ABOUT CORNERSTONE BIBLE CHURCH

Core Values

1. The Word of God is our final authority.

2. Jesus Christ is the Head of the church.

3. The church is believers in Jesus Christ, not a building.

4. Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.

5. Our relationship with God is cultivated through personal and corporate Bible study and prayer.

6. Our worship is an expression of our love and obedience to God.

7. A life of faith is a life lived in awareness of and obedience to the Holy Spirit.

8. Every believer is called to serve.

9. Personal relationships are critical to evangelism and discipleship.

10. Transparency and integrity are essential for unity and trust.

Doctrine

THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the sixty-six books of the Bible are all given by the inspiration of God in the sense that the Holy Spirit guided holy men of old (2 Peter 1:20-21) in their choice of the very words of the sacred writings (verbal plenary); and that His divine inspiration is not in different degrees, but extends equally and fully to all parts of these writings, historical, poetical, doctrinal, and prophetical, and to the smallest word, provided such word was present in the original manuscripts. We believe, therefore, that the whole Bible in the originals is without error and is the only authority for faith and practice. We believe all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness: That the man of God may be adequate, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

GOD

We believe that there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4), eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19), Who are co-equal in their essential nature, attributes, and perfection; and each of Whom is to be honored and worshiped as God (John 1:1-4; 14:7-21; 17:3; Hebrews 1:1-3).

THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST

His Person: We believe that Jesus Christ is God the Son (John 1:1-3, 14, 5:18, 8:58; Colossians 2:9), the promised Messiah, conceived in the flesh by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:34-35), born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), true God and true man (Philippians 2:5-11), without sin, and the only mediator between God and Man (I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:2-9, 2:14-15; 4:15).

His Work: We believe that Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross, paid for all sin (Isaiah 53:5-6), completely satisfied the righteous wrath of God against sin (Romans 3:21-26), and provided redemption and forgiveness for all who believe (Colossians 1:13-14). After His death, Jesus Christ was raised bodily from the dead in victory over sin (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), was seen by many during a period of forty days (Luke 24:36-43; 1 Corinthians 15:5-8), and then ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:6-11) where He is seated at the right hand of God as our Advocate (1 John 2:1-2) and High Priest (Hebrews 4:15), from which place He will some day return to establish His Kingdom on earth (John 3:16; I Peter 1:18- 19, 2:24; Revelation 20:6).

THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

His Person: We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, eternal, underived, possessing all the attributes of personality and deity. In all the divine attributes He is equal with and of the same essence and nature (coequal and consubstantial) with the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

His Work: We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:7-11) and regenerates the sinner upon belief in Christ (Titus 3:5), baptizing the believer into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13), of which Christ is the head (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18). The Holy Spirit indwells (1 Corinthians 3:16), guides (Mark 13:11), instructs (John 14:26), fills (Ephesians 5:18), comforts (John 14:16), and empowers (Ephesians 3:16) the believer for godly living. We believe that the Holy Spirit administers spiritual gifts to every believer for the purpose of building up the body (the Church) (Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 4:7-12).

MAN

We believe that man was created by God (Genesis 2:7, 18-24) in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28; 9:6) and is not the product of evolution. The first man (Adam) fell from his sinless state through personal disobedience to the revealed will of God (Genesis 3:1-24), and as a result, all mankind is sinful in nature and practice (Romans 5:12), is unable to save himself (Romans 3:10-12, 23), and faces eternal separation from God (Romans 1:18; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3).

SALVATION

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of all humanity according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:2-4), as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice (Romans 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21). We believe that each person who by faith believes on Him as personal Savior is justified on the basis of Jesus Christ’s shed blood on Calvary. This salvation is by faith in Christ alone and not received by, nor based upon, any sacrament, merit, or good work on our part (Ephesians 2:8-9). Each person who believes on Christ as personal Savior is born again of the Holy Spirit (John 3:1-9) and nothing shall be able to separate him or her from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-39). We believe the Holy Spirit baptizes each believing person into the body of Christ and indwells them at the moment of salvation (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

THE CHURCH

We believe that upon accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, a believer becomes part of His body, the church, of which Christ is the head (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18). There is one church universal, composed of all those throughout the world who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We believe that the New Testament teaches the establishment and continuance of a local body of believers known as the local assembly or local church of born again believers. The Scriptures command believers to gather in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, observance of the ordinances, fellowship, service to the body through the development and use of talents and gifts (Acts 2:42-47), and outreach to the world in fulfillment of the command of Christ to make disciples of all believers (Matthew 28:18-20). Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the church under the oversight of elders and other supportive leadership (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9). The church’s members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ (Ephesians 4:16).

