Our Doctrine

In regards to Christian belief, the ancient Church Father, Augustine is reported to have said “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” At St. Paul’s we try to embody this teaching. We hold tightly to the core of the Christian Faith, and stand firm upon all of God’s word.  But, we also recognize that Christians in good faith can disagree with one another on certain issues, and that this disagreement should not prevent us from belonging together. As such we emphasize the truths contained in the Apostle’s Creed, a second century summary of Core Christian beliefs. 


We are also a Reformational church. In other words we take our doctrinal cues from the from the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century. This means we champion the truth that Scripture alone is our final authority, that sinners are forgiven by grace alone, through faith alone, by the finished work of Christ alone, and this is all so that God alone gets the glory. 



Below is a summary of our beliefs:


The Bible is inspired, which means it is God’s own word, and as such it is inerrant, which means it is without errorWe believe everything that the Bible teaches.


There is one God, who eternally exists in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 


God created all things, and he created human beings in his image. The first man Adam sinned and as a result all of humanity is enslaved and dead in sin. 


The Father has graciously chosen from eternity past those people whom he would have as his own. 


To save his own the Father sent his Son, who became man, and that man Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross. His body was raised from the dead on the third day, and he ascended into heaven to appear before his Father as our advocate. 


To save his own the Father sends the Spirit, who makes sinners alive (which is called regeneration), preserves us until the end, and empowers us to live new lives. 


Sinners are saved through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. When a sinner believes he receives forgiveness of sins, (which is called justification), the power of sin in their life is broken, enabling them to live differently (which is called sanctification)and they become children of God, (which is called adoption). 


Baptism and the Lord’s supper are signs that point us to the realities of Christ and his work, and seals, ensuring us that we, who believe on Christ, receive all that he has promised to us. 


We believe at death a believer's soul is immediately in God’s presence. We believe in the future resurrection of all humanity; those in Christ will receive a blessed reward, those outside of Christ will receive eternal punishment.