospel (Salvation by faith alone in Jesus alone)
We believe that the good news of Jesus is that although we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, deserving God’s wrath, anyone who believes in God’s son can be saved. This means saved from God’s wrath. God sent his son Jesus Christ into the world to live the perfect life, we could not and die a horrible death on a cross as our substitute though he was innocent. Because he took our punishment upon him we are able to be made the righteousness of God, though we have sinned. God is pleased only through faith and no person will be justified by works of the law. Faith is God’s requirement and faith in Jesus Christ alone, no other. God’s grace, his free gift of eternal life is available for all who would call upon the name of the Lord.
John 3:16; Romans 4; 10:9,13; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:9; 1 John 5:4
The Church, The Body of Christ
We believe that the church is the collective number of all those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that it is God’s desire that each person be a member of a local church. God’s purpose for his church is to be the hands and feet of Jesus while he is away. God has set up the church to be shepherded by Pastors, served by deacons and the work of the ministry done by all for the purpose of glorifying God by making disciples who exalt Jesus Christ.
Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:46-47;Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 12; Ephesians 2:19-20; 4:15
Christian living
We believe that God has predestined us to be conformed to the image of his Son; to no longer be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. We believe he has chosen and saved us for a purpose. Our bodies are no longer our own. Our freedom in Christ is not to be used to live however one would choose. We believe that living a life that honors and glorifies God in our thoughts, words and actions is a part of the Christian identity. Chrsitian behavior does not make someone a christian, it simply shows that one is a christian.
Romans 13:14; 2 Cor. 5:17; Galatians 5; Ephesians 2:3; Philippians 1:27; 3:12-14; Colossians 4:2-6; Titus 2:11-12; James 3:13;
Marriage and Sexuality
We believe that marriage was created by God. We believe that marriage must be held in honor by all. We believe that marriage is monogamous involving one man and one woman. We believe that God created the act of sex as a gift of union only between a genetic man and genetic woman inside the confines of marriage. Anything outside of God’s design is sexaul immorality, a sin. God created marriage to be a symbol of Christ’s union with His bride, the Church. Like the rules of physics or math, we believe marriage is not subjective or relative.
Genesis 2:24; Prov. 18:22; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9; 2 Cor. 6:14; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Peter 3:7, Matthew 5:28; Romans 1; Ephesians 5; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 18; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Ephesians 5:3; 33; Galatians 5:19; 1 Thess. 4:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; Prov. 5:15-19; Leviticus 18:22
Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that God hates divorce and that there are no permissions for divorce other than the situation of unrepentant sexual immorality. Still, in this situation God’s desire would be reconciliation or sacrifice over divorce. We believe the only clear time someone can remarry is when their spouse on earth, even if divorced, dies. We are bound to the person we marry.
Genesis 2:24; Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Malachi 2:16; Matthew 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11; John 4:16-18; Acts 5:29; Rom. 7 1 Cor. 7
Gender
We believe when God created the heavens and the earth, his pinnacle creation was man and woman. This was a purposeful design. The image of God shared between the only two sexes that were created: male and female. There are no other genders and the gender one was born with cannot be changed regardless of physical alterations or mental assertions. Men are to reflect God’s dominion and authority, his headship and protection. Women are to reflect this nurture, love and creation of life. Inside a marriage men are to be the head of the house and women are to submit. This again reflects the beautiful image of The church submitting to her head, Christ and Christ laying his life down for her.
Genesis 1:27; Leviticus 20:13; Deuteronomy 22:5; 1 Cor. 11:12; Matthew 19:4; Romans 1:26-27
Abortion
We believe that all human life is special and is life at the moment of conception. God knew us in our mothers womb, formed us and already had a relationship with us. We totally reject any reason to take the life of an unborn child at any stage of development other than matters of complications causing potential life threatening circumstances for mom and child. Outside of this circumstance abortion is murder.
Exodus 20:13; Job 31:15; Psalm 127; Psalm 139; Proverbs 6:16-19; Jeremiah 1:5
Drugs and alcohol
God tells us to be controlled by the spirit and not wine. This prohibition to inebriation extends to any substance that we might put in our body. God does not say that these substances are sin but drunkenness or letting these things control us are. They can and do cause major problems for the person controlled by them. We believe one should seek to honor the bible and the laws of the land they live in when contemplating any substance outside of medical reasons.
Proverbs 20:1; 21:34; 23:29-35; Isaiah 5:11; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; Galatians 5:21; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Peter 5:8