ANGELS

Holy Angels: We believe that an innumerable company of sinless angels were created by God, and are therefore not to be worshipped (Revelation 19:10; 22:9). Although they are a higher order of creation than man, they were created by God, to worship Him and act as servants and messengers on God’s behalf (Luke 2:9-14; Hebrews 1:6-7, 14; 2:6-7; Revelation 5:11-14).

Fallen Angels: We believe that “Lucifer, Son of the morning” – the highest in rank of the angels, sinned through pride, thereby becoming Satan (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19). He incurred the judgment of God by rebelling against his Creator. In his rebellion he took numerous angels with him in his fall (these are referred to as fallen angels or demons) (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:1-14), and introduced sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve (Genesis 3:1-15). We believe that Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man (Isaiah 14:13-14; Matthew 4:1-11; Revelation 12:9-10); that he is the prince of this world (John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2), who has been defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 16:20); and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).

MARRIAGE

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning, and that is marriage sanctioned by God, which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive, covenantal “one flesh” union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 1:27-28; Genesis 2:18-25; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9; Romans 7:2; Hebrews 13:4). The Bible sets forth specific home and family values, which include the distinct roles of husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, and children (Ephesians 5:22-6:4). We believe that marriage between one man and one woman, for life, uniquely reflects Christ’s relationship with His Church (Ephesians 5:21-33; Revelation 19:7-9).

HUMAN GENDER AND SEXUALITY

We believe that all matters of faith and conduct must be evaluated on the basis of the Holy Bible, which is our infallible guide (II Timothy 3:16-17).  Since the Bible does speak to the nature of human beings and their sexuality, it is imperative that we correctly understand and articulate what the Bible teaches on these matters.

CREATION OF HUMANITY

Based on the Holy Bible, we believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female as genetically defined, and biologically determined at birth (Psalm 139:1-18). These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:20-25). Human sexuality is a part of God’s righteous and good design.  God created sex for the purpose of procreation, mutual pleasure, and as a deep expression of intimacy, love, and oneness between a husband and wife (Proverbs 5:15-19). These purposes can rightly be fulfilled only in the context of the God established covenant of marriage between one man and one woman (I Corinthians 7:2-5).

SEXUAL IMMORALITY

When sin entered the world, humanity was marred spiritually, relationally, emotionally, and physically, leaving humanity with desires that were not part of God’s original design.  As a result, mankind distorted and misused God’s plan for sex.  God clearly prohibits the practice of sex outside of marriage including but not limited to premarital sex, adultery, homosexual conduct, bisexual conduct, incest, bestiality, or any use of pornography (Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:7-23; 20:10-21; Deuteronomy 5:18; Proverbs 5; Matthew 5:27-28; Romans 1:24-28; I Corinthians 5:1; 6:9-18;  Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:17-19; 5:3,5; Colossians 3:5; I Thessalonians 4:3-8; Hebrews 13:4).  These behaviors are against God’s design for human sexuality, do damage to those who participate in them, hurt others, and are clearly prohibited by Scripture.

GENDER IDENTITY

We believe that the Bible teaches that God created mankind in His image; male (man) and female (woman), sexually different but with equal personal dignity  (Genesis 1:26-28; Romans 1:24-28; I Thessalonians 4:3-7).  Therefore, we believe mankind should affirm their biological sex and refrain from any and all attempts to physically change, alter, or disagree with their predominant biological sex.

SEXUAL REDEMPTION

The Bible teaches that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  We believe that God offers redemption to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; I Corinthians 6:9-11), and are therefore fully forgiven and restored in their relationship with God (Psalm 32:1-5; 51:1-12; I Corinthians 10:13; Ephesians 2:1-10; I John 1:9).

THE CHURCH’S RESPONSE TO SINFUL HUMANITY

As members of the Body of Christ, we must treat all individuals, regardless of their sin, with respect, compassion, and sensitivity, in order to bring the hope of deliverance (Matthew 11:28-30; Luke 6:31; Romans 12:1-2, 9-21; Ephesians 4:1-3, 15-25, 29-32; Ephesians 5:1-17; Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 4:14-16).  Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Cornerstone Bible Church. However, endorsing behavior which the Bible disapproves endangers individuals and dishonors God (Romans 1:18-32; Hebrews 13:4).

Church Covenant

We, the members of The Cornerstone Bible Church, do join together in the fellowship of the Gospel. We covenant together, God helping us that we will love one another, pray for one another, and seek to help one another grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We will be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and to resolve our differences by putting away from us all bitterness, wrath, anger, and evil speaking; and we will be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us.

We will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together for worship and service, but will honor the Word of God and will seek to follow those who have the spiritual rule over us. We will be good stewards of all that God has given us, and will give as God has prospered us, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.

We will seek to win others to Christ by sharing the Gospel in word and deed. As we have the opportunity, we will do good to all men, especially those who are of the household of faith. We will strive to carry out His commission to spread the Gospel throughout the whole world.