What We Believe…
The purpose of the people making up the Chesapeake Church of Christ is simple: we want to honor God with lives wholly devoted to Him. Whether we are together in a worship service, at school or our jobs during the week, or spending time with friends or family, we want to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. An overview really cannot adequately explain our convictions in detail, but there are some basic items that anchor us together:
God
There is only one true God. He is the Creator of all things and the Supreme Ruler of the universe. He has always been (He is eternal) and co-exists in three Persons – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We learn about God through His creation, His word, and His Son. He is both just and merciful. God loves us more than we can imagine.
Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 90:2; John 3:16; Romans 1:19-20; 2 Corinthians 13:14
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God. Co-equal with God the Father and God the Spirit, He came to earth and became man. He was fully God while at the same time being fully man. He revealed to us who God is. His miraculous deeds, sinless life, and life-changing teachings all confirmed the fact that He is God’s Son. His purpose for coming to Earth was to show God’s love by dying on a cross, thus taking the sins of all mankind upon Himself and paying the penalty that our sins deserve. His bodily resurrection from the grave and His promise to return someday are testimonies to the fact that He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. All power and authority in heaven and on earth have been given to Him. As our Lord and Savior, Jesus desires the deepest of relationship with each of us.
Matthew 1:22-23; John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:15-21; Hebrews 1:1-3; Matthew 28:18-20
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son. He dwells in each member of God’s family as a Helper and Guide. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation and provides us help, strength and direction for living life God’s way. He is the giver of every spiritual gift and empowers the Christian for ministry. We should seek to live under His control.
John 14:7-17; John 16:8-10; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:5-11; Galatians 5:16-25
The Bible
The Bible is God’s written Word. Human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit wrote it. The Bible is God-breathed; it is true and without error. It tells us who God is, why He loves us, and what His plans are for us. The Bible is the sole authority and standard for living our lives according to God’s will for us.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 19:7-11; Psalm 119:105; John 17:17; 2 Peter 1:20-21
Human Beings
People are created in the spiritual likeness or image of God. We are the supreme objects of God’s creation. God gave us free will—we have the ability to choose to love or hate, to do right or wrong, etc. Sadly, from the very beginning we have all fallen into sin and rebellion against God. Therefore, each person is separated from God because of his/her sin and needs to be saved. Thankfully, God has made a way for us to be His children again through Jesus Christ.
Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 59:1-2; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 3:23-24
Salvation
We need salvation because sin separates us from our God. He desires relationship with us, but it is impossible for us to restore that broken relationship with God through our own efforts. We cannot earn our salvation through our good deeds or achieve it through self-improvement. The cross of Jesus was God’s plan to freely save us from our sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection. The way we receive God’s free gift is by placing our faith in Jesus. We act on our faith in Jesus by obeying His commands to turn away from our sins (repentance) and to be immersed (baptized) in water to receive cleansing, newness of life and the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 59:2; John 3:16; Romans 3:21-24; Romans 6:3-4; Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:3-8
The Christian Life
Jesus did not just die to offer us forgiveness of sins, He was also raised to give us new life. The Christian life is all about the transformation of our hearts, minds, attitudes, affection, behaviors, etc. It is a whole new life of living in the blessings of truly knowing God as His beloved children. As we follow Jesus as His disciples—growing and maturing as His students—we will come to be more and more like Him in every way. The Holy Spirit helps in this life transformation, primarily through the word of God. We also have the privilege of serving our Lord by serving others, both in the church and in the world. We use the gifts He gives and become His representatives in the world.
Luke 9:23-26; Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:22-25; Colossians 3; Titus 2:11-14
The Church
The Church is God’s spiritual family. It is made up of all those who have chosen to place their trust and faith in Jesus and who are His followers (disciples). The Church is not a building, an organization, or an institution. It is simply a family of all those who belong to Jesus. The Bible uses the imagery that Jesus is the Head of the church, and the people are all members of His body. God’s will is for the church to gather regularly to worship Him, to use our various gifts and abilities to serve our Lord and others, to love and encourage those who are in the body, and to reach out to the lost with the gospel. As the members of His body love one another and maintain unity of purpose and relationship, the world around us will recognize that we belong to Jesus. The church is to seek to do the will of God, which includes loving and saving the world through Jesus Christ.
Matthew 16:15-18; John 17:20-23; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
Eternity and Heaven
When God created you and me, He created us with a soul that will never cease to exist. Those who choose to follow Jesus as Lord will spend eternity with God in Heaven. Those who reject Jesus through unbelief will spend eternity in Hell. Heaven, like salvation, is a gift of God’s grace. Hell is the deserved consequence for those who have not accepted God’s free offer of forgiveness. Heaven and Hell are real places.
Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 25:31-46; John 14:1-6; Revelation 20:11-21:8